How To Effectively Revise For Your GCSEs | Different Methods Of Revising

Note taking has been my go to method when it comes to revision which you can see in the picture. I like to organise my format of note taking using the Cornell method which is just dividing your page into three sections. One small column for questions and short, brief notes. A larger section for your actual notes and a bottom section for a summary on your notes. (I would advise you to summarise all your notes nearer the date of your exams as a quick re cap). 

Your notes do not need to be Pinterest-inspried amazing or be super neat. They need to be clear and concise. To actively revise from notes:

1. Highlight it according to whatever a key you want to. Pink for general knowledge, yellow for dates, green for things you need to memorise etc...

2. Re-type your notes after highlighting it. I know - that's loooong. But it reinforces your memory to learn it.

3. Print out your typed up notes and go over it in pencil and concise your notes further. Cross out things that you feel is irrelevant or just unneeded. Always ask yourself "Is there a possibility of them asking me this"? That should help you know what to cross out.

4. Transfer your new, reformed notes onto flashcards and test yourself. There you go - you've reduced your notes into something that's brief but informative. Plus you've got your previous notes to go over anything you're not sure on

Make sure to purchase flashcards that are made from card, not paper. You can even make your own but just be sure to use card. Possibly see if you can borrow some from your art class/department or see if someone who does art GCSE can get card for you. Using card will mean your notes will last longer and are not as transparent as using normal paper. To actively revise from flashcards:

1. Test yourself numerous times a week. There's legit no point in revising from flashcards if you don't constantly go back to them. I personally feel that I learn so much by constantly going back to them every other day.

2. Let someone else test you. You will feel more compelled to learn the information as you cannot trick yourself into thinking that you know it. Someone else will catch you out for your mistakes enabling you to learn the content better.

3. Treat it like a game :). It will cause you to be more motivated if you feel like there's a possibility of you finding revision to be fun. Buy grapes - eat a grape for any flashcard you get right. (I really don't know guys LOL, just do whatever works for you!)

4. Do a quiz from it. If you pass a quiz, it means you know the content well. Make a quiz and find out if you know your content well enough!

5. Stick them around your room if possible. Seeing something everyday will cause you to remember it eventually.

Overall, RE READ YOUR FLASHCARDS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE/AS DAILY AS POSSIBLE. You will be so surprised at what you will retain once entering that exam hall.

Photo from: stockphoto.io

A3 or A4 - revising from posters is great and has many benefits. I used this method religiously in Year 10 for my biology GCSE and I got an A so definitely try to incorporate some form of posters in your revision.

1. Use a reasonable size depending on the information you're recording. A3 for a topic e.g P5: Electric circuits. A4 for a specific part of the unit you don't get e.g. Static electricity.

2.Highlight your poster the same way you would your notes. However highlight it according to what you do and do not know. For example: Pink - you know it, Yellow- Keep forgetting it but you roughly know it, Blue- Have no clue!)

3. Put it all over your room.

4. Make flashcards from them or watch YouTube videos for sections you don't yet understand.

Personally, I don't use posters as much as I did in the past but I would suggest using them if you've got a large unit you need to break down and understand.

This has to be my favourite one so far. It's simple and can be used to retain SO much information. I don't know about you guys, but in my school, we learn via PowerPoint. Creating my own has enabled me to treat it like an actual lesson causing me to remember the content a lot better. To actively revise via creating your own PowerPoint:

1. Gain your information from various sources. Don't rely on just the CGP or a specific website - get your information from different places and combine it into one PowerPoint. You don't know if certain content will be missed from using 1 specific source of info.

2. Teach others from your PowerPoint. This method of revision I promise will allow you to retain a good 90% of the information you trying to memorise. Why? Because to teach others the content means you know the content back to back. Not only can you help others but you can also help yourself. Thoroughly explain to the person the information. Ask them if they have any questions - anything you forget or don't mention - you need to learn it.

3. Add pictures/sounds/special effects to engage with your mind. You don't have to draw anything, all you have to do is add your choice of pictures/sounds from the internet and it will get you actively thinking and memorising. You will remember a picture better than a page of words - add things to your PowerPoint other than words.

4. Regularly read your PowerPoint/teach it. It's the BEST way to revise because you WILL retain most of what you write on the PowerPoint. 

1. Use many methods to revise, don't just rely on one. I've given you four, if you know anymore - feel free to use those. You should be using at least 3 different methods to get your brain to wrap around the content better

2. Don't overdo it. One regret I have is giving myself a lot to do. As we speak, there's 5 other documents I need to create for notes , pages of french vocabulary I need to record on flashcards and I mountain pile of notes to write/highlight. Realistically give yourself a reasonable goal.

3. Don't stress if you don't get everything done. You know more than you think you do - work hard but don't over work yourself ! xx

4. When you enter the exam, relax. Don't panic, just chill. Of course write quickly, read the question cautiously and skim the page every so often that there's no silly mistakes - but just don't panic.

5. Know your limit - there's only so much you can do.

P.S. Making revision content is NOT actual revising. Writing notes or flashcards I would say is just getting the information. You need to RE-visit the information numerous of times and actively learn from it to know it. Writing notes on the carbon cycle is only going to get you so far - doing a quiz on your notes, making a poster, along with some flashcards will solidify the information and transfer it to your long term memory.

I didn't plan for this to be so lengthy but I really wanted to just get everything down to help anybody that might be struggling. We're almost at the finishing line and its been a long journey! Don't give up now, you're soooooooooooo close! GCSEs are important, no doubt. But they're not everything. Don't allow them to take over your life - your health comes first :D
Have a great day to all my hardworking females and males!
"There is no elevator to success. You have to take the stairs." -PictureQuotes.com

Simply, Jessy Tee