Top Tips for Revision: Part One

For many students preparing to take their A-Level Sociology exams (or any exams for that matter!) in a few months’ time, the prospect of revision may seem overwhelming.

Government reforms in qualifications have meant that many students taking their A-Levels this summer will have a linear program where the exams will cover two years of content.

Here are three top tips for managing your workload to hopefully help you get the best grades possible whilst maintaining your sanity!

• Start Early

This is easy to say but more difficult to put into practice when you have other commitments; such as your friends, family, sports, a job and other subjects and so on, but getting a head start on your revision can pay off big time.

Here comes the science/research part!

Research produced by the Sutton Trust found that ‘spacing study’ can lead to a greater retention of information, i.e., content is more likely to be stored in your long-term memory. Spacing study out and other strategies that include testing (for instance doing practice exam questions) and self-explanation (which could include rephrasing information from its original) are all excellent ways to retain that information. Another strategy could be to teach someone else the content and they could ask you questions based on what you have said.

• Get Organised

If you find yourself sitting down with the aim of studying only to find yourself faced with piles of notes and unsure where to begin, starting early (see above) will help in terms of managing the workload. If you are able to get hold of some file dividers that’s a great start, but simply putting your notes in order in which you were taught or via the order of the course specification can help give you some perspective about simply what content needs to be revised. It can also give you some priorities, as there may be some content learnt in Year 1/AS that you haven’t looked at for many months…

• Get Outside and Get some Rest

Wherever you set up yourself up for revision; whether it’s your bedroom, dining room, library, coffee shop or at a friend’s house, including adequate rests between study periods is crucial. Your brain can only take so much concentration before it begins to protest and holds its hands up in defeat. So try and get out, such as going for a walk, having a cup of tea or if you are taking a morning/afternoon off, see a movie, read a book, or do some exercise. All of which can help reduce stress and anxiety.