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How to revise

What is the best strategy and technique to revise quickly and more effectively?

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For me it was defo past papers.
Complete them. Mark them. Learn from it.

Try to do it with as little support as possible to identify what you do know and what you don't and tailor your revision towards those subjects and avoid just reading textbooks as I found that the info just didn't really go in and it was a waste of my time. I just used my textbook to create the perfect model answer when I got stuff wrong. I've used this approach for both GCSE and AS levels and it's worked for me so hey!
Original post by JustThatStudent
For me it was defo past papers.
Complete them. Mark them. Learn from it.

Try to do it with as little support as possible to identify what you do know and what you don't and tailor your revision towards those subjects and avoid just reading textbooks as I found that the info just didn't really go in and it was a waste of my time. I just used my textbook to create the perfect model answer when I got stuff wrong. I've used this approach for both GCSE and AS levels and it's worked for me so hey!


How did you perform in your GCSE's using this approach?

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Original post by Moltenmo
How did you perform in your GCSE's using this approach?

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I got 8A* and 4A and 5A at AS
Original post by JustThatStudent
I got 8A* and 4A and 5A at AS


So you didn't make any notes from textbooks as such (aside for modelling perfect answers)?

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The only time I'd make notes would be to simplify a complex process so that it was easier to memorise.
I didn't see the point in writing stuff from a textbook if I could just read the text book instead. If you're going to make notes, though, keep them really concise.

In my opinion doing exam questions and marking them gives you a way better idea of what the examiner is looking for, so you can avoid waffling in an exam and save time. (:
(edited 7 years ago)
I often revise differently for individual subjects, sometimes I make revision cards and use them as I find they are quick and easy to take with you. Sometimes I will just read sections of a textbook and then stop at the end of a section to either apply knowledge to a question or to see how much I have learnt, this helped me with GCSE maths. Sometimes I will re-write information several times so I get used to seeing the same information, this helped with quotes for GCSE English Literature. Finally, to test my overall knowledge I result to past papers so it helps for sitting the exam.
Depends on the subject and whether it's GCSE/ AS/ A level!:smile:
Original post by JustThatStudent
For me it was defo past papers.
Complete them. Mark them. Learn from it.

Try to do it with as little support as possible to identify what you do know and what you don't and tailor your revision towards those subjects and avoid just reading textbooks as I found that the info just didn't really go in and it was a waste of my time. I just used my textbook to create the perfect model answer when I got stuff wrong. I've used this approach for both GCSE and AS levels and it's worked for me so hey!


What if you cant really do the majority of the past paper because you forgot a lot of the content, then how do you learn the content, like what technique and method should I use to get the information into my head, this is for biology by the way.
Really depends on the subject. For the sciences the first thing I do is make sure I have one resource which has all the info I need to learn. For biology this was easy because the exam board produced a textbook that had everything I needed.

For psychology we got handouts from 50 different sources because no one source was perfect. In that case the first thing I do is make notes with just the information I would need for the exams. For example I did essays and got them marked again and again until I got full marks. I then wrote them out into a single exercise book to have them in one place. I don't do colours and decorations, just black and white information. If I don't get anything, now is the time to clarify and get it straight. Kind of like making a textbook of my own.

Next step is the one I find most unappealing but is the one that gets my the grade I want: sit down and memorise it. All the understanding should be there at this point, now for making it go into my brain.

Last step: very important but sometimes I don't get this far or don't do very much of it- past papers. I don't treat this as my one stop shop because usually there's something new in the real paper that hasn't come up before. Or the old paper has a different format. Or the mark schemes want something different. I can't totally rely on this step like other people here but I have seen how it can be a lifesaver for how to answer questions. There can be times when you have the knowledge but struggle to translate into paper in the real exam. PPQs are important in this case.

That's it. I've tried flashcards but can't say they helped me personally. Mind maps are a chore. Highlighting and reading is a bore.

Good luck :smile:
Original post by Millie-3


Next step is the one I find most unappealing but is the one that gets my the grade I want: sit down and memorise it. All the understanding should be there at this point, now for making it go into my brain.

Good luck :smile:


Hi Millie,
what technique do you use to memorise the material, and how much time do you normally spend on a chapter, for example?
Thanks.
Original post by ZR246
Hi Millie,
what technique do you use to memorise the material, and how much time do you normally spend on a chapter, for example?
Thanks.


Time, well that depends on a number of factors e.g. If I'm in a revising sorta mood, how far away the test is, size of the chapter, if I'm interested in what I'm learning (quite rare). In the best case scenario I can learn a long chapter within about 6 hours of revision but this is scattered throughout a 9 hour day (counting sleep ins and stopping by dinner time). On a bad day, it can take two days to do the same amount!

Disclaimer, I have to do quite a bit of efforts for memorising, I'm not one of those people who can just read a paragraph a couple of times and it sticks. Usually I read a long sentence/two shorter sentences, say it out loud, try and say it without looking, then repeat it until I have it 'set' in my brain. Then I move on to the next sentence(s) until I have it. At the end of the paragraph I try to say all of it together without looking and keep repeating until I have the paragraph. It's a really slow and boring process but it's the only thing that works for me. Hope this helps!

EDIT: "chapter" means different things for different subjects. For psychology (which is what I'm currently studying) it means a third of the exam and there are two exams in a year. So about 1/6 of the content for a year's worth of exams.
(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by Millie-3
Time, well that depends on a number of factors e.g. If I'm in a revising sorta mood, how far away the test is, size of the chapter, if I'm interested in what I'm learning (quite rare). In the best case scenario I can learn a long chapter within about 6 hours of revision but this is scattered throughout a 9 hour day (counting sleep ins and stopping by dinner time). On a bad day, it can take two days to do the same amount!

Disclaimer, I have to do quite a bit of efforts for memorising, I'm not one of those people who can just read a paragraph a couple of times and it sticks. Usually I read a long sentence/two shorter sentences, say it out loud, try and say it without looking, then repeat it until I have it 'set' in my brain. Then I move on to the next sentence(s) until I have it. At the end of the paragraph I try to say all of it together without looking and keep repeating until I have the paragraph. It's a really slow and boring process but it's the only thing that works for me. Hope this helps!

EDIT: "chapter" means different things for different subjects. For psychology (which is what I'm currently studying) it means a third of the exam and there are two exams in a year. So about 1/6 of the content for a year's worth of exams.


So -taking you're in a very disciplined state- you can memorise a whole years material of psychology in 6 days? That's really impressive :-)
Original post by Anonymous1502
What if you cant really do the majority of the past paper because you forgot a lot of the content, then how do you learn the content, like what technique and method should I use to get the information into my head, this is for biology by the way.


For topic you don't know, spend time trying yo get your head around it and then do questions.
You might want to do the questions 'open book' because reading it then writing it out in your own words helps to consolidate the knowlege I often find.

Especially with things like biology, of course there is terminology you need to remember, but you should seek to understand, not to memorise, because then it comes more easily to you in the exam and application questions will be easier to solve


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(edited 7 years ago)
When you put it like that you make me sound like a superhero! I guess the maths would say so but I'd be so exhausted after the first day or two that I would definitely need much, much longer. Maybe two days break for every two days of work! So twelve days maybe, and even that's ambitious!

How about you? What's your secret?

Original post by ZR246
So -taking you're in a very disciplined state- you can memorise a whole years material of psychology in 6 days? That's really impressive :-)
(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by JustThatStudent
For topic you don't know, spend time trying yo get your head around it and then do questions.
You might want to do the questions 'open book' because reading it then writing it out in your own words helps to consolidate the knowlege I often find.

Especially with things like biology, of course there is terminology you need to remember, but you should seek to understand, not to memorise, because then it comes more easily to you in the exam and application questions will be easier to solve


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How would you get your head around it?Thats what im struggling with.
Read up from different sources, one might explain it in a way that's better for you, or try watching videos

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Original post by Millie-3
When you put it like that you make me sound like a superhero! I guess the maths would say so but I'd be so exhausted after the first day or two that I would definitely need much, much longer. Maybe two days break for every two days of work! So twelve days maybe, and even that's ambitious!

How about you? What's your secret?


Well, 12 days is still quite good :-)
I don't have the stamina to sit down and memorise things, I've got easily distracted :-( I usually write out the main points on a 'revision card' you can buy in stationery shops, and carry them with me. It's easy to take them out and revise when i have a break or on the train. But I study engineering so (luckily) don't have to memorise long texts.
Original post by Anonymous1502
How would you get your head around it?Thats what im struggling with.


Forgot to quote you above, sorry :smile:

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