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Revision Methods for GCSE Science!!

Hi there, I'm a student studying in my final year. As a part of my degree I'm working on a project which involves researching the GCSE syllabus and revision techniques.

If you can answer one or both of these questions for me that would be great!

1. What methods of revision did you/are you using to help you with your GCSE science revision? (Please include broad method like bullet points, or specific to one area like you designed a model of the lungs to help you describe breathing in humans)

2. What areas of GCSE Science did you/are you finding most difficult? (A specific area of biology/chemistry/physics)

Please don't write any personal information!

Thank you!!!

Reply 1

joestevens2092

I just revised using those cgp books religiously.

Also sam learning and bitesize as well, they were gooooood.

I remember finding electrolysis and half equations the most difficult at the time, still haven't got a clue to be fair.

Reply 2

lattywatty

GCSERESOURCES

1. I simply read the textbook and did past papers. I also downloaded little things from Bitesize to put on my iPod which summed up some of the course and listened to it out and about.

2. Hmm. I found them all quite easy to be honest. However, I'd probably say I found Physics the most difficult since a few things were hard to get my head around.

Reply 3

ily_em

*remembers back to GCSE*

1. As above - revising the CGP books (just reading them lots). Making posters - but only because my teachers forced me to in class! And doing past papers.

2. Can't remember. Don't really remember finding any of it difficult tbh.

Reply 4

jemski13

GCSERESOURCES

1. I used the revision books and home made posters as they were the most useful for my learning type
2. physics was the worst, its what made me get a worse grade lol

Reply 5

infernalcradle

One of the worst places to ask....

1- a few past papers the night before, thats it...
2-none of it was hard....

Reply 6

Muppety_Kid

GCSERESOURCES

I did OCR Twenty First Century Science 2007-2008 and the content and exam style were ridiculous. I read and made notes from the textbook and used the CGP revision guide to improve my notes. By "notes", I mean paraphrasing the useful information and sometimes scanning in diagrams from the book if they were particularly useful (e.g. of the nitrogen cycle or the structure of a cell). In terms of revision, I just re-read the notes (about 15 pages' worth for each exam paper) and did past papers to practise. Our school also provided us with the OCR-endorsed workbooks, so I went through those and referred to my notes if I couldn't answer particular questions.

As for which area was most difficult, I can't really remember that much. I think Physics was pretty straightforward since there was virtually no content ( :p:

), so I'd be inclined to say Chemistry. The only thing from that that really comes to mind is "atomic structure", and by that I mean ionic and covalent bonding etc.

Hope this helps. :smile:

EDIT: Yeah, like the poster above me, I found balancing equations a little confusing too... :yep:

Reply 7

Kirol

I used to use cue cards and answered various problems to revise. I found doing little and often helped most.

Reply 8

br4den

I look in the GCSE science books the revision ones. i find them very usful and i have found myself looking in them frequently.
i used to write all of the key points in bullet points and learn them all seporatly.
i also sit at the dinner table in my evenings with my parents and they help me revise, looking at the different areas that i might need improving on.

Chemisty is the most difficult for me, i just find all the formula hard

Reply 9

Tesla1989

1. Most of the way I learned science was through textbook, which is the main problem in school today. You need a teacher with a good solid understand of the subject, to give different perspectives of the same question. I also had quite alot of practical lessons, using different chemicals such as magnesium and brewing our own alchohol. Also we studied plants quite alot, and dissected hearts, lungs and liver.

I don't believe that biologically dissecting is necessary anymore as textbook anatomy is very accurate, beside getting a feel for what it was like getting stuck in for yourself, which is what science is really about.

I found that through pratical sessions the student can see the science in action instead of on paper, which gives a deeper understanding to the student and a greater appreciation for science as a whole.

For example phisics encompasses every aspect of our lives and is very rewarding, interesting and fun if learned properly, firing a rocket, looking at electricity, and learnign about the universe, but we degrade it by writing 300 page textbooks of boredom.

2. Didn't really struggle with much, but always found balancing equations in chemistry abit of a pain. Also the periodic table is a bit of a nightmare at first, but the exams are too easy, and don't require to much knowledge i think it was even like being on who wants to be a millionaire without the lifelines.

Reply 10

CrunchyBiscuits442

For my revision I mainly use friends and family members to ask me questions from text books. If there's something i don't know, I look it up and then try again the next day.

I find the maths in physics and chemistry quite hard. Remembering the formula's is impossible. The teachers should try using analogies, or relating it to something we'll remember

Reply 11

Evanesyne

1. I used the Nelson Thornes study and revision guides, did past papers, made revision sheets in the form of bullet points and just read through the entire modules the night before.

2. Mechanics in Physics - it drove me mad. The teacher was absolutely crap, didn't learn a thing from him.

Reply 12

skipp

I made comics and mindmaps and used lots of bright colours :yep:

Reply 13

Arisu_chan245

1) I am using mind maps and revision sheets. sheets with 4 (give or take a few) catagories. That you just write information about a specific catagory on.
Thats about it.

2) Chemistry.
Calculating chemical equations X.x

Reply 14

BAKERATD

1. I made posters
I wrote out the information over and over until it was firmly lodged in my head.
I made mind maps

2. Physics and Chemistry were my most difficult sciences.
I think this was mainly from the calculative side of the two subjects and just some of the concepts were confusing.