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Guys how far are you in your Alevel revision?

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Original post by princess271
hi
can you give me some tips on how to do a good essay
And whats your revision technique
you seem really confident at this point
which is a really good thing x


Hi, do I? I've been worrying about exams/revision, so obviously I come across differently as to how I think I am...

Anyway, which subjects do you take? Are you doing AS or A2 levels?

Personally, I study Business Studies & Economics, History and Government & Politics.

Revision:
Revision is very personal so how you revise is entirely up to you. I've gone through many techniques over the past few years, and I'm finally happy with how I currently revise. Throughout the Easter holidays I've been creating revision 'packs'; this has been useful as I'm re-reading the content and testing myself so it develops my understanding. I've been doing questions and will answer them when I come to revise again.

If you're doing Govt & Pol, I'd advise learning a few examples for each topic as these are really important for good grades. If you're doing History, timelines and the like are good and having an 'overview' so you can compare different parts of the course and assess key developments. If it works, you could highlight recurring themes or examples of foreign/economic/etc policy.

Lastly, I cannot stress the importance practicing past papers. They will show your strengths/weaknesses and give you time to correct this before the exam. If you can ask your teacher to make a couple and you can set targets, or re-read mark reports/schemes.

Essay advice:

Step one: highlight any key words in the title, re-read it a few times so you're absolutely certain on what the discussion is based on.
Step two: plan. It doesn't have to be neat- just rough ideas, i.e. one side and the other and key themes that will make up your paragraphs. You could do either a spider diagram or a table, which ever suits you.
Step three: Figure out your line of argument (i.e. what you will be arguing in the essay) and give 'tasters' to your paragraphs
Step four: Set out the body of the essay, with topic sentences and clear explanations.
Step five: Reach a judgement based on your discussion, do not introduce a new point.

This may be totally useless, but it works for me so hopefully you it has helped you!

Good luck in your exams. :smile:
I've done very very very little. I'll do it all tomorrow,the day before, like I always do. :shifty:

Actually I won't because I have to finish my physics coursework tomorrow... it'll be fine, I have until June to revise, and I pretty much get everything we've done anyway, no need to spend hours going over it.
(edited 11 years ago)
Reply 42
I did an hour like a month ago and have been telling myself ever since that I have done so much revision and I am so prepared but the truth is that I know nothing. I have barely opened a book. I'm trying to pretend that I find my lack of revision funny but the prospect of exams terrifies me.
Original post by politics_student
Hi, do I? I've been worrying about exams/revision, so obviously I come across differently as to how I think I am...

Anyway, which subjects do you take? Are you doing AS or A2 levels?

Personally, I study Business Studies & Economics, History and Government & Politics.

Revision:
Revision is very personal so how you revise is entirely up to you. I've gone through many techniques over the past few years, and I'm finally happy with how I currently revise. Throughout the Easter holidays I've been creating revision 'packs'; this has been useful as I'm re-reading the content and testing myself so it develops my understanding. I've been doing questions and will answer them when I come to revise again.

If you're doing Govt & Pol, I'd advise learning a few examples for each topic as these are really important for good grades. If you're doing History, timelines and the like are good and having an 'overview' so you can compare different parts of the course and assess key developments. If it works, you could highlight recurring themes or examples of foreign/economic/etc policy.

Lastly, I cannot stress the importance practicing past papers. They will show your strengths/weaknesses and give you time to correct this before the exam. If you can ask your teacher to make a couple and you can set targets, or re-read mark reports/schemes.

Essay advice:

Step one: highlight any key words in the title, re-read it a few times so you're absolutely certain on what the discussion is based on.
Step two: plan. It doesn't have to be neat- just rough ideas, i.e. one side and the other and key themes that will make up your paragraphs. You could do either a spider diagram or a table, which ever suits you.
Step three: Figure out your line of argument (i.e. what you will be arguing in the essay) and give 'tasters' to your paragraphs
Step four: Set out the body of the essay, with topic sentences and clear explanations.
Step five: Reach a judgement based on your discussion, do not introduce a new point.

This may be totally useless, but it works for me so hopefully you it has helped you!

Good luck in your exams. :smile:


thanks for trying to help
I was talking about psychology a2 essays xx
Determined to definitely going to start tomorrow, properly!

despite having two mocks tomorrow morning, which are going to be failures, but ahh well only mocks!
Reply 45
Original post by deano0417
I revise for Psychology by just writing out the main points of each study, im on OCR btw and then just learning these main points such as the aim etc, use flash cards to learn them aswell, works a treat. I also trawl through mark schemes to look how to answer questions.


Also doing psychology with OCR.
Which module are you doing?
For G541, I simply learnt strengths/weaknesses by writing them down and also sometimes making word documents on the different ideas.

For G542, I wrote key notes on the core studies, like AIM, METHOD, PARTICIPANTS, PROCEDURE, RESULTS, CONCLUSION and some evaluation points. You can do this on a poster, with evaluation points on the back. You then just need to recite it in the shower or something or when you're getting ready to go out and then if you can't remember a particular detail, go and look at your notes and try to recite it again.

For G543, I thought I was really dis-organised with the revision but ended up getting 96%. I again wrote out key points for these studies, but in less detail. Try and learn the studies in each section. What I did, was for each key point (ie, upbringing in turning to crime), I learnt all the studies to go with it, ie, Farrington, Sutherland and Wilkstrom. You should try and relate the names of the studies to what the study is about in some way.

G544 - I am currently starting to revise for it, but I've found that it's literally just bringing in all the material which we have already learnt. I would suggest doing strengths/weaknesses of each approach, etc, and then bringing in synoptic examples for every approach/perspective/issue/debate. Make about 4 examples for each topic, because then in the exam, you will always have an example to talk about, and you won't have to spend vital minutes in the exam trying to think of relevant studies..

If you want any more help, let me know!

I bet this info isn't even relevant as you're on a different exam board! LOL
Reply 46
To the above poster, yes I am doing psychology on OCR, we didn't do G541 in January so I have both G541 and G542 on the 23rd and 29th respectively. Just out of interest what percent did you get on G541 and G542.
Reply 47
Original post by deano0417
To the above poster, yes I am doing psychology on OCR, we didn't do G541 in January so I have both G541 and G542 on the 23rd and 29th respectively. Just out of interest what percent did you get on G541 and G542.


YAY at least that info wasn't a waste of time haha
In G541, I got 50/60 and then in G542, I got 131/150.
Not sure of %s but over 80%.

What are you hoping for? Nervous?
Reply 48
Do you mean 131/140? and well tbh I am hoping for 98%+ (Cambridge aspirations) in order to get my UMS average as high as possible, so hopefully full marks on the core studies as that is worth alot more.
(edited 11 years ago)
Reply 49
oh yeah, 131 out of 140!! oops!!
what do you want to do at uni??
truthfully?
i think i am ready for my maths paper in 2 weeks time.
Now to start working for my other 8 exams after that.

Actually i've heard the new assassins creed is pretty good. Guess a few hours off revision won't hurt :colone:
Reply 51
Anyone doing OCR Biology F215 or OCR Psychology G544?
Reply 52
I did my first hour today.

I'm aiming for As and A*s.

****.
I'm a bit OCD about tracking revision progress and dates and hours studied and which topics to do next etc so I pretty much know how much I've done to the hour :tongue:
Finished the last of my notes for Edexcel Physics Unit 1 today (exam in 10 days - in total the notes took about 20 hours) so will be reading through these notes, doing textbook Qs and past papers until then.
Edexcel Physics Unit 5 have done just over half my notes (16 hours so far) then will be doing textbook Qs and past papers like above.
Edexcel Biology Unit 5 have done 15 hours so far (but not even half way done yet on notes, then have to do past papers too).
AQA A Psychology Unit 3 have done 14 hours so far (about 3/4 notes done).
Trying to balance out the amount of hours for each, with slightly more for the soonest ones (i.e. Physics Unit 1).
Have revised on and off since late March for the Summer exams but have knuckled down more in the last 2-3 weeks. Don't get a day of study leave which is why I'm trying to do as much as possible this soon :/
(edited 11 years ago)
Let's see
AQA Psychology (PSYA3): some of Relationships, all of Eating Behaviours, some of Aggression
AQA Psychology (PSYA4): all of media (have yet to simplify the notes down though, some schizophrenia and all of research methods but there are some areas I still don't totally know off by heart
Edexcel History the challenge of Facisim: Have revised most of it but need to simplify down: the popularity/consent of the Nazis, how Nazi Germany was ruled and Germany in WW2 also need to revise the second reich (pre-WW1 Germany)
AQA Religion and Contemporary Society: most of sex,marriage and the family in Judaism all of a one faith community (the RC Church), yet to revsie challenges to worship in the UK and Interfaith Dialogue/Relations.
AQA Philosophy of Religion: all of religious language, some of the ontological argument and some of the problem of evil :colondollar::rolleyes:

So yeah still quiet a bit to do. Full on revision begins quiet soon because I have AQA Philosophy of Religion on the 31st of May (end of this month), before I go on study leave on the 1st of June.
started around easter time.
Reply 56
Original post by laurag.19
oh yeah, 131 out of 140!! oops!!
what do you want to do at uni??


I plan on doing law, highly competitive hence I need an average of about 93%, still not started revising properly though :frown:
You guys are making me feel good :smile: I started revision in like March.
Reply 58
Original post by deano0417
I plan on doing law, highly competitive hence I need an average of about 93%, still not started revising properly though :frown:


Ooo, well psychology can be fun if you think of it like that :smile: It's pretty simple really, just need to understand it.

My mum's a lawyer, but she took the long route :smile: It's really interesting haha
Reply 59
Original post by seasons of wither
yes, bloody hell, i really need to do some more work on that. it's such a huge module! kinda finished F214 though? i'm so scared, i'm just behind and argh


Haha i done F214 in January :smile: it's not too bad, at least it has clear-cut sections.
F215 tho - it's soo confusing and there's sooooooo muh to learn :frown:

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