Revision and Exam Skills

Revision is very important if you want to do well in your exams. It is unlikely that you can remember everything you have been taught on your course at the first time of asking, therefore revision will reinforce this knowledge.

A process you could use to help you prepare for exams could be the Cycle of Revision:

UNDERSTAND – MEMORISE – TEST – REFLECT
UNDERSTAND – Check you understand the subjects/topics you need to revise and seek advice if you are unsure about anything.

MEMORISE – Use a variety of methods to help you revise and remember the information you will need to recall in the exam. Think about using a variety of methods to help you such as post-its, mind maps and flash cards.

TEST – Test your knowledge regularly during your revision process to highlight to you what you do know and more importantly what further revision you need to do

REFLECT – Reflect regularly on how you are progressing and use results from your tests to adjust your revision plan to make sure you give time to those areas you need to focus on.

• • Tips for revising
    1. 1.

    Plan and time your revision

    – Don’t try and revise all the content the night before! You need to revise little and often to help embed the knowledge in your mind. Create a revision plan working out appropriate and realistic times of the week when you could revise. Take a look at the Time Management guide for further advice.

    1. 2.

    Make sure you’re comfortable in your revision environment

    – You will learn best if you’re comfortable. Whether that is on the sofa, on the bus or in the library. Your revision is personal to you and it is up to you to find out the best way you like revising.

    1. 3.

    Use a variety of methods to revise

    – People learn in different ways and therefore you should revise in ways that suit you best. Read our guide on Improving Memory for different ways in which could help you to revise.

    1. 4.

    Make use of technology

    – You’re not just limited to pen and paper. There are a number of revision apps for both iPhone and Android devices that you can download.

    1. 5.

    Try teaching others

    – Team up with some friends and teach each other. You can teach them the areas you’re comfortable with and vice versa. This way you can mix revision with social occasions which helps you with your study and life balance.

    1. 6.

    If possible, attempt past papers or questions

    – A great way to prepare is answering questions from previous exams. This way you can put yourself in a real situation as you are answering real questions and ones you could potentially have.
  • Prior to the exam
    1. – Plan to arrive with plenty of time to spare, to find the room and settle down
    2. – Have all the required equipment (whether this be simple stationery or specialist equipment)
    3. – Trust yourself that you know the answers – If you have revised well, you will know the answers, it is just a case of keeping calm and putting them down on paper
    4. – Avoid negative influences e.g. stressed out or nervous peers
    5. – Think positively
  • In the exam
    1. – You may want to develop a mental checklist of what you will do when you open the paper to help you settle
    2. – Make sure you have the right paper
    3. – Read the instructions carefully given on the exam paper
    4. – Read the whole exam paper carefully
    5. – Take 5 minutes to plan the questions you will tackle and allocate times
    6. – Use key words and flow diagrams for quick planning
    7. – Underline key words – watch for the word “and” – the question might be in two parts
    8. – Do not pick unprepared topics, go with what you know
    9. – Answer all the required questions

Contact Anysia for more information.