A revision timetable helps you avoid running out of time, missing vital information and finding it all a bit too much. 15 minutes of planning will help you be more productive, keep you motivated and will boost your confidence for the challenge ahead.
A good revision plan should be realistic (a plan you can stick too, with breaks and activities built-in), detailed (when you will be studying which topic) and flexible (some topics are difficult and may take you longer than you planned, or you may need extra sessions).
Creating a revision timetable can add structure to your revision techniques and help you identify which subjects you need to prioritise to get better marks. It helps you organise your study time, plus it also helps boost your motivation to revise for your exams.
“Distributed practice” is the most powerful of all exam revision strategies. This means to plan ahead and spread out your revision over time, not doing all your revision on one subject in a block before moving on to the next. Students who cram may pass the exam but they don’t retain the material.
The two most effective revision techniques are “testing” and “distributed practice”. Start by reading the text book, then make flash cards of the critical concepts and test yourself repeatedly. You will be more engaged, making it harder for the mind to wander.
If you feel anxious when preparing for an exam, take some time to think about what is causing the anxiety because, once you know what is causing it, you will be in a better position to tackle it.
Exam anxiety could be linked to: being generally a bit of worrier, a tendency to be anxious; being poorly prepared; you had a bad experience in a previous exam; you are a perfectionist, and think anything less than top marks is a failure; you are not feeling well or you are on medication.
If you are feeling tense in an exam, stop, put down your pen and relax. Breathe slowly and close your eyes for a few minutes. If it helps, put your head on the desk. Shake your arms. Say something positive and encouraging to yourself.
In an exam, take time to read through all the instructions and questions carefully. Do that at least twice to make sure you get a firm grasp of the questions.
If you do not have any other commitments, go out and do something like seeing a movie with a friend. If you have other exams to study for, postpone for a larger treat. Half an hour for a coffee with a friend or a quick swim will definitely give you the boost needed for the next exam.