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There are lots of different ways of revising for exams, and it's important to realize that there is no one 'correct' way. How can you plan your revision? What techniques might you use to revise effectively?
It's important to remember look after yourself - eat regularly, drink plenty of water, try to keep fit. Looking after your body means you're also looking after your brain, so you learn more effectively.
If you've had experience of taking exams, it's useful to reflect on what worked for you and what didn't. The techniques you use should suit the particular type of exam, but they also need to suit you.
Download editable revision planner.
Remember! Make a realistic plan. Make sure you allow time for the rest of your life!
Tip It's usually best to study in short bursts.
It's important to start revising early. Some lecturers suggest you should begin revising about six weeks before your exams. What is really important is that you don't leave it all to the last minute and then attempt to cram.
If you want to perform well in your exams, and you want to get good marks, cramming is unlikely to achieve that. Cramming means you can really only regurgitate the same information in the exam, but that's not what lecturers are looking for. They are looking for evidence of learning, evidence that you have processed the information.
This is where your information gathering helps. If you've looked in your Module Handbook, checked with your Lecturer and looked at past papers, you should have a reasonable idea about what to revise.
It's really important to attend all the lectures and listen for any clues about what will be covered in the exam. Lecturers often give hints about what is important for the exam, and you don't want to miss this kind of information.
This is down to personal preference and to personal circumstances. Most students prefer to be alone and in a quiet environment, although some people find it really helpful to have background music.
Libraries are also an excellent revision resource, as they have quiet spaces where you can study uninterrupted, as well as easy access to reference books, journals and online resources. Staff are on on hand to assist in your searches, and it can be helpful to see others revising quietly around you.
Sometimes lecturers offer revision sessions for exams, and if they do you should go. These revision sessions are likely to be really valuable.
What about revision techniques? How can you revise 'actively'?
Sometimes students think that revision means they have to read, re-read and re-read their notes, and just absorb information like a sponge. This can help to a certain extent but it's not the most effective use of your time.
To revise effectively and give yourself the best chance of getting good marks, you need to be active in your revision.
To help you get the most out of the time you'll spend on revision, you need to develop 'active learning' techniques. This means you need to do something with the information. For example:
There are lots of different techniques students use to revise actively. Again, you have to find the ways that suit you.
To help you remember key information, you have to rehearse it - go over it several times.
You can use cue cards, or flash cards. Make notes of the information you need, then rewrite your notes, reducing them as you go until you can fit the key points on a series of cards. If you like learning visually, you might find it useful to summarise key information in a diagram, flowchart or mind map.
Look over the cue cards whenever you can. You can carry them around, or stick them up around your office or home on the wall, fridge, mirror, anywhere you look at every day.
Here are some examples of cue cards, using index cards or sticky notes.
Remember! It's not enough to look at information once. You need to go back to it, often repeatedly. When you return to information, try to do something with it. This means you are working with it 'actively', which helps you learn.
Anne Chirnside.
First published October 2006. Last upated 5 January 2009.
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