Any revision techniques that actually work for GCSE revision?

So its coming up to my GCSE mocks and the big ones next April/May and I have never really revised before and have breezed through quite a lot, but maybe not getting as high as I could due to no revision, literally non due to my preference of football and computer games But I am smart, but its never really mattered until now as the whole 'rest of my life' is starting to kick in now.

I am an A* capable student in pretty much anything I try in, but I really struggle revising in anything, and hence my current grades being a mixture of A/B in most with my maths being an A* as that has always been my strong point.
But really, I am currently as I type trying to revise for a science 'progress test' thing tomorrow, and its quite important, and according to my teacher its the hardest topic, it is on Photosynthesis and Respiration and when I am reading things it is going in 1 ear and out the other and it feels like a waste of time...

Does anyone have any magical tips I could try to hopefully help me remember things easier??

Read.Harder.

But seriously condense some prime knowledge that you must remember.

Write on your arm, just be careful when you push your sleeve up in the exam.

Small and often will probably work better for you than trying to batter your way through 3 hours solid.

Break things down into topics that you can spend 20 minutes on.

Make yourself revision cards. Even if you don't use them, the act of creating them will help absorb the content, and if you do need a quick reminder, you've made relevant cards to look at, in a style you will absorb better.

I did my GCSEs last year I'm now in A-level the thing that worked for me is just do past papers non stop they really do help I was able to hit 98% in tier 3 maths (not sure if its the same for you I'm from Northern Ireland) anyway just do past papers constantly you will do very good, I was capable of doing much better in all my results but I didn't apply myself but to be honest I've got where I want to be so you shouldn't worry to much if you get low marks

It's too late to do any new revision now for an exam tomorrow. Just get a good night's sleep.

I don't. I was like you, ability wise I had it but I didn't really put in any effort revising, got A/A*s for everything. So you're probably thinking, great I won't revise then.

Well please do revise, get in the habit of it, because I followed the same attitude over to A-Level and it didn't work. I got BCC at A-Level when I was capable of AAA, hence I didn't go to the greatest of Unis, but I worked hard at Uni and ended up getting a decent job out of it.

Point is, if you're smart, which it appears you are, you don't really need to revise for GCSEs. But if I were you I would get into the habit of doing it because just winging it at A-Level doesn't work. And even more so at University (if you plan to go to Uni).

And also don't worry about the "Rest of your life" thing yet, you'll still have choices at A-Level, and then further choices at University and even with a degree you still have lots of choices. Worry about now, not 5 years time.

And as has been said above the absolute best thing for exams is a good nights sleep and a good breakfast.

Best of luck!

Mason- said:

I don't. I was like you, ability wise I had it but I didn't really put in any effort revising, got A/A*s for everything. So you're probably thinking, great I won't revise then.

Well please do revise, get in the habit of it, because I followed the same attitude over to A-Level and it didn't work. I got BCC at A-Level when I was capable of AAA, hence I didn't go to the greatest of Unis, but I worked hard at Uni and ended up getting a decent job out of it.

Point is, if you're smart, which it appears you are, you don't really need to revise for GCSEs. But if I were you I would get into the habit of doing it because just winging it at A-Level doesn't work. And even more so at University (if you plan to go to Uni).

And also don't worry about the "Rest of your life" thing yet, you'll still have choices at A-Level, and then further choices at University and even with a degree you still have lots of choices. Worry about now, not 5 years time.

And as has been said above the absolute best thing for exams is a good nights sleep and a good breakfast.

Best of luck!

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I can relate very much, A levels are much more harder.

do past papers, under exam conditions

I didn't think A Levels were very hard at all, and don't pay much attention got A's throughout with the exception of 1 B on a paper

I'm now doing a HnD in Aerospace Engineering and my god is it hard! I've had a few tests so far and the best thing I've found is repitition, keep doing/reading it over and over. Breaking up your study into shorter 15-20 minutes otherwise you get bored then go back to it. And highlight.. I now highlight anything that is important to me, specific equations, certain words things like that.

Good luck!

savagesam117 said:

I didn't think A Levels were very hard at all, and don't pay much attention got A's throughout with the exception of 1 B on a paper

I'm now doing a HnD in Aerospace Engineering and my god is it hard! I've had a few tests so far and the best thing I've found is repitition, keep doing/reading it over and over. Breaking up your study into shorter 15-20 minutes otherwise you get bored then go back to it. And highlight.. I now highlight anything that is important to me, specific equations, certain words things like that.

Good luck!

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Engineering is the area i am looking to go into actually, except going through the apprenticeship route instead, as it seems more appealing, earning while i work!
Highlighting is something i have started doing a lot this year, especially in PE (had nothing else to choose, and im sporty and I heard GCSE IT was boring, and i was right, it is insane amounts of typing). I need small info to take in, in order to remember things lol.

Mason- said:

I don't. I was like you, ability wise I had it but I didn't really put in any effort revising, got A/A*s for everything. So you're probably thinking, great I won't revise then.

Well please do revise, get in the habit of it, because I followed the same attitude over to A-Level and it didn't work. I got BCC at A-Level when I was capable of AAA, hence I didn't go to the greatest of Unis, but I worked hard at Uni and ended up getting a decent job out of it.

Point is, if you're smart, which it appears you are, you don't really need to revise for GCSEs. But if I were you I would get into the habit of doing it because just winging it at A-Level doesn't work. And even more so at University (if you plan to go to Uni).

And also don't worry about the "Rest of your life" thing yet, you'll still have choices at A-Level, and then further choices at University and even with a degree you still have lots of choices. Worry about now, not 5 years time.

And as has been said above the absolute best thing for exams is a good nights sleep and a good breakfast.

Best of luck!

Click to expand...

I am looking at Engineering apprenticeships as in the North East there is tons of jobs, and good money too! Atleast thats what I am hoping for and i suppose things dont always work out how you plan them but ill deal with that when it happens .
I best get to sleep aswell!

Quartz said:

It's too late to do any new revision now for an exam tomorrow. Just get a good night's sleep.

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ExtremeIC3cream said:

I did my GCSEs last year I'm now in A-level the thing that worked for me is just do past papers non stop they really do help I was able to hit 98% in tier 3 maths (not sure if its the same for you I'm from Northern Ireland) anyway just do past papers constantly you will do very good, I was capable of doing much better in all my results but I didn't apply myself but to be honest I've got where I want to be so you shouldn't worry to much if you get low marks

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This is a very good idea, any ideas where i can get them online or is it something i should ask my teacher for?

Kenai said:

Small and often will probably work better for you than trying to batter your way through 3 hours solid.

Break things down into topics that you can spend 20 minutes on.

Make yourself revision cards. Even if you don't use them, the act of creating them will help absorb the content, and if you do need a quick reminder, you've made relevant cards to look at, in a style you will absorb better.

Click to expand...

The revision cards are a good idea, as just writing 2x A4 pieces of paper on my science has helped a ton, as now i can actually answer a large majority of the questions on the sheet my teacher gave me with a huge list of things to revise on..

I would say the first thing to do is find out which method suits you.

Some people like watching videos others like doing place cards and there are many other methods.

Doing past papers which has already been mentioned is a must as this will give you an idea of what the examiners are looking for and the types of questions that are likely to come up.

GCSE are very straight forward and no in depth knowledge is needed. If you have half a brain you should be ok for just walking in to the exam and getting a good mark. I would not recommend this though.

You should do this free course if you have time it gives you techniques you can use for learning -

https://www.coursera.org/learn/learning-how-to-learn/

sven256 said:

I would say the first thing to do is find out which method suits you.

Some people like watching videos others like doing place cards and there are many other methods.

Doing past papers which has already been mentioned is a must as this will give you an idea of what the examiners are looking for and the types of questions that are likely to come up.

GCSE are very straight forward and no in depth knowledge is needed. If you have half a brain you should be ok for just walking in to the exam and getting a good mark. I would not recommend this though.

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Yeah I imagined this, as not being harsh, but people I know that are less 'knowledgeable' in the year above me, got A's and B's, its just when my teachers are going through all this masses of information, it just really really scares me and I think the exam is going to be like the bible sized thickness and ill have to remember what EVERYTHING ive ever learnt is...

Chaos said:

You should do this free course if you have time it gives you techniques you can use for learning -

https://www.coursera.org/learn/learning-how-to-learn/

Click to expand...

Shall take a look at that now!

Yeah, don't do any, GCSEs are easy

That strategy will only start to fail at A level.

Spend more time revising less time on the forums !

I had no way to revise for mine many years ago i relied on good teachers getting there point across.

Mason- said:

I don't. I was like you, ability wise I had it but I didn't really put in any effort revising, got A/A*s for everything. So you're probably thinking, great I won't revise then.

Well please do revise, get in the habit of it, because I followed the same attitude over to A-Level and it didn't work. I got BCC at A-Level when I was capable of AAA, hence I didn't go to the greatest of Unis, but I worked hard at Uni and ended up getting a decent job out of it.

Point is, if you're smart, which it appears you are, you don't really need to revise for GCSEs. But if I were you I would get into the habit of doing it because just winging it at A-Level doesn't work. And even more so at University (if you plan to go to Uni).

And also don't worry about the "Rest of your life" thing yet, you'll still have choices at A-Level, and then further choices at University and even with a degree you still have lots of choices. Worry about now, not 5 years time.

And as has been said above the absolute best thing for exams is a good nights sleep and a good breakfast.

Best of luck!

Click to expand...

Put me in that camp too. Didn't revise or put any effort into GCSE's, got straight As (and an E for Art )

Did the same thing with A-levels and scraped through with poor grades (B,C,D). Did the same thing at uni and failed completely.

So yeah, I completely agree with this. GCSE's are very easy, but it's actually more important to foster a good study ethic now, even if you could breeze the exams with minimal effort. Because sooner or later, minimal effort will not be good enough.

(My work ethic is still terrible. But I'm a terrible person, generally.)

Good to see a young person interested in studying.

Your brain is like a PC, it is more powerful than anything you can buy on Overclockers and it has an operating system!

It is helpful if you know how to program it and how your memory works.

The poster who said 20 minutes study, 5 minutes break was spot on.

This helps you learn to program your head http://www.amazon.co.uk/Buzans-Study-Skills-Techniques-Reading/dp/1406664898/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8


Get past papers and ask your teachers to set you some extra questions, get familiar with the curriculum for each of your subjects. For example pages 46 & 47 - but check it is the right exam board:

Photosynthesis and respiration pg 46 & 47
http://filestore.aqa.org.uk/subjects/AQA-BIOL-W-SP-14.PDF

So make sure you know about or at least have heard of everything on the curriculum - don't leave that to your teacher - they miss stuff out.

Biggest tip
No one on a plane is going to shout out is there an expert computer gamer or football fanatic onboard. They are hobbies, there is plenty of time for those.

Pack up your PC/console during exams, get it out if you really do not feel like doing any work and play as much as you want but for the most part hang up the mouse and study.

Please try this, it worked for me at university and I wish I had known it earlier when I was at Secondary school

Start your revision 10 weeks before the exams start. Seriously!

Buy a big ream of A3 paper off Amazon
Some coloured pencils and learn to mind map
Do past papers
Don't write out revision notes - utter waste of time - everyone does it

Set up a nice quiet location in your house - I have a standing desk in my garage! No internet, no distractions, nothing else to do

You can leave you stuff in there and pop in for an hour or two - walk away.

Do the hard thing, take past papers, qs, turn the books over, have a timed exam - I use my cooker timer! If your exam is an hour for 4 questions try 10 minutes for 4 questions but just reproduce your mind maps and after 40-minutes or when you can't recall anything more - see how you did. You will find you master some maps, but struggle on others, so practice those over and over until you have it done.

If there are frequent topics that come up, write them down and master them.

Practice turning over the books, revision mind maps and reproducing 10 or 20 things you know about that subject until you have memorized them.

After 8 weeks you have learned everything, you will have all your mind maps for each subject. Now you are going to have a week off!

Now 2 weeks before the exam have a week off! Sat, Sunday, Mon - Fri, Sat Sun = do everything do like doing - PC, footie, cinema, out with mates.

Notice how all your mates will just be starting their revision, you will have done yours - and you are having a holiday!

Now on the Sunday evening you will be refreshed and exam nerves will kick in, you have not done any revision for a week!

Now 1 week before
Start to revise by going over your revision notes. But you are fresh (fresh legs). You will have normal exam anxiety which will carry you through. It is going to feel great, you have done all your revision, you are just refreshing your knowledge and after a break you really can work hard up to and during the exam period.

Do this and I promise you they will be the easiest exams you ever did. Repeat this for your A-levels and Uni.

Work hard OP, several weeks out of society will not do you any harm and these GCSE tickets are a game, here is a good strategy to beat the game, they will open opportunities for you in the future. This determines your earning potential in the future and this bit of hard work means you will be watching plenty of footie and building gaming rigs in the future - it pays for your lifestyle and life and you have a brain, use it. Only you can do this.

Good luck

Mason- said:

I don't. I was like you, ability wise I had it but I didn't really put in any effort revising, got A/A*s for everything. So you're probably thinking, great I won't revise then.

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Ditto this, I breezed through GCSE's and A-levels, straight A*s, no revision for either, but I went for a maths degree at warwick uni and the step up was horrible. I'd never revised and thought I could just wing it, and it worked for the most part but I missed out on a 2:1 by 1%. Fortunately sheffield still accepted me for a masters in control systems engineering, which I'm going through right now, and smashing it. Now I've picked up a bit more discipline it's a heck of a lot easier, though it does help that I find it more interesting because I can *see* how the mathematics is useful, rather than just working through proof after proof with no obvious application.

Get into the habit and get into it early, I'm sure you'll do fine in these exams regardless but there'll hit a point in the future where you'll wish you knew *how* to learn if you don't start now.