Have exams this year? Whether you’re studying towards your GCSE’s, A Levels, or any other kind of exam, these tips will help you ace your revision.
Here are 6 revision tips to help you study for exams:
- Make a plan and balance your time
- Start early
- Complete practice questions
- Know what you need to study
- Stay motivated with study techniques
- Ask for help and support
Let’s take a closer look at why these are the best things to do when you’re revising for your exams…
1. Make a plan and balance your time
Look over your notes and past tests to see which topics you struggle with. These are the ones that need more of your attention.
You can then make a revision timetable to plan out what you need to study and when. Most people know to do this when revising for exams, but the key is not to give too much of your time to studying.
To stay motivated and take care of your wellbeing during this time, you’ll need to include breaks and make time for any activities you want to do. Balancing time to study and time to relax is important.
2. Start early
Starting your revision early means you won’t be cramming it all into the last few weeks before exams. This doesn’t mean you have to do lots of revision all year long – doing small but useful things will help you in the long run.
For example, you could:
- Go over topics you don’t understand as you learn them, instead of leaving it until exam season
- Make a note of questions you got wrong so you can come back to them and understand how to get it right next time
- Make notes in the way you’ll need them for revision (flashcards, written notes, mind maps etc) as you learn each topic. It will help you remember the content after learning it and give you time to revise instead of making revision materials as exams get closer.
3. Complete practice questions
Many exam boards like AQA or Edexcel publish lots of past exam papers on their websites for you to download. Past papers are a useful way to see what kind of questions have been asked before. They also publish the answer sheets so you’ll be able to mark your own papers and see how you should be answering the questions to get top marks.
One of the best things to do with past papers is to complete them under exam conditions. This means finding a space with no distractions, using only the resources you would have in the actual exam, and using the time limit. This will help you get used to the exam setting and practising how to use your time in the best way.
4. Know what you need to study
It’s important to know which subjects each exam will cover so you can focus your efforts. For example, if you were studying Maths at A Level, you might have papers covering Mechanics, Algebra and Statistics separately, and maybe on different days.
Once you know what your exams will cover, you’ll know what topics you need to focus on when revising, and when it would be best to study them so that you cover them in time for the exam.
Your tutor will probably have an idea of what topics are most likely to be covered on exams based on past papers.
5. Stay motivated with study techniques
One of the best ways to keep on track is to find a study technique that works best for you. Do you like flashcards, mind maps, study group sessions etc? Studying in a way that helps you learn best will make revision less difficult, and if it’s less difficult, you’re less likely to avoid doing it.
If you’re still struggling to stick to your revision plan and stay focused, try different time managing methods to make sure you concentrate on studying and take regular breaks. Here’s some different ones to try:
6. Ask for help
One of the best people to talk to during exams is your tutor. They’re here to help you through this time – it’s literally their job. They could help you with:
- Making a revision plan based on your strengths and weaknesses for the subject
- Finding past papers and resources
- Understanding confusing topics
- Knowing how you can improve your answers
You can also ask them any questions you might have or talk to them if you have worries during exam season.
If you need support during exams because of stress, remember that there is always someone to talk to, whether it is a tutor, a family member, a friend or even a support service. Lots of people get overwhelmed during exams too and it’s important you get the support you need.
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