Transcript Planning for Exam Revision

Planning for Exam Revision
This workshop will…
− Explore what feeds into preparing for revision, including the exam
itself
− Assist you in setting up a revision timetable to aid effectiveness
− Offer tips on dealing with procrastination
Louise Livesey
Academic Skills Adviser
The Plan…
1. Being effective in examinations
2. Common mistakes in revision strategies
3. Developing a timetable: breaking the day into 6
4. How to solve procrastination
1.Being effective in exams
Be positive
Make time for you and revision
Create the right environment
Know the exam
Identify and apply recall strategies
Use the time in the exam effectively
Treat revision like a job
2.Common mistakes
in revision strategies
Activity 1: Common mistakes
Common mistake
1. Leaving all revision until the last minute.
2. Finding there is always something more
important to do than revise.
What to do:
Set a date now to start your revision.
Set reminders (in diaries or using mobile devices).
If the exam date is months off, as the date draws closer formulate the first ‘units’ you will be revising.
Set yourself short sessions initially, leaving yourself the option of studying longer if you get engaged.
Start each revision session with a re-assessment of personal priorities. How important is hockey training
compared to passing your final year at university? Are the dishes more important to your future than getting a
2:1?
3. Spending too much time planning revision and
too little time actually revising.
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5. Avoiding revision because it is boring
6. Reading, revising or making notes for some
time and not being able to remember much about it
7. Spending a long time on the same subject
without feeling you are making progress
8. Revising too few subjects
4. Meeting other people to revise but spending
the time doing other things
9. Not being able to identify the really key points
about each topic
10. Revising too much information
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‘Plan’ for your distractions, e.g. allow yourself breaks where you will check your phone and email before starting
a fresh unit.
Decide on a method for doing your planning and stick with it. Make it quick and visual and easily updatable (i.e.
use pencil or a PC).
If, as time draws on, the revision plan needs work to make sure everything can be fit in, set time aside for this
that is ‘extra’ – i.e. don’t take the time out of an allocated revision slot.
Admin is not learning, however well it’s done!
Meet in a study space so you will ‘feel’ more like revising than chatting over a coffee
Set an alarm on your phone or other device for the end of the session
Take a list of topics you want to discuss and tick them off as you go through them
Break up revision into different activities of varying lengths of time
Set yourself short tasks to start with and lengthen them each week to build up your tolerance
Break revision sessions into smaller sections with specific tasks
Go through your notes at the end of each session to see what you have covered
Don’t just read your notes, transform them into a different format, devise a mnemonic, or any other activity
‘Little and often’: don’t try to cover a whole topic in one session
Start with an overview and then look for details
Set specific goals for each session: e.g. read a chapter, section, or article before taking a break
Plan more time to do more revising
Don’t hope there will be a question set about the subjects you have revised. Examiners may not set a question
on every topic, so always revise more topics than you originally think you will need
Questions may ask for connections between subjects, so again, revise more topics than you think you will need
Look for the main schools of thought, theories, models, debates, individuals, etc. to give you a start.
Then, read around these topics
If still unsure, speak to your tutors
Before the exam, filter out any detail you won’t have time to cover in the exam, and go over this material
3.Developing a timetable:
breaking the day into 6
• Get to grips with what is required and any information from
handbooks about what is being tested.
• Cover the actual material in a way that supports adequate knowledge
recall
• Find or create ways to test this recall once the material has been
covered.
3.Developing a timetable:
breaking the day into 6
Break the day down into 6 segments
• Compulsories = external factors giving you no choice e.g.
lectures, labs, assignment deadlines, exam dates, paid
employment, etc.
• Necessaries = must be done but you have some leeway
as long as you fit them in e.g. meals, sleep, etc.
• Protected time = things that are important to you and
your well-being, e.g. gym
Activity 2: Revision timetable
4.How to solve procrastination
What stops you from revising?
?
?
?
?
?
?
The task seems too big
Break the subject down
It’s unpleasant
Reward yourself
I am no good at it
Revise what you like
I don’t know how to do it Get help
The exam is far off
Set a date
I am too tired or
Sleep and relax
panicking
References
Cottrell, S. (2008) The Exam Skills Handbook.
Palgrave Study Guides, Basingstoke: Palgrave
Macmillan.
This study guide is well worth borrowing from JBPL
or purchasing for own use, as it comprehensively
covers planning to succeed in exams.
Academic Skills Advice Service
• Where are we? Chesham Building B0.23
• What do we do? Support undergraduate students with
their academic skills by running clinics and workshops,
having bookable appointment slots, and enabling
students to drop-in for Instant Advice.
• Who are we? Michael and Helen specialise in Maths
Support; Lucy and Russell advise students on study
skills; and I (Louise) deliver the workshops
• When can you come for help? Everyday both face to face
and on-line
• How do I get in touch? Email: [email protected] or website www.brad.ac.uk/academicskills
Any questions?