Which Revision Techniques Work Best for You?

Firstly, take this online test to find out what kind of learner you are:

http://www.educationplanner.org/students/self-assessments/learning-styles-quiz.shtml

There are 4 Primary Learning Styles: Auditory, Visual, Verbal, Physical

Most people have a combination of a couple of these. So a mixture of approaches can be helpful, especially if you haven’t found a particular technique that works for you yet.

Let’s break it down:

1. Auditory: Listening is crucial for you
   1. Try Podcasts about your topic
   2. Look for Youtube Videos on the topic
   3. Ask one of your friends to explain concepts to you
   4. Go to lectures (this one might be too late, so go to the revision lecture)
2. Visual: Pictures and diagrams work well for you
   1. Mindmaps are your best friend (start with your notes, then build with extra reading)
   2. Go through your lecture notes and look for diagrams or pictures to analyse
   3. Flow Charts can work really well for you, but be selective with highlighters
   4. Try Colour Coordinating your notes!
3. Verbal: Let’s hope you have patient friends or family!
   1. Discuss topics with friends on the same course as you
   2. Explain a concept to a friend/family member who has no prior knowledge about it
   3. Record yourself repeating your notes (on your phone), then play it back to yourself
   4. Prepare a presentation of your findings (such as how you would answer an essay question) and practice performing it, with pre-selected questions to answer
4. Physical: Great if you work in labs or doing research
   1. Flashcards are really useful- test yourself or get others to question you
   2. Take plenty of breaks when studying, ideally to do physical activity
   3. Combine another activity with studying such as online games
   4. Create charts and diagrams that you can design

Good Luck! Remember the worst thing you can do is get stressed about revising, because studies have shown it’s harder to recall information in this state.

Everyone Should:

            -Take breaks

            -Drink plenty of water

            -Have realistic targets about what they need to study

            -Use as many different resources as possible, including lecturers and friends

            -Stay positive and confident in your abilities (a negative mindset can be detrimental)

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