Revision Techniques.
Contents:
Introduction 2
Getting your work in order 3
Past Papers 4
Presentations (visual and auditory) 5
Mind Maps 6
Revision Posters 7
Flashcards 8
Quizzes 9
Checklists 10
Memory games11
Note taking 12
Revision notes around the house 13
Mnemonics 14
1
Introduction.
The importance of revision cannot be underestimated. It is a chance to review the
content you have covered in each of your subjects, as well as practice the skills that
you will be tested against in you exams. This will ensure that you are as well
prepared as possible when it comes to the day of the exam, confident in the subject
knowledge and what each type of exam question is asking of you.
There are many different ways to revise for exams. It is vital to understand which
way works for you, as this will not only help you remember important information,
but also make revision seem a positive activity, often resulting in a new product that
suits how you learn, and less of a chore. If you pick the wrong way(s) to revise, you
are in danger of not retaining the information and turning yourself off the process.
This booklet explains the process and the learning outcomes of 12 different revision
techniques. Different revision techniques work for different students; go through
each of them to work out which one(s) suits your learning style as early as possible to
make the most out of your revision time. You may find that different techniques work
for you for different subjects / types of exams.
Where applicable, I have created YouTube videos to accompany some of the
techniques. Click on the link underneath the title to see me put it into practice.
Revision does not need to be only subject specific. It is a good idea to look at when
the same skill or command term appears across the different subject that you study.
This could result in you revising the skill of `analyse`, `outline` or `discuss` and
practicing it across relevant subjects where the command term is used to ensure you
are doing exactly what the question in the exam is asking.
Good luck with your revision.
Oliver Furnival.
oliverfurnival@gmail.com
April 2018.
2
Getting your work in order.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nav0Q2vnTFw&t=4s
What to
do:
1. Make a start putting your work into order at the beginning of
the course; don`t wait until a few weeks before the exams to
do this. If you have not done this from the start of the course, you must
start as soon as possible to ensure you include the information you have
been given / created on all parts of the subject. Ask your teacher if you are
unsure of all of the units you need to revise.
2. Get a breakdown of the syllabus in each subject from your
teacher at the start of the course.
3. Create a Google Doc showing the breakdown of the syllabus.
Create the following subheadings:
a) Topic
b) Sub topic(s)
c) What is the topic asking me to do (include command terms)?
d) Where can I find information on this topic?: Keep a record of
the work you have done, work you have been given and
relevant resources such as websites and textbooks.
e) Revision products I have created: Use the notes you have
made from each topic to create revision products that suit you
best. Keep an account of the revision products you have
created as you complete each one, for example: poster, mind
map, quiz, memory game, mnemonics, flash cards,
presentations, memory games (shown in this document).
Outcomes:
1. You will be on top of your work throughout the course. This
will stop you spending hours of preparation time in as the
exams get close and you will be able to slide into revision
easily.
2. Your notes and other revision products can be used for
summative assessments, including mock exams as you go
through the course.
3. You will find the revision style that suits your learning early on
and be used to it by the end of the course.
3
Past Papers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uRL0xP6Sy4&t=103s
What to
do:
Past papers can be used in a variety of ways:
1. The past paper can be attempted in real time, giving yourself
the exact time allowed for the exam. It is worth noting how
long you have taken to complete the exam and the types of
question you have struggled with while doing it.
2. It is a good idea to attempt past papers before doing any
revision on a topic. Your result will give you an idea of the
areas you will need to focus your revision on. After revising,
you can redo the same paper and check your progress.
3. Go through the past papers to look at how the exam is broken
up into types of questions, command terms, and time. Map
out how you will tackle the style of each exam paper. This
will stop you getting any nasty surprises on the exam day and
ensure you go into each exam well prepared.
4. Do a past paper with a friend and peer mark each other`s
work. Grading each other`s work will give you access to the
correct answers in the mark scheme and can learn what
examiners are looking for to give marks in the exam. Selfassessing will also give you this beneficial experience.
Outcomes:
1. Past papers give you valuable experience in:
a) Getting used to the language of the exam paper.
b) Using real life questions.
c) Working towards the time given for each exam paper.
d) Pacing yourself throughout the exam.
2. You can use any gaps in knowledge as a focus for revision.
3. You will get used to the questioning style of the papers (these
remain consistent from year to year).
4. In grading the paper, you are taking on the role of the
examiner. This allows you to see exactly how points are
awarded and the examiner`s expectations for each type of
question.
5. The exam and mark scheme are an excellent source of
knowledge in themselves.
4
Presentations (visual and auditory)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6R-0ZKMmgc&t=26s
What to
do:
1. Break down each subject into bite size topics—enough for a
presentation of around 5 minutes.
2. Find the most important information that you need for each
topic, which can be put into notes, on a mind map or poster.
3. Record yourself (or get someone to record you) giving a
presentation on the topic.
4. The presentation can delivered to suit your preferred
learning style such as giving a speech, reading notes, reading
lists, or explaining a poster / mind map.
5. Presentations can also be recorded as a list of questions,
which you can play and use to test yourself. You could record
a question and an answer, pressing pause on your device
between them and trying to answer the question when you
play the presentation back.
6. You can play your presentation back as many times as you
need to. This can be done anywhere where you have your
phone, such as on public transport, when you go for a walk or
in bed at night.
7. Work with friends to create presentations on different topics,
which can then be shared between you.
Outcomes:
1. If you are an audiovisual learner, the presentation will be
more suited to you than reading from a book.
2. Presenting information from a textbook means you only have
to read it and make notes on it once.
3. As an active learning activity, you are finding and using
information, taking on the role of a teacher. Teaching helps
you to remember.
4. In creating the presentation yourself, it should be transferred
into the style and language that you understand.
5. Working with your friends / classmates means you can split
the work among you.
5
Mind Maps
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ej6jVqBObqg&t=686s
What to
do:
1. This information on Mind Maps is adapted from the creator,
Tony Buzan`s, website:
http://www.tonybuzan.com/about/mind-mapping/
2. Start in the centre of a blank page turned sideways. This gives
your brain freedom to spread out in all directions and to
express itself more freely and naturally.
3. Use an image for your central idea. This helps you use your
imagination, is more interesting, and stimulates ideas.
4. Use colours throughout. Colour adds extra vibrancy and life to
your Mind Map and adds energy to your creative thinking.
5. Connect your main branches to the central image and connect
your second and third level branches to them. Your Brain
works by association; it likes to link things together. If you
connect the branches, you will understand and remember the
information more easily.
6. Make your branches curved as having nothing but straight lines
is boring for your brain.
7. Use one key word per line. Key words give your Mind Map more
power and flexibility and allow your brain to make links to the
related knowledge.
8. Use images throughout. Each image is worth a thousand words
and will be the key to unlocking related knowledge in your
brain.
Outcomes:
1. Mind Maps will stimulate your brain and unlock the knowledge
hidden in it.
2. They are quick to make and will trigger important
information.
3. They are adaptable - they can be used for note taking from
books, topic summaries, or essay plans.
4. It is easy to add ideas to your Mind Maps.
5. Mind Maps help you focus on the links and relationships
between ideas so you don't just have disconnected facts.
6
Revision Posters
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-j6FURXrTM&t=2s
What to
do:
1. Your poster can be created to reflect your learning
style.
2. Posters are versatile and can be used to show lists, key
formulas, bullet points, images, information on
diagrams and mnemonics.
3. A good poster:
a) Is readable. Use clear writing that is legible from where
you intend to display the poster.
b) Has correct spelling and grammar, especially for subject
specific vocabulary.
c) Is well organised. Use key terms to explain your photos,
graphs, charts, or pictures. Group the items logically.
d) Summarises key ideas from your work. Do not simply
copy text from books onto your poster.
e) Is memorable. Use bright coloured paper and pens to
make the information stand out.
f) Will unlock your memory and allow you to expand on the
key ideas it shows.
Outcomes:
1. Posters benefit visual learners and the prompts on the
pictures can help to remember key information.
2. Posters can be put up onto your bedroom wall or
displayed in other prominent places around your house.
7
Flashcards
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9JyMI1MJZs&t=240s
What to
do:
1. Buy a pack of flash cards or create your own. Websites
such as https://quizlet.com allow you to create online
flashcards.
2. On the card write one of the following:
a) A question on the front with the answer on the back.
b) The name of a piece of content on the front with a
description on the back.
c) A discussion point on the front with the main arguments
for and against on the back.
d) A key word on the front with the definition on the back.
e) A mixed up order of events on the front with the correct
order on the back.
f) An assessment objective / command term for the
subject on the front with an explanation on the back.
3. Test yourself with the cards or get others to test you.
4. It is also a good idea to test others, as you will need to
refer to the answers, which will help you to remember
them.
Outcomes:
1. Flashcards are easy to carry, and use, on trains, buses,
or cars.
2. They are good for quizzes, with the answer always at
hand.
3. They are useful to use as prompts for essays or speeches
on a topic, which you can film or record (see the
information on presentations).
4. They can be used as a test with a partner, making
revision interactive.
8
Quizzes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F283CgWMajA&t=3s
What to
do:
1. Create a quiz based on a topic unit of work. Information can
be taken from your notes, textbook or a revision guide.
2. Questions can be written to provide short answers, recalling
information and facts or written to reflect the type of
questions that will come up in the exam.
3. Depending on the type of work being revised, quizzes can be
in the form of multiple choice, gap fill, giving appropriate
headings to summarise paragraphs, matching information or
true / false.
4. Websites such as https://quizlet.com and
https://kahoot.com are excellent for making online quizzes.
5. Quizzes can be interactive. Friends can break down the topic
and create a quiz on each part, hold competitions and share
the quizzes amongst themselves.
6. It is a good idea to go through the answers at the end. Talking
through why people have the wrong answers as well as the
correct ones will help learning and memory.
7. Keep testing yourself on the quiz, keeping a track of your
scores and using it as an indicator on what you need to
concentrate your revision on.
Outcomes:
1. Once created, the quiz can be done many times to help you
memorise information.
2. You can keep a record of your scores to check on your
progress and to guide you on what needs to be revised again.
3. Quizzes provide instant results to help keep a track of your
progress.
4. In creating the questions, you must find the correct answer,
helping you to remember the information.
5. In grading quizzes, you are being exposed to the correct
answers.
9
Checklists
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrNHixu_Orw&t=7s
What to
do:
1. Look at the key requirements of your subject`s
curriculum, assessment objectives and mark schemes.
Use the information to create a list of what you need to
be able to do by the time your exam starts. The
information can be used in two different ways:
a) Turn each piece of information into a statement and
then judge yourself against it to check your progress by
ticking the correct box.
Requirement
I Know the
I require
I am unsure of
information
more
this topic
revision
on...
Explain privatisation
Understand the role of the
European Union
b)
Turn each command term into a question to map your
progress
Question
Yes
No
Partly.
Can I explain privatisation?
Can I understand the role of the European Union?
Outcomes:
1. A checklist allows you to focus on the requirements for
the exam and use them to guide you on what you need
to revise.
2. Questions give you a clear understanding of your
progress so far.
3. The information gathered can be used to find your weak
points and focus on where you need to revise further.
10
Memory games.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xAxk8hP-f0&t=5s
What to do:
1. The following games you may have played as a
child are useful for memorising information:
2. Pelmanism—Write pairs of pieces of paper with a
question and answer, on one side. Match the
correct cards to win them. (This can also be done
with a key word and a definition).
3. Who / What am I? Write key terms on pieces of
paper. Pick one and show it to the other players
without looking at it. Ask them yes / no questions
to try to work out what / who you are.
4. Pictionary—Draw key terms without writing any
language. The first person to guess what it is /
what you are trying to explain wins the point.
5. Scrambles words. Write and cut up words and put
them in the wrong order. Give a hint such as `A
type of invertebrate` and let the players guess the
word using the letter, putting them in the right
order to win the point.
6. Card sort. Write a list of information on a piece of
paper, cut it into different pieces, mix it up and
get the players to put it under the right headings.
For example, the headings could be `Vertebrates`
and `Invertebrates` with the information being
`frog, rat, mosquito, worm, spider, squid`. The
first person to put the right information under the
right heading wins.
Outcomes:
1. Good for learning content knowledge.
2. Quick and easy to play.
3. Repetitive, which will help your memory.
4. The games can be competitive making you think
quickly.
5. The games encourage you to guess- Mistakes can
be discussed after the game.
11
Note taking
What to do:
1. Make sure your notes are easy to follow and well
organised. You notes should be split into relevant
topics in each subject`s curriculum. Follow your
subject guide to help you organise them.
2. Colour coding, highlighting, using bullet points,
underlining information, and putting notes under
key headings that match the curriculum /
assessment objectives can help with your
organisation.
3. Well-organised notes will make your work seem
less threatening.
4. Keep you notes neatly filed in folders with clear
labelling.
5. Make and keep your lists of readings and websites
that will come in useful later.
6. Don`t just read your notes, turn them into active
learning and create a variety of different revision
techniques such as posters, mind maps, quizzes
and memory games—which are explained in this
booklet.
Outcomes:
1. Notes help you to prioritise important information.
2. Putting notes under key headings that match the
subject curriculum will help with your organisation
and cut down on time looking for vital information.
3. Notes help you organise your revision and save you
time looking for your work from the course.
12
Revision notes around the house
What to
do:
1. Stick succinct information such as key words, diagrams
on post-it notes or paper in places you regularly visit
such as the fridge, under light stitches, on toilet walls.
2. The information can be used to give you regular
reminders as you go through the day. It can be written
in the form of questions for you to ask yourself.
3. It is a good idea to change the information when you
have learnt it, or for a specific exam that is coming up.
Outcomes:
1. The notes are quick and easy to read. They can be used
as prompts for you to think about key information while
you aren`t actually revising.
2. They can be seen as less threatening than a whole page
of information.
3. It`ll give you a visual link when in the exam. A picture of
how different digestive systems work stuck on your
fridge door will stick in the mind and be a good memory
point in the exam.
13
Mnemonics
What to
do:
1. Use the letters of a word, or the initial letters of a
phrase, to trigger associations.
For example, the key elements in the topic 'Hitler's Rise
to Power' could be remembered by the word 'VIEW',
which stands for:
V = Versailles (The end of World War I treaty)
I = Individual personality of Hitler
E = Economic collapse
W = Weimar
2. Mnemonics can be written on post-it notes and put in
prominent places around your house. You can test
yourself on them as you pass them.
Outcomes:
1. Mnemonics are useful to remember the key points of the
topic, with each word a trigger for all of the information
you have remembered.
2. It is a good idea to write the mnemonic you have
created at the start of an exam, as you can go back to it
during the test to trigger your memory.
14