9 ways to revise for exams

For the upcoming exams, you may be wondering what is the most effective and efficient way to study all the subject material. A recent article by The Guardian has given some suggestions, which are summarized below:

1. Eat breakfast: It is estimated that 27% of boys and 39% of girls skip breakfast. Research has found that skipping this meal affects attention span and ability to remember information, which are both very important for revising!
2. Keep your phone out of sight: It is useful to keep your phone in another location during studying as messages or phone calls will distract. You could always look at your phone after a break from studying.
3. Start early: Start studying as soon as possible. You cannot expect to learn all the material and get a good grade by studying a few days before an exam!
4. Test yourself: attempting mock tests will help you understand the way questions are structured as well as the type of content being tested. Answering past papers under exam conditions is a useful way to prepare for exams.
5. Teaching someone else: by explaining a topic to a colleague or friend can help re-enforce material that you know. It can also point out areas that you are unsure of and allow you to focus on studying these topics.
6. Be careful about using highlighters: Highlighters are useful in identifying important information. However some students highlight large blocks of text which makes identifying the important points difficult.
7. Do not listen to music: Research has shown that listening to music does not help in studying and more often it hinders your ability to study. It is best to revise for exams in a quiet room.
8. Get regular fresh air and exercise: You will not be able to focus and learn the exam material by studying for hours at a time without a break. Research has shown that going outside for a walk and getting fresh air helps you feel refreshed and focus more effectively for continued studying.
9. Sleep: Doctors have recommended that most teenagers need between 8-10 hours sleep a night to improve thinking and concentration. Sleeping fewer hours to try to revise more may actually result in worse performance than a good night’s sleep.

Further information can be found in the article below:

http://www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/2016/apr/19/students-revise-exams-revision-science