How I Got a PERFECT SCORE In Year 12 Physics (99.95 ATAR Tips & Tricks)

Main Ideas

• Physics is more than applied maths. Doing well in maths does not automatically mean doing well in physics. Physics also requires conceptual understanding and clear written explanations.
• Focus on depth, not just coverage. Students may learn surface-level definitions without knowing how to apply ideas in unfamiliar situations. Understanding how and why concepts work is essential.
• Written questions matter. Exams may test explanations as well as calculations, so practise explaining your reasoning rather than avoiding written responses.
• Study the examinable curriculum. Learn what the subject outline allows the school to test instead of getting lost in unnecessary detail.
• Effective learning matters more than long study hours. Focus on thinking carefully, identifying and correcting mistakes, and learning more from each question—not simply spending more time studying.

How to Build Understanding

The speaker recommends an inquiry-based approach:

1. Start with specific questions about the topic or anything you do not understand. For example:
   • What is a reference frame?
   • What are the two postulates of Einstein’s relativity?
2. Once you have a basic grasp, ask deeper questions:
   • Why is this concept important?
   • How does it relate to another concept, such as Newtonian mechanics?
3. Look for connections between ideas. Relationships can make information easier to remember and apply in new situations.
4. Use mind maps to show those relationships. Write down your questions and connect related concepts with lines.
5. Treat notes mainly as a reference for later, not as the main way to learn or memorise. Writing and processing ideas can help, but copying extensive linear notes should not replace actively thinking about the material.
6. For difficult or underexplained topics, use a university textbook selectively. Search for answers to specific questions rather than reading broadly without a purpose.

Learning from Practice Questions: Kolb’s Experiential Cycle

Use each practice question as a complete learning cycle:

1. Experience: Attempt a question, whether it requires a calculation or a written explanation.
2. Reflect: Before checking the answer, assess your confidence. Ask yourself how much you would be willing to bet that your answer would receive full marks.
3. Check and analyse: Compare your response with the answer or marking guidance. Consider:
   • What did you get wrong or leave out?
   • Could you have approached the question another way?
   • What are the advantages and disadvantages of that approach?
4. Abstract and plan: Extract a general lesson from the question and decide what you will do differently next time.
5. Experiment again: Apply that lesson to a future question, then repeat the cycle.

The speaker notes that being confidently wrong can make a mistake more memorable, a phenomenon he calls the hypercorrection effect. He also recommends learning as much as possible from each question rather than relying on a large volume of repetitive practice.

Assignments

• Know the marking criteria thoroughly. Understand what the teacher will assess and prioritise the requirements that earn marks.
• Support claims with evidence. Qualify statements rather than making unsupported assertions.
• Apply explanations to the specific scenario. For example, when discussing projectile motion in a baseball example, explain it in that context rather than giving only a generic definition.
• Make the work easy to mark. Use clear, relevant explanations and avoid unnecessary “fluff” or complexity.
• For South Australian Science as a Human Endeavour (SHE) tasks, use language from the relevant key concepts so the work clearly addresses the criteria.

Tests and Exams

• Prepare for exam-standard questions throughout the term rather than relying on a short, intensive revision period just before a test.
• Do past exam questions regularly—weekly in the speaker’s approach—and increase the amount of test practice as an assessment approaches.
• Use inquiry questions and mind maps to revise conceptual and written material alongside calculation practice.
• Maintain spaced repetition throughout the year. Revisit earlier topics so that content from previous terms is not forgotten before exams.
• The speaker’s view is that revision should mainly refresh and reinforce what has already been learned. Strong learning methods during the term reduce the need to relearn large amounts of content later.

Speakers and Sources Featured

• Archer Newton — the video’s speaker, who describes his Year 12 physics study approach.
• David Kolb / Kolb’s experiential cycle — referenced as a framework for learning from experience and practice.
• James Clear — mentioned as the source of a tweet about valuing hard thinking over simply putting in more study hours.
• Albert Einstein — referenced in examples about relativity.
• University textbooks and past exam questions — recommended as study resources; no specific titles or authors are named.