GCSE STUDENTS - Share your revision tips!

The GCSE Revision Tip Exchange Thread!

So, for most of you I'm sure it feels like everyone (be it your teachers, parents, friends, the countdown on your phone...) seems to be talking about just one thing - your exams.

There's no point sugarcoating it - they are getting closer and closer. However there's no need to panic - exam season is still a few weeks away, and now that it's the long Easter holiday you've got a lot more time on your hands to knuckle down and get those grades!

A common problem among GCSE students is that you have all the resources you need, but you don't know how to revise - after all, for most of you these are the first set of external exams you'll be sitting!

This is where this thread can come in and help you. If you're a current GCSE student, or you've already got them under your belt, share how you revised!

I'll kick things off:

•

Discover your learning style - quizzes such as this one can be really usful. Your results will tell you whether you're a more visual, auditory or kinaesthetic (tactile) learner, and from this you can adapt your revision techniques to include what works best for you.

•

Past papers are a must - however don't do loads of these before you've revised the content! They're a great way of pointing out where your weaknesses lie so you can go back and strengthen them before the real thing.

•

Find a way of condensing your notes - just flicking through a revision guide isn't going to get you those top grades, revision needs to be proactive. Whether it be making mind-maps, flashcards, detailed notes, teaching your pet - anything that gets you to use your knowledge is effective revision.

Do these tips work for you? Do you have others you'd like to share? Any slightly strange, but useful methods of getting information to stick? I want to hear them all! :biggrin:

Lastly, good luck for your exams everyone :h:

Reply 1

TheMightyBadger

13

My method is very detailed notes and past papers. Past papers are most important, as they are most similar to what you will actually be tested on.
This bit of advice is a bit late but consider it for A levels. It is very important to concentrate and understand everything in lessons because when it comes to revision, there is no need (for me) to learn anything, just to go over things. Therefore, my current stress is minimal and I am currently only revising things that we will have mocks on after Easter, such as the final topics of some subjects.

Reply 2

Sum Ting

11

For me personally for science,

Reply 3

niamhdoesmaths

OP

21

Original post by TheMightyBadger

My method is very detailed notes and past papers. Past papers are most important, as they are most similar to what you will actually be tested on.
This bit of advice is a bit late but consider it for A levels. It is very important to concentrate and understand everything in lessons because when it comes to revision, there is no need (for me) to learn anything, just to go over things. Therefore, my current stress is minimal and I am currently only revising things that we will have mocks on after Easter, such as the final topics of some subjects.

This is a good method! The advice is definitely true - by taking in as much of the information as possible in lessons, you minimise the amount of time you have to spend going over it. It's always important to stay as close to stress-free as possible! Thanks for your tips :h:

Reply 4

_gcx

21

Would subject-specific advice be suitable here?

Reply 5

niamhdoesmaths

OP

21

Original post by _gcx

Would subject-specific advice be suitable here?

Yeah sure! Any advice would be really helpful no doubt :smile:

Reply 6

Tiger Rag

22

Flashcards!

I also found mind maps worked well too.

Reply 7

TheMightyBadger

13

Original post by NiamhM1801

This is a good method! The advice is definitely true - by taking in as much of the information as possible in lessons, you minimise the amount of time you have to spend going over it. It's always important to stay as close to stress-free as possible! Thanks for your tips :h:

In terms of subject specific:
Triple Science - use the CGP guides to make very detailed notes and do past papers.
Maths - do lots of practice questions.
English Language - do past papers and practice writing techniques.
English Literature - flashcards and mind maps, as well as past papers.
Everything else - detailed notes and past papers.

Reply 8

LlamaLikeEllie

17

For English Literature, I think mind-maps are great, as you can link ideas together, and create a concept, with ideas coming off from that concept.

Also, for all subjects, I use lots of colour, as it makes my work look nice, so I am more motivated to look at my notes.

Reply 9

evab12345

12

Original post by NiamhM1801

The GCSE Revision Tip Exchange Thread!

So, for most of you I'm sure it feels like everyone (be it your teachers, parents, friends, the countdown on your phone...) seems to be talking about just one thing - your exams.

There's no point sugarcoating it - they are getting closer and closer. However there's no need to panic - exam season is still a few weeks away, and now that it's the long Easter holiday you've got a lot more time on your hands to knuckle down and get those grades!

A common problem among GCSE students is that you have all the resources you need, but you don't know how to revise - after all, for most of you these are the first set of external exams you'll be sitting!

This is where this thread can come in and help you. If you're a current GCSE student, or you've already got them under your belt, share how you revised!

I'll kick things off:

•

Discover your learning style - quizzes such as this one can be really usful. Your results will tell you whether you're a more visual, auditory or kinaesthetic (tactile) learner, and from this you can adapt your revision techniques to include what works best for you.

•

Past papers are a must - however don't do loads of these before you've revised the content! They're a great way of pointing out where your weaknesses lie so you can go back and strengthen them before the real thing.

•

Find a way of condensing your notes - just flicking through a revision guide isn't going to get you those top grades, revision needs to be proactive. Whether it be making mind-maps, flashcards, detailed notes, teaching your pet - anything that gets you to use your knowledge is effective revision.

Do these tips work for you? Do you have others you'd like to share? Any slightly strange, but useful methods of getting information to stick? I want to hear them all! :biggrin:

Lastly, good luck for your exams everyone :h:

I'm making flash cards on everything any way that I can , apart from maths and English etc it's taking ages but it works, because even making them gets it in my head

Reply 10

faloodeh

18

Lmao someone help me im doing triple and my worst science is physics.

I know past papers, but other than that? I find that cgp guides are kind of crap (for me)

Reply 11

niamhdoesmaths

OP

21

Original post by Tiger Rag

Flashcards!

I also found mind maps worked well too.

I've never actuall tried flashcards before! I'll probably give them a go some time :tongue:

Mindmaps never worked for me :no:

but like I've said - different things work for different people!

Original post by TheMightyBadger

In terms of subject specific:
Triple Science - use the CGP guides to make very detailed notes and do past papers.
Maths - do lots of practice questions.
English Language - do past papers and practice writing techniques.
English Literature - flashcards and mind maps, as well as past papers.
Everything else - detailed notes and past papers.

Great tips! :yy:

Original post by LlamaLikeEllie

For English Literature, I think mind-maps are great, as you can link ideas together, and create a concept, with ideas coming off from that concept.

Also, for all subjects, I use lots of colour, as it makes my work look nice, so I am more motivated to look at my notes.

Great that mindmaps work for you! I suppose I'm rubbish at making them :lol:

I've never been very creative!

Yes to the colour, 100%! Fineliners are my best friend when it comes to revision :tongue:

Original post by evab12345

I'm making flash cards on everything any way that I can , apart from maths and English etc it's taking ages but it works, because even making them gets it in my head

This is a great tip! Yeah, they may take time but if making them is revision itself then it's fully worth it :yep:

And then you can get other people to test you - another way of consolidating your knowledge :biggrin:

Reply 12

niamhdoesmaths

OP

21

Original post by Faloodeh

Lmao someone help me im doing triple and my worst science is physics.

I know past papers, but other than that? I find that cgp guides are kind of crap (for me)

Perhaps finding some revision videos on YouTube may help? I know they did for me!

Also if you condense the information from the CGP guide into another form - say a mindmap per unit or something - that could work? Keep trying though, you'll find something that works for you! Good luck :h:

Reply 13

Jackson2002

3

Original post by NiamhM1801

The GCSE Revision Tip Exchange Thread!

So, for most of you I'm sure it feels like everyone (be it your teachers, parents, friends, the countdown on your phone...) seems to be talking about just one thing - your exams.

There's no point sugarcoating it - they are getting closer and closer. However there's no need to panic - exam season is still a few weeks away, and now that it's the long Easter holiday you've got a lot more time on your hands to knuckle down and get those grades!

A common problem among GCSE students is that you have all the resources you need, but you don't know how to revise - after all, for most of you these are the first set of external exams you'll be sitting!

This is where this thread can come in and help you. If you're a current GCSE student, or you've already got them under your belt, share how you revised!

I'll kick things off:

•

Discover your learning style - quizzes such as this one can be really usful. Your results will tell you whether you're a more visual, auditory or kinaesthetic (tactile) learner, and from this you can adapt your revision techniques to include what works best for you.

•

Past papers are a must - however don't do loads of these before you've revised the content! They're a great way of pointing out where your weaknesses lie so you can go back and strengthen them before the real thing.

•

Find a way of condensing your notes - just flicking through a revision guide isn't going to get you those top grades, revision needs to be proactive. Whether it be making mind-maps, flashcards, detailed notes, teaching your pet - anything that gets you to use your knowledge is effective revision.

Do these tips work for you? Do you have others you'd like to share? Any slightly strange, but useful methods of getting information to stick? I want to hear them all! :biggrin:

Lastly, good luck for your exams everyone :h:

It may sound quite plain and boring, but flashcards/revision cards work best for me! 😊 The actual part of making them seems to help me remember stuff, and also getting people to test me seems like a very effective way of revising. I'll spend about half an hour in he morning getting my best friend to test me on the way to school, and then I'll revise again when I get home from school.

Reply 14

niamhdoesmaths

OP

21

Original post by Jackson2002

It may sound quite plain and boring, but flashcards/revision cards work best for me! 😊 The actual part of making them seems to help me remember stuff, and also getting people to test me seems like a very effective way of revising. I'll spend about half an hour in he morning getting my best friend to test me on the way to school, and then I'll revise again when I get home from school.

I'd be surprised if many people found revision to be anything other than plain and boring if I'm honest! You do what works best for you - you're the one sitting the exams after all! This does seem like a common and effective way of revising and consolidating - good to see you getting your friend involved too! :h:

Reply 15

1secondsofvamps

22

Im not a GCSE student but i do have a tip.
A method that helped me with GCSE was giving my friend my notes and getting them to test me. I did this with french and it actually helped because i remembered what i got right and wrong when i was practicing with my friend

Reply 16

niamhdoesmaths

OP

21

Original post by 1secondsofvamps

Im not a GCSE student but i do have a tip.
A method that helped me with GCSE was giving my friend my notes and getting them to test me. I did this with french and it actually helped because i remembered what i got right and wrong when i was practicing with my friend

Getting other people to test you is a great way to revise! It's good as it gets you to think rather than just reading your notes over and over :tongue:

Glad it worked for you! :h:

Reply 17

Gabzinc

15

Everyone mentions the truism that you should "use past papers and mark schemes blah blah", but everyone fails to mention examiner reports. Yes, there is nothing to revise from examiner reports, and they won't score you extra marks in the exam alone, but if you have spare time they are definitely worth the read. They tell you which areas students struggle on (which hints at good areas to revise on - who knows? it may end up being a 6 marker next year?), and they mention common mistakes students make, which is great seeing as it makes those same mistakes much easier to avoid.

Reply 18

niamhdoesmaths

OP

21

Original post by Gabzinc

Everyone mentions the truism that you should "use past papers and mark schemes blah blah", but everyone fails to mention examiner reports. Yes, there is nothing to revise from examiner reports, and they won't score you extra marks in the exam alone, but if you have spare time they are definitely worth the read. They tell you which areas students struggle on (which hints at good areas to revise on - who knows? it may end up being a 6 marker next year?), and they mention common mistakes students make, which is great seeing as it makes those same mistakes much easier to avoid.

Yes - I completely second this!! Examiners reports pretty much got me through my English exams I won't lie - they were so informative! This is an excellent tip, thanks for sharing it :h:

Reply 19

AAgada

1

I am going to be doing past papers and then once I have marked them, making a 'cheat sheet' based on things I got wrong and examiners reports.My main source of revision is mind maps and notes and I will be doing some flashcards for my geography case studies and memrise /quizlet for German vocab.

GCSE STUDENTS - Share your revision tips!

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