Revision: top tips and techniques

Revision: top tips

Make sure you know which topics you need to revise for each subject. Use your exam board specifications as a revision list or check with your subject teacher.
Create a timetable. Think about how much time you have available and create a plan. Remember to fit your revision around other commitments you might have such as a part-time job and helping at home. Also make sure you take regular breaks while you are revising.
Make your revision active. Don’t just read notes. You could make flash cards, mind maps or use post it notes.
Watching videos online can really help to bring your notes alive!
Check for gaps in your knowledge. Test yourself by completing past papers or asking a friend to test you. This will help you to identify which topics you know well and what you need to concentrate on.
Build in rewards for your revision eg: your favourite snack or using social media
Do the work! It’s less stressful to actually do some revision than just to think about it and then feel bad because you haven’t done any.

Index cards, mind maps and notes

Useful to record key points
You can highlight with colours and add pictures
Try apps such as Trello where you can create online index cards which you can then have to hand on your phone

Learning posters and visual materials

You can make patterns, use colour, symbols and drawings
Use them to cover key points and topics
You can draw diagrams for your course if you feel that's relevant
Put up any posters or other visual materials somewhere that you'll see them often as this will help to memorise what's on them

Key words, phrases, themes or concepts

Look at what they key words are for any topic you're revising and note them
You may wish to then add certain phrases or a couple of sentences to expand on the key words
Writing a short summary can also help and you could also add an example or a diagram if you feel that's relevant

Teach someone and/or revise with a friend

You might like to teach a topic to a friend also studying the same subject
Thinking through a topic with a friend can also help - just remember to focus and not get distracted
You can help each other fill in any gaps in your knowledge

Reinforcing your memory

Review all your key points at the end of any revision session
Keep reviewing topics regularly as again this can help your memory to keep hold of information