Revision Skills: how to make your revision effective

DECEMBER is here and exams are closer than ever. The Counselling Service in University of Sheffield invited all under- and postgraduate students to a workshop on Tuesday, 30 November in 317 Glossop Road. The topic of the two-hour workshop was 'Revision skills'.

Here are some tips introduced:

PART 1: Preparing for the revision

• Don't leave revision till the last minutes. It is said that you should start revision six weeks before the first exam.
• Decide where you are going to study. A familiar quiet place works well. Sometimes a change of scene could be helpful as well. The bed is not the best place to study, our brain is confused.
• Order the material. Handouts, photocopies, coursework are grouped by topic or section.
• Think what would you like to achieve in this period.
• Think what you need to revise and what you don't need to revise (Not all of the things you have been talked will be in exams).
• See previous exam papers. You should be familiar with the style of the questions.

PART 2: How to avoid procrastination , e.g. in case of an assignment you don't like to deal with

• Name your feeling, e.g. What do I avoid?
• Use cognitive reasoning, e.g. Why do I avoid it?
• Divide it into manageable tasks, little bit at time.
• Focus on what you have done and not what you haven't done.

PART 3: Tips for effective revision

• Learn the most difficult material when you are alert (depends on when you prefer to study, e.g. in the morning/evening times).
• Exercising reduces stress.
• Breaks are really important. After 25-minutes study take a 10-minute break.
• Use your imagination to develop your revision skills:  i/ visualise the data you have to learn or ii/ build a fake story which applies to what  you have to learn.
• Sing! Don't you ever wonder why do we remember song lyrics so easily? Replace the lyrics of your favourite song with the material you have to learn. Extreme, ah?
•  Use all senses when you revise (especially eyes, ears, touch).
• Use colours to underline.
• Classical/Indian music helps concentration. 
• Couple of days before the exam we shouldn't revise anything NEW.
• Remember! Memory works better with organisation and association (association is when things you learn are linked to things you already know).
• Drink plenty of water. Avoid caffeine and alcohol.
• Get plenty of sleep.
• Eat well to feed your brain. 
• Activities like yoga and meditation can also be helpful.

Good Luck and try to be as creative as it gets with your revision!