Revision Tips

Revising for your professional qualifications

When preparing for exams, it’s important to revise using tried and tested methods. There are a number of techniques which may prove beneficial for those who are looking for exam success. Structure your approach to revision and you’ll reap the benefits of a coherent knowledge base, which will inspire confidence and help you on your way to passes.

Attitude

It’s an obvious point to make that you will be more likely to achieve your goals if you approach your studying with an enthusiastic and disciplined attitude. Any negative thoughts will only distract you from the task in hand, so think positively and commit yourself to a revision routine.

Time Management

There is often a limited amount of time to revise, so in order to make the best possible use of it, many successful examinees construct a timetable for their study. This is useful as it allows you to focus on areas of concern – subjects that will come up in the paper that you know you aren’t completely confident on. If you mix the time you focus on these more difficult areas with the time you spend on subjects you are more familiar with, both will remain fresh in your mind.

Use a timetable to ensure that all bases are covered and you have allocated a suitable amount of time for each topic. The timetable often reduces any panic, as the pre-planning ensures that nothing is missed.

Avoiding Stress

If you keep to your study timetable you’ll find that stress is instantly minimised by the simple fact that you have a reliable system by which to study. There are further ways to lessen the anxiety that comes with the pressure of the exam period.

Breaks are essential to each study session. Popular opinion suggests that it’s best to study for a period you are sure you can sustain and follow that with at least a five-minute break. Your ability to absorb information is limited; you’ll find that the optimum time for soaking up your notes is personal to you. The break that follows will free up your brain before the next period begins.

It’s also important to find a place where you can revise without distraction. Studying at home can often prove to be impractical as phone calls, the presence of home entertainment and unexpected visits can all collude to throw your working schedule. Libraries can provide the silent, work-focused environment that will allow you to concentrate fully on your revision. If you don’t have access to one, think of any space where you can shut yourself off from disturbance in order to give your study full attention.

Stress will only divert you from the job in hand. If you prepare early on and stick to a set study schedule you will find your stress levels greatly reduced. The task ahead will seem like far less of a mountain to climb. As a result, the perspective you gain from knowing where you are in your itinerary will allow your mind to be more receptive to the information you’re trying to absorb.

Effective techniques

Many people find that making and reading study notes is more effective than reading those made by others. The act of making notes is beneficial in itself as it requires you to go back over a topic in its entirety, picking out key points, thus refreshing your memory. Once you’ve made your notes, they’ll be written in a style that you will find easier you interpret, as you will tend towards turns of phrase that you understand directly. Make some revision notes early on and they will prove essential throughout your study period.

Studying in a group is a great way to share information and can be a useful method to use from time-to-time. Speaking with classmates or colleagues can lead to a greater understanding of topics in your upcoming exam and ideas can be bounced from person to person, consolidating each person’s comprehension of a subject. This kind of group-learning also appeals to the part of you that wishes to socialise. Studying alone can become frustrating as you long for a break with friends by studying in groups you can go some way to satiate this desire for company.

When you have read through your notes and know the topics to the best of your ability, past papers can provide an excellent means by which to test what you’ve learned. Speak to your tutor and ask if any are available for you to work from. Setting yourself the same deadline as the time-limit in your upcoming exam will go some way to synthesising the examination conditions and will give you an idea of how you will perform. You’ll get a feeling for the time-period you have to work in and also, when looking back over your answers, you’ll notice areas that can be improved upon.

Preparation

The most important aspect to any of these techniques is that they are all factors in preparing yourself to the best of your ability. Last minute cramming will induce panic. Though it’s possible to take information on board in this way, it won’t have anything like the structure and focus of a planned schedule and may hamper your chances of success. Start early and revise in chunks to save yourself from that level of stress and guarantee yourself the best chance of achieving the grade you deserve.

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