Using the IGCSE Chemistry Syllabus as a Revision Checklist

The most powerful revision tool for IGCSE Chemistry is not a textbook, not a set of flashcards, and not a past paper. It is the syllabus itself. The 0620 syllabus document contains every learning objective that Cambridge can examine. Every question on every paper is written to test a specific syllabus point. If you know every point in the syllabus, you can answer every question. If there is a syllabus point you do not know, there is a potential question you cannot answer.

Most students never read the syllabus. They rely on their teacher and textbook to cover everything, and they hope nothing has been missed. The students who use the syllabus as a checklist know exactly what can be tested, and they can verify whether their knowledge is complete.

How to use the syllabus as a checklist

Step 1: Print or download the subject content section

The 0620 syllabus PDF has several sections. The one you need is the “Subject content” section, which lists every topic and every learning objective within each topic. Ignore the administrative sections about exam format (you can find that information in our exam format guide) — focus on the content.

Each learning objective is a statement like:

• “Describe the structure of an atom in terms of a positively charged nucleus and negatively charged electrons”
• “Define relative atomic mass, Ar”
• “Calculate empirical and molecular formulae from given data”

Step 2: Go through every statement

Read each learning objective and honestly assess whether you can do what it says. Not “have I heard of this” but “could I answer an exam question on this right now?”

Mark each statement with a traffic light:

• Green: I can do this confidently. I could answer a question on this under exam conditions.
• Amber: I have studied this, but I might make errors. I need to review and practise.
• Red: I cannot do this. Either I have not studied it, or I studied it and did not understand it.

Be honest. The checklist is a diagnostic tool. A flattering assessment defeats the purpose.

Step 3: Note the core/supplement distinction

The syllabus marks content as either Core (required for Papers 1 and 3) or Supplement (additional content for Papers 2 and 4, the extended papers). If you are sitting the extended papers, you need both Core and Supplement content. If you are sitting core papers only, you can skip Supplement content entirely.

This distinction affects your revision priorities. Extended students who are confident in Core content but weak in Supplement content should focus their time on Supplement points, which typically carry the harder marks.

Step 4: Build a revision plan from the reds and ambers

Your traffic-light audit tells you exactly what to study. Convert the reds and ambers into a revision plan:

Red topics: These need learning, not reviewing. Allocate 30-40 minutes per red statement. Use the textbook to learn the content, then test yourself using active recall.

Amber topics: These need practice. Do past paper questions targeting these points. Mark against the scheme. If you consistently score full marks, upgrade to green. If you keep losing marks, the amber is really a red — go back and relearn.

Green topics: Maintenance only. Do occasional past paper questions to confirm they remain green. A brief flashcard review keeps factual content fresh.

Step 5: Re-audit regularly

Repeat the checklist every three to four weeks during revision. Reds should become ambers, ambers should become greens. If a red remains red after two cycles, the problem may be a prerequisite gap (see recovering from a topic gap) or you may need help from a teacher or tutor.

By the week before the exam, every statement should be green or amber. A few ambers are acceptable — no student scores 100%. But reds in the final week represent guaranteed lost marks.

What the syllabus tells you that the textbook does not

Exact scope

The textbook might spend three pages on the history of the periodic table. The syllabus says nothing about history. Those three pages are background reading, not examinable content. The syllabus tells you what to skip.

Conversely, the syllabus might require you to “describe the formation of an ionic bond by electron transfer” with a specific example. If your textbook skims this with one paragraph, the syllabus tells you it needs more attention.

Command word expectations

Syllabus statements use specific verbs: “state,” “describe,” “explain,” “calculate,” “predict,” “deduce.” These verbs correspond to command words in exam questions. If the syllabus says “explain why metals are good conductors,” the exam can ask for an explanation, not just a statement. If the syllabus says “state the products,” the exam will ask you to state, not explain. Matching your revision depth to the syllabus verb is efficient — you do not need to prepare a three-paragraph explanation for a “state” objective.

The difference between core and extended expectations

For some topics, the syllabus has separate Core and Supplement columns. The Core column might say “describe electrolysis in terms of the movement of ions,” while the Supplement column adds “predict the products of electrolysis of aqueous solutions.” Extended students who only prepare to the Core level will lose marks on Supplement questions, even if they are confident in the basics.

Combining the syllabus with other revision tools

The syllabus checklist does not replace your other revision methods. It is the framework that organises them:

• Flashcards cover the “state” and “define” objectives
• Active recall covers the “describe” and “explain” objectives
• Past paper practice covers the “calculate,” “predict,” and “deduce” objectives
• Spaced repetition maintains all of the above over time

After every past paper, return to the syllabus and check off the points you demonstrated competence in. After every topic study session, return to the syllabus and verify that you have covered every relevant point. The syllabus is the final authority on what you need to know, and using it as your checklist ensures nothing is missed.

A practical tip

Print the subject content pages double-sided, punch-hole them, and keep them at the front of your chemistry folder. Use a pencil for the traffic lights so you can erase and update. Carry this checklist to every revision session. It takes ten seconds to check whether a session covered the right points, and it prevents the common problem of spending all your time on favourite topics while neglecting the ones that will cost you marks.