How to be Productive with your Revision

How to be Productive with your Revision

We all know that time is limited and there are probably hundreds of things you would rather be doing than revising for your exams. With limited time it becomes essential to make sure you use your time wisely to revise productively.

Here are some top tips to help you organise your time.

Create a Timetable

Start by creating a revision timetable. There are lots of ways you can do this; the quickest is using an online tool. Revision World has a free timetable maker here https://revisionworld.com/create-revision-timetable

As you create your timetable make sure you include all your subjects.  Mix them up throughout the week, remembering never to leave the subjects you like least to the end of the week, as your energy levels will sap and it can be demotivating to know you only have the subjects you hate left to look forward to!

Create Revision Notes

A-Levels and GCSE are two year courses, in that time you will have accumulated an awful lot of revision notes. Begin your revision process by condensing these down into manageable chunks, using flash cards helps. By doing this you are actually beginning the revision process.

If you are short of notes on a given topic Revision World and other similar websites are an invaluable resource to help you fill in the blanks.

You can also consider creating your own mind maps so you can break a topic down further into key words and phrases.

Use Post It Notes

Once you have condensed a topic down to single words or short phrases, put these on Post It notes and stick them around your home. The next time you come to see the note you are reminded of the phrase and the meaning. Creating the Post It Notes is helping you to remember the subject as you go along.

Test yourself

Use past papers to test your progress. Remember to check your answers with the marking schemes. This will not only tell you whether you have given the right answer but will also let you know the language that examiners are looking for (particularly useful with essay based subjects such as English Literature).

A-Level past papers from all major exam boards can be found here https://revisionworld.com/a2-level-level-revision/level-exam-past-papers

GCSE past papers can be found here https://revisionworld.com/gcse-revision/gcse-exam-past-papers

Form Study Groups

Revising on your own can be a lonely experience. You can mix this up by creating a study group.

Participating in group discussions can help most students to focus for longer, they can give you a different perspective on the topic you’re studying and will help you achieve a broader understanding of the subjects you’re revising. Explaining concepts and ideas to others is also a key way of strengthening your knowledge and consolidating your learning. Sharpening your exam technique while working with an expert tutor in a group setting makes for the perfect revision solution. 

Plan your answers

Remember to practise planning how to answer essay questions. It’s no good just knowing your stuff if you are unable to express your answer in a clear and intelligent way. Make sure you are confident in being able to break essay answers down to cover all parts of the question. Using Past Papers will help you to do this on a wide variety of questions. Learning to plan properly really is one of the most efficient uses of your revision time.

And finally ask for advice

If you are really struggling with a particular topic ask your teacher for advice. This may save you hours of time. Your teacher should be able to share with you how they remember how to solve that particular equation or how they remember the meaning of a particular word etc. You should also speak to your friends as they may be stronger on some topics than you are, whilst you might be able to help them with other topics.