How do you revise?

[becomingagodo]

Note: Don't say flash cards

How do you revise for a exam? I have a maths exam wednesday and I was wondering if I am revising properly. Is just doing past papers revision, logically speaking if you can anwser the past papers questions correctly then you can anwser the exam questions.

However, how do you revise subjects like biology, history or psychology. Biology is not my best subject and I haven't got a clue on how to revise for it, I mostly just copy the textbook.

Any advice?

P.S. Is their some special revision technique?

[Pope130]

Is it possible that the word you are looking for is "review" and not "revise"?

If so; the best review technique for me is to first go back over my class notes, to recall what the instructor emphasised. Then to the source material and try to write questions based on that.

In text based learning test writers tend to write questions on a set criteria. They look for an unambiguous, positive statement which can be turned into a question and answer. For multiple choice they then add several wrong answers. Grammar can be very useful in taking any such test. The normal practice is to break the original statement down into two parts, one forms the question, the other the correct answer. When reassembled into the original statement it will be grammaticaly correct. Look for correct tense, plurals and so on. Frequently the wrong answers will have a grammatical mismatch.

HTH

Robert

[Jeff Corey]

http://www.studygs.net/texred2.htm This incorporates the "spaced practice" you asked about earlier.

[Piscivore]

Is it possible that the word you are looking for is "review" and not "revise"?

"Revise" means "study" in the UK. Thanks Harry Potter! :)

[Big Les]

I only ever had two methods - write it out ad infinitum, or record myself reading it out and play it back. The former has the advantage of letting one listen to AC/DC at the same time.

[Pope130]

"Revise" means "study" in the UK. Thanks Harry Potter! :)

Thanks Piscivore, I've been meaning to learn English for years!

Robert

[RobRoy]

I used to be a CRLA (College Reading and Learning Association) trained tutor, and part of our job in tutoring was help with retention. I don't know how valid these tips are now, since they are at least (and I'll admit to no more) a decade old, but they seem relevant.

First, every learner is different. I'm a visual learner, and so hearing myself on tape doesn't work, or rather, doesn't work as well. I have to read it, and preferably have a graphic of some kind to go with it. Big Les is apparently an auditory learner, which means lecturing or lecture review works very well. There is also a kinesthetic learner, which is hands-on work, usually associated with labs of whatever discipline. IIRC, these are called teaching/learning modalities and the theory goes that teaching/learning in a classroom or study setting should include all three.

Alternately, you can take a Briggs Meyers or Keirsey test to determine your optimal learning, but in most cases (I've found) you don't learn that much new information from these tests; but sometimes there's a "OMG" moment of clarity.

But how does this address the OP? Well, you probably already know the best way in which you retain information, so that's your key. In almost all cases a study group, even if it's just of two people, usually helps all types of learners. Since learners are not restricted to one type, but simply have a primary method, study groups provide multiple avenues for learning to occur. Visual learners can take notes, compare to the source material, and makes corrections or changes, offer analogy, metaphor, or provide graphic explanation/descriptions. Auditory learners can ask and answer questions, provide answers, explain to others, etc.

If a study group isn't available, then it's a matter of providing the information in a manner that best suits your learning style. The CRLA taught a kind of revised repetition to learn the concepts themselves, rather than rote memorization. Again, it's been some time, but I believe the steps went something like this:

1 - Read the source material (usually a textbook) throughout. Take no notes, highlight nothing.
2 - Write down, from memory, key concepts, ideas, facts, figures, etc.
3 - Review the source material against your notes, and make any corrections or changes as necessary.

By this point you've already gone over the information three times in different fashions for memory retention. This is a pretty basic form of test preperation, and can be repeated until you feel comfortable with the material. From here, if you feel you've got a good handle on it, you can move to the next steps:

4- Analyze the material and look for logical relationships, key components, and applications both within the defined area (math, science, language, business, etc.). If possible, try to combine the material with something already well understood to arrive at personal theories, ideas or concepts.
5 - Apply the material to potential questions, simple or complex answer doesn't matter, and you can either speak your questions and answers, write them down, or create from them to give yourself a firm memory of the concepts, ideas and specifics.

I'm drawing a lot from a memory that is generally filled with gaping holes, but I taught/discussed this with enough students that I think I've hit the major components. I hope that helps.

Edited to Add: Apparently, I wasn't too far off in my memory. Here's a study skills presentation from LSU (http://appl003.lsu.edu/cas/learningjourney.nsf/LiveSlide/5FA3182D7B379AE2862570A8000910A7?OpenDocument). You have to go about six or seven slides in to get past their "sales material" but then it starts in on what I've listed above.

[fishbob]

Try to explain it to somebody else.
Works wonders for retention.

[RobRoy]

Try to explain it to somebody else.
Works wonders for retention.

Yeppers, nothing like having to teach something to truly learn it yourself. Hence my study group comments.

[Darat]

Why not just learn it at the time and then you don't need to revise... Sorry not very helpful but I've always hated revising and have never been able to stick to any system beyond just re-reading whatever it was.

[RobRoy]

Why not just learn it at the time and then you don't need to revise... Sorry not very helpful but I've always hated revising and have never been able to stick to any system beyond just re-reading whatever it was.

You're very lucky if you can remember all that was taught via lecture or initial study. I was a pretty decent student in my time, and even miss the process to some extent, but I don't recall ever learning all the material the first time through without need for revise/review. Makes me jealous! :jaw-dropp

[fuelair]

Is it possible that the word you are looking for is "review" and not "revise"?

If so; the best review technique for me is to first go back over my class notes, to recall what the instructor emphasised. Then to the source material and try to write questions based on that.

In text based learning test writers tend to write questions on a set criteria. They look for an unambiguous, positive statement which can be turned into a question and answer. For multiple choice they then add several wrong answers. Grammar can be very useful in taking any such test. The normal practice is to break the original statement down into two parts, one forms the question, the other the correct answer. When reassembled into the original statement it will be grammaticaly correct. Look for correct tense, plurals and so on. Frequently the wrong answers will have a grammatical mismatch.

HTH

Robert
Knowing that, some mean and vicious teachers will ensure that the wrong answers are grammatically correct and sound better - if possible.:D

[Darat]

Note: I never said I achieved good exam results! :)

[RobRoy]

Note: I never said I achieved good exam results! :)

Mea culpa!

So I guess the question to the OP is whether or not the result wanted from review/revise are good or bad. If the latter, I have a whole slew of advice then, starting with gin & Zima mixers! :eye-poppi

[Pope130]

Knowing that, some mean and vicious teachers will ensure that the wrong answers are grammatically correct and sound better - if possible.:D

True, but fortunately there seem to be more lazy test writers than vicious ones.

Robert

[AgeGap]

Derron Browns Tricks of the Mind is a book that contains various techniques that memory champions like Dominic O'Brien use. I have just sat a Clinical Examination exam, used the techniques and now I can't get the facts to fall out of my brain. The book details The Linking System, The Loci System and The Peg System.

[AgeGap]

Why don't you post stuff you need to remember and the forumites can suggest ways for you to remember it?

[Oroborus]

Personally if I can peg down the main things conceptually I can generally fit everything else in when I come to it. Often I just try to think through them, usually while talking to myself.

[Furi]

I recommend crap loads of Brown Ale, and practice remembering.

I didn't practice I just drank bottles of dog, I am one of those that just remembered.
as it is maths, invent tonnes of probs for yourself to solve.

[Complexity]

You could try understanding the material to begin with.

[proxywar]

I have a photo-graphic memory for the most part.

[ush]

You could try understanding the material to begin with.

Yes, if you understand the material you can explain it your own way so that you wont need to regurgitate an answer. It also means that you don't need to rely on the linking system to remember anything - I find that the linking system is precarious and best avoided.

I've always wondered why people highlight textbooks while revising. Personally I've never done it and can't imagine how it would help.

[Lilith]

Yeppers, nothing like having to teach something to truly learn it yourself. Hence my study group comments.

Now, I'm not saying this is the right way to go, but here's what I did: I went to a diner, took a booth, spread my books out, and studied. I seemed to focus best when I had distractions. If I stayed home, I couldn't concentrate in silence, nor could I focus if the TV was on. Music? Forget it - I would sing along. If I joined a study group, I couldn't retain much because of the focus I was putting into the interaction. But alone at a diner, I could focus really well, even ignoring the waitress when they asked if I wanted anything else. Oh, yeah, I'd order very little and just munch slowly. If it wasn't busy, I didn't feel guilty. And I would intermittently be distracted by others around me, which allowed me to refocus again. Weird, I know. But I found it was the best way for me to put in good study time. Perhaps an effect of growing up in a large family.

When studying like this, I would read, take notes, do practice problems (if the subject called for it), etc.

The other thing that really helped me in undergraduate college was that my classmates, strangers really, seemed to think I knew my stuff, and sometimes they would ask me to explain things to them. So I would try to do so, and if I got stuck, I'd figure it out and then get back to them. As someone who teaches at the college level now, I find that the act of teaching is one of the best ways to learn anything. So maybe you could try making a Powerpoint presentation for yourself.

[Nogbad]

Note: Don't say flash cards

How do you revise for a exam? I have a maths exam wednesday and I was wondering if I am revising properly. Is just doing past papers revision, logically speaking if you can anwser the past papers questions correctly then you can anwser the exam questions.

However, how do you revise subjects like biology, history or psychology. Biology is not my best subject and I haven't got a clue on how to revise for it, I mostly just copy the textbook.

Any advice?

P.S. Is their some special revision technique?

I used to go through my lecture notes and rewrite them in block capitals reducing a page of notes to a few key lines.

I then used to take a bath and read my new notes - generally fell asleep and I think the ink from the notes was absorbed into my blood stream via osmosis or something :boggled:

It worked for me - but, by and large, if you attend the lectures and read sensibly throughout the year, revision is just the icing on the cake. Relying on revision having not worked through the year is much harder in my experience - but not impossible ;)

[AgeGap]

I channell the spirit of Alan Turing.

[Damien Evans]

I use flash cards.

[AgeGap]

I use flash cards.
Noooooo, he said don't say flash cards:eek:

Last night I was revising with Tarot cards. I got to physics and four people died.

That is the Wright way to revise.

[Naughtyhippo]

Speaking as a recent(ish) product of the UK education system I'd say past exam papers are useful for every subject, especially at A/AS level stage.

For biology in particular, I should image that the modules are quite tight in what they cover - you should be revising for the module exam not 'biology' in general. Most of the processess can be diagramatised (is that a real word? :confused: ). Being able to reproduce and talk about these will probably help you. Without knowing what type of question your exam board asks, this may not be true however.

For myself it also depends on what it is i'm trying to remember for exams. As well as the old favourite of 'practise, practise, practise' (old exam papers again!:rolleyes: ) if you need to know case studies then being able to reduce them to half a side of paper that makes you remember the whole case is a useful skill - from there you can then look over the coupla sentances before the exam etc to have the whole thing in your head. The other thing with case studies is to make sure that they have a point! Otherwise you've just regurgitated a bunch of facts that don't answer the question.

Once you get to university, each lecturer will have their set pecadillos. This is when it becomes a good idea to make friends with the upper years!