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how do you revise?

at the moment i'm finding it difficult to revise things as i have a short attention span. I tend to learn things off by heart but is there a better way?

Pus this may sound stupid, but i'm worried about my mocks :redface:

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Reply 1

Aitch

Cellardore

Be active, don't just sit and read.

Write it, say it out loud, then try to write it from memory. Chant it, write it again, go downstairs and tell your parents/brother/the dog about it. Record it, play it back to yourself, then test yourself on it.

Write it on post-its and stick them on the mirror so that you'll have to see them the next time you trim your beard, squeeze your spots, put your mascara on...

Very few people can learn things by staring at them. Get ACTIVE!!

Aitch

Reply 2

trev

I revise by reading my notes and textbook followed by doing past papers.

I think you could make some revision notes/cards so it will be easy to absorb.

Mocks don't matter that much, as the teachers want to see how well you do so far. They will still enter you for the exam no matter what though.

Reply 3

goneaway56

trev

I think you could make some revision notes/cards so it will be easy to absorb.

Making revision notes (which are brief and relevant) of your work in small topics seems to work for me, then revising them. Its the actual process of making the notes that you learn more from, rather than just reading.

I also find talking about topics with friends is really helpful (as long as they are doing the subject too).

Reply 4

kingslaw

Write out notes for your whole course, divided into bullet-points.
Learn
Cover-up
Recall
Check if your right.

Theres no other way of doing it in my opinion. If you haven't got a photographic memory this is the only way of doing it.

Oh, and take breaks.

Reply 5

kellywood_5

I don't know which subjects you do, so this might not help, but divide each unit into small sections and condense the most important points onto revision cards. Textbooks that have short summaries of each chapter are really good for this. That way, you're ensuring that you understand the material (because otherwise you wouldn't know which were the key bits of information) and hopefully this should jog your memory of the more detailed bits that go with it. You could also make some questions and answers or do a revision game like lying all the cards face down and turning over 2 at a time, trying to match up question with answer, word with definition or whatever. That will just make it a bit more fun and stop you from getting quite so bored. If you have any serious friends who you can revise with without getting too distracted, that's always a good idea because 2 heads are better than 1! You can read through the cards whenever you have a spare minute and they should eventually get stuck in your head. After you've revised each section, do a past paper and see which areas you're confident in and those that still need a bit of work. Oh, and don't get too stressed out about mocks- obviously do your best, but just see them as the practice run they are and concentrate on improving for the real thing. Good luck!

Reply 6

Cellardore

the A levels i'm doing are English lit, Politics and media studies. I'm fine with media, but it's just politics i can't get my head around, there's so much to learn! I've just found myself reading the essays i've written over and over again.

Reply 7

kellywood_5

Cellardore

That sounds like history- so much to learn and no idea where to start!

Reply 8

Checking for Spies

I'm not a notes person myself,I just prefer to keep chanting it lol :rolleyes:

I find it easier to revise if I sit in a quiet room which is NOT my bedroom,otherwise I'm likely to get bored and reach for the t.v or c.d player lol

Reply 9

Cellardore

should i worry about the mocks? At the moment i am worrying a little bit. 'm just worried that my mind is going to go blank

Reply 10

kellywood_5

Cellardore

should i worry about the mocks? At the moment i am worrying a little bit. 'm just worried that my mind is going to go blank

It's probably good to worry a little bit because then you're more likely to do some work, but don't worry so much it affects you as in you can't sleep etc.

Reply 11

Checking for Spies

AW DON'T WORRY BOUT MOCKS TOO MUCH...if your school is anything like mine the pupils have a tradition of failing them all then doing great come summer :smile:

Reply 12

trev

I think after reading notes and/or textbook, try to write them back out to see if you are right or wrong. In addition, you could try doing past papers.

In my opinion, doing past papers is the key to good revision along with reading notes, and other revision methods.

Reply 13

Mushu

Here's how: (if you want to do really well...)

1) All your notes should cover everything in the syllabus. Don't miss out anything. Write up notes by reading from books, then re-read it but this time write out the points you need.

2) After having perfect (haha) notes, choose out of the following which suits you best, or do multiple ones in your revision:
a) Read things out loud. Simple, but the way to do it is as if your explaining the material to someone else. If you find yourself mumbling, go back, read your notes and know what you missed out.
b) Write it out again and again. I find this to be the best choice for me. It's not as time consuming as people think & you'll really make the material sink in. Get a draft paper book and write write write!
c) Others have suggested working with friends, making tape recordings. I find these to be less efficient than a) and b) but I'm sure they work :biggrin:

3) My revision tends to go like this:
-Look at notes, anything not covered write up again with missing material
-Revise the notes by writing them a few times while looking at them, perhaps saying them out loud/talking to myself. I then try and write them out without looking, and see anything I've forgotten.
-I revise the same material again, in the same week/next week/as soon as possible. I tend to find I've forgotten maybe 40% by this time, which is no problem, as everyone forgets :rolleyes:

By now I will revise it again, which makes me remember it better for the next time and so on. Thats the way revision works (well for me anyway :smile:

)

Hope I've helped. Best of luck :smile:

Reply 14

kiaora

i simply read a passage, then revise it back to myself, then write notes. in no particular order. it seemed to work last year. for languages though, its a rough combination of writing down the odd hard-to-spell word, talking to myself, and reading the textbook over and over again.

Reply 15

Sixbo

try walking round the room while you revise, it mite help?

Reply 16

kat_r

i just write my notes over and over again till i no them off by heart. Not the best way of doin it as you forget them straight after the exam!!

Reply 17

dinesh

cramming isn't going to help you @ A levels nor at University level.
You need to find the right times to study, when your mind and body tells you.
Don't force yourself, or the amt of work you assimulate would be minimal. When you feel your mind drifting during studying , eg when you read something and find yourself not 'grasping it' or can't remember what you just read, it's time to take a break.

Also I find it helpful to do a bit of excercise before studying, don'tdo it after. It interferes with stuff in your brain(long explaination).
Try making flash cards, while studying. Writing always helps remember stuff, :smile:

Reply 18

trev