22nd January 2014 9:00
By Blue Tutors
January exams are fast approaching, and those who are not revising for those will be starting to prepare for their exams in the summer. One to one advice from a tutor is invaluable, and can help students think through their subject in a way which will help them remember the necessary information. Talking through topics with a tutor can help secure information in long term memory, and allow the student to develop their ideas in a more sophisticated way. For this it is necessary to have at least a couple of meetings with a tutor so that topics can be discussed and developed. However, there are some revision tips which are useful for all students, which anyone can implement if they put their mind to it.
- Start Early. Ok, this one seems obvious and I can hear students yelling that if they’d done that they wouldn’t be panicking now. But this doesn’t necessarily mean you have to begin months and months in advance. It means that, if possible, it is a good idea for students to leave enough time to go over their topics and then come back to them after a break. Even just a day or so between looking at the same topic has been shown to increase results dramatically.
- Be Creative. Students are not likely to remember the salient points if they just read essays over and over again. Make short, punchy cards, use pictures, use mind maps. Whatever works for you, but keep it memorable.
- Ask for Help. Students need support at times like these. Ask parents or friends to help you revise, even just talking about topics can help cement the information.
- Do Practice Tests. If you are going to have to write long essays one after the other, then you should be practicing this. This isn’t just about remembering the information, it’s about getting used to putting it on paper.
- Finally, and most importantly, eat well and sleep well. I’m not saying go on a diet and go to bed at 8:30. I’m saying staying up late will damage your brain power and make it harder for you to function. Get a reasonable amount of sleep, make sure you eat well and regularly. These are honestly the most important elements when taking exams.