My Effective Revision Tips

Exams are quickly approaching, meaning it's time for everyone to start preparing. Revision is one of the things that you will have to do at some point, yet you're often in the dark when it comes to choosing what way to go about it and how often to study. Many people suggest tips and different methods, but are they any good and an efficient use of your precious revision time? When it comes to important tests such as your GCSE's and A Levels, it's crucial to make the most out of your revision, which is why I thought I'd share my ideas on how to make revision effective yet not be too boring.

Gather Resources and References
When revising, it's important to surround yourself with as many sources of information as possible, yet you don't want to overload yourself with unnecessary facts and things that you know you won't need. The most important places to look is in any school books and folders, as well as revision guides, as these will contain the majority of the content you need to know, suited to your exam board. If there's anything you're lacking in or don't understand, websites like BBC Bitesize are useful.

Write Lots of Notes
It's pointless just reading through your books a few times, as you won't fully absorb the information and will therefore struggle to recall key facts. Whether you want to write out everything in your own words or keep your notes concise and straight to the point, that's entirely up to you. My only advice is don't spend too long on this step, as this will only make you familiar with the content and won't consolidate it.

Ways That Work For You
There are so many revision aids and ways to further your knowledge in a topic, so you need to find out which you prefer and what works for you. I like to make posters using bright colours for key points, as I find these much more interesting to look at than bland notes. I also use flashcards, as these are easy to use and you can look at them when you've got a few minutes spare in the day. Other good techniques that I use are working with friends, listening to podcasts, doing past papers, watching related videos and coming up with rhymes and acronyms.

Get Others To Test You
This is a great way to see where you have gaps in your knowledge and therefore what you need to spend more time going over. Get a willing family member or friend to read through your notes and ask you questions about them. If you don't have anyone to help you, there is always the option of testing yourself. There are many apps that will ask you questions around the topic or you could even make your own questions and see if you can remember the answers.

Take Breaks Often
Your brain won't be able to absorb all of the information at once and will soon become overpowered by the amount of things it needs to remember. You are also likely to get tired and bored after working for a while, so make sure you take breaks often. Studies have actually proved that consistent short breaks are more effective than working for a long time. This can also act as a reward for working really hard and make you feel fresh and motivated when coming back to your work.

Share With Others
It's possible that you know information that your friends don't and vice versa, so make sure you get together and help each other! This is not only a fun way to revise, but you will also be able to learn new things and get help with topics that you don't understand. If you aren't able to do this, The Student Room has a lot of message boards where you are able to talk to other people studying the same things and get help and advice.

I hope these revision techniques are helpful and I wish you good luck with any tests that you are studying for. Remember that you are capable of doing well and will gain amazing results if you put in hard work. My only other tip is to not overwork yourself, as there is only so much one person can do and you deserve to have a fun time as well. Thank you for reading and I'll see you soon!

Love from Daisy x