In order to perform well in any test or exam it is absolutely crucial to know how to revise effectively and make the most productive and efficient use of study leave time available. Some people find revising quite a straight-forward task while for others the word "revision" can leave a bitter taste in the mouth. In order to revise to perform in exams to the best of one's ability it is essential to have a revision plan.
Brindley identifies the four Cs of revision plans:
- Careful
- Conscientious
- Conservative
- Cerebral
Exam Preparation Requires Revision Planning
A revision plan must be put together carefully to be 100% sure that all the necessary topics have been included. It also takes a lot of motivation, determination and conscientiousness to stick rigidly to a plan come what may. Included within any revision timetable must be regular breaks as spending hours studying and ending up totally exhausted will not be helpful in either the short or long-term. The "cerebral" part of revision plans involves ensuring one does not leave one's brain at the door or simply rely on parrot fashion regurgitation of notes.
While last minute revision may be effective by some individuals it is not usually the best way of preparing for an exam. Ideally, the night before an exam will involve relaxing one's mind and possibly even watching a film to rest for the following day.
Varying Revision Methods Helps Boost Concentration
It is often helpful to plan to use a range of revision methods in order to ensure all bases are covered and to help with maintaining levels of concentration necessary to stick to the plan or timetable. Reading aloud can help as can recording key facts on memo cards or on a Dictaphone. Recorded messages may then be replayed whilst driving or doing household chores. A really useful approach is to find a study partner or set up a study group where one can learn through testing others and being tested oneself.
Creating mnemonics is also a very practical approach to revision. Students will likely find that mnemonics such as "FUDGEBOW" – for German propositions which take the accusative fur, um, durch, gegen, entlang, bis, ohne, wider – to be helpful for memorising important details.
Include Exam Questions in Revision
Especially when one is sitting key exams such as ca , there are likely to be many past exam papers available in each subject, which is absolutely ideal for effective revision practice. Through testing and retesting themselves using old exam papers, students will gain a greater understanding of what is likely to be required in the forthcoming exams and will also gain valuable confidence in their own ability to succeed. Past papers help to familiarise students with the type of language used in relation to each subject area and provide the ideal opportunity to fine tune exam time management through completing papers under exam conditions.
As highlighted above, good exam preparation includes using past papers to practice answering questions likely to be in the exam and creating a revision plan or timetable. The key to successful revision is to vary study methods such as creating mnemonics, reading aloud and discussing specific topics with others.
CAclubindia
