How do you all revise?

Alchemy · 27 May 2006 at 10:39

Hi,

what methods do you all use to do your revision?

I have always just tryed to memorise everything word by word, but it consumes so much time.

spirit · 27 May 2006 at 10:40

i read a book, write down stuff i don't know, do questions. thats it really.

Gilly · 27 May 2006 at 10:40

I suppose I'd skim read something and write out what I deemed to be the important points. Making notes commits things to memory better than reading them IMO.

However, the only revision I've ever done was 30 mins before the start of my GCSE maths exam. So maybe I'm wrong

NickXX · 27 May 2006 at 10:41

I revise by avoiding doing anything for weeks, then panicking in the last couple of days

( |-| |2 ][ $ · 27 May 2006 at 10:42

I spends a month or more going over questions, condensing notes. But it's different for different subjects.

semi-pro waster · 27 May 2006 at 10:43

For me it is go through the notes trying to pick out only the important points at first and possibly any details that make the principle (or case as I'm doing law) more memorable and then write up which will take me about 1-2 sides of A4 per lecture then go through it again trying to reduce it all down to only the salient points until I end up with a max of maybe 10 pages total for an entire course.

That is just what works for me normally but sometimes depending on the subject and how well I understand it/need to do in it I'll just read through the notes a day or so before and that is enough.

|Ric| · 27 May 2006 at 10:49

I post on here - it avoids the issue

I am currently revising for uni exams, over Easter I summarised all my course notes so that I have the whole year onto about 60 sides (written small!) and now just read them on and off for 30 mins and try and remember pretty much word for word.
This isnt actually that useful as you dont really need the detail its more understanding but I normally am fine with that bit once I have the notes written.
I also then do past papers and pull out the notes if i cant do a question

PikeyPriest · 27 May 2006 at 10:50

I go through things in great detail reading it through. Then i just go back through and reread as much as possible a few times (3-4) before an exam.

Lostkat · 27 May 2006 at 10:53

Writing out revision cards, or just shortening my notes and re-writing them. I barely use the cards, but writing it down seems to get it in my head more. I have a terrible memory, and the only thing that seems to work is writing it down. I always get up really early to revise on the morning of the exam too, because I find that last-minute cramming really does work for me.

During the exam, if I'm given an essay, I'll brainstorm everything I can remember on the subject for the essay, and then cross them out as I address them in my text.

I've also found that doing past papers (& then through marking schemes) has been immensely useful for the exams I've just done, because it shows you exactly what they want from your answer, so you get a feel for the kind of style they want.

ichabod crane · 27 May 2006 at 10:57

read lecture notes day before

Moredhel · 27 May 2006 at 11:06

Never done a days revision in my life, I tended to breeze through the exams for my GCSEs, AS Physics, National Diploma etc. Gotta love having a photographic memory.

spirit · 27 May 2006 at 11:07

its different for every person.. i mean what i do works for me, but may not for you. you gotta have your own method prolly

i mean a mate of mine just reads the textbook/whatever is being examined a few hours before the exam (she has near photographic memory) and aces it - though i doubt that would work for many people

dboundy · 27 May 2006 at 11:48

Gilly said:
I suppose I'd skim read something and write out what I deemed to be the important points. Making notes commits things to memory better than reading them IMO.

However, the only revision I've ever done was 30 mins before the start of my GCSE maths exam. So maybe I'm wrong

My business teacher from school told me this.

Skimming it is all well and done but if you write it down as well it helps more because you actually have to read it properly to write it down and then most people proof read as well.

Only revision I ever do as well is 30 minutes before an exam.

NickXX · 27 May 2006 at 12:00

( |-| |2 ][ $ said:
I spends a month or more going over questions, condensing notes. But it's different for different subjects.

Judging by your sig you're doing Physics at Manchester?

What year are you in? One of my mates graduated in Physics in 2004 with a 2.1 (only one person in his year got a 1st!), it looked absolutely rock hard. Good luck to you - it's a highly respected course at Manchester

branddaly · 27 May 2006 at 12:04

For subjects I like I read the book, it stays in my head. Subjects I don't like I generally scrap a pass, cos I can't be bothered to read the entire book. I think my teachers decribed me as the laziest brilliant person they'd ever met. Personally I think I'm just arrogant, if I don't like the subject its not worth remembering.

But the best way to learn something is to do it over and over. The reason subjects I like stay in my head is because I've read tonnes of literature on them. So when I read another book/text I;m re-forcing the things I know, and maybe only adding one or two new ideas.

branddaly · 27 May 2006 at 12:06

NickXX said:
Judging by your sig you're doing Physics at Manchester?

What year are you in? One of my mates graduated in Physics in 2004 with a 2.1 (only one person in his year got a 1st!), i

The forum is populated by Physicists from Manc.

Probably cos the physics course was hard and PC's were more fun.

DiG · 27 May 2006 at 12:15

I go though the cource noting anything that I don't know or don't understand and then go and learn those bits, no point in learning the stuff I can remember is there!

Then I do questions and past exam papers

Hate · 27 May 2006 at 12:25

by writing or re-writing concise notes

spirit · 27 May 2006 at 12:26

branddaly said:
For subjects I like I read the book, it stays in my head. Subjects I don't like I generally scrap a pass, cos I can't be bothered to read the entire book. I think my teachers decribed me as the laziest brilliant person they'd ever met. Personally I think I'm just arrogant, if I don't like the subject its not worth remembering.

But the best way to learn something is to do it over and over. The reason subjects I like stay in my head is because I've read tonnes of literature on them. So when I read another book/text I;m re-forcing the things I know, and maybe only adding one or two new ideas.

lol!!

Minto · 27 May 2006 at 12:47

branddaly said:
The forum is populated by Physicists from Manc. Probably cos the physics course was hard and PC's were more fun.

small world

2'nd year manc phys here

I find that going through my notes and condensing all the important principles onto a single side of A4 for each course, copying them out a few times, and then doing past papers while crossing off all the bits i already remember is a good method. Leaves me with half a side or so of the things that i don't already know and need to remember.