What methods do you find best for revision and why?

Hi everyone.

I am currently taking part in The Level 3 Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) and, as part of this Project, I have chosen to look at Study Skills in further detail.

The main thing which I have noticed is that some of us tend to struggle when it comes to revising for different subjects - we know what we need to be revising, we just occasionally find it difficult about how we can start this revision process and how we can actually revise the content, ready for tests, mock examinations, formal examinations, or whatever else you may need to revise for.

My question to everyone is, as part of my Project, what revision techniques do you use and in what ways have you found them to be effective/not effective?

By all means, feel free to post any questions on here which you may have regarding revision techniques.

Reply 1

suirrel

I use mymaths, write up class notes in neat, do homework, etc.

Nothing special, I've scheduled 5 hours a week per subject on my study planner inc. study support lessons at school, using most of my frees. I only plan to do 4 hours per subject but it's good to have a bit of leeway so I can skip a study session if I need that hour for something else.

Reply 2

luke-amos

I was always told to use MyMaths at school too, I was also given a MathsWatch CD to put into the computer to use - it has revision video clips, schedules, etc. which you can use. I also found that this was a very good resource for me to use and was 1 of the many things which enabled me to pass GCSE Mathematics.

That sounds like a very good way of planning your time and revising, Suirrel. Yes, you definitely need to have some time to yourself and make some time available just in case the odd thing arises.

Your 5 hours a week of revision is also what I have been told to go for each of my subjects.

Do you find your revision methods to be useful?

Reply 3

suirrel

Original post by luke-amos

Do you find your revision methods to be useful?

I don't know. It feels good doing them, and I feel more confident after using mymaths, but I find applying my knowledge in A levels much more difficult than GCSE which causes me to get bad grades, so I wouldn't know if they're actually helping, haha.

To get AB on my double science GCSE, I read through textbooks and did the questions at the end of each page. I also listened to BBC's The Naked Scientists' podcasts every day to and from school, which helped sooo much.

Reply 4

luke-amos

I can see your point there. That's the thing which I've found too, revision is a lot more intense and detailed for A-Levels than it was at GCSE, I've adopted new methods to be able to revise for my A-Level subjects.

That sounds like a great way of summarising all of your knowledge, to be fair. Glad it worked for you. I might try that myself for my Sociology textbook this year, if you're OK with me trying that method?

Reply 5

suirrel

Original post by luke-amos

No, writing notes is my idea and only I can use it.

/s

Reply 6

luke-amos

Haha.

Do you think there is a big jump between the work of GCSE and AS?

I think there's more work for A2 than there is at AS.

I've had to make sure I'm doing extra revision for A2 and start earlier than I did at AS and then there's extra-curricular stuff going on which can be added to that too.

Reply 7

luke-amos

I've created my own revision notes and handouts for my subjects before, but I've largely ignored the questions in the textbooks and have focused on just learning the content and then doing exam questions closer to the time of the exams, but I think I should probably be completing exam questions throughout the entire year for this year.