Agenda
What is revision?
 The three steps to successful revision
 Getting Organised
 Some revision techniques
 Using past papers

What is revision?
“The looking back over of
one's (previously learnt or
written) notes in preparation
for a test or examination”
How to be a successful ‘reviser’..
How do you get:
From here..
To here...?
Three steps for revision
(1) Get
organised
(2) Fill gaps in
your knowledge
(3) Prepare
answers using
past papers
1. Get Organised
Research suggests that some students do
better than others at A levels because they:
• Start their revision earlier
• use better techniques for learning
work
• Get help from others
• have a planned revision timetable which they stick to
1. Get Organised
Work out where you are going to work
 When you are going to work (yes, that
weekly schedule again!!)
 Start early (6 weeks before your exam!)
 Get all the notes/textbooks/revision
guides you need BEFORE you start
 Get your ‘revision pack’ ready - highlighter

pens, coloured pens / pencils, index cards, folders,
stickynotes, paper, coloured paper, ruler and rubber
How to start your revision timetable
1. Get a copy of the specification (you should have
this already, but if not you can get one from
www.ccea.org.uk or www.aqa.org.uk
2. Work through the specification and colour the
different topics/sections:
RED – Really not sure (will need to spend a lot of time)
AMBER -
Not too bad, some parts to go over
GREEN -
Understand no problem
3. Plan to Spend more time on Red topics
than Amber, than Green
How to start your revision timetable
4. Factor in time to revise each topic at least twice
5. You learn best at the beginning and the end of
a revision session – so allow planned 5/10 minute
(timed) breaks
Example Revision Timetable
Step Two:
(1) Get
organised
(2) Fill the gaps
in your
knowledge
(3) Prepare
answers using
past papers
Start with the ‘helicopter’ view
Stand back from the
course and develop an
overview
Link topics and themes
together – draw a spider
diagram or mind map
Identify the specific
aspects of each topic you
are not sure about – start
with these
How to remember things
The strength of a memory and how
easily it is retrieved depends upon the
strength of the initial input
 When several senses are simultaneously
involved the message is received
through a number of channels in the
brain and stand better chance of
remaining prominent

Key Principles
Use colours – different colours for
different subjects
 Don’t rely on ready-made meanings and
notes – you have to understand it
 Use many different inputs and methods –
your notes, different textbooks, internet
(reliable sources)

Revision Techniques
(1) Flash Cards (Coloured)
- Questions and answers
- Consolidate key facts
- List of key definitions
- Summarise a topic into
your own words
Try and consolidate each subject down to 10
cards. Then go over and over them.
Revision Techniques
(2) Use diagrams or mnemonics
Revision Techniques
(3) Display key facts where you will see
them
- Write out key definitions
or important words.
- Every time you see
them think about what
they say
- Change the facts every
couple of days
Revision Techniques
(4) Explain a key concept to someone
-When you explain
something to some one
else, you have to get it
clear in your head first
- You have to be clear and
concise
Revision Techniques
(5) Location Learning
Associate key facts with
locations (e.g. Journey
into school.
Getting into car represents electrons leaving
the battery having gained energy.........driving
down the park represents the electrons
transfering energy to a lamp in the circuit.....
Step Three:
(1) Get
organised
(2) Fill the gaps
in your
knowledge
(3) Prepare
answers using
past papers
Practice Answers
Answer with no notes
Fill in gaps in different colours
(using notes)
Focus on gaps – LEARN and then
TEST again
Practice Answers
•Time yourself doing questions
•Use mark schemes to identify key words,
techniques- see where marks are allocated
Look After Yourself – Get Into
Control