How to revise

I notice that a lot of students seem to revise by doing past paper questions but this should be the fine tuning after a topic is revised not the main revision tool. It´s a long time since I actually had to revise for an exam so I thought I'd get some tips from other students. I found this on the institute of physics website.

Student revision tips

• Start early – don’t leave it until just a couple of weeks before the exam.
• Plan your revision time, do a little each day.
• Break revision up into small chunks, take regular short breaks.
• Make notes from textbook and class work.
• Summarise/condense notes repeatedly. Use highlighter pens.
• Make revision cards/flash cards (not too much information on each card.)
• Test yourself or get a friend to test you. Buddy up with a student of similar ability as you.
• Depending upon what suits you, make mind maps, mnemonics, songs, diagrams of topics, make a poster for your wall, rhymes, similes etc.
• Do past paper questions and recheck topics you can’t answer.
• Consider buying a revision guide.
• Look after yourself - get plenty of sleep, drink lots of water, don’t get drunk before exams (it wrecks your memory,)
• take some exercise/fresh air, eat properly.
• Use course summary if available, or summaries in textbook to check you haven’t missed anything out.
• Read specification/syllabus.
• Post-it notes – write a formula on each one, put them around your room, on the fridge etc.
• Teach other people physics – you will be surprised how much you learn.
• Make a tape – listen to it whilst going to sleep.
• Learn definitions and formulae off-by-heart.
• Talk to teachers, utilise extra revision classes, workshops etc.
• Pay attention in class.
• Go over what was taught in the lesson the same night to have a sure understanding.
• When a mock exam is returned, make a note on what was bad and revise those topics.
• Revise repeatedly over a long period, not all in the last week.
• Stay calm before and in exams – if this is an issue get help.
• Just because you have missed a lesson, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t revise that topic! Never have to hope a topic won’t come up – it will!
• Stay organised – make sure you don’t waste time looking for notes or books.

Some good advice.