Active Revision??

Does this count as an active revision method? - Making notes and rereading them out loud every now and then?
Notes include colour, but not always diagrams.

Reply 1

charlottexxt

15

Writing notes is active revision, but simply re-reading notes is not. I would also suggest making sure you are not copying word for word and actively thinking about the topic. For example copy up class notes and the textbook into your own words and then condense them into flashcards. More active revision would be answering mock questions. If you learn by hearing and saying your notes you could try to teach someone else (e.g. family member) the topic.
Best of luck!

Reply 2

kkboyk

21

Original post by app_

Does this count as an active revision method? - Making notes and rereading them out loud every now and then?
Notes include colour, but not always diagrams.

What subject is this for? If its for sciencens it isn't. It's much better focusing on practicing exam questions to solidify your understanding as well as getting used to the exam questions. Alternatively you could try:

Visual

•

Make posters or charts - focus on making connections between information and summarising key things

•

Attach images to written content

•

Re-arrange important information into mindmaps – emphasise connections, examples and contradictions

•

Use colour coding

Auditory:

•

Use a voice recorder to explain your topic to yourself, and listen back when you are walking, or driving.

•

Use music in your revision (either to create a calming atmosphere, or to create ‘links’ with the content).

•

Listen to podcasts and lectures (again, choose a time when you are active but your mind is free to ‘think’!)

•

Explain your revision to someone else, or use a revision study group to discuss it.

•

Try to add rhythm or a ‘story’ to something hard to remember (for example to remember that Riyadh is the capital of Saudi Arabia, borrow from Amy Winehouse – ‘they tried to make me go to Riyadh, I Saudi no, no, no’)

Physical:

•

Create quizzes for yourself and practice (if you prefer to use an app, many are available).

•

Create glossaries or flash cards to test yourself on

•

Use past papers or course questions to write 5 minute essay plans

•

Condense and reformat notes

•

30: 10: 5: 1 (start with 30 key words for a topic, and condense accordingly)

•

‘Make it strange’! If you are really struggling to remember something, revise under the table (really)

(I didn't write this from scratch, too lazy for that)

Reply 3

app_

OP

12

Original post by charlottexxt

Writing notes is active revision, but simply re-reading notes is not. I would also suggest making sure you are not copying word for word and actively thinking about the topic. For example copy up class notes and the textbook into your own words and then condense them into flashcards. More active revision would be answering mock questions. If you learn by hearing and saying your notes you could try to teach someone else (e.g. family member) the topic.
Best of luck!

Oh okay, thank you!!
I read all my notes out loud for GCSEs and they seemed to work then. So I was kinda wondering if reading the notes out loud, rather than eyeballing them was an "active" technique.
I was also kinda wondering if it would be better to learn/revise the content first before doing loads of past paper qs?

Reply 4

app_

OP

12

Original post by kkboyk

What subject is this for? If its for sciencens it isn't. It's much better focusing on practicing exam questions to solidify your understanding as well as getting used to the exam questions. Alternatively you could try:

Visual

•

Make posters or charts - focus on making connections between information and summarising key things

•

Attach images to written content

•

Re-arrange important information into mindmaps – emphasise connections, examples and contradictions

•

Use colour coding

Auditory:

•

Use a voice recorder to explain your topic to yourself, and listen back when you are walking, or driving.

•

Use music in your revision (either to create a calming atmosphere, or to create ‘links’ with the content).

•

Listen to podcasts and lectures (again, choose a time when you are active but your mind is free to ‘think’!)

•

Explain your revision to someone else, or use a revision study group to discuss it.

•

Try to add rhythm or a ‘story’ to something hard to remember (for example to remember that Riyadh is the capital of Saudi Arabia, borrow from Amy Winehouse – ‘they tried to make me go to Riyadh, I Saudi no, no, no’)

Physical:

•

Create quizzes for yourself and practice (if you prefer to use an app, many are available).

•

Create glossaries or flash cards to test yourself on

•

Use past papers or course questions to write 5 minute essay plans

•

Condense and reformat notes

•

30: 10: 5: 1 (start with 30 key words for a topic, and condense accordingly)

•

‘Make it strange’! If you are really struggling to remember something, revise under the table (really)

(I didn't write this from scratch, too lazy for that)

Yeah - Biology & Chemistry mainly. So would it be better to learn from the mark schemes rather than make/revise notes?

Reply 5

CatInTheCorner

19

Original post by app_

Yeah - Biology & Chemistry mainly. So would it be better to learn from the mark schemes rather than make/revise notes?

try doing questions, noting what you got wrong, and then revising those bits. repeat until you've covered as much as you can :smile:

Reply 6

app_

OP

12

Original post by CatInTheCorner

try doing questions, noting what you got wrong, and then revising those bits. repeat until you've covered as much as you can :smile:

Oh okay, thank you so much!!

Reply 7

kkboyk

21

Original post by app_

Yeah - Biology & Chemistry mainly. So would it be better to learn from the mark schemes rather than make/revise notes?

Yes pretty much, but you should be attempting the questions first and doing constant repetition so it sticks. The questions in bio and chem are repetitive, the answers look for keywords, so if you can remmeber the keywords per topic and be able to determine which to use for questions then you're far more likely to get an A.

Reply 8

app_

OP

12

Original post by kkboyk

Yes pretty much, but you should be attempting the questions first and doing constant repetition so it sticks. The questions in bio and chem are repetitive, the answers look for keywords, so if you can remmeber the keywords per topic and be able to determine which to use for questions then you're far more likely to get an A.

Oh okay thank you! Are the old spec Q's still representative for the new spec?

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