Revision Tips

Here are some tips to help make the most of your revision time. By making a plan and organising your time you can divide your revision into manageable chunks.

What you need to know

Organise a revision plan as early as possible, this will allow you to work out how much time to spend revising each day and when to take breaks.

Prepare a revision checklist

Divide the number of days you have until your exams, by the number of subjects you need to revise, to ensure you cover all subjects and topics.

Make a revision plan

• Once you know how many days you need to spend revising each topic, you will be able to make revision part of your daily routine. Revise often, try and do a little every day.
• Set aside time on your plan for things you need to do, like going to school, mealtimes and leisure activities
• Split the remaining time into half hour slots
• Break each subject/topic on your revision checklist into chunks you can cover in 30 minutes and fill your slots with these chunks

Where to study

• Find somewhere quiet
• Keep background noise to a minimum
• Avoid distractions!

How to study

There is ‘no right way’ to revise and there are a number of different techniques, you might find a mix of these suits you best.

• Read your revision notes
• Read for detail, where you need to have a good understanding of the text, take it slowly and ask yourself questions when you’re reading
• Skim to get the general idea of a large piece of text
• Scan to look for specific information such as names, numbers, dates and quotes

Tips

• Turn your notes into revision tools:
• Write ideas and facts onto cards, to use as prompts
• Create memory aids such as diagrams
• Study with a friend and test each other
• Work through past exam papers
• Use study and revision guides

Look after yourself

• Regular breaks are important
• A 5 minute break every 30 minutes is better than 30 minutes after five hours
• Breaks will help you absorb the information and avoid overload
• It’s important to set aside time, to take your mind off exams
• Lots of sleep and regular exercise will help you stay alert