Revision Hints & Tips

We've put together a selection of our favourite revision hints, tips and techniques to help the students of Swindon master the art of revision!

With the dreaded summer term slowly creeping up on them, hundreds of students across the town will soon begin to panic about how little revision they've done.

But the key is not to worry - after all it's never too late to start revising!

There really is no right or wrong way to revise (except not doing any at all), so we've put together a few revision suggestions that should help out.

Make a revision timetable (and stick to it)

Recent studies have shown that 30 minute revision sessions are a lot more beneficial than all night cram sessions. According to research, concentration levels are much higher over shorter spaces of time and the brain is able to absorb a great deal more as a result. In order to maximise your study time we'd advise taking frequent breaks and covering a range of subjects.

Plan your day with the help of our handy revision timetable below:

• 9.00-9.30 Subject A
• 5 Minutes Break
• 9.35-10.05 Subject B
• 5 Minutes Break
• 10.10-10.40 Subject C
• 5 Minutes Break
• 10.45-11.15 Subject A
• 30 Minutes Break
• 11.45-12.15 Subject B
• 5 Minutes Break
• 12.20-12.50 Subject C
• 1 Hour Break
• 13.50-14.20 Subject A
• 5 Minutes Break
• 14.25-14.55 Subject B
• 5 Minutes Break
• 15.00-15.30 Subject C

Remove distractions

Social networking sites and mobile phones are the biggest hindrance when it comes to revision. Removing distractions (especially your phone) is the best way to make it easier to concentrate and be more productive. If you're far too tempted to chat to your friends instead of revise for your chemistry exam, there are ways to temporarily deactivate sites like Facebook and Twitter.

The early bird catches the worm

Start at 9am, and you can get the bulk of your revision done early, so you don't spend the rest of the day feeling crushed under the weight of unread A4 folders.

Make revision more exciting

Statistics have shown that colourful notes are a lot easier to memorise than plain black and white ones. So make sure you have plenty of highlighters and coloured gel pens at your disposal. When revising stick to a certain colour for each subject and write in that colour when revising for that topic. Mind maps, graphs, tables, charts, cue cards and diagrams are all great ways to break down information and spice up your notes too.   

Do past papers

In certain subjects, some questions are fairly similar from year to year, so familiarising yourself with them before the exam can often save you time and even help you earn marks. Speak to your teacher about supplying you with past papers to revise from or Google them yourself.

Don't be too hard on yourself

Students who strike the right balance between study and leisure are usually the ones who go on to get top marks. Although revision is crucial, it's important to remember that you do have a social life too. Whether you treat yourself to a film night with friends after a busy day of studying or a new top, rewarding yourself for your hard work will certainly have its benefits in the long run.

Find a quiet place

Find a place to revise which is fairly quiet and uncluttered. You might find you work better in the library where you have access to a books, online revision tools and most importantly silence. A school or college library is the perfect option if you're worried that you might get side tracked revising at home.

Drink plenty of fluids

Drink plenty of fluids whilst revising to avoid brain drain! A glass of water is always the best way to keep hydrated but you might want to mix things up with a cup of coffee, tea or fruit squash. Although they might seem like a good idea at the time, we'd avoid sugary drinks like cordials, fizzy pop and energy drinks. There are many benefits to drinking water and it's important that you get enough daily, not only will water help you to think more clearly but it can even improve your memory too.

Revise with friends

With things like figures and vocabulary, it's always better if someone else is testing you, so ask friends over for a revision session. This will be a lot more beneficial than you testing yourself (and peeking at the answers).

Stay positive

Relax, eat well and sleep soundly. At the end of the day, your life isn't over if you don't ace your exams, so take the pressure off yourself and relax.

We'd love to hear how you prepare for your exams, so drop us a message in the comments box below!