An efficient revision programme can work wonders for your confidence and help you to enter the exam room in a positive and energetic frame of mind. A careful consideration of what the exam is likely to confront you with can help you to avoid panic and remain focused on the questions, because you know that you have a good command of the material. You therefore need to set up a programme for your revision which will allow you to organize your knowledge and sort out any weaknesses in your learning.
Probably your teachers will have shown you past exam papers, but, if not, you can find them on the internet. Get to understand the format of the paper, the type of questions which will confront you and the amount of time you can spend on each one. There are central topics in all subjects and papers, so begin by making sure you have these under control. Go back through your classroom notes and check that you understand everything you covered earlier in the year, and if you find something you are unsure about, now is the time to go over it again. You will be penalised for not answering a question you have chosen on the paper, so make sure you choose topics you are sure about. You won’t get away with subverting the question and writing about something else you have prepared instead.
Building on your knowledge
Build a stock of key facts, vocabulary, quotations or whatever. Good marks go to essays that demonstrate the truth of an argument, rather than just stating it. Examiners are looking for good understanding rather than simple powers of recall, so, again, engage with the question and use your revised material to give substance to your answer.
Start revising early. Cramming at the last minute is not reliable and does not give you the spread of knowledge and understanding the exam is looking for. Pace yourself. Get to understand your own stamina in revising and stop when you feel yourself losing the power to concentrate. Decide when in the day you are best able to do revision and set up a routine based on this timetable. Have short breaks quite frequently. There is no evading the fact that there will be a lot of work to do and careful planning and timing will help you to avoid collapsing in a stressed panic.
When you have completed the revision of a topic, try writing an exam-type essay, and do it in the time available in the actual exam. You will learn from this the technique of saying a lot in a short time. Try doing it without your notes. When you find you can do a pretty good job of this, you will find that you are ready to face the real thing. Head to the revision section of our site for subject-by-subject guides.
