Revising for Exams

If you're revising for exams you should first make sure you know when, where and how long each exam is, what topics you need to know for each one and how much they will contribute to your final grade – in some subjects the coursework might carry a lot more marks.

Exams are stressful, but the less stressed you are the better you will do. Focus on yourself, not what your friends are doing. Remember, you’re doing this for you – not to meet other people’s expectations.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help if you need it, and don’t be afraid of taking a break from revision. Trying to become a boffin overnight is not a good idea. Spread your revision over several months, and you’ll have more time to relax than if you leave it all to the last minute.

Think about drawing up a revision timetable to get the most out of the time you’ve got – but don’t stress if you can’t follow it to the letter. Getting outside for some exercise will also help if you’ve been spending hours cooped up in your room.

Some tips

1.Make sure you’ve got somewhere quiet and comfortable to revise. If it’s noisy at home, try the local library.

2.Try to cover the subjects you’re good at and the ones you’re not so hot on at the same time. If you leave all your worst subjects to the end, it will be a lot harder.

3.Set yourself targets at the start of each revision session and try to achieve them before you finish.

4.Make notes as you go along; you’ll remember more if you write it down.

5.Take a short break every hour – your concentration will lapse if you spend too long at it.

6.Try different revision techniques. A bit of variety will make study more interesting.

7.Get hold of as many past exam papers as you can and work through them to get a feel for what you will face on the day of the exam.

8.At the end of a revision session look back at the main points you’ve covered and see how much you remember.

It may sound boring, but as the exams get nearer try getting into a routine. If you eat meals regularly and go to bed at the same time, it will help you sleep better the night before an exam. Avoid tea and coffee late at night, because this will keep you awake, and don’t go to bed on an empty stomach.

These are just a few tips and you’ll no doubt get loads more help from your teachers. The BBC website is a good resource if you have internet access: www.bbc.co.uk/schools/revision. Good luck everybody.

Print

Email to a friend