5 Hours Away from Home

Screen Capture of my blog post on Hotcourses Malaysia :)

To read more, follow the link below:
http://www.hotcourses.com.my/blog/student-life/5-hours-away-from-home/

My 2012 Recommendations ♥

I hope it's not too late for me to recommend good websites for you this year :D

Today I would like to highlight 2 special educational websites:

Berry Berry Easy
*Not a new website but it is surely the site I would like to recommend to readers every year~!

Berry Berry Easy provides you with comprehensive notes, SPM/STPM tips and past year papers/trial papers from different states uploaded specially by Berry Berry Teacher, Miss Isabelle Wong and Berry Berry Jenius, Mr Jo-Han Ng. They are always there to help you, and you have my word for it ♥

Do check out their website and you'll know what I mean :)



If you like their hardwork, do support them by following them on Facebook :) It's the least you can do~! ♥




Gnowledge
*This is a new website I found recently :)

Gnowledge provides readers with exercises and past years uploaded by dedicated teachers in and out of Malaysia~! It is through drilling/practices that you will improve :) So here it is~! Have a look and start doing the past years today~!



Like Gnowledge? Follow them on Facebook~! ♥

So here it is readers~! Do check them out ^^ The links to the other recommended sites are at the sidebar...do have a look too~!

A Story to Ponder

Some said that it is not good to always think of the past because it is as though you're not moving forward to face the future, however, I normally look back for 2 reasons:

1. A problem arises, I need to look back for the cause of the problem, rectify the mistake and make changes for good.
2. To compare the past me with the one in the present, look at my accomplishment over the years, the aims I once made and the good and bad times I've gone through in the past.

In life, things aren't easy as it is filled with hitches. Though it is hard to move on at times of life, we have to hold on. We should be glad that we are given a life to live!

In this post, I wanna tell you more about what I have once been through in my life as a student till who I am today. So here goes!

I was in a Chinese primary school, SJK (C) Lai Meng for 6 years. And during my primary years, I was never the shining star. Why? Because I never took my studies seriously and also I was not the smart one. I never got to the top 10 in any exams before. I didn't pay attention in class either. There's once I even doodled in my textbook in Science class in front of the teacher while she was teaching! That was how I got caught by the teacher and took up the challenge to get an A in her Science paper. That happened in Standard 4 :) Which sparked my interest in Science.

Well, with moderate grades, I was not targeted by the teachers to get straight Ace in UPSR. However, with the help of my parents and my aunt, I managed to get 7A in UPSR. For the very first time, my life was filled with lights of glory. It was a good ending for a moderate start in primary school and definitely a great start in secondary school!

I went to SMK Puteri Ampang after graduating from primary school. That school was highly populated with Chinese which made no difference from a Chinese school. I performed very well in form 1, made it up to the top 3 and was elected to be the model student of the year (puteri mithali). When I was in form 2, I became a little snobbish and full of myself (I dare to admit!) and then got all things screwed up in school. And the year was bad as I was disliked by most of the people in school. So in form 3, I fall back to the moderate me with minimal participation in almost everything. Because of slacking in Form 2, I did not get straight ace in my PMR.

I went to SMK Cyberjaya for my form 4 as I moved from Ampang to Sepang. And it was a brand new start for me :) This school has a very very small population of Chinese. And so it was a little hard to adapt at first. However, as time goes by, and with the help of all the friendly people around me, I adapted. This time, I took my studies seriously! Because of that, I scored in exams especially in subjects like Chemistry, Biology, Physics, Maths, Add maths and English. My friends called me short square and that is when I started to use the name to start a blog. I paid full attention in class and finished all my work on time!

Secrets in studying? I can only say through making notes, paying attention in class and practice!

In form 5, I only paid attention to my strong subjects and neglected my weaker subjects; which resulted in another failure of not getting straight ace in my SPM. I did regret!

Right after SPM, I went to INTI University College Nilai to pursue A level. When I got the offer for Matriculation which was months later, I went directly to Penang. That transition from A level to Matriculation wasn't easy. It took me quite a while to adapt. But one thing that got me out of my comfort zone was to pursue my first bachelor degree in Pure Chemistry at USM. And that persistence got me through that one year which I did not regret! I got 4 flat in my matriculation and now, I got the offer to pursue my first bachelor degree in Pure Chemistry at USM this September!

The conclusion of the story is, no matter what happens in life, DO NOT GIVE UP!!! Follow your heart, let it bring you there! When you set a goal, be sure to move towards it with determination, persistence and courage. Do not let others bring you down in any ways and do not be afraid to fail at times of life. Because it is through failures that we'll find true success!

To my dearest readers, no matter how bad or how unsatisfying the exam results might be, always remember to try, try and TRY again and again until you get it right! Doing mistakes in school exams is better than doing it in SPM. Hence, start looking back for the mistakes, rectify them and change them! Look forward to the future and work hard for it! I'm sure you can do it!

When I tell you my failures and regrets, I hope you'll turn mine into your success; and when I tell you my success, I hope that you can turn my successes into your inspirations to move on and do better in yours! That is the main purpose of the story!

When I was young, my parents told me to dream for my future, to aim for it and to put my best foot forward.

I've done my part, I'm nearing to my dream, are you?

Read about my Interview @ Berry Berry Easy in March 2010.

Alternative Links to my notes :)

Dear readers,

Some of you have encountered problems downloading documents on Scribd. Hence, the following is my alternative link to all my notes posted on Scribd. To those who do not have a Scribd account, you can use box.net :)

The Link ♥

Thanks~!

Electrolysis - Determining ions to be discharged

This is a video on 'Electrolysis - Determining ions to be discharged' made by me for another international chemistry video competition on any physical chemistry topic.

But to all readers, this video is made for you guys because it is made according to the SPM (Malaysian) syllabus. So no worry :)

Do support me on facebook or youtube if you like the video! Do leave me a message if you have any enquires or any other topics you want me to cover and I'll see what I can do to help.

Thanks and enjoy watching~!

A World Without Polymers?

Share this video if you think it is interesting or educational~!
Click the LIKE button (in facebook and youtube) if you love it ♥
Help me spread the message to the world, support me in this competition :)
Thanks a million~!

Good Luck!

Dear Form 5 Students,

I wish you all the best in your impending SPM examination!! Get strings of A+!!

:

In the SPM week, remember to

1. Get enough sleep/rest

2. Study smart

3. Consume healthy food

4. Leave Fb alone for a while... (if you can ^^)

5. Do your very best

6. Pray/ Hope for the best~!

After the SPM week, start to

1. Plan for your future

2. Pick up soft skills/ brush up on your language (to prepare for scholarship interviews/MUET/etc)

3. Go for driving lessons (depends on individual)

4. Search for scholarships/ important dates

5. Join Re-Com to know more about the 'future' things you're in doubt :)

6. Take good care of yourself

GOod luck :) Take care and all the best for your future undertakings!!

DO share this blog to your juniors :)

Dear Readers,

Some of you might have encountered some problems when you tried to download my notes from scribd. Worry not as I've already made some changes to the download settings in Scribd.

Clarifying The Problem that most of you informed me about

Scribd had placed my documents under their Archieve programme lately. It's a programme whereby readers can download the document for free if:
1. they contribute a document in return
2. they contribute some fee for the archieve programme subscription

*Now that I've cleared things up with scribd, you should not be having any problem downloading my notes. If you ever encounter any problems, do leave me a message in the chatbox ;)

For your information, my notes are distributed online for free, there's no payment needed to be made in order to download them. If you ever see any notice about paying any sort of fees just to get to download them, don't hesitate to inform me :)

Thanks for following my blog :)

Alternative download source: http://www.box.net/shared/nij8830c1j

All the best for your SPM and good luck~!!!

Biology :)

Dear readers,

Sorry for the long pause....

Biology is not to be memorised. All you need to do is understand, familiarise, practice and eventually you'll be able to remember. For this, I divided Biology into few parts, mainly, diagrams to be remembered, graphs, and essay compilation.

Diagrams to be remembered
- In biology, we must be able to remember pictures, diagrams and their position just when you read the keywords of it. This is because when you are able to have the image in your mind, it will be easier for you to understand and get it easily. Visualising plays an important role in Biology. I listed down below all the diagrams and images that we have seen in form 4 and form 5. Among these diagrams, there are some to be remembered only, while the others you must be able to draw. (Do check on those that are not mentioned in the list below during revision too) :)

>Spend some time to draw them all out in a piece of A4 paper and keep it as your notes for future revision. Take it out everyday and spend some time to look at it. By using the pictures, you'll be able to remember some points which you'd studied or taught by the teacher. So take a pencil and start practicing! As you draw, you will remember better ;)


Diagrams

1. organelles
2. Amoeba/ Paramecium
3. Meristematic tissue
4. Internal Environment
5. Phospholipid Bilayer
6. Mechanics of transports (Active Transport)
7. Cells in isotonic, hypotonic and hypertonic solution
8. Carbohydrates, Proteins, lipid (structure)
9. Enzyme (lock and key mechanism & graph of factors affecting enzyme activity)
10. Mitosis
11. Meiosis
12. Digestion Equation
13. Pathway of digestion of human, ruminants, rodents
14. Villi
15. Colon
16. Cross section of leaf
17. Respiratory Organs
18. Alveoli
19. Succession in Mangrove Swamp, pond
20. Artery, Vein, Capillary
21. The Human Heart
22. Pulmonary and Systemic circulation
23. Blood circulation path for human, fish, frog
24. Joint
25. Special characteristics of the bones
26. The arm (bending mechanism)
27. Grasshopper's Leg (movement)
28. Bird's Locomotion
29. Position of tendon and ligaments
30. The general structure of the brain
31. The spinal cord
32. The neurons (effector, interneuron and affector)
33. Synapse
34. Kidney and it's functional unit (nephron)
35. Auxin's effect towards the growth of plants
36. Sperm
37. Reproduction in plants
38. Secondary growth in plants
39. Genes and mutations
40. Inheritance (Punnett Square..etc)

Besides the diagrams, you should remember the graphs too...

Graphs

1. Factors affecting the rate of enzymatic reaction
2. Factors affecting photosynthesis
3. Graph that show the compensation point (photosynthesis vs respiration in plants)
4. Immunity (natural acquired, artificial acquired, artificial passive, etc)
5. Factors affecting transpiration
6. Growth curve of human
7. Growth curve of insect
8. Variation (continuous and discontinuous)

Other than that, you'll have to be able to explain in depth the processes involved. Don't forget to master the definitions :)

Do lots of past year questions and understand how marks are given in the answer schemes. All the best and good luck~!

For those who have not seen the biology essay compilation, do check it out :)

http://dashortsquare.blogspot.com/search/label/Biology%20notes
http://dashortsquare.blogspot.com/search/label/biology%20video

" You can't cross the sea merely by standing and staring at the water. "
~ Rabindrana Th Tagore

Change of URL

Dear friends :)

Kindly be informed that http://dashortsquare.blogspot.com/ has now been changed to yvonnechoo.co.cc :)

P/S: You can still use the old URL though :)

Thanks.
Read more ya~!

Standard Normal Distribution Table (Download Link)

Dear Steve,

As requested, this is the link I found online. It's in pdf version :)

http://www.math.bgu.ac.il/~ngur/Teaching/probability/normal.pdf

Hope this helps.

All the best,
Yvonne Choo.

Checklist Chemistry ~ Score A+

This is the checklist I promised to upload during the Teknik Menjawab Soalan Kimia SPM 2010 @ SMK Cyberjaya. The first document is the checklist, the second document is my answer.
Hope it helps :) All the best!!

Spm Checklist for Chemistry

Checklist Chemistry 2009 Yvonne

Words from The Ones

'Usaha + Rajin = Berjaya' says Pn Roziana Aminorlah from SMK Cyberjaya.

I made this widget at MyFlashFetish.com.

Merely Tips 1

This post is my reply to Tanuja who asked me how I studied for both Chemistry and Biology.

To tell the truth, everything requires practice. The tips I used to remember the facts are not to MEMORISE. This is because, memorising will only make you rigid and unable to adapt when you are tensed. So the best way that I did was to visualise the facts and process while reading and try to at least do some 'process diagram' to show the flow and jot down some important keywords on the picture. As you read be sure to understand the facts and the flow, don't just read to memorise but read to understand. Through understanding, you'll be able to familiarise.

Take for example: Antagonistic movement of the arm. Since the arm is with you even in exams, you'll be able to cheat. Not the literal meaning of cheat but to take it as a guide. When you put your arm in a bend position (the showing muscle pose), you can feel and see that the biceps (upper muscle) is tensed. This means that it is contracted. Antagonistic movement has opposite characteristics between the two muscles involved so automatically when biceps contracts, triceps relaxes (during hand bending); during hand straightened, the biceps relaxes while the triceps contracts. See how easy it turned out to be? That's why you're given hints by your body.

If the topic is not related to your body, like plants. You have to visualise the existance of them when you are part of them. It will be much easier to remember if you are doing the thing as in you try to use more senses. The more senses you involve the more percentage the knowledge can be absorbed (research had shown). So it will be best you can read aloud as you try to understand the facts ;)

Chemistry, it's more to understanding the basic concept before applying the real thing. You'll have to be able to remember basic chemical reaction for you to be able to write the equation, apply into the experiment and the further calculation.

Let's take for example the preparation of salts. The basic concept here is that you'll have to know what are the salts to be produced. If it is a soluble salt is it a special (ammonium, sodium or potassium) salt? Or is it an ordinary salt? If it is a special salt, you'll have to use titration. Titration is the neutralisation reaction between an acid and an alkali. So you'll be able to predict what substances to be used.

Example 1: Soluble salt - Sodium Chloride
Since it is a soluble salt, and it is a special salt, titration is used. The ions involved in this case is sodium ion and chloride ion. Since an acid and an alkali is required, you can use sodium hydroxide solution and hydrochloric acid which contains the same ions as the salt you want to make.

Example 2: Soluble salt - Copper (II) sulphate
It is a soluble salt but not a special salt. From that you have to choose one between three other methods in preparing soluble salts.

1. Metal + acid -----> salt + hydrogen gas (reactive metal only)
2. Metal Oxide + acid -----> salt + water
3. Metal Carbonate + acid -----> salt, water, carbon dioxide

Note that copper ion is situated below hydrogen ion in the electrochemical series so it is not a reactive metal. Hence, method 1 cannot be used. Method 2 and 3 can be used because copper (II) oxide and copper (II) carbonate are salts that can react with acid. The product is also separatable from the solution as it contains only water or carbon dioxide which can be easily eliminated to get the salt crystals. So you can use copper (II) oxide or copper (II) carbonate with sulphuric acid to produce the salt.

Example 3: Insoluble salt - Barium Sulphate
It is insoluble so it only left the double decomposition/ precipitation reaction. That is to used two soluble salts which contains the ions needed like barium nitrate and sodium sulphate.

* You'll need to remember the salts which are soluble and insoluble. That's the thing you can't avoid.

Add Maths

Nothing is as fun as Additional Mathematics which brings away the boredom in me :)

Thanks to my additional mathematics teacher, I'd managed to complete all trial papers from 2003 till 2009 from all states, SBP and MRSM. That had made a difference ;)

Remember I'd mentioned about practice makes perfect? It is indeed true. Due to curiosity, which many might think that I'm making up stories or perhaps had nothing much to do, I'd finished studying the 10 form 5 add maths chapter within my form 4 holidays (November- December). I told myself that I need drilling to score perfectly in my adm exam, that's what kept me energised to complete the 10 whole new chapter myself. It was tough and I was afraid I don't get a thing from it at first but it became better when I attempt the questions. No, I don't need tuition to complete the 10 chapters, so do you. All we need is determination.

When my teacher began to teach the new chapters in class, I felt more confident as what I'd studied was right and that the two months of hard work was not wasted. Attending class was merely like a revision class for me so I need not spend time to understand them again like the others who had just been exposed to it. I started doing topical exercises in January followed by past year papers in February. I did not stop until the I finished my SPM in December. For the questions which has answers from books, I'd refer them to check my answers ; for those which doesn't have answers, I'd pass it up to the teacher and she had helped me marked it for months. She had helped me a lot :) From mistakes, I learned new things, I get to understand more, I'm more aware of it and will not repeat it.

If you have enough time, it will be great if you can finish all the adm exercise books available in the market ;)

When you do more practices and past year papers, you are exposed to different types of questions. When you start to have problems, flip through that chapter and study it once again. Then, re-attempt the questions ;)Don't let your momentum stop!!

In paper 2, section B and C, you'd get the chance to choose which question you would like to attempt. If you are not ready, focus more on the questions that you can get marks, however, if you are ready, try to attempt all the questions regardless of what chapter they belongs to. At least, if the questions comes out tough for the one you usually attempt, you'll have a back up for you to gain marks. But, be sure you have time to complete the standard questions and have the time to check before you start attempting the ones extra.

Overall, nothing is better when you are familiar with it. So start practicing today!! :)

Tips :)

Physics


1. Learn about the physics test format


Paper 1 (50%)

- 50 Multiple choice questions
- Total of 50 marks


Paper 2 (100%)

- Section A
> 8 structured questions
> A total of 60 marks


- Section B
> Choose 1 of 2 questions
> Total of 20 marks


- Section C
> Choose 1 of 2 questions
> Total of 20 marks


Paper 3 (40%)

- Section A
> 2 structural questions


- Section B
> Choose 1 of 2 questions


General Marks = [(P1 + P2 + P3)/190] x 100%


2. Spend some time to look through a few samples of SPM physics examination papers.


> Look at the type of questions asked in different sections in each paper.
> Look at how the marks are distributed for each questions.
> Look at the differences between the question requirement between different sections.
> Look at the diagrams or questions that require you to draw, make some notes about the type of diagrams you'll need to be familiar with.

3. Spend some time to look through the model answers of the respective papers.

> As you look at the answers for each questions and how each sentence or keyword is given marks, you'll pretty much know how you should write when this type of questions comes out.

> Try to attempt on the questions first if you are capable of, but it's still not too late if you can't. Just be patient, it will be rather tidious or merely annoying to copy or jot down the model answers and the marks distribution at first when you tried to attempt the papers. However, practice makes perfect, as you copy down the model answers, be sure to take some time to understand them as you write them down. If you encounter any problem or have any doubts, do not hesitate, just go straight and ask your teacher. Make sure that you try it out yourself first before you actually go and ask the teacher because you want to learn from it, not being spoonfed.

> If your answer is very different from the model answer, be sure to consult the teacher as the book which provides you with the model answers can make mistakes too.

> Highlight the parts you think it'll be more difficult for you and jot down the location of the area. For example, I am weak in paper 2, section C.

4. After locating the weaker areas, you wouldn't want to just let it be there. Go brush up!

> Take a few samples of test papers. Flip to the part you're weak at. Then, look through it one by one. When you get the gist of it, you start to attempt it, try it out at least. You might be giving the wrong answers now but it can be rectified so you will not repeat it in the actual SPM.
> Check the answers once you've finished them. Compare your answers to the model answers, try to understand the variation.
> After attempting few sets of that section, do go and consult your teacher. Let her comment on your weakness in general that she might have spotted in you. Jot them down. Mention to her/ him that you have some difficulties in this section. Show her your work and discuss with her regarding your correction. Consult her on the way of answering that section and how to think accordingly.
> Then, don't wait, you'll have to start drilling on that part. Go home, look at the model answers and your answered papers once more. Put them aside before you get yourself glued to a new set of paper. Then, try to apply whatever you'd learned from your mistakes and from the teacher into answering the questions.
> It might seems problematic to repeat the section over and over again until you are familiar with it and becomes confident.

*Personal Experience: When I tried to spot my weakness, I found out that I was weak in paper 2 section c. So I did lots of questions on it and at first, I suck pretty well. I kept answering the wrong things and almost gave up. But then I told myself, I want to score well in physics, I'll have to make sure that every part of the papers I'm able to answer. So I printed lots of past year trial papers from all states even from SBP and MRSM. I compiled that particular section that I'm weak into a file. I spend some time everyday to attempt at least one of the questions that I'm weak on. Since there's no sample answers to look and refer, I consult my teacher everyday. She helped me to check the questions I attempted and we discussed about the questions which I'd answered wrongly. I learn from my mistakes everyday and when I went home, I look through and try to recall what the teacher had said before I attempt a new set. This took me 2 weeks to complete as on some days when I began to feel confident with the section, I'd answered 3-4 sets daily. That's how it became on par with my other sections.

5. Notes/ Practice

> Take at least half an hour a day to recall the chapter that was covered in class on that particular day. Sometimes, you can also re-copy your notes so it might help you more.

> Take at least 15 minutes to look at chapters that the teacher is about to teach, read in advance and try to understand it. By the time you enter the class, everything the teacher teaches will be familiar. It will then be like a revision section.

> Pay attention in class and ask the teacher about the subtopic or any questions in particular that is related to what they are teaching if you do not understand. You might look dumb for asking silly questions and get people laughing at your stupidity but that's just the process of learning. Just ignore the rest that doesn't care asking.

> Go home, complete your homework or assignment first. Then, do some revision before you attempt on the questions. If you have any uncertainty that suddenly arrises at any point of time, always be prepared with a notebook so you can jot it down and ask your teacher the next day. Don't wait till few days later as you might have forgotten what you wanted to ask.

*Warning: Do not be the one who only completes the extra revision and neglected doing the homework or assignments the teacher had given to you. Teachers won't favour that behavior.

*Tips: Don't dispose any notes you make during class, at home, merely scribling because when you look back next time, you might find some useful things jot down inside that you might have left out. When you write you will remember more, trust me. The more senses you use, the better you remember.

6. Preparation for test

> Re-do notes/ Re-read the notes you made.
> Don't spot any topics.
> Attempt on some questions.
> Get enough sleep.
> Don't forget your calculator!!

7. Marks

> When you get back your marks, it shall tell you how much effort you put in. Don't give up when it is not as what you expected it would be and too, don't be over glad that you got high marks and did not continue to study or attempt on the questions. There's no stop when you started. Remember the tortoise and the hare story? That's what it meant ;)

> Look through your test paper no matter how dissatisfactory you are. Ask the teacher about the questions you are wrong and try to learn and understand from that.

> Sometimes, teachers might give you correction to be done. Don't take it as a waste of time as it helps you to not make the same mistakes. Don't just copy for the sake of passing up the correction, you should copy with understanding. That way, you'll learn more.

8. Don't believe me that practice makes perfect?

> Put the thoughts in action! Try it for yourself. When you have the will to score in physics, you have the way to do so :)

*Personal Experience: I got 45 marks in physics before and now it's an A+. It is useful for me, why not try it for yourself?

*Spending some time each day might be tough at first but when you look at the paper you get back each time after the test, the marks on it will be worth sacrificed.

Some techniques I used to remember Facts :)

These videos my secrets :)

1st video: Memorise the electrochemical series :)
2nd video: Memorise first 20 elements in the periodic table :)

*only the 1st one is done by me with my own ideas, the 2nd one credits goes to the girl in the video :)

What I experienced during SPM :)

To read about my SPM experience, visit this post.

SPM, the once in a life time experience

FYI, the notes, videos and link posted are related to the SPM syllabus :)
Follow my blog if you like em.

*Never take tips about what's coming out in SPM seriously, you might want to take them as a reference only. (It's risky to depend solely on the spot questions and topics)

Some Useful & Interesting Biology Videos You might want to see through !