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Sophie: Revision Techniques

Sophie shares the revision techniques she finds most helpful when studying.

As a student, I understand that revision can be a stressful and challenging time for many people. Whenever exams are around the corner, it is easy to feel overwhelmed with the amount of information that needs to be learned and retained. However, with the right revision techniques, it is possible to study effectively and feel more confident heading into exams!

In this blog post, I will be sharing some of the revision techniques that I find helpful when studying. From breaking down the material into manageable chunks to using practice tests to identify areas of weakness, these techniques can help you stay focused, organised, and engaged with the material. Whatever you are studying for, try some of these revision techniques to help you to study more effectively and feel more confident in your abilities!

Break it Down

One of the most important things I do when I start to revise is to break everything down into smaller, more manageable chunks. This helps me to focus on one topic at a time and not get overwhelmed with everything I need to learn. I find that taking frequent breaks and focusing on smaller pieces of information is much more effective than trying to cram everything in at once.

Active Learning

Another technique that I find helpful is to engage in active learning. Instead of just reading notes or textbooks, I like to take a more active approach to my revision. This could involve creating flashcards, making mind maps, or even just summarising what I have learned in my own words. By actively engaging with the material, I find that I retain information much more easily.

Practice Tests

Practice tests are a great way to test your knowledge and identify areas where you need to focus your revision. I try to take as many practice tests as I can, whether they are provided by my school, or I make them myself. This not only helps me to identify areas where I need to focus my revision, but it also helps me to get used to the format of exams.

Revision Timetable

A revision timetable is essential to keeping me on track with my revision. I like to create a timetable that breaks down my revision into manageable chunks, and then assign specific topics to specific times of the day. This helps me to stay focused and ensures that I cover everything I need to before my exams.

Notes

Finally, I make sure that I keep my notes organised and up to date. This means taking notes during lectures and classes, and then reviewing and summarizing them afterwards. I also try to keep my notes in a format that is easy to revise from, whether that is using bullet points, diagrams, or highlighting key information.

Overall, revision can be a challenging task and is a skill that takes time to perfect! It is also important to emphasise that everyone is different, and what works for one person may not work for another. The revision techniques that I have shared are based on my personal experience and what I find effective, but they may not work for everyone. The key is to experiment with different revision techniques and find what works best for you. With a little experimentation and persistence, you’ll find the revision strategy that works best for your learning style, helping you to achieve your goals and succeed in your studies!

Written by Sophie, a BSc International Business Management and Chinese student

Illustrations by Eilidh Muldoon.