Revision strategies

Writing Development CentreUniversity Library

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Dr Helen Webster, Dr Caroline CrowOn behalf of the Writing Development CentreRobinson Library

Revision Strategies

For enquiries about workshops, please email [email protected]



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Slides are available online

Slideshare

http://www.slideshare.net/WDCNewcastle



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The Revision Process

select

break

down

Learn

revisit

test

Practise

apply

synthesise

Organise

rework



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What is the purpose of exams?

What do exams test that other forms of assessment don’t?

Pair discussion: List three things which can best be tested by exams rather than other forms of assessment like coursework.



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Knowledge

Understanding

Application

Analysis

Evaluation

Synthesis

ideas

connections

extensions

What do exams test?Bloom’s taxonomy (revised)



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The difference between an exam and a coursework answer

66



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Organise your materials - The Overview

MODULE

Topic 1

Lectures 1-3Textbook ch 2, 4

Topic 2

Lectures 4, 5Textbook ch 8

Topic 3

Lectures 6-8Textbook ch 3, 5

• Do you need to learn all the topics?• Do you need to learn all the content of each topic?



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Selecting and breaking down your core working knowledge

Core Essentials

Useful to know

Nice to know

Redundant info for an exam



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Organise your material: Making connections, spotting overlaps

Subject 1

Subject 2

Subject 3



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Think about one of the modules you’re revising for (and the exam

paper you brought). If you were only allowed to take ten

core pieces of knowledge into the exam, what would they be?

What should be in your store cupboard?



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Mnemonic strategies

How do you ‘learn’ something?• List all the strategies you use• Compare with the person next to you• Remove duplicates• What does this tell you about your

learning preferences?• What new strategy might you try?



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Revising for Memory: process

Storing

Encoding Retrieving



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Revising for memory: Principles

Organise: Chunking

Encode: Mnemonics

Store: Repeating, Overlearning

Spacing

Retrieve: TestingNew contexts



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Revising for Memory: Practices and Preferences

Pictures and visualisations Acronyms and word association Narratives and stories Chunking (into groups of 3-5),

numbering and categorising Personal associations The ‘locus’ method Sound: music, rhythm and rhyme

April 15, 2023



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Different Materials

April 15, 2023



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Revising for higher skills:typical examiners reports

“The forcing of prepared answers on ill-fitting questions substituted too often for fresh and thoughtful adaptation.”

“Some candidates still regurgitate prepared answers regardless of the issue they are asked to address and this was reflected in lower marks.”

“Candidates would do well to remember that this is a test of the ability to write and manage an argument.”

Now you’ve learned your material, what can you do with it?



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Revising for higher skills:

Analyse the exam paper you brought with you. What type of thinking do the questions typically require?

Are they looking for a single right answer, or a range of possible right answers focussing on your reasoning?

How might you practise using your learning in this way?

April 15, 2023



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Revising for Understanding: Active Learning

4 Essential principles:

Select and prioritise (your working knowledge!) Reduce and expand Apply material to questions, test your ability to

explain it Re-work material into another form

Text to bullet points, bullet points to mind-map, mindmap to index cards, index cards to table, table to voice recording, recording to diagram etc

April 15, 2023



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Revising for higher skills: Write your own exam paper

Make up a question in the style of those on your exam paper. What are you mainly going to test?

Apply it for different purposes, imagine different uses

Analyse it, break it down, see how parts relate to one another

Synthesise it with another source or topic Evaluate it – possible approaches, solutions etc

April 15, 2023



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Realistic Time management

Keep working sessions short – take frequent breaks

Do not aim to work excessive hours per day, or much out of your usual routine

Change topic frequently and revisit topics regularly

Get an early night before an exam!

April 15, 2023



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Case Study One:

Matthew’s exams start in two weeks’ time. He also has a dissertation deadline two days before his exams begin. He still has his final chapter and a conclusion to write. He is really worried about fitting effective revision around his other work. He feels overwhelmed by his workload and can’t figure out where to start with his revision. What would you advise him?



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Case Study Two:

Laura’s exams start in ten days time. She has started her revision early, as her marks are currently borderline 2:1 to 1st and really needs this exam to push her over that grade boundary. She’s done a lot of work for a particular module, but doesn’t feel like any of it is going in. She has struggled with this module all semester and doesn’t feel she understands the material. What would you advise her?



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Case study

What are the issues here? What are the causes? What advice would you give?



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The Writing Development Centre

Understanding assignment types, questions, instructions and marking criteria

Critical thinking, critiquing and reviewing literature Note-taking from lectures and reading Planning and structuring writing (incl. paragraphing) Academic writing style (incl. fundamentals of grammar) Understanding and using feedback to improve your work Referencing, citing and avoiding plagiarism Managing time, work and writing (incl. writers block and

procrastination) Exams and Revision Managing research projects, dissertations and theses Presentations and posters Learning effectively in lectures, seminars, classes, labs etc



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The Writing Development CentreLevel 2, Robinson Library

Our team offers:

- One-to-one tutorials on study skills and all stages and types of academic writing

- A programme of workshops on aspects of study and academic writing

- Online resources

You can book appointments and workshops with us online: http://www.ncl.ac.uk/students/wdc/

http://www.ncl.ac.uk/students/wdc/

Education

Revision strategies