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Guide To Revision Strategies and Exam Techniques

This guide provides students with strategies to prepare for exams. It suggests considering different revision techniques and developing a long-term revision plan and timetable. During exams, the guide recommends reading questions carefully, planning answers, writing clearly, and checking over responses before finishing. Active learning strategies are emphasized over passive reading, and practicing writing under timed conditions is suggested to build stamina. The guide offers tips for managing exams, such as ensuring arrival time and preparing materials and snacks to aid performance.

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138 views3 pages

Guide To Revision Strategies and Exam Techniques

This guide provides students with strategies to prepare for exams. It suggests considering different revision techniques and developing a long-term revision plan and timetable. During exams, the guide recommends reading questions carefully, planning answers, writing clearly, and checking over responses before finishing. Active learning strategies are emphasized over passive reading, and practicing writing under timed conditions is suggested to build stamina. The guide offers tips for managing exams, such as ensuring arrival time and preparing materials and snacks to aid performance.

Uploaded by

jennywrenwatts
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Guide to revision strategies and exam techniques

Aims

This guide has been prepared in order to assist you in preparation for the forthcoming
exams. Once you have read it, you should be able to:

1) Consider various revision strategies and identify the ones that suit you best.
2) Develop ideas for approaching revision in the long term and in the build-up to
exams.
3) Develop strategies and techniques to help during the exam itself
4) Become aware of some common pitfalls and learn how to avoid them.

Revision strategies

There are countless ways of revising. Below are some of the most effective approaches
and some common pitfalls you should avoid. Bear in mind that not all strategies and
techniques suit you. Choose ones that work best for your individual style. Above all,
start your revision early!!

Tips for exam revision

1) Select what to revise


 If you are required to answer 3 questions, revise at least 5 topics
 Identify the key points, examples, concepts, theorists and references for each
topic – you will not be able to write very much on each question in the exam.
 Prepare for questions that combine two different topics .
 Prepare for unusual questions or angles for your ‘best’ topics.

2) Prepare your material


 You should keep copies of all course handbooks, lecture materials,
assignment questions, reading materials etc. on file – make this the basis of
your revision
 Resist the temptation to try to start your course al over again from the
beginning
 It is vital to ensure you will have enough material to answer all likely
questions.
 Reduce each piece of work to note form – this is the material you need to
keep in mind and for use in the exam room.

3) Draw a revision timetable


 Make is realistic 0 build in some time off, e.g. time to relax, family
commitments etc.
 Avoid wasting time re-writing your timetable over and over again
 Keep it simple and most importantly stick to it.

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4) Use active learning strategies
 Do not simply read your notes over and over, but get involved in what you
are learning
 Engage with the material – make it meaningful to yourself.
 Rework the material into a chart or diagram.
 Summarise material under headings onto index cards.
 Use mind maps, post-it notes colour code your material, discuss with friends.
 Use your material to answer a question or address a problem you have
previously tackled.
 Make links, comparison, and contrast between different areas of your subject.
 Go over the same material quite quickly several times – rather than spending
a long time on one occasion.
 Don’t waste your time learning the answers off by heart – it is very unlikely
that the exact same questions will come up in your exam.
 Focus on identifying and understanding the key points, principles, theories ,
cases.

5) Practise writing (in speed and for a long time)


 Practise answering questions from past exam questions or tutorials.
 Choose a question from a past paper and time yourself to answer it in a
specific time.
 Build this up because most exams require you to write for over 2 hours. This
places great demands on your physical and mental stamina.

Exam Techniques

 Focus on being practical.


 Make sure you know exactly when and where each exam will take place.
 Make sure you arrive on time – no less than 15 minutes prior to the
commencement of the exam. Plan to leave much earlier to get to the exam than
the journey usually takes. If something makes you late, this will not be taken into
consideration by examiners. You are expected to plan for transport disruption.
 Check you have spare pens, pencils and any other permitted equipment as well
as your library photo ID.
 Take water to drink. Have something to eat before the exam. You will not
function well on an empty stomach.
 Stay positive, it is easier to remember when we are in a positive state of mind,
avoid people who make you feel anxious about exams.
 Get enough sleep.

At the beginning of the exam

 Listen carefully to the examiners instruction. E.g. you may not be allowed to
leave the room during the first 30 minute, or the final 30 minutes of the exam.
 Take your time to read all the questions and instructions on your paper. Read the
questions slowly. Highlight key points, ensure you have really taken in what each

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question says as it is easy to misread questions or miss parts of questions when
you are in an exam.
 Check the back of the paper to see if there are any further questions – many
people forget to do this.
 Time each question carefully. If it is not complete when the allocated time is up
you must move on. Leave space to use it later if possible.
 Select and mark the question you are going to answer. Questions can be
answered in any order as long as they are clearly numbered, so start off with
something you feel confident about (if you have revised well enough, you will
start to relax at this point because you will recognize your own chosen material).

During the exam

 Write basic answer/plan for each question you choose to answer. Write down
everything you think is relevant to the question, use either bullet points or a
diagram, whichever works best for you.
 Number each question. Leave space between each number so that you can add
in points later if necessary.
 Write answers to the questions you have selected. Do not write everything you
know about the topic, you will only get marks for materials that answers the
question.
 Structure your answer, just as you would an essay. Each answer should have a
clear line of reasoning, a well structured argument, an introduction and a
conclusion.
 If you go blank, brainstorm words and ideas on to a sheet of rough paper or onto
the back page, these will eventually stimulate your ideas. Leave a space and go
onto something you can do rather than sitting with the same problem. The
information will probably come back to you later – and if it does not, it may not
be critical. Breathe slowly.
 Include references where you can. You do not need to write a list of references
or give the titles of the works.
 Write clearly and neatly. Use simple language.
 Try not to look around at what other students are doing. Some might be writing
away, others might be struggling. Concentrate on yourself and your writing.
 Do not panic when some students finish and leave earlier. They might not have
answered all the questions.

Before you leave

 Check through your answers. You might find parts that do not make sense
because you have missed out key words or points. Add these neatly, in the text,
or at the bottom of the page, even if in note form.
 Scribe through all your rough work with a single line.
 Make sure you fill in all information on your answer booklet, e.g. your name,
module name and number etc.

Good luck!

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