Effective Study and Revision Click here to download a study timetable

Revision of your work is essential if you are to do well in any exams.
Some tips on studying for exams

1. Planning

• Get your notes organised before you start revising. Check you have all the required notes and go through your book highlighting or underlining the key ideas you need to learn and then write them up in a special swot book. Use lots of colour in you summary notes to make things stand out.
• Draw up a revision timetable. Study is difficult but you are more inclined to do it if you have a timetable to work through. A timetable also ensures that you cover all the work for each subject. Alongside each subject, write the topic you plan to cover in that time, e.g. Biology - photosynthesis, Maths - Algebra, Geography - Migration etc
• Your timetable must be realistic and allow for your normal activities e.g. sports practice, music lessons, run, etc.
  

2. Revising
Active revision is the best, i.e.
Read
Read over a page of your notes.
Write
Write down (briefly) the key points as you read.
Explain
Explain the key points to yourself as you go.
Test
Test yourself on the work you have covered by doing exercises, examples or past exam questions
Repeat

Follow this procedure for a topic. At the end of your revision time, try to go through all the key points you have covered in that session.
Some study tips to help you remember important information better:

Use lots of colour in your note taking, which will improve your ability to remember and recall information. Diagrams are also easier to recall than notes.

• Study for 30 minutes and then take a 5 minute break - but be disciplined; don't take breaks for any longer in a revision period.
• Music or silence? - Its up to you, but if you must listen to music, study to music without words, as your brain will focus on the words of a song rather than the content you are learning!