Revision Skills

Actively retrieve information from memory without looking at your notes or textbooks.

• Take a blank piece of paper after you have finished a lesson or finished making revision notes. Write down everything you can remember for that topic or unit in a structured way (you could use a mindmap or make bullet pointed lists). For example, if you were revising the different types of cells in biology, you might divide your notes by first naming the different types of cells (e.g. human vs animal vs plant), and then name the features in each type, before describing the function of each feature. 

• Then, compare your active recall notes to notes from the lesson or the textbook. Highlight any parts you missed, and focus your revision of those areas. This takes effort but it is extremely effective at identifying what you do and do not know. Sometimes, we end up revising things we already know well over and over again. This method prevents that. 

• Another method is to use flashcards. Create flashcards with questions on one side and answers on the other. Test yourself by answering the questions without looking at the answers. Repeat the process regularly to reinforce memory. You could get a friend or family member to quiz you in order to stop yourself from cheating. 

Review and revisit the content at spaced intervals over time:

• Revise topics from different subjects on any given day, rather than spending a long block of your revision time on one subject. For example, you might revise one sub-unit of maths, english, and science, spending 45 minutes on each with 15 minutes breaks in between one evening. This is more effective than spending numerous hours on one subject alone. 

• Create a timetable in advance so you have different units blocked out for each revision day. You can use spaced repetition apps or tools to schedule revision sessions. If you revise last minute, you are more likely to spend too long on one subject.

• Prioritize reviewing topics you find more challenging, such as parts you missed when you test yourself using active recall.

Anki is a software that provides a very useful way to practice spaced retrieval using digital flashcards.

Condense and rephrase the main ideas and key points of the material in your own words. Summarizing content helps you understand it better and makes it easier to recall during exams.

• Read through your notes or textbook and identify key points for each objective.

• Write concise summaries using your own words for each topic. Using headings, subheadings, and bullet points can help structure the information better and will be easier to revise from, rather than writing long paragraphs. 

• Review and revise the summaries using the above techniques.

Work on past exam questions or practice tests to familiarize yourself with the format and types of questions that may appear in the actual exam. This helps you get used to the exam environment and identify areas where you need more practice.

• Find past exam papers or practice tests related to the subject. 

• Complete the questions under timed conditions and without looking at your notes to simulate exam conditions.

• Compare your answers to the mark scheme. Identify what you got right, and which points you missed. 

• Again, focus your revision on missed areas using the above methods.

Explain concepts or subjects to friends, family members, or study groups. Teaching others reinforces your understanding and highlights any gaps in your knowledge.

• Gather a study group or find a friend to discuss the content with.

• Take turns explaining concepts and answering each other's questions.

• You could use flashcards as mentioned in point one or you could actively recall information from a specific topic together.