Do past papers count as revision?

As the title says, I would like to know whether if doing past papers counts as revision. Recently, I have been spending a lot of time doing past papers instead of making notes. I am worried that I am not spending time doing the appropriate task at this time of the year. Help!

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Reply 1

snutty

Original post by Moltenmo

Just because you're not making notes doesn't mean you're not revising! I made only made notes for 1 subject when I was doing my GCSEs :colondollar:

As long as you're learning and you find it helpful then it doesn't matter what you're doing. Past papers can be of use at whatever point in the year.

Good luck! :smile:

Reply 2

fergijane88

Personally I find past papers are the best thing for revising. Just never do them lmao

Reply 3

Moltenmo

Original post by etudiebee

Just because you're not making notes doesn't mean you're not revising! I made only made notes for 1 subject when I was doing my GCSEs :colondollar:

As long as you're learning and you find it helpful then it doesn't matter what you're doing. Past papers can be of use at whatever point in the year.

Good luck! :smile:

If you don't mind me asking, how did you perform in your GCSE's using this method?

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Reply 4

snutty

Original post by Moltenmo

If you don't mind me asking, how did you perform in your GCSE's using this method?

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I got A*A*A*AAAABBC

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 5

Moltenmo

Original post by etudiebee

I got A*A*A*AAAABBC

Oh that's not too bad

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Reply 6

bzfnqyd

Definitely. Making notes really shouldn't be counted as revising imo, it's passive and things don't really go into your head. Past papers allow you to go over material, check your exam technique, work out what the examiners want, check your timing, all at the same time. Flashcards and things are good too, but past papers are the best tool you have.

Reply 7

bzfnqyd

To clarify, I don't mean you should make notes, you should, so you can get all your material from one place - but I personally think it's better to do this as you go through the year, not in the lead-up to exams.

Reply 8

username2088165

Definitely! Past papers show what you have and haven't learned, helping you to focus on the topics you struggle with most, and give you a chance to practice your exam technique and get familiar with the exam structure and question style before the real exam. Past papers can actually be one of the best forms of revision for some subjects, such as maths :smile:

Reply 9

Moltenmo

Original post by Leviathan1741

Indeed! Not so much for science though I think. That's good to hear that past papers are not a waste of time as I have spent all of today doing past papers instead of making notes.

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Reply 10

Moltenmo

I would agree. I have made so many notes and spent countless hours doing this but its all passive and as a result, little goes into my head. Perhaps, past papers are the way to go. Also, flashcards are too time consuming I think. Otherwise, I'd be on top of that.

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Reply 11

JN17

Making notes imo is something you do once. Make a good set of notes and read through them in your free time and then do past papers at home to consolidate exam technique etc

Reply 12

bzfnqyd

Original post by Moltenmo

It's worth having a look on quizlet to see if you can find some ready-made flashcards... Although you have to keep a keen eye out for potential mistakes.

Reply 13

bzfnqyd

Original post by Moltenmo

More for science than you'd think actually - examiners (at least for my board) were surprisingly fussy about the precise words used in written questions - especially in biology. Plus, if there are topics you can't quite get a handle on, it's good to work out what marks you can get without a complete understanding.

Reply 14

Moltenmo

Erghh. I hate internet flashcards. Sorry, just one of the weird opinions I have. If I were to use flashcards, they would have to be real and probably created by me. Once I get around to it, I think I will start making flashcards myself.

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Reply 15

2384911

Past papers are possibly the best form of revision

Reply 16

Moltenmo

What exam board is this? Also, that's a nice tip. I just printed some Unit 3 papers for that reason (as I just started Unit 3). Do you think I should complete the question papers with the correct answers before I complete the unit? So I know what they require of me.

Reply 17

bzfnqyd

Original post by Moltenmo

Do them yourself first, then self-mark with the markschemes, then if you have a teacher who'll go over them get them marked again just to make sure. My board was CIE (ugh).

Reply 18

Moltenmo

Lmao, I have never heard of that exam board, must be really obscure. Sure, I'll do this as opposed to what I imposed. I doubt my science teacher would want to mark the questions himself (as this can be done by oneself). Thank you.

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