La Rioja PAU Chemistry exam-day guide
La Rioja PAU Chemistry · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Valid ID document
Bring the official photo ID (DNI, passport, or equivalent) required to sit the exam. Confirm with the provider which documents are accepted and whether the ID must be the same one used at registration.
Exam admission/signature sheet or call letter
If your centre issues an admission document or lists you on a published call sheet, bring or check it. Confirm with the provider whether any printed document is mandatory or whether identity is checked against the centre's list.
Blue or black ballpoint pens (at least two)
Answers are handwritten on the official answer sheets. Bring spare pens of the same colour; avoid gel pens that smudge and pencils for final answers unless instructions permit them.
Pencil, eraser and sharpener
Useful for rough work, diagrams and multiple-choice grids if the paper includes them. Keep rough work clearly separated from final answers.
Simple scientific calculator
Confirm with the provider which calculator models are permitted. A non-programmable, non-graphing calculator covering logs, powers and trig functions is the safe default; programmable or graphing models are commonly restricted.
Approved periodic table and formula sheet
Check whether the provider supplies these with the paper or expects you to bring your own. Do not annotate a supplied table; if you bring one, confirm it is allowed and unmarked.
Ruler and protractor
Occasionally useful for graphs, vector diagrams and geometry in physical chemistry. A transparent ruler is the least likely to cause issues.
Analogue watch
Many exam rooms lack a visible clock. A simple wristwatch helps you manage the time; confirm with the provider whether smartwatches or phones are banned from the desk (they usually are).
Clear water bottle with labels removed
Stay hydrated, but remove or cover labels and keep the bottle on the floor or where invigilators allow. Confirm with the provider if drinks are permitted in the room.
Know your exam venue, room and start time
Check the official call or your centre's instructions for the exact building, room and reporting time. Arrive with margin for ID checks and seating; late-entry rules vary, so confirm with the provider.
Leave phone and smart devices outside the desk
Phones, smartwatches and earbuds must be switched off and stored as instructed. Keeping a device on your person during the exam can be treated as misconduct; confirm with the provider where devices must be left.
Plan transport and a backup
Identify the route, journey time and a fallback (taxi, earlier bus, lift). Allow extra time for traffic and for finding the room in a large campus.
Plan the day
Confirm logistics: venue, room, reporting time, accepted ID and permitted calculator with your centre. Re-read the official instructions for the paper structure (number of questions, choice, time allowed, weighting) so your timing plan matches the real format.
Do a full timed past-paper or mock under exam conditions. Mark it strictly against the mark scheme, list every lost mark by topic (e.g. stoichiometry, equilibrium, organic mechanisms, redox), and rank topics by marks lost per minute of revision.
Targeted revision of your weakest two or three topics. Rebuild the key ideas from memory, then check against notes: formulas, units, common traps (significant figures, sign conventions in thermodynamics, stereochemistry in organic reactions).
Practise the calculation skills that cost marks: unit conversions, molar mass, limiting reagent, pH, gas laws, Hess's law cycles, and reading graphs. Do short sets rather than long rereads.
Light review only: a one-page summary of formulas, constants, functional groups and reaction types, plus the timing plan. Stop studying early enough to sleep well; avoid new material that increases anxiety.
Pack the bag: ID, pens, pencil, eraser, calculator (with fresh batteries), ruler, water, admission document if required. Lay out clothes and confirm transport. Charge nothing you cannot bring into the room; leave the phone behind or plan where to store it.
Eat a proper breakfast and arrive at the venue with generous margin. Do a final five-minute skim of your formula sheet only; do not attempt new problems. Switch off and stow your phone before entering the room.
Read the instructions and check the paper for missing pages or printing errors before writing. Note the total time and divide it by the marks available; allocate minutes per question plus reserve time for checking. Fill in your personal details exactly as instructed.
Answer the questions you find easiest first to bank marks, then return to harder ones. Show working and units for calculations; state assumptions for explanations. If a question is blocking you, set a hard time limit and move on.
Check that every question has an answer, that question numbers match the answer sheet, and that units, significant figures and signs are correct. Correct obvious slips rather than starting new reasoning.
Rules to check
Bring the ID the provider requires and present it on request; if you are unsure which documents are accepted, confirm with the provider before exam day.
Follow the invigilators' instructions on seating, materials on the desk and when you may start or stop writing; writing after the final instruction can be penalised.
Phones, smartwatches and other electronic devices must be switched off and stored as instructed; unauthorised devices at the desk may be treated as misconduct.
Only use calculators and reference materials the provider permits; confirm the allowed calculator type and whether a periodic table is supplied.
Raise your hand and wait for an invigilator if you need to leave the room, need extra paper or have a problem with the paper; do not communicate with other candidates.
Do not share materials, talk, or attempt to see another candidate's work; suspected misconduct is handled under the provider's regulations.
If you must miss or leave the exam early for a documented emergency, tell an invigilator immediately and confirm with the provider how this is recorded.
Scoring and marking follow the official mark scheme; if you believe there is an error in the paper or marking, confirm the appeals procedure with the provider rather than raising it during the exam.