How to revise and prepare confidently for different types of exams and tests...
Why is revision important?
Revision helps you remember what you are learning in your course. The secret to effective revision is doing a little revision often. On the Ebbinghaus (1964) Forgetting Curve below the white line shows how easily the brain forgets information. Just one day after a lesson most people will have forgotten more than 50% of what was covered and a month later will remember less than 5%.
Note. The forgetting curve (Mindtools, n.d., What is the forgetting curve? section)
However, regular revision throughout the term will help you prepare confidently for exams and assignments. It will improve your grades and make exam preparation easier. The graph below shows how you can remember more if you revise for short periods, over time.
Note. Using spaced learning to combat the forgetting curve (Mindtools, n.d., Spaced learning section)
Routine is good for effective revision. Organise yourself well. You could arrive on campus 30 minutes before each class and go to the library to revise the last lesson, or try revising every night after dinner. Variety is important -- Use different active learning strategies like a study group, making a chart -- or asking yourself questions and answering. (See the ideas on the Active learning tab.) Do not merely memorise facts, but be sure you understand the key ideas well enough to explain them.
How to revise? Keys:
Start early
Understand what kind of test questions you are preparing for
Make a study plan of time and topics
Be productive with your time. Don't copy or reread -- actively learn the new information -- make it your own, in a way that works for you
Throughout the term |
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A few weeks before the exam |
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In the week before the exam |
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On the day of the exam |
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Victoria University Hauora series: NZ university students share exam study tips
Leaning module: How to prepare for an exam from Massey University Centre for Teaching and Learning
Study strategies booklet What can I do to prepare for exams? including tips for different types of exam questions from University of Otago Higher Education Development Centre
Ebbinghaus, H. (1964). Memory: A contribution to experimental psychology. Dover. Reprint edition.
Mindtools. (n.d.). The forgetting curve: Why we forget and what we can do about it. https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/forgetting-curve.htm
Image credit: Possessed Photography. (2019, September 8). Rerouting [Photograph]. Unsplash. https://unsplash.com/photos/0La7MwJhSyo