Should I Stop Taking Notes?

OP

Original post by possibly human

You may remember the information, but it doesn't mean you understand the information. By learning only from revision notes, you are risking to face a HUGE failure once you are sitting the exam.

Better grab yourself a textbook and plant those ideas deep into your brain. Become a sensei.

What are the best textbooks for GCSE?
Also, do I need to use textbooks? For one, I have my lessons at school. I also could watch YouTube videos etc.
If you have any free resources please list them.
Everyone suggests CGP revision guides, so how should I use them?

Reply 6

I took notes in class, made up cheat sheets, but when I was a bit confused about something in my English Language class I referred back to the revision guides. They were very good for giving clear information of the requirement for each question which I didn't get until near to the exam.

For my other class I used the text book for notes and then cheat sheets. I had to make up my own revision guide as there wasn't one readily available for the subject.

Reply 7

OP

Original post by Purdy7

I took notes in class, made up cheat sheets, but when I was a bit confused about something in my English Language class I referred back to the revision guides. They were very good for giving clear information of the requirement for each question which I didn't get until near to the exam.

For my other class I used the text book for notes and then cheat sheets. I had to make up my own revision guide as there wasn't one readily available for the subject.

Geez, can someone at least tell me the name of the damn textbook?! lmao

Reply 8

Original post by korosensei

Geez, can someone at least tell me the name of the damn textbook?! lmao

Let me have a look for you:

The one I used was:

CGP GCSE AQA
English Language
For the Grade 9-1 Exams

Complete Revision and Practice
ISBN 978-1-78294-414-0

I've just received my exam result and I got an 8 with merit so A* merit equivalent.

PS I also used Mr Bruffs downloadable book which doesn't cost very much, I think it's about £4. I just printed a copy off and smothered it in highlighter pen. He also does You Tube videos that covers most of what is in the book.
http://mrbruff.com/product/mr-bruffs-guide-to-gcse-language/

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 9

OP

Original post by Purdy7

Let me have a look for you:

The one I used was:

CGP GCSE AQA
English Language
For the Grade 9-1 Exams

Complete Revision and Practice
ISBN 978-1-78294-414-0

I've just received my exam result and I got an 8 with merit so A* merit equivalent.

PS I also used Mr Bruffs downloadable book which doesn't cost very much, I think it's about £4. I just printed a copy off and smothered it in highlighter pen. He also does You Tube videos that covers most of what is in the book.
http://mrbruff.com/product/mr-bruffs-guide-to-gcse-language/

I have the revision guide, but not the workbook, in that sense I might buy it or just go straight to the past paper questions

Reply 10

Original post by korosensei

I have the revision guide, but not the workbook, in that sense I might buy it or just go straight to the past paper questions

I never used a workbook, and we had a few past paper because it was the first year the exam was taken.

The questions are all about analysing text and getting underneath what is written. For instance one bit was about a mother being disappointed with her dark son, who had a black pet - this indicated that she felt he was evil and a familiar (witches pet) etc. It's more about the why it was written, how the author makes the reader feel, the under laying emotions of the characters. Nothing much to do with Grammar at all.

You will need to know grammar techniques (ie verbs, nouns, metaphors etc, and also structure such as repetition, sentence lengths, types etc). There's a bit of creative writing in the first paper and the second is more about articles, letter etc type texts.

If you want the workbook look at picking up a cheap copy on Ebay or seeing it at the library, just to see what it's like.

Have a look at one of the past papers just to see the questions, or let me know and I can see what my lot has on it if I kept them and the you can pretty much do it with any book you pick.

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 11

OP

Original post by Purdy7

I never used a workbook, and we had a few past paper because it was the first year the exam was taken.

The questions are all about analysing text and getting underneath what is written. For instance one bit was about a mother being disappointed with her dark son, who had a black pet - this indicated that she felt he was evil and a familiar (witches pet) etc. It's more about the why it was written, how the author makes the reader feel, the under laying emotions of the characters. Nothing much to do with Grammar at all.

You will need to know grammar techniques (ie verbs, nouns, metaphors etc, and also structure such as repetition, sentence lengths, types etc). There's a bit of creative writing in the first paper and the second is more about articles, letter etc type texts.

If you want the workbook look at picking up a cheap copy on Ebay or seeing it at the library, just to see what it's like.

Have a look at one of the past papers just to see the questions, or let me know and I can see what my lot has on it if I kept them and the you can pretty much do it with any book you pick.

You were comparing literature with language, right?

Reply 12