1. Planning for Exam Revision
This workshop will… 
Explore what feeds into preparing for revision, including the exam itself
Assist you in setting up a revision timetable to aid effectiveness
Offer tips on dealing with procrastination
Louise Livesey
Academic Skills Adviser
13/11/2018
Academic Skills Advice

2. Academic Skills Advice
The Plan…
Being effective in examinations
Common mistakes in revision strategies
Developing a timetable: breaking the day into 6
How to solve procrastination
13/11/2018
Academic Skills Advice

3. Academic Skills Advice
1.Being effective in exams
Be positive
Make time for you and revision
Create the right environment
Know the exam
Identify and apply recall strategies
Use the time in the exam effectively
Treat revision like a job
13/11/2018
Academic Skills Advice

4. Academic Skills Advice
2.Common mistakes in
revision strategies
Activity 1: Common mistakes
Common mistake
What to do:
1. Leaving all revision until the last minute.
Set a date now to start your revision.
Set reminders (in diaries or using mobile devices).
If the exam date is months off, formulate the first ‘units’ you will be revising.
2. Finding there is always something more important to do than revise.
Set short sessions initially, leaving yourself the option of studying longer if you get engaged.
Re-assess personal priorities.
‘Plan’ for your distractions
3. Spending too much time planning revision and too little time actually revising.
Decide on a method for doing your planning and stick with it. Make it quick and visual and easily updatable
Set time aside for this that is ‘extra’
Admin is not learning
4. Meeting other people to revise but spending the time doing other things
Meet in a study space so you will ‘feel’ more like revising
Set an alarm on your phone or other device for the end of the session
Take a list of topics you want to discuss and tick them off as you go through them
5. Avoiding revision because it is boring
Break up revision into different activities of varying lengths of time
Set yourself short tasks to start with and lengthen them each week to build up your tolerance
6. Reading, revising or making notes for some time and not being able to remember much about it
Break revision sessions into smaller sections with specific tasks
Go through your notes at the end of each session to see what you have covered
Don’t just read your notes, transform
7. Spending a long time on the same subject without feeling you are making progress
‘Little and often’: don’t try to cover a whole topic in one session
Start with an overview and then look for details
Set specific goals for each session: e.g. read a chapter, section, or article before taking a break
8. Revising too few subjects
Plan more time to do more revising
Always revise more topics than you originally think you will need
Questions may ask for connections between subjects, so revise more topics than you think you will need
9. Not being able to identify the really key points about each topic
Look for the main schools of thought, theories, models, debates, individuals, etc. to give you a start.
Then, read around these topics
If still unsure, speak to your tutors
10. Revising too much information
Before the exam, filter out any detail you won’t have time to cover in the exam, and go over this material
Click for table answers
13/11/2018
Academic Skills Advice

5. Academic Skills Advice
3.Developing a timetable:
breaking the day into 6 6
Get to grips with what is required and any information from handbooks about what is being tested.
Cover the actual material in a way that supports adequate knowledge recall
Find or create ways to test this recall once the material has been covered.
Click for pictures
13/11/2018
Academic Skills Advice

6. Break the day down into 6 segments
3.Developing a timetable:
breaking the day into 6
Break the day down into 6 segments
Compulsories = external factors giving you no choice e.g. lectures, labs, assignment deadlines, exam dates, paid employment, etc.
Necessaries = must be done but you have some leeway as long as you fit them in e.g. meals, sleep, etc.
Protected time = things that are important to you and your well-being, e.g. gym
Activity 2: Revision timetable
13/11/2018
Academic Skills Advice

7. What stops you from revising?
4.How to solve procrastination
What stops you from revising?
The task seems too big
It’s unpleasant
I am no good at it
I don’t know how to do it
The exam is far off
I am too tired or panicking
Break the subject down
Reward yourself
Revise what you like
Get help
Set a date
Sleep and relax
Click for each answer in turn
13/11/2018
Academic Skills Advice

8. Academic Skills Advice
4.How to solve procrastination
Why are you doing your exams?
13/11/2018
Academic Skills Advice

9. Academic Skills Advice
References
Barrass, R. (2002) Study! 2nd ed. Routledge Study Guides. London, Routledge. Cottrell, S. (2008) The exam skills handbook. Palgrave Study Guides. Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan.
13/11/2018
Academic Skills Advice

10. Academic Skills Advice Service
Where are we? Chesham Building B0.23. Give us a call or come speak to us Monday-Thursday 10am-12pm and 1pm-4pm
Who am I? Louise, the dedicated workshop adviser.
Who can help me with study and writing skills? Lucy and Russell run Instant Study Skills Advice sessions Monday-Thursday and Writing Skills Clinics twice a week. You can also access self-help resources on our webpage.
Who can give me maths advice? Helen and Michael specialise in Maths support for students though clinics and pre-booked appointments.
How do I get in touch? Telephone:
13/11/2018
Academic Skills Advice

11. Academic Skills Advice
Any questions?
13/11/2018
Academic Skills Advice