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Should I use Spaced Repetition for my A-levels?

Hi,

I am studying A2 Chemistry and Biology. On top of going over past papers and questions, there will be a lot of memorizing needed. I struggle a lot with memorization. Generally, if I was to learn something this week, I'd forget it completely in a few days or may have a very BRIEF understanding of the topic.

So I was reading about Spaced Repetition which is apparently a more efficient way learning and memorizing in the long term in comparison with reading the subject content 4 hours straight in one day.

I just wanted some opinions.

Thanks!

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Reply 1

tory88

No learning technique works for everyone. For me, flash cards are the best way for me to memorise things, and spaced repetition can be applied in this case. If you expect to have a lot (>100) flash cards, then perhaps consider using the Leitner system, which is an application of spaced repetition. However, if you only have 30 or 40 cards, then you may as well just drill them each time.

Reply 2

티 마

Original post by ps1265A

I'm the same as you and I hate it :frown:

Hmm I either go over things again and again (few days/weeks between each time) or cram

Reply 3

ps1265A

Original post by 티 마

I'm the same as you and I hate it :frown:

Hmm I either go over things again and again (few days/weeks between each time) or cram

Haha, yesss! I'm going to experiment with a technique and I'll let you know if it works!

Reply 4

티 마

Original post by ps1265A

Haha, yesss! I'm going to experiment with a technique and I'll let you know if it works!

You better! :biggrin:

Reply 5

ps1265A

Original post by 티 마

You better! :biggrin:

Hehe, I will!

Are you preparing for A2 early?

Reply 6

티 마

Original post by ps1265A

Hehe, I will!

Are you preparing for A2 early?

I'm done with college :biggrin:

What about you?

Reply 7

ps1265A

Original post by 티 마

I'm done with college :biggrin:

What about you?

Ahh, just started A2! You're off to uni?

Reply 8

티 마

Original post by ps1265A

Ahh, just started A2! You're off to uni?

Oh good luck! Yep Psychology, I'll need your memory trick for that!
How are you going to go about testing it out?

Reply 9

ps1265A

Original post by 티 마

Oh good luck! Yep Psychology, I'll need your memory trick for that!
How are you going to go about testing it out?

Ah, that's awesome! I know someone who's going to do it this year too.

Well, I'm used to writing chunky notes (I guess you are too) and I find it difficult just keeping these in my head. So you'd go over a topic that you've learned the day after you've learned it, then 3 days after, then 10 days after, then 30 and then 90. The reason why this "should" work it because repeating it over these intervals, just as I'm about to forget something, would keep my memory retention high! "What's the point repeating something everyday when you already have it stuck in your head?" - that's what people who use the technique say.

So I'm just going to try it out and results should be after 10 days or so... well... hopefully :tongue:

Reply 10

Lauren___e

I used spaced repetition for my A2 exams! I did maths, psychology and physics. I got an app called flashcards+ (I think) which allowed me to make flash cards and I would be tested on them and it would change the amount of time between studying each card depending on how well I had retained the knowledge.
For psychology I used it to learn psychologists names, as well as brief summaries of the studies. In maths I used it to memorise trig identities/product rule etc. and in physics I used it to learn the many definitions.
I really feel like it did help me to learn it, I don't know how well I did in my exams yet but I would recommend using space repetition! Hope this helps! :smile:

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Reply 11

ps1265A

Original post by Lauren___e

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Hi Lauren,

Thanks for sharing your advice! How often did you review the flashcards and when did you start using this technique?

Reply 12

Lauren___e

Original post by ps1265A

Hi Lauren,

Thanks for sharing your advice! How often did you review the flashcards and when did you start using this technique?

At first around once or twice a day then a couple of times a week or less depending on how well I knew them :smile:

I started using this technique a couple of months before my exam but I feel I would have been more confident in the exams if I used this from september

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Reply 13

LECTERN LOBBY

Original post by ps1265A

Hi there.
I am to blog in several weeks about the best way to study and revise. Please follow me on here and on twitter (@lecternlobby).
Now to answer your query,
To be successful in A levels one must continually UNDERSTAND CONCEPTS and REVIEW.... Understand and Review ...,..Understand and Review ALL THROUGH THE COURSE DURATION.
Students often THINK they understand but when a question comes up, it is all too often a different story.!
TO UNDERSTAND, You either have a teacher explain or self teach.
TO REVIEW , There are many methods. A very useful one is a system called the layering method which I cant talk about here...too much content.
However, spider diagrams, picture associations, mental maps, dictation to name a few...as I say keep in touch...im to blog soon about the layering strategy.

Reply 14

ps1265A

Original post by LECTERN LOBBY

Hi,

I understand what you mean, but how are you supposed to review a subject, like Chemistry, which has over 15 chapters. How do you organise your reviews for say a single week?

This is what I'm struggling to understand. Plus, you're going to have at least 2 other subjects to revise from too.

And yes, please send me a link of the blog once you've uploaded it!

Thanks

Reply 15

ps1265A

Original post by Lauren___e

At first around once or twice a day then a couple of times a week or less depending on how well I knew them :smile:

I started using this technique a couple of months before my exam but I feel I would have been more confident in the exams if I used this from september

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Did you make a schedule? If so, could you possibly upload it as an example?

Reply 16

lauren1x12

Use the BrainScape App it's brilliant!

Reply 17

LECTERN LOBBY

Original post by ps1265A

Lets say you are studying in class, for arguments sake the first topic on aqa AS Chem which is ATOMIC STRUCTURE.
And lets assume in one week you cover 3 sub topics such as fundamental particles, electron arrangement and mass, atomic and isotopic numbers.
What you should be listening out for in class from the teacher is the CONCEPTS CONCEPTS CONCEPTS RIGHT?? Only you can learn and memorize the info, so really its the concepts of the topic that the teacher is talking about that realllyy count.
He/She could stand at the front and talk all day about fundamental particles...but its actually YOU and your revision strategy that will get you an A grade on judgement day on 1 hot day in July right ??
Now, the concepts you cant really teach yourself, because how are you ever sure that it is the CORRECT way to approach it ( everything in biol, chem and phys has a METHOD to the concepts) Concepts being the WAY something is solved, calculated, or an organised way to TREAT a problem.
Example in chemistry is the concepts and RULES applied to electronic configuration of atoms. How you build the shell up
Another example being the rules of electron ORBITALS, because certain orbitals ONLY are allowed a certain number of e- 's
Another example being The ORDER in which you calculate EMPIRICAL FORMULAE....Do you start to see what you should be nailing in class through LISTENING TO THE CONCEPTS AND RULES....YOU will easily be able to identify a concept or rule and zone in on it..You dont understand it....Ask.....And ...always make a clear note of the concept or rule on a big fresh sheet of paper titled...so when you get home you can modify it
HOW DO YOU MODIFY IT- IN a nut shell....reread the whole chapter in the book and condense the important bits
I will show you how to do this in my blog
Follow me on here
Good luck.

Reply 18

cathyhelen

I use the: Look, cover, write, and check technique. However, I find it only works if I leave enough time to revise. It is not a good idea to try this the week before an exam unless you have a great memory.

I also find that revising a bit at a time from a book or practice paper helps. If I try and learn too much at once I end up with a headache. I use a lot of repetition where I learn the first page and then I go onto the second page before going back to the first page again to make sure that I have not forgotten anything before moving on to something else.

I revise whatever subject that I am learning once or twice in a day but only for a maximum of an hour until the night before the exam. I also pace myself and I do not practice all of the different subjects on the same day unless it is necessary. :smile:

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 19

Lauren___e

Original post by ps1265A

Did you make a schedule? If so, could you possibly upload it as an example?

No, I didn't make a schedule but I used this flashcards app which told me when to study the cards as at the end I each study session it tested you to see how much you had retained and then adjusted your schedule based on that ImageUploadedByStudent Room1405200341.490039.jpg