Revision and exams skills
Introduction
Introduction
Revising for and sitting an exam can be an incredibly stressful time no matter how prepared, or not, you may be!
Revising for and sitting an exam can be an incredibly stressful time no matter how prepared, or not, you may be!
The purpose of exams is to check your understanding of the work covered on the particular course or subject you are studying. In order to be successful during your exams you should have made good notes throughout the course and you must then revise and learn the information you made notes on.
The purpose of exams is to check your understanding of the work covered on the particular course or subject you are studying. In order to be successful during your exams you should have made good notes throughout the course and you must then revise and learn the information you made notes on.
This page will explain some simple techniques that you can use to improve not only your ability to revise but also your ability to relax and recall the information your require during the exam itself.
This page will explain some simple techniques that you can use to improve not only your ability to revise but also your ability to relax and recall the information your require during the exam itself.
Revision and exam skills self assessment
Revision and exam skills self assessment
Let's start by seeing what you hope to gain from this page and look at how confident you feel about this skill:
Let's start by seeing what you hope to gain from this page and look at how confident you feel about this skill:
Revision skills
Revision skills
Taking good, clear notes is an excellent place to start with regards to revision. Being able to look back on, and understand, your notes will give you a starting point for any relevant revision topics. You can see how we advise you to take basic notes here.
Taking good, clear notes is an excellent place to start with regards to revision. Being able to look back on, and understand, your notes will give you a starting point for any relevant revision topics. You can see how we advise you to take basic notes here.
In order to remember the information you are looking back on, consider applying one of these techniques:
In order to remember the information you are looking back on, consider applying one of these techniques:
- Mnemonics, usually a rhyme or acronym. This can be used to put information you need to remember in a particular order
- Mnemonics, usually a rhyme or acronym. This can be used to put information you need to remember in a particular order
- Association, similar to mnemonics. Word association can also trigger your memory. A simple one is to associate facts you need to learn with basic questions such as when? where? what? why? and who?
- Association, similar to mnemonics. Word association can also trigger your memory. A simple one is to associate facts you need to learn with basic questions such as when? where? what? why? and who?
- Card Cover, reading through information for a set period. Covering it and then trying to recall and recreate it
- Card Cover, reading through information for a set period. Covering it and then trying to recall and recreate it
- Loci, placing what you need to remember in a familiar location in a memory palace or picture created in your head!
- Loci, placing what you need to remember in a familiar location in a memory palace or picture created in your head!
- By Rote, repetition of facts, eventually made off by heart
- By Rote, repetition of facts, eventually made off by heart
Once you feel you have the information you need to know memorised start thinking about making use of past papers. Use your notes, mnemonics etc. to map out answers visually before building up the answer you would give. Eventually, you should be looking to sit a past paper under exam conditions.
Once you feel you have the information you need to know memorised start thinking about making use of past papers. Use your notes, mnemonics etc. to map out answers visually before building up the answer you would give. Eventually, you should be looking to sit a past paper under exam conditions.
All of this can take time if you want to give yourself the best chance of success in exams and tests. Maybe think about looking at our time management page, found here, as this will help you plan out your studies throughout the year and help manage deadlines and revision periods.
All of this can take time if you want to give yourself the best chance of success in exams and tests. Maybe think about looking at our time management page, found here, as this will help you plan out your studies throughout the year and help manage deadlines and revision periods.
Exam survival skills
Exam survival skills
Surviving the exam itself can be a very stressful experience no matter how much preparation you have engaged in. Making sure you have revised as much as possible using the techniques above is good for ensuring the information is ready and in your head... This doesn't take away from the amount of stress and pressure some people will feel once their exam days roll around though!
Surviving the exam itself can be a very stressful experience no matter how much preparation you have engaged in. Making sure you have revised as much as possible using the techniques above is good for ensuring the information is ready and in your head... This doesn't take away from the amount of stress and pressure some people will feel once their exam days roll around though!
With this in mind the exam survival skills described here are all about lessening the stress and giving you as much chance to be as calm and focussed as possible. So, beyond the obvious tip of following our revision guide above you should also ensure that you:
With this in mind the exam survival skills described here are all about lessening the stress and giving you as much chance to be as calm and focussed as possible. So, beyond the obvious tip of following our revision guide above you should also ensure that you:
- Get plenty of rest, sleep well the night before your exam. Staying up late cramming or worrying will leave you feeling tired and unfocused the next day!
- Get plenty of rest, sleep well the night before your exam. Staying up late cramming or worrying will leave you feeling tired and unfocused the next day!
- Have a good meal before your exam. Hunger can be a big distraction, as can being dehydrated. Take water in with you too.
- Have a good meal before your exam. Hunger can be a big distraction, as can being dehydrated. Take water in with you too.
- Try to relax and don't rush. Read the question/s before you start answering. Jot down any points or ideas that pop into your head as you read through the paper.
- Try to relax and don't rush. Read the question/s before you start answering. Jot down any points or ideas that pop into your head as you read through the paper.
- Use your revision techniques to recall any information in more depth once you begin answering the questions.
- Use your revision techniques to recall any information in more depth once you begin answering the questions.
- For longer, essay style, answers map out what you intend to write before you start.
- For longer, essay style, answers map out what you intend to write before you start.
No one can guarantee exam success, but if you try and apply these hints and tips to your own revision and exam experiences then you will be giving yourself as good a chance as possible to succeed.
No one can guarantee exam success, but if you try and apply these hints and tips to your own revision and exam experiences then you will be giving yourself as good a chance as possible to succeed.
Good luck!
Good luck!
Revision and exam skills self assessment
Revision and exam skills self assessment
Finally, let's look at what you have taken away from this page and how confident you feel about finding information now:
Finally, let's look at what you have taken away from this page and how confident you feel about finding information now: