Error log: turn mistakes into marks

By Marin Devereux·5 min read·

The difference between a 60% score and a 75% score is usually not knowledge — it is repeat errors. Candidates who track their mistakes improve faster because they focus practice on the specific error types that cost them the most marks.

The four mistake categories

  1. Concept gap: You did not know the method. Fix: learn the method and do 5 similar questions.
  2. Careless error: You knew the method but made a calculation slip. Fix: build a checking habit.
  3. Misread: You used the wrong number from the table/passage. Fix: underline the specific data before calculating.
  4. Timing: You ran out of time or rushed. Fix: practice pacing and learn when to skip.

How to log an error

After every practice session, open your log and write one line per wrong answer:

Q#TypeCategoryWhat went wrongFix
7NumericalMisreadRead Q2 row instead of Q3Underline row before calculating
12NumericalCarelessDivided by new value instead of baseAlways label base value first
18VerbalConceptConfused inference with stated factRe-read Cannot Say rules
Pattern spotting
After 3 practice sessions, your error log shows 8 errors: 5 are “Misread”, 2 are “Concept”, 1 is “Careless”. What should you do?

Misreading is your dominant error type. You do not need more concept learning — you need to build the habit of underlining the specific data point before calculating. Spend your next session practising table-reading speed, not new topics.

The 3-session review
After every 3 practice sessions, review your error log. Count errors by category. Whatever category has the most entries is your next practice focus — not the skill type, but the mistake type.

Why this works

Without a log, you repeat the same errors because they feel like “bad luck”. With a log, patterns become visible within 2–3 sessions. Most candidates discover that 60–70% of their errors fall into just one or two categories.

Keep it simple
A spreadsheet, a notes app, or even a paper notebook. The format does not matter. What matters is that you write down the category and the fix for every wrong answer.

Review your errors on forge

Every wrong answer on Forge shows the correct solution and tags the error to a sub-skill — so your error log builds itself.

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