GCSE Revision Tips
You can improve your chances of success in this year’s
public examinations by revising thoroughly. It is
important to remember that your short term memory is
a bit like a wastepaper bin; if it gets too full then
information falls out and is lost. Therefore, it is a myth
“that you revise better the night before an exam”, in
fact, all you are doing is remembering information and
facts for a short while and you are not understanding
the information or learning how to apply it and this is
what you are expected to do to achieve the higher exam
grades.
Nobody likes to revise, it is something that you just have
to get on and do. Motivating yourself to revise is in fact one of the toughest things you
have to do. To make it worse, there is no immediate benefit; you have to sit there for
hours, for an exam that seems ages away and the results do not come out until the end of
the summer. Think about why you need to pass your GCSEs and what impact they will
have on your future life and career. No one has done worse in an exam because they have
revised. In fact, revision can only improve your chances of success!
Getting your GCSEs means:
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You can get on the course that you want
You can move on to get further qualifications that will help you get the career you
want
You can get a job with good prospects
You will feel good about yourself and your achievements
Your friends and family will be proud of your achievements.
Failing your GCSEs means:
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You may have to retake them
You may not get onto the course you want to take
You may not get a job with good prospects immediately and will have to start lower
down the ladder, with a lower wage
You may feel angry with yourself for not trying harder
Your friends and family may be disappointed in you.
This booklet is packet with lots of tips and advice to help you plan your revision programme.
It is also important to remember that everyone is different and what works for one person
may not work for you. Before you start revising you need to ask yourself the following
questions:
General learning approach:
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What type of learner am I?
Am I a morning / afternoon or night-time person?
Do I work better in silence or with background noise?
Do I work better on my own or working with others?
For each subject:
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Have I looked at the syllabus and know what topic areas I need to know?
Do I know exactly what topics I can do and which ones I find more challenging?
Have I got a glossary of terms for each topic area?
Do I know what my case study examples are?
Do I have examples of past questions and how the marks were allocated?
The answers to these questions should enable you to tailor your revision programme to your
own individual needs. Remember that there is nothing wrong in asking for help if it is
required. Simply asking questions means that at this moment in time you do not understand
the information, it does not mean that in the future you will not be able to do it.
What type of learner am I?
Information goes into the brain via our senses:
• SIGHT
• TOUCH
• SMELL
• TASTE
• SOUND
We think about it and then make sense of it. There is a difference between KNOWING and
UNDERSTANDING
The brain is divided into 2 parts: RIGHT and LEFT side
The Brain
RIGHT
IMPORTANT!!!! When you are feeling
negative, frightened or scared the brain
stops information getting in.
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• Patterns
• Intuition
• Seeing the whole
picture
• Creativity
Believe you can rather than can’t
do it
Visualise the situation
Relax – write down your goals, produce an action plan and
congratulate yourself when you have been successful
Get organised
Get fit for learning
Some people in new situations respond mainly by sensing and feeling
their way. They concentrate on the uniqueness of the actual experience.
They get involved in the situation and perceive through their senses.
They are INTUITIVE.
Left
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Step by step logic
Words
Thinking in detail
Speech and language
Other people think things through and then analyse what is happening. They reason the
experience and approach situations LOGICALLY.
Processing Information
After we perceive, we then PROCESS the information. Some of us WATCH and REFLECT
while others try to JUMP IN and HAVE A GO.
Doers:
• They act immediately and reflect only after they have tried it out
• They need to do it to make it theirs
• They need to act, to get results, to see results.
Watchers:
• They reflect on new things
• They filter them through their own experiences to create meaning in a slow,
deliberate choosing of perspective
• They need to internalise.
Types of Intelligence
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
LINGUISTIC
MATHEMATICAL and LOGICAL
VISUAL and SPATIAL
KINAESTHETIC
MUSICAL
INTERPERSONAL
INTRAPERSONAL
Once you have decided what type of learner you are then you can match your revision
methods to your learning style. The table below gives a variety of activities you can use to
help you revise.
Learner type
Is good at
Learns best by
Activities
Linguistic
Reading, writing and
stories
Memory games
Saying, hearing and
Trivia quizzes
seeing words
Stories.
Logical /
mathematical
Solving puzzles,
exploring patterns,
reasoning and logic
Asking questions,
categorising and
working with
patterns
Puzzles
Problem solving.
Visual /
Spatial
Drawing, building, arts
and crafts
Visualising, using
the mind's eye
Flashcards
Colours
Pictures
Drawing
Project work.
Musical
Singing, listening to
music and playing
instruments
Using rhythm, with
music on
Using songs
Chants.
Bodily /
Kinaesthetic
Moving around, touching
Moving, touching
things and body
and doing
language
Interpersonal Mixing with others,
Co-operating,
Action songs
Miming
Mingle activities
Learner type
Is good at
leading groups,
understanding others
and mediating
Intrapersonal
Naturalistic
Learns best by
working in groups
and sharing
Activities
Group work
Debates
Discussions.
Working alone and
pursuing own interests
Working alone
Working individually
on personalised
projects
Nature
Working outside
and observing
nature
Environmental
projects.
General Tips on the revision process:
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Frequent, short intensive spurts of revision are better than prolonged slogging.
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Individual topics should be studied, then read and written about in order to fully
understand their significance.
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Rewriting your notes is not revision, you need to be able to apply your information i.e.
use it to answer a question.
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Set aside specific times to work and don’t allow yourself to get distracted or
interrupted.
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Use all resources possible, seek assistance and support from anyone outside who
maybe able to help you.
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Organise your files and books, break your work up into manageable sections and work
systematically.
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Seek help from your teachers.
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Do something enjoyable between revising. But don’t treat yourself by eating
chocolate and junk food as this will only cause you to pile on the pounds and make
sure you go back to revising.
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Use tape recorders, notes and past papers and enlist help from friends and family
for 'tests' on factual matter – create your own mastermind quiz at home.
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Eat and sleep well. Try to get eight hours sleep regularly and think about your diet.
You will not do any better if you are hungry or tired.
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Be careful to work on all areas, not just the ones you know and like! It's so easy to
ignore the 'horrible bits' and they often crop up in the exams. Don't take chances.
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If your mind starts drifting - stop - take a break.
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Try not to be frightened of stress, but to see it as a positive force - after all, it
keeps you on your toes mentally, and can help you focus on the task in hand.
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Learn to recognise when you're stressing out, and understand its causes. Often, a
break or a chat with someone who knows the pressure you're under will get things
into perspective.
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Avoid comparing your abilities with your mates. Everyone approaches revision in
different ways, so just make sure you've chosen the method that works best for you.
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Panic is often triggered by hyperventilating (ie quick, shallow breaths). So if you feel
yourself losing it during the exam, sit back for a moment and control your breathing.
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Steer clear of any exam 'post-mortem'. Learning how other people got on can lead to
worry about under-achieving.
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Ultimately, don't lose sight of the fact that there is life after exams. Things might
seem intense right now, but it won't last forever.
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Don't panic, don't worry - JUST DO YOUR BEST!
Revision Timetable: See the example below
Mon
Tues
Wed
Thur
Fri
Sat
Sun
3.30 –
4.00
4.00 –
4.30
4.30 –
5.00
5.00 –
5.30
5.30 –
6.00
6.00 –
6.30
6.30 –
7.00
7.00 –
7.30
7.30 –
8.00
8.30 –
9.00
Maths
Sci
Opt A
Phil
Opt B
Eng
Maths
Sci
Opt D
Opt C
Sci
Eng
Maths
Eng
Opt A
Opt A
Opt A
Eng
Maths
Sci
Opt B
Opt C
Phil
Opt C
Maths
Tea
Tea
Tea
Tea
Tea
TV
TV
Club
TV
Out
Opt C
Opt D
Club
Sci
Out
TV
Opt B
Club
TV
Out
Opt D
TV
Opt C
Opt A
Out
10 –
10.30
10.30 11
11 –
11.30
11.30 12
2.30 –
3.00
3.00 –
3.30
3.30 –
4.00
4.00 –
4.30
4.30 –
5.00
5.00 –
5.30
Maths
Family
Eng
Family
Sci
Phil
Opt A
Opt D
Opt B
Eng
Out
Maths
Out
Opt C
Out
Sci
Out
TV
Out
TV
The odd hour here and there isn't enough. Make a weekly schedule / revision plan you can
stick to, with a daily outline that includes times for breaks and meals, clubs, sporting events,
study time and your leisure/recreation. Be honest, you can’t study all the time – it’s all about
not wasting your time. Work out the best times for you to study – some people work better
in the mornings others late at night. Don't overdo it. Your concentration lapses after a
couple of hours, so take regular breaks
Either do revision of the HW for that subject. Make sure you stick to the timetable! Don’t
just waste you time by spending ages creating a colourful timetable and then not following it.
Why not stick it on the kitchen fridge and have an agreement with your parents; they can
only nag you about revision if you are not doing what the timetable says. If they find you
watching the TV when you should be working then they can tell you to get on with your work
BUT you mustn’t grumble or sulk – a deal’s a deal.
One solid session
4 shorter sessions
The yellow area
shows the
improvement.
Revision Techniques – Prior Preparation Prevents Poor Performance!
REVISION
WEBSITES
TEXTBOOKS
REVISION
NOTES
REVISION
CDS
Computer
Reading
TEACHERS
PARENTS
STUDENTS
Speaking
DIAGRAMS
Visual
TEACHERS
AUDIO
TAPES
POSTERS
Revision
Method
Listening
STICKY
NOTES
Practical
REVISION
GUIDES
Commercial
Aids
REVISION
COURSES
REVISION
NOTES
Looking /
Watching
CDS
VIDEO
Writing
REVISION NOTES
REVISION CARDS
TV /
BITESIZE
PAST QUESTIONS
Organise your notes:
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Sort through your notes – write revision notes / revision topic cards / sort the
information into smaller manageable sections (see revision methods)
Learn the glossaries of terms
Get an overview of your subject by reading your notes
Check areas you are less sure of – ask for help if it is needed, people and staff
really want to help you!
1. Revision notes: Rewrite your notes. The theory is
that you'll learn the information as you write but
remember that you wrote them once before and may
not have learnt the information. Some times it helps
because you have got a better understanding of the
whole course and can see how information fits or links
together. Be brief by condensing your notes onto one
side of paper. Highlight key areas using colours and
symbols. Visuals help you remember the facts.
2. Produce your own questions: Look at your information
and then turn it into a series of questions rather that a
block of information. If you can answer the questions
then you know your stuff, if not, it focuses your attention to the information you don’t
understand. It also helps as it makes you understand what the examiner might ask you to do.
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Create a pile of questions cards for each topic you are revising. Write a question or
term on the front of each card, and on the back write the key facts about the
answer.
Use your notes and text as a resource, but put the answer in key facts and in your
own words if you can.
Shuffle the cards.
Pick a card off the top of the pile. Try to write down an answer to the question or
explain the term.
Check your answer against the key facts on the back of the card. If you have all the
points correct then put the card to the side. If you have made a mistake, or missed
out key facts then you need to revise that topic further. Look up the topic and see
what information you have missed out. Put the card back at the bottom of the pile.
You can carry these cards with you everywhere. Test yourself while you're on the
bus, having a coffee etc.
3. Make posters: Once you have summarised your notes
stick copies of them all around your bedroom, kitchen or
toilet. Make posters with illustrations about the key words
in each topic.
4. Revision topic cards: Fold an A4 sheet of paper into 4.
This makes you have to put down only the key facts and
words. Labelled diagrams are very useful. Key these in an
envelope and then they can be taken anywhere. If you have
any spare time you can quickly skim through them.
An example of a revision card.
5. Labelled diagrams: Visual stimulation can really help some people revise. Sometimes images
will stay in your brain more than words do. Using your note-taking cards as a source, create a
new set of cards with just labeled diagrams. Instead of summarising your revision notes in
words, summarise them using diagrams and symbols.
When you are in your exam and trying to remember facts, visualise the diagrams and symbols
that you created – these should help you remember the facts.
6. Flash cards: To help you learn you glossaries. Knowing your vocabulary doesn’t just apply
modern languages, but to all the subjects you are studying. Try making sets of cards to help
you remember vocabulary and terminology.
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Write a set of index cards for each topic. Write the word on the front, and the
definition on the back.
For each word, try coming up with a specific visual example to help you remember the
meaning.
If the topic is very big, you could categorise the words into sub-categories.
Choose a different topic to look at every day. Shuffle the cards and test yourself, or
get someone else to test you.
7. Mind maps and flow diagrams: A mind map is a stylised spider diagram that contains
information in the form of pictures and text. Mind maps can be used to plot information
about different topics in any subject. When you create a mind map, try using lots of colour
and include diagrams and sketches. This makes the information more interesting to your
brain and hopefully makes your revision more enjoyable.
How to create a mind map
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In the centre of a piece of landscape paper put the name of the topic you are
creating a mind map about.
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Now draw the main topic branches. These need to contain the main categories of
information that will be included in your diagram. You could use subjections of the
topic, or if it is an essay try the: What? When? Why? Where? So What? technique.
Now add the detail on to your map. Once you’ve added details and diagrams, try to see
connections and themes in your notes. If one area has a lot of notes on it, start a new mind
map specially for that area.
Impacts
+/Goods
Services
Habitat
Secondary Industry
Nutrient cycle
Location
Water
Carbon Cycle / Green lungs
How
Purpose:
Conserve
Protect
Sustain
Settlement
Usage
Food chain
Who
Biodiversity
Type
Energy
Primary
Productivity
Structure
Physical
Human
GRASSLANDS
TEMPERATE &
TROPICAL
Soil
Rock
As a System
Layering
Land
Abundance
Labour
Solar
energy
Weather & Climate
Why
Management
Agriculture
Chemicals
Abiotic Factors
Biotic Factors
Machinery
Capital
Lithosphere
As a System
Biosphere
Atmosphere
Hydrosphere
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If you can, use pictures and diagrams with your notes to help your visual memory.
Use different colours for different themes.
Try testing your memory of the mind map by starting with a new piece of paper and
trying to recreate the mind map exactly. When you compare it to the original you may
have missing information – this may be information that you need to review again.
If your mind map is getting too big for one piece of paper – stick more paper to the
original piece.
8. Mnemonics: R ichard Of York Gave Battle In Vain. This one helps you to remember the
order of the colours in the rainbow – red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet. A
mnemonic is a short rhyme, phrase, or other mental technique for making information easier
to memorize.
You can do the following things to make your mnemonics more memorable:
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Use positive, pleasant images. The brain often blocks out unpleasant ones.
Use vivid, colourful, sense-laden images - these are easier to remember than drab
ones Use all your senses to code information or dress up an image.
Remember that your mnemonic can contain sounds, smells, tastes, touch, movements
and feelings as well as pictures.
Give your image three dimensions, movement and space to make it more vivid. You can
use movement either to maintain the flow of association, or to help you to remember
actions.
Exaggerate the size of important parts of the image.
Use humour! Funny or peculiar things are easier to remember than normal ones.
Similarly rude rhymes are very difficult to forget!
i.e. Physical factors in geography CGRAPHS (Climate, geology, relief, nAtural hazards,
plants/animals, hydrology and soils)
9. Make a revision tape you can play: Try putting important points, quotes and formulae onto
tape. If you hear and read them, they are more likely to sink in. Make up songs relating to
the information you have to learn. Try chanting out lists of information.
10. Reading out loud: During your revision you will have used lots of different methods to
create useful revision notes – try reading them out loud to help them stick in your memory.
Reading out loud means that you hear the information as well as see it. If you are reading
notes in your head you may skip words or skim read. When you read out loud, make sure you
read every word.
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Read different things - your notes, textbook chapters, quizzes about information,
your mind maps.
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Try stopping during your reading to test yourself by writing down notes on what you
have just read, or trying to recite dates etc.
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Talk out loud – explain science theories to your dog; tell your plants how you
remember mathematic equations, inform your walls about historic events! Explaining
or telling a story forces you to organise your thoughts.
11. Use colours: To help you remember important information like key terms, dates, people,
events. Create a colour-coding key. For example - Red could be
important dates, Green could be important facts, Blue could be
important people etc.
Once you start using it to colour code all of your notes, you will help
your visual memory.
12. Put information into tables or bullet point lists: This is very
helpful if you are a mathematical or logical learner. You can even put
English information into tables and numbered lists.
Learn and recall your knowledge
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Memorise information sufficiently by understanding what it means
Test your understanding by recalling the information under exam conditions – apply
the information to exam questions
Understand what the examiner is expecting you to know and how the marks
are allocated:
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Look at the structure of the course i.e. what topics you need to know and what
combinations of topics you will need to know. This can be done by looking at the exam
syllabus.
Know how many papers you will sit, how long each lasts and what percentage of the
final marks is allocated to that paper.
Understand what the command words mean.
General tips for preparing for the exam:
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Do you know when your exams are – date /venue and times?
Do you know how many papers you will sit?
Do you have the correct equipment for each exam – calculator / anthology?
During the exam:
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Do not arrive late, give yourself time to mentally prepare for the exam.
Look at the instructions on the front.
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Do you know how many questions you have to answer and from which sections, for
each paper?
Make sure you have the right paper and tire of entry
Read the questions carefully and look at how many marks are allocated to each
question
Make sure you answer the question asked and have not waffled about the general
topic area
Underline the command term and the technical term
Try to answer all questions
At the end read through your answers, as marks are awarded for spelling etc.
If you use a table or diagram to answer your answer remember to say the diagram
below explains …..
Keep an eye on the time
Answer the questions carefully and neatly.
A Glossary of the Meaning of Key Command Words
Using examples..., explain what is meant by... A definition of a key term required plus an
example - drawn from any evidence or the case study - helps to support the explanation.
Know your definitions!
Explain... This command word may require a definition but will also require some
development of the point or points being asked. You therefore need to give a little detail
about the term or issue being questioned. Look at the remainder of the question to make a
judgement about how much detail to give and where the detail needs to be focussed. If the
question asks you to explain TWO factors or ONE factor make sure you do as you are asked give two factors or one but not more than that asked for!
Discuss... This is a higher order command word. You would be expected to put both sides of
a case or an issue/argument in your answer and to make some evaluative comment about the
factors you are discussing. For example, you might be expected to comment on how serious a
problem external costs of congestion are in city centres or how important branding is in a
marketing strategy of a firm.
Assess..., To what extent..., How far... All these are evaluation command words. Here
you are expected to present judgements of the factors you raise - are they significant? How
important are they? Why are they important or significant? In many cases you will have to
consider the 'it depends' clause. What this means is that you need to consider that your
answer may depend on a range of factors that the context might be able to give you. For
example, if you are asked to consider the extent of the impact on a firm of a rise in interest
rates the answer will depend on how big the rise in the rates are - if it is only a ¼%, then
perhaps the effect will only be tiny. It might also depend on the amount of loans the company
has - if it only has a gearing ratio of 10% then a rise in the interest rate may only have a
minor effect, if it has a gearing ratio of 65% then the impact would be much more severe.
Not enough students consider this 'it depends' factor in their answers!
Examine... Another higher order command word. You will be expected to do some analysis
and to make some judgement about the points you are examining. There will be an element of
analysis inherent in such an answer and also some evaluative comment. You are seeking to
develop the points you raise and may be expected to offer balance in your answer. 'Examine'
implies some detail, some reflection on the point or issue or some scrutiny of the matter in
hand.
Describe... Tell a story. A description suggests that you convey a mental image or give an
account of something. This tends to be a lower order skill. You might for example be asked to
describe the trends in a graph or a piece of data. In such a case you would have to convey to
the reader what is happening in the data - is the variable rising or falling or is it static? If it
is rising or falling, how quickly is it rising or falling, etc.
Consider... Another higher order command word. You would be expected to offer some
detail about an issue, event or whatever and to deliberate about the value of that
issue/event. If you are asked to 'consider the impact of...,' then you would need to describe
what the impact was and then to say what effect it had - this involves the 'it depends' rule
again. The significance of the impact will depend upon...
Why... Offer some reasons, factors, causes as to some occurrence, action or event. Why did
the managing director decide to introduce the new shift pattern? You would be expected to
give the reasons for his or her decision - to improve productivity, to improve production, to
meet new demand, etc.
Compare... Point out the similarities and the differences between two or more factors.
Contrast... Point out the differences only between two factors/issues, etc.
Identify..., Give... A lower order skill, this requires you to pick out some key factors and
name them.
Demonstrate..., Show... To describe or illustrate how some relationship or event has
occurred.
Outline... A knowledge based skill, requiring the identification of a point and some brief
development as opposed to 'explain' which requires more detail.
Suggest... Make a judgement and give some support or reason for your suggestion.
Calculate... Work out a numerical question, always show how you have worked out your
answer and give appropriate formulas in your answer. Don't take short cuts with these
questions - you can miss marks as a result!
Evaluate... Again, this involves making judgements. In so doing, you might be expected to
distinguish between fact and opinion. Look at the extract or evidence you are given and make
some judgements about who is saying what, when, where and to who - this might make a
difference to your answer. Often a useful way of helping to arrive at a judgement!
Comment... This requires you to give a judgement on an issue by considering the issues
relevant to it.
You can’t choose your family!
Some people are terrified of disappointing their parents. Often this is a self-imposed
pressure, while others feel their folks have expectations which exceed their own. If you
feel as if your mum/dad are on your back then talk to them. Clear the air to clear your head.
If you treat parents like adults they will reciprocate.
Advice for parents:
Dos
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Ask your child what areas/subjects he wants help with.
Make your child feel you're there for him physically and emotionally.
Organise some 'non-study' activities for him.
Encourage your child with praise and rewards. Make your child's environment
revision-friendly.
Don'ts
• Force your child to revise in a way you think best.
• Put any extra pressure on him.
• Keep telling your child how much better organised you were about revision when you
were that age!
Food for thought
Eating a variety of healthy foods doesn't just give your body a boost; it also benefits your
brain cells. Skipping meals may well give you extra cramming time, but it can also leave you
hungry and unable to concentrate, so eat regularly and sensibly. Think wholemeal sarnies and
fruit, rather than cakes and biscuits!
Brain Fuel
Bread, pasta, cereals and potatoes are filling and
packed with starchy carbohydrates, which release
energy slowly, meaning you can keep going for longer.
• Fruit and vegetables give you essential vitamins and
minerals. Aim for at least five portions a day.
• Food like pasties, chips and crisps are high in fat.
Unless you want to
emerge from your room
looking like Jabba the Hutt, keep 'em for treats.
Drink plenty of fluids. Dehydrated brains don't think
clearly and water is healthier than sweet, fizzy drinks.
Meat, fish, pulses, milk and dairy foods are good
sources of protein. Moderate amounts are essential
for a healthy diet.
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Exercise
Staying hidden away in your bedroom can often seem like the best
option when revision time is short. But a bit of the great outdoors
can blow the cobwebs away and help you relax. If you can't get out,
at least get up and out of your chair for a stretch and a wander.
Better still, go for a swim or put those footie boots on and give
your mind and body a workout.
Everyone hits moments of panic during exam time, but keep things
in perspective and you'll stay in control.
Ways To Beat Stress
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Organise a night out with your mates.
Put your favourite music on and pump up the volume.
Rent videos, order pizza and crash out on the sofa.
Go shopping and treat yourself.
Do some exercise or sport.
Keep to your revision plan
If you don’t understand then ask
Talk to people – many young people get stressed but think that they are the only one.
Speak to your parents, tutor, pastoral assistant or Connexions
Under Pressure:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Stick to fulfilling your potential, not other people's expectations.
Ask for help if you need it.
Take time out and relax, it will pay off.
Focus on yourself, not on what anyone else thinks or does.
Remember, this is not your only chance to prove yourself.
Believe in yourself, you've got no reason not to.