How to revise for an exam
- chiemiruthishida
- Apr 10
- 3 min read
Top tips!
Work systematically. Choose one topic area and focus on it. After you finish with that topic, move onto the next one. Working systematically helps you keep the information organised in your mind. This in turn will help you retrieve the information from your memory at a later date.
Active reading of notes. Usually, re-reading notes gets a very bad reputation. Although passive note reading is not a very effective revision method, actively reading notes/ textbooks can be an extremely effective revision method as it is very efficient time-wise. This method only works for short, intense periods of study as it requires your full attention. You must read a piece of information, then pause, look away from what you have been reading and see if you can recall what you have just read or not. If not, then re-read the information again until you can recall what you are reading. Even better, challenge yourself to explain what you have been reading or create fun rhymes and mnemonics to help you remember long lists of facts.
Mind maps/ blurting (active recall). Get a scrap piece of paper and jot down bullet points (good for lists of facts) or draw a mind map (good for showing inter-linking themes) on everything you can remember about a topic. Then look back at your notes and textbooks and add the things you didn't recall in a different colour. Next time you revise, focus on the topics you forgot about. You can also use your mind map as a last minute exam revision resource. By focusing on memorising the facts in colour, you will be able to boost those things in your memory so that you don't forget them in your exam.
Do exam questions. If you are preparing for an exam, learning the format of answering the questions is just as important as knowing the facts. Many exams are not just testing fact recall but also knowledge application. You can only get better at this by practicing exam questions and then looking at the mark schemes to see what is required. Learning the mark scheme helps you become an examiner for yourself so that you can assess the quality of your own work. This helps you gauge the level of your work even before you hand it in, and it also teaches you what is important and what is less so.
Flash cards. But don't use too many! Flashcards are only really useful for long lists of difficult facts to remember. For example, a long list of words or equations that you have to remember and use, rather than for topics or concepts that you have to integrate and apply. There is no point in making flashcards if you are just re-writing your notes as that is just time-consuming. Use flashcards wisely.
Draw diagrams. Visual images can be really useful to help you remember processes and the names of objects. You can picture the image in your head, which will in turn help you to remember the name or description associated with the image. These diagrams act as a cue for recall, so that you store information on the image which you can access by imagining the drawing/ diagram.
Remember silly sayings. Silly sayings or mnemonics can help you remember sets of words that you might not remember so well unless they are highlighted. Silly sayings could be a song, tune or chant that is easy to get stuck in your memory and stay there. The brain loves novelty and things that are funny, so this is a good method you can use if there is something you are really struggling to remember.
Remember the number of facts you need to know. For example, you can use numbered bullet points to help you know how many facts you need to remember associated with a topic. This can help you know for sure if you have recalled all of the points you need to as well as making it easier to remember things as they are listed, numbered and organised.
YouTube videos. There are many excellent You Tube channels dedicated on educating you in all sorts of topics. Find a good quality one that consistently explains things well and that you understand.
Ask teachers questions. Your teachers are there to help you. Ask questions after class if you didn't understand something or find them during a break time and (kindly and gratefully) ask them to explain something to you. Some teachers also offer to mark past papers and extra questions you do yourself, so make full use of these opportunities.
Also, check out this post about how to study effectively! Studying properly in the first place will definitely make your revision easier!
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