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Top 10 Revision Tips for Doing Well in Exams

There has been a vast amount of academic research conducted in the field of learning and memory in recent years which is reshaping our understanding of revision; not as a chore to be crammed in before a test or examination, but as an essential and integral part of learning that should take place on an ongoing basis. 

As part of Mayfield’s commitment to provide the best possible education for our girls, this year’s Teaching and Learning Focus; ‘Effective, Ongoing Revision’ has seen a sustained programme of bespoke training offered to pupils across the School in addition to a parent workshop. Teachers have been busy embedding revision activities into lessons and deliberately teaching students how to revise with confidence throughout the year. 

Here are our top ten do’s and don’ts for effective revision: 

DO 

1. Plan your revision carefully 
Revision timetables are useful for providing structure, particularly over school holidays and any periods of study leave. Too often though, students write plans that are not realistic and not specific enough. Revision sessions should be around 45 minutes long, followed by a 10-15 minute breaki – any longer and concentration, focus and retention are likely to drop. Most importantly avoid plans that just say “English”, or “Biology”, and instead aim to include particular topics (e.g. English; Romeo and Juliet Act 1) and the specific revision activities that will be used (e.g. mind map of characters). 

2. Eat healthily and sleep well 
A healthy and balanced diet, and good sleep are essential for effective brain function. Periods of intensive revision in the run up to exams can lead to excess snacking, irregular mealtimes, or even skipping meals altogether. Eating a proper breakfast is particularly important, but one US study found 70% of teenage girls regularly skipped the morning mealii, which can negatively impact memoryiii. Studies also show that on average 45% of teenagers do not get the recommended eight to ten hours of sleep needed each night. This figure rises to 62% for sixth form studentsiv.  

3. Repeatedly test yourself 
This is one of the most effective revision strategies and aims to overcome the huge problem that we forget the vast majority of what we learn very quicklyvi. While it may feel like you will remember content that is revised, unless it is reviewed several times this feeling is likely to be somewhat of an illusion.

There are numerous ways you can carry out repeated self-testing (all should be done from memory, without notes or textbooks):  

  • Complete practice tests/quizzes/multiple-choice tests  

  • Write practice essays or complete past papers  

  • Use flashcards 

  • Cover up notes/diagrams and reproduce them  

  • Brain dumps – write down everything you can remember about a topic on a blank piece of paper.

4. Leitner flashcards 
Many students make flashcards but then do not use them for self-testing. A good way to achieve this is the Leitner method. This technique spaces out learning and focuses attention on the material that is hardest to remembervii: 

Step-by-step - How students can use the Leitner method of self-testing with flashcards: 

  1. Set up a learning box with five flashcard compartments.  

  2. Start with all the flashcards in compartment one. 

  3. Test yourself on the flashcards.  

  4. If remembered correctly move the flashcard to the next compartment.  

  5. Incorrectly or only partially recalled flashcards return to compartment one. 

  6. Test the first compartment daily, compartment two every other day, compartment three every week etc. 

5. Use a variety of note formats 
Making linear revision notes can be laborious and often leads to a lot of copying out of textbooks, with limited memory gains. Instead, try using the Cornell note structure (with a series of questions in the left-hand column, and the answers on the right) as these are perfect for self-testing; just cover up the right-hand side and use the questions as a ready-made quiz.  

Visual notes take advantage of our brain’s separate channels for processing text and images, making information easier to rememberviii. Try timelines, flow-charts, cartoon strips or diagrams. 

DON’T

1. Cram your revision
Most of the information that is crammed will be forgotten over time. Cramming can also feel very stressful and so spacing out revision sessions over time is more effective at developing memory and managing exam pressureix.

2. Comfort revise
‘Comfort revision’ is revision where it feels like you are working hard, but actually you are not revising very effectively. Examples of comfort revision are re-reading notes/textbooks, highlighting almost everything or just watching revision videos. All of these are common revision activities but can be done almost on auto-pilot, without the hard thinking that is needed for memory formation and retention.

3. Leave the hard bits until last
It may be tempting to start revision by focusing on topics or techniques with which you are already familiar. This feels reassuring but is another example of comfort revision and will be self-defeating in the long run. Students often significantly underestimate how long a task will take, and if you put off more challenging content you will often run out of time, or end up focusing on it when tired. It is the hard bits that need the most attention, so colour code each topic using RAG (Red = I do not know this, Amber = I am insecure about this, Green = I am fairly confident about this). Red topics should be prioritised, followed by Amber.

4. Get distracted
Having a mobile phone in sight during revision, even if it is not being usedx, is a huge distraction which can negatively affect exam performancexi. Leave the phone outside the room. If using a laptop, disable notifications or use focus/Do Not Disturb modes.

Many students also like to revise while listening to music thinking it helps focus. Research shows this is not the case and that listening to music actually reduces test performancexii. Whilst instrumental music is better than music with lyrics, revising in silence is best of all. You have to sit exams in silence so it is also important that you get used to thinking and working in silence.

5. Forget to evaluate revision effectiveness 
Ok, so this is more of a Do than a Do not, but it is important. After every revision session, spend a few minutes reflecting on how it wentxiii. Possible questions to ask include:

  • Did you find the revision strategy helped you remember more or less than another?
  • How easy was the revision strategy to use?
  • Did that strategy help you to perform well in the test/exam?
  • Was that revision strategy time-efficient?

Overall, it is important to remember that everyone’s revision process is different and what works for one person, for one subject or topic, may not work for another. The key is to experiment and not to be afraid to try something else if one method is not working. Hopefully you will find the Do tips helpful, and stop doing many of the Don’ts!

Good luck!

i Oxford Revise (2024), When Should I Start Revising? https://www.oxfordrevise.com/home/when-should-i-start-revising/
ii Timlin et al. (2008), Breakfast Eating and Weight Chang, Pediatrics 121(3) https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article-abstract/121/3/e638/72830/Breakfast-Eating-and-Weight-Change-in-a-5-Year?autologincheck=redirected
iii Wesnes et al. (2003), Breakfast Reduces Declines in Attention and Memory Over the Morning in Schoolchildren. Appetite 41(3). https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0195666303001314
iv National Sleep Foundation (2006), Sleep in America Poll Highlights and Key Findings https://www.sleepfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Highlights_facts_06.pdf#:~:text=While%20most%20students%20know%20they%E2%80%99re%20not%20getting%20the,sleep%20less%20than%20eight%20hours%20on%20school%20nights.
v Dunlosky et al. (2013), Improving Students’ Learning with Effective Learning Techniques. Psychological Science in the Public Interest 14(1)https://journals.sagepub.com/stoken/rbtfl/Z10jaVH/60XQM/full
vi Ebbinghaus (1885), Memory: A Contribution to Experimental Psychology. https://web.archive.org/web/20050504104838/http:/psy.ed.asu.edu/~classics/Ebbinghaus/index.htm
vii Innerdrive (2024), The Leitner System. https://www.innerdrive.co.uk/blog/the-leitner-system/
viii Innerdrive (2024), What is Dual Coding? https://blog.innerdrive.co.uk/guide-to-dual-coding
ix Cepeda et al. (2008). Spacing Effects in Learning. Psychological Science, 19(11) https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1467-9280.2008.02209.x
x Thornton et al. (2014). The mere presence of a cell phone may be distracting. Social Psychology, 45(6) https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2014-52302-001
xi Innerdrive (2024), Mobile Phone Management. https://www.innerdrive.co.uk/guides/mobile-phone-management/
xii Jancke (2008), Music, Memory and Emotion. Journal of Biology 7(21) https://jbiol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/jbiol82
xii iEducation Endowment Foundation (2021), Metacognition and Self-regulated Learning. https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/education-evidence/guidance-reports/metacognition

 

 

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