End of Term 2 Review
Wednesday 16 March 2016
Please note the workshop on
the day may be delivered in a
different format
Adam Sandelson
LSE Student Counselling Service
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Aims
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Revision strategies
Revision psychology/
Practical tips
Stress management
skills
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Revision Strategies
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Best use of time
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Complete and practise exam tasks
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Produce answers to show
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You can think (answer the question)
You’ve done the reading (references / context)
Expertise (detailed knowledge, locate the
debate etc)
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Revising
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How many topics – 2n + 1
Look for repeated questions on same topic
Find links, key ideas – see the whole
Pareto Principle – 20% gets 80% of marks
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Reduce each week to a single page
Pare down further as you get closer
New material if necessary and interesting
Find work you enjoy – motivation is key
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Resources
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Each other – read each others essays,
try the same questions and talk through
the solutions (good end of day task)
Revision sessions – examiner’s mindset,
marking preferences etc.
Office hours – take answers / plans
rather than questions of detail
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5 minutes exercise
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What are your top revision tips?
Revision strategies
Planning last two months
Managing workload
Use of time
Keeping fresh
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Practical tips
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Practical approaches
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Time management skills
Set realistic and achievable goals
Plan short term targets and longer
term strategies
Recognise your achievements
Talk to others
Concentrate on the task, not the
outcome
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Focussing on the task
Monitor perfectionism
Remember past successes
Recognise you are likely to pass
Be methodical, and allow time for
breaks and space to breathe and think
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Use mind maps, scribble ideas
Go for a walk, talk out loud
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Procrastination top tips
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10 minute rule –at least make a start!
Time scheduling – SMART – specific, measurable,
achievable, realistic, timetabled (by when)
Utilise when you work best
Practice imperfection – aim for 80% or even 60%
Imagine looking back on this task in 3 months, 1 year
Talk to others/ check out if your fears are reasonable –
can help get a sense of perspective
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Perfectionism
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Perfectionism can reduce achievement
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Experiment with your standards for success
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Trying to be perfect can reduce your satisfaction
and make you achieve far less
It’s an undesirable illusion
Try for 80% or even 60%
Focus on the process of doing an activity not
just the end result.
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Evaluate the outcome - what did you achieve?
Did you enjoy the task?
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Underlying dynamics
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The family / historic context for your
success
Wanting to be the best
Trying to please others
Setting yourself impossible targets
Re-enacting anxiety, fear of failure …
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Dynamics of study
Past
relationships
Current
relationships
Relationship
with LSE or
course of study
or tutor or …
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5 minute exercise
What are you top 3
tips for good revision
Psychology?
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Stress
Management Skills
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Stress Management Skills
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Regularly switch off with some kind of
physical activity
Good self care – sleep, diet, caffeine, alcohol
Allow yourself time out without guilt
Acknowledge anxiety, rather than denying it.
Ask if your negative thoughts are realistic
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Challenging negative thoughts
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Apply ‘Socratic reasoning’ or imagine
this being tested in a Court of Law
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Identify the negative thought
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Eg, I am going to fail the Course
Ascertain the evidence For and Against
Ask if you are making a ‘thinking error’
Propose a more reasonable alternative
thought
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Thinking errors
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All or nothing thinking
Discounting the positive
Believing a catastrophe will
happen
Emotional Reasoning
 If I feel it then it must be
true
Overgeneralizing
 Because something bad
happened in the past it is
certain to happen again
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LSE Student Counselling
Service
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Free and confidential
Short term counselling
Appointments need to be booked in advance
Drop in sessions – each day at 3.00
Relaxation MP3’s
Links to self help resources on a wide range
of student issues, including study – related
and personal difficulties
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