Revision is defined as ‘reading again’ in the Collins English dictionary. Students revise by reading material over and over again and taking notes in order to prepare for a test. It’s a good idea to go over your exam content a few times to make sure you understand it, but have you made sure you’ve set aside time to do it at least once?
Some students would procrastinate for weeks before pulling out their books and cramming for their examinations at the last minute. This puts students under pressure to get through all of the information in a short amount of time. They are either too exhausted or too stressed out to imagine going through it all over again by the time they have completed it the first time. Either that or they’ve run out of time while reading the final few pages on their way into the exam room.
Revision is important for two main reasons.
Recalling: It aids with the retention of information, particular facts, figures, and terminology that you learned weeks, if not months ago. Rehearsing these a few times will help your brain remember them more quickly.
Confidence: If you approach revision correctly, you will have the confidence you need to get the best grade possible. Anxiety and self-doubt will not cloud your mind since you will know that you have prepared properly and are prepared for whatever the exam may bring.
How Do Our Brains Like to Learn?
Understanding how our brains learn best might help us revise more efficiently.
Patterns: When we process information, our brains hunt for patterns. When information is organized into patterns that make sense to us, we remember it better. Our brain begins to create patterns as a result of establishing connections between the information, and these patterns assist us in recalling the information more quickly. When trying to remember a lot of information, mind-maps and acronyms come in handy.
Teaching: Teaching others helps your brain organize information by forming shortlists that can be easily recalled when you need them. Teaching also aids in identifying any areas in which you are unsure because if you can’t teach it, you can’t understand it.
Small Groups: Our brains prefer to learn in small groups as well. Cramming is not a smart idea for anyone since too much knowledge overloads the brain, causing the majority of the information to be lost or forgotten. Most people lose focus after more than 30 minutes of focused learning, and their minds begin to wander. If you’re cramming when you should be sleeping, your brain will become fatigued as well.
Sleep: aids in the consolidation and organization of what you’ve learned so that you can recall it when you need to. Sleep should never be overlooked or taken for granted, especially during test season.
Revision timetable: We advocate sticking to a revision timeline to avoid the negative impacts of cramming, running out of time, or feeling worried before an exam. Your revision timetable will tell you where, when, and how long you need to revise each subject so you are prepared and confident when it comes time to write your exams, just like your exam timetable will tell you where, when, and how long you need to revise each subject so you are prepared and confident when it comes time to write your exams.
You will have a better understanding of what you need to complete in the time you have to cover all of the information if you plan out your studies in a revision timetable. If there is a lot, you will know when to begin so that you can finish it all. You’ll also be able to set priorities for the subjects that you believe require greater study time.
