How to Revise
We all have preferred ways of learning and revising but there are some tips that may help you make more effective use of your Maths revision time.
1. You have probably heard this before but here goes – Give yourself plenty of time for your revision. Start early with short sessions and build up to more intensive sessions as the exam gets closer. read steps 6 and 7 and start NOW.
2. Find out what you should be revising – which topics will be on the test/exam? Make a list of all the topics involved and make sure you haven’t forgotten any.
3. Make a revision plan based on the list of topics. Start with the hardest topics so you have time to get help with them. It is tempting to spend time doing the easy topics – it makes you feel good but you are wasting time.
4. During revision sessions, have regular breaks to rest your brain. Work for about 60 to 90 minutes at a time then rest.
5. For the topic you are working on, make a summary page containing the key points, formulae, and typical examples. Which formulae do you need to learn and which will be provided in the exam? Which other topics does this one involve?
6. In Maths the key is practice. Doing questions is usually much more effective than reading your notes/textbook.
7. Find questions from previous exam papers or similar to those done in class. Most exam boards have specimen papers on their websites but your teacher can usually provide past papers. If possible get the solutions and mark your answers when you are finished.
8. Do some of the past papers under exam conditions in the allowed time.
9. Keep a record of which topics cause the most difficulty. Adapt your plan to re-visit these topics later. Try to get more information on these topics from your teacher, revision books, or the Internet.
10. Gather all your past papers together and analyze them. Which topics always come up? Are there any patterns to the questions? Which topics tend to be the ones worth the most marks? Here is an example.