Revision Guidelines

The first rule of revision is - Start early!

1. long-term memory is far more reliable than short-term memory;
2. once something has been learned, even if you think you’ve forgotten it, it’s far easier to re-learn it, and
3. if you’ve left yourself lots of time, then this isn’t a problem; it will avoid the feeling of last-minute panic.

The more well-organised your revision materials are, the easier the task of revision will be. Try to keep your lecture notes, and notes made from background reading, filed neatly and logically so that they are easy to find. Ideally, you should read through these and improve them just after they were made, so that they are completely understandable now at this later date. Make sure that you have all the materials that you need for each revision session before you begin, so that you aren’t constantly looking for sets of notes or a particular article or reference book.

Identify a place and time that you work best. This might be in the library, or in your own room. It might be first thing in the morning, or in the evening. Of course, you will need to be doing revision at all times, but if you have a particular time when you work best, then this might be the time when you tackle a topic for the first time, or a particularly difficult subject. With regard to the place, it usually needs to be quiet, although some people claim to work better with background music. It does need to be without distractions though: TV, friends wanting to chatter, temptation to get something to eat or drink (although it’s also important that you are not hungry or thirsty before you begin).

Plan your revision timetable. Decide how long you have to revise before the exams, how long you can concentrate for at one time, what subjects you have to revise, what else that you have to do during this time (including eating, housework, socialising etc.), and put them all into a timetable.

Make a Plan

1. Forty minutes is probably the most that anyone can really concentrate for at any one time, so divide your days up into 1 hour slots to include 40 minutes revision on one subject, with a little break to allow you to do a quick test or recap and to organise your materials for the next session; however, some revision tasks may be sustained for longer, e.g. writing practice 1-hour essays, or group revision sessions
2. Allow yourself plenty of breaks and always make time for meals; don’t become a social recluse - you should still be able to fit in recreational activities (especially if you have planned you revision well in advance); always try to get a good night’s sleep
3. If you fall behind in your revision, don’t completely abandon your plan: just accept that you may have to revise it and carry on.
4. Identify the topic areas you need to cover
• Assign time according to the gaps in your knowledge and where the marks are
• 'Last minute' revision is for material that is already well rehearsed
• Try not to start new work when the exam period has begun.
• Be realistic
5. Try to vary the topics (or subject areas) from one session to the next, as this will help retain interest and concentration. Also vary revision strategies regularly:
• a bit of reading
• a bit of thinking
• a bit of written practice
• a bit of verbal practice
• list some key points
• prioritise the importance of some facts or concepts
6. Create 'milestones'
• It's important to have achievements
• Keeping track of what has been done builds confidence and morale.
• Give yourself a 'reward' when something has been completed.
7. Turn revision into practice at passing exams
8. Use other students

Make revision active

• It is not enough to read passively.
• Active reading is normally done with a pen.
• Make summary notes, mental maps or use a highlighter.
• Identify key terms and concepts, then explain them in your own terms.
• Read with an agenda in mind - as answers are found they tend to register.
• Ask questions of yourself and the text you’re reading. ‘What may I reasonably be expected to be able to do with this?’
• If you encounter an abstract term try to find a concrete example to illustrate the concept
• Develop ‘question banks’ - short sharp questions based on what you think may be expected of you.
• If you know how to answer a wide range of short, sharp questions, you will be better equipped to answer longer complex ones.
• Compile question banks collaboratively - they will be more comprehensive and testing.

Revision techniques that are known to be effective

• Practising answering questions, - mentally, in note form, in full, or against the clock.
• Working through your materials, devising your own questions and practising answering them.
• Working with others and quizzing each other on likely questions.
• Getting someone who doesn't know anything about the subject to quiz you on it.
• Building a glossary for your subject material.
• Building mental maps, concept maps, spray or spider diagrams
• Prioritising key points for each section of a topic.
• Making a list of concepts, and for each concept identifying as many uses as you can.