What to study from

Can someone give me useful ways of studying I have purchased many books including past papers. Although I have done everything read and understood how to answer past paper questions, I have still failed what should I do any useful tips or something that could help me. Currently I am doing Higher maths, physics, chemistry, product design. I need to get A's for theses subjects as I need to for University.

Reply 1

heartskippedabeat

Write out notes over and over and over again, and memorize them. Actually do every single past paper you can find instead of just looking over them.

Reply 2

Dinshky

well I do the questions from the past papers and am getting them correct but then when it comes to prelims I dont do so well. My friends who say 'I dont study' get A's and I just cannot figure out how that is ?

Reply 3

heartskippedabeat

Your friends who say they don't study probably do.

Reply 4

Dinshky

is this all the advice just rewrite the notes over and over again ??

Reply 5

Quick-use

Original post by Dinshky

is this all the advice just rewrite the notes over and over again ??

Do NOT write your notes over and over again: this method is too risky!

Personally, I would recommend you take your own notes down from the notes you already have, but simpler and understandable by you. For example, for Maths you may have several formulas written down on a sheet: what you should do is, get your own piece of paper rewrite them with colour (it has been proven that colour stimulates the brain, and apparently this helps students do better) in simpler ways you understand them. Then repeat them to yourself again and again, try and memorise it, but really, you should try and understand them. Once you know your notes fully, just do past papers. If you really want a firm A without any risks, fully learn your notes first, then do past papers several times: keep doing past papers, finish 2006-2010 and then start all over again if you've done the earlier ones or the Practice Papers by Leckie&Leckie, until you get near to full marks. I know at first it'll be hard to get a good pass on the past papers, but as you do them again and again, you realise that it's the same type of questions coming up again, and you understand how to do them.

For Standard Grade English (I know it's not Higher, but it's the meaning...) I did the Close Reading Papers about 20 times: it got to the point that I was doing the same paper about 4 times. At first, on that very paper I had just passed (the reason I did it so many times is because my Close Reading skills are lacking), and by the fourth time (not in a row) I was getting near 100%. Obviously, one could argue that I simply 'memorised' the answer, but this is totally and utterly pointless for English and other subjects (most likely); but, what I developed was the understanding of how the question worked, so it would be a matter of reading the context, reading the question and knowing the answer!

General rule: write own, understandble colourful notes + memorise (repitition, for example, walking around in room repeating notes to oneself) + understanding + past paper galore!

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 6

Direct15

As you've heard many people learn differently. Personally I learn best from listening and my weakest is writing the notes over and over again.

I find if you condense your notes down , just like standard grade physics do things like
Telephone
Mouthpiece,transmitter,sound to electrical

Earpiece,receiver,electrical sound

Our physics teacher told us condense,repeat,cover also we were told you keep saying it until you can do it in your sleep

Reply 7

ScottishShortiex

Original post by Dinshky

Everyone has a different study for what suits them best. Some people write loads and loads and notes - not me, whilst others (including myself) are able to read their notes and memorise them that way.

Last year I did Higher Maths and Higher Chemistry. For Maths, I firstly did all the mixed questions exercise at the back of every chapter and did other random questions throughout the other exercises in the chapter. I went back over different questions from the chapters about 3 times (using my notes jotter to help me if needed) before moving on to past papers (where I also did each paper twice).

For Chemistry, I read through all my notes from each unit about 3 times until I was sure that I knew/remembered everything. Then I practiced the calculations/PPA questions, by doing the questions/calculations from the "How to Pass Higher Chemistry" book which I bought. Finally, I did all the past papers (and did each paper twice - like I did with Maths). If just before the exam, I couldn't remember certain things, I re-read over my notes once again.

Reply 8

andrewmc96

There are many different effective ways of studying. For me, personally, I just condense my notes into short, easy-to-understand bullet points and look over them a few times then do some past papers and practice questions. If you'd rather buy revision books, "How to Pass... " and BrightRed are two good publishers but it depends on the subject. Other methods include mindmaps and writing notes on post-its and sticking them all around your house.