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Feel I haven't made the most of the revision today. How can I?

I got up at 9am and have done literally nothing but revision (apart from two half an hour breaks at 12 and 3, and an hour at 7) So that's about 10 hours of revision. However, I didn't really feel I got much done. Would you say the following is enough (Only managed to do the highlighted stuff):
Screen Shot 2013-04-02 at 20.49.28.png
I didn't get round to doing everything. How do I revise efficiently? I am going to start again tomorrow, but want to approach it differently. Note-taking from my revision guide is no use as it is already condensed enough. What works for you?

I feel pretty lousy considering I sacrificed a day and didn't really achieve much!

What can I do to maximise revision/productivity?

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Seems like it yh, I have barely done any revison today, need to really start, are u doing a levels or gcses btw.
Reply 2
Original post by Well Well....
Seems like it yh, I have barely done any revison today, need to really start, are u doing a levels or gcses btw.


A levels (that's why it's in the 'A-levels' subforum :wink:), you? :smile:
Reply 3
Try re-writing the information in a different way. Doodle spider diagrams on paper or on those stick-on-the-wall makeshift whiteboards you can buy - they're fun and help. Sit down and learn a couple pages, then doodle the main bits you remember on the white board, go back and check what you got right/wrong or missed out. I find that I don't know if I really know something or not unless I put the book down and test myself on it, not just read over notes or make notes and pretend it's gone in when for me it really hasn't.

I think you're doing a reasonable amount (the highlighted stuff) for a day, actually. I'd like to suggest that you're perhaps assigning what is, in reality, a 3 hour job, to a one hour slot. That creates the opposite of a sense of achievement. Be realistic in assigning certain slots to do certain things and you might find you get everything you want to done in the day.
When are the A level exams?
Reply 5
Original post by Officegirl4
When are the A level exams?


History U1 - 14 May. Politics U1 and English - 17 May. History U2 - 22 May. Politics U2 - 23 May. :smile:
I think firstly, doing 10 hours is too much. Don't spread yourself too thin.

Unless you genuinely would just spend your time just reading and writing essays, putting yourself under that kind of pressure is way too much - just plan it out and stay calm :smile: I can't really give any subject specific advice, but my Biology teacher always tells us to divide each day into 3 3 hour sessions, and try and spend 75% of the holiday doing 2 of the 3 sessions a day, and then have 'rest days' where you only do one session and spend the other two relaxing/catching up on sleep. Also, try to be in a position where you know and are confident on most of the content, so it's purely consolidation at school over the next few weeks.

Best of luck!
Reply 7
Original post by sliceofthepi
I think firstly, doing 10 hours is too much. Don't spread yourself too thin.

Unless you genuinely would just spend your time just reading and writing essays, putting yourself under that kind of pressure is way too much - just plan it out and stay calm :smile: I can't really give any subject specific advice, but my Biology teacher always tells us to divide each day into 3 3 hour sessions, and try and spend 75% of the holiday doing 2 of the 3 sessions a day, and then have 'rest days' where you only do one session and spend the other two relaxing/catching up on sleep. Also, try to be in a position where you know and are confident on most of the content, so it's purely consolidation at school over the next few weeks.

Best of luck!


So tomorrow: 6 hours.
Thursday: 3 hours.
Friday: 6 hours.
Saturday: 3 hours.
Sunday: I am taking Sunday off for past paper time.
Monday: 6 hours.
Tuesday: 3 hours.
Weds: 6 hours.
Thurs: 3 hours
Fri: 6 hours
Sat: 3 hours
Sunday: Past papers.

Is that what you mean? :smile:
Original post by specter.harvey
A levels (that's why it's in the 'A-levels' subforum :wink:), you? :smile:[/
Lol im an idiot. Im doing gcses atm im in year 11 so my finals are in may/june time, but I really just not motivated to revise, I know I can get my predited grades with some revison, but Ill just have to revise.
Reply 9
[QUOTE="Well....;42059810" Well="Well"]
Original post by specter.harvey
A levels (that's why it's in the 'A-levels' subforum :wink:), you? :smile:[/
Lol im an idiot. Im doing gcses atm im in year 11 so my finals are in may/june time, but I really just not motivated to revise, I know I can get my predited grades with some revison, but Ill just have to revise.


GCSEs only need 2 hour revision. My uncle died in the middle of mine, and I had hardly any time to revise but still managed average grades AABCCC, Dist* and Pass :smile:
[QUOTE="specter.harvey;42059820"]
Original post by Well Well....


GCSEs only need 2 hour revision. My uncle died in the middle of mine, and I had hardly any time to revise but still managed average grades AABCCC, Dist* and Pass :smile:

Nice, you passed all of them and even got B's and A's so there fine. It's just I never really payed attention in history so for revison, its basiacally learning the topic.
[QUOTE="Well....;42059891" Well="Well"]
Original post by specter.harvey

Nice, you passed all of them and even got B's and A's so there fine. It's just I never really payed attention in history so for revison, its basiacally learning the topic.


Thanks :smile: What exam board are you doing, and what topics I may be able to help!
Reply 12
It's good to see that Im not the only one who's revising like a crazy, failed my january exams so I have to work hard now... Well, I deserve it! :smile:

Anyway I see you doing AQA USA History U1, maybe it happens you have some useful notes? I lost by book just before holidays urh and my notes are useless... :smile:
Original post by muzika
It's good to see that Im not the only one who's revising like a crazy, failed my january exams so I have to work hard now... Well, I deserve it! :smile:

Anyway I see you doing AQA USA History U1, maybe it happens you have some useful notes? I lost by book just before holidays urh and my notes are useless... :smile:


I used the notes from someone on Get Revising: http://getrevising.co.uk/resources/the_usa_1890_1945_notes

If you haven't got a GR account, sign up it's free and there are lots of good resources :smile:
[QUOTE="specter.harvey;42059954"]
Original post by Well Well....


Thanks :smile: What exam board are you doing, and what topics I may be able to help!

Thanks for the offer, I am on the aqa B board, studying america. The specifc topics are
The roaring twenties
Race relations 1950s
The new deal(something like that).
Thanks again
[QUOTE="Well....;42060087" Well="Well"]
Original post by specter.harvey

Thanks for the offer, I am on the aqa B board, studying america. The specifc topics are
The roaring twenties
Race relations 1950s
The new deal(something like that).
Thanks again


Oh I didn't study that at GCSE, but I am studying the bolded topics as part of my AS Unit 1 - USA, 1890-1945 :smile: with AQA!
[QUOTE="specter.harvey;42060129"]
Original post by Well Well....


Oh I didn't study that at GCSE, but I am studying the bolded topics as part of my AS Unit 1 - USA, 1890-1945 :smile: with AQA!

Just a quick question, is Alevel History hard, or is it more of just knowing all of the content.
Reply 17
Original post by specter.harvey
So tomorrow: 6 hours.
Thursday: 3 hours.
Friday: 6 hours.
Saturday: 3 hours.
Sunday: I am taking Sunday off for past paper time.
Monday: 6 hours.
Tuesday: 3 hours.
Weds: 6 hours.
Thurs: 3 hours
Fri: 6 hours
Sat: 3 hours
Sunday: Past papers.

Is that what you mean? :smile:


You seem very dedicated you will do good!

Posted from TSR Mobile
[QUOTE="Well....;42060307" Well="Well"]
Original post by specter.harvey

Just a quick question, is Alevel History hard, or is it more of just knowing all of the content.


Well, I took GCSE History... I had a rubbish teacher, he spent more time cracking jokes than teaching us the subject. I got Ds in every GCSE History exam, apart from the C/W which I got an A* in, and in my final exam I didn't listen to the teacher and did all the work at home. I got 85% on the test. Now I am at A level and I am in the top 5% of my class in every mock so far. So in short: no, it's not hard. I have practically gone from a D to an A at AS. Please note that the first few essays you do at AS will make you lose faith - I got an E, then went up to a D, then a B, now I am getting 90% :smile: Good luck. Sorry for the essay!
Original post by Hart1995
You seem very dedicated you will do good!

Posted from TSR Mobile


Thanks, would you say that's enough revision for AS? :smile:

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