Tips for Revision
Below are some quick tips to help you to decide what strategy is likely to work best for you.
Be SMART:
- Strategic
- Measurable
- Achievable
- Realistic
- Time-bound
Work Smart, Not Long
Know what you are going to revise and set yourself targets so that you work effectively.
Revise in short sessions of up to 90-minutes, then take a break and do something entirely different so that your brain can use the downtime to process the information you have just taken in.
Make your Revision Process Active
Along with using notes to record key points, consider using any of the following:
- Index Cards
- Flash Cards
- Route Maps / Mind Maps / Concept Maps / Spider Diagrams
- Learning Posters and Visual Material
- Key Words, Phrases or Mnemonics
Think
Reserving time for thinking is more valuable than you might think - so do more thinking, less note taking. Thinking in different places, especially about the things you find most difficult can be a very effective strategy. Take some notes with you as back up.
Practice
Attempt examination questions, but have access to mark schemes. Do make use of as wide a resource base as you can, including the library, internet and your class notes. But take care to know what you're looking for, or you'll get distracted easily.
Build on your strengths and stay positive
Find the best time to revise - decide on your most alert times of day (morning, afternoon or evening) and select the best two. Many people believe that after you have revised a topic and reviewed it within four hours; you will remember it for 24 hours.
Review it again in another 24 hours and you'll remember it for four days, and so on. It isn't a proven theory, but worth bearing in mind.
RE-RUN!
Rest - Sleep affects performance
Enjoy - Be creative in revision
Repeat - Little and often works better than trying to understand something at one time
Unstress - The brain can only focus on 'escape' when stressed
Nutrition - Water and sugar help in the conduction of nerve impulses
