My Six-Step Revision Technique (Including My Revision Plan!)

ellenajacksonn
Jan 4, 2021
5 min read

Updated: Jan 5, 2021

Hello hello hello!

It's been a little while since I've written a blog post because I have been absolutely swamped in uni work, but a few people have asked me about my revision plan for the exams that are coming up in February so I thought it was a pretty good opportunity!

In the process of creating my revision plan, I actually researched the most effective revision techniques (yeah extra, I know), but there are some pretty good studies out there and one, in particular, was pretty surprising! (If you want to look at them yourself, head to the bottom of the page where I've added links.) However, for ease, the main take away points are:

Highlighting = BAD
Re-reading = BAD
Summarising = BAD
Practice testing/active recall = GOOD
Spaced repetition = GOOD

I also watched a bunch of youtube videos of other peoples experiences and people giving advice. My absolute favourite is this one - it's pretty lengthy but so worth the watch! (just put it on 1.25x speed).

So to the nitty-gritty... what do I actually do? (If you watch my Instagram stories, you'll probably have seen my revision plan which shows a little preview to these steps - I've added a download of it below).

Step 1. Making notes

Pretty basic step this one.

I do this whilst watching the lecture and I write everything down but I shorten it. Doing the lectures online is pretty handy because you can pause and rewind so you don't miss anything.

If come across a word I don't understand I highlight that word in a bright yellow colour. For me to highlight a word, I've either never heard of it before, or I've heard it but basically, I'm asking myself 'can I define this word?' and if the answer is no, it gets highlighted.

I don't highlight anything else, even if I think it's "really really important".

Here's a page from my notes where you can see an example:

Step 2. Reading the notes

So when I've decided I'm going to revise a topic, the first thing I do is read the notes of that one lecture all the way through. I don't look anything up or add anything else at this stage. I'm just reading through to get an overall idea and to 'refresh' myself on the topic. I'm also gauging of which areas that have me thinking 'yeah, that makes sense' and the areas where I'm thinking 'what on earth is that?'

Whilst I do this, if I come across other words that I can't define, I highlight them too. I don't highlight whole sentences, or concepts, just singular words.

Step 3. Dealing with the highlighted words

Right, so now I open google, and I type in each highlighted word, one at a time, and read the first few lines that come up to get an understanding of what it means. For example:

I then add a little note next to that word in my notes to explain what it means (as you can see below). Often this helps me completely understand the whole sentence, whereas I wouldn't have before.

Step 4. Watch YouTube videos

So once all the highlighted words are defined, I head to YouTube.

It depends on the topic as to how I handle this step, but often I search either the lecture title or the subheadings within the lecture. I'm looking for videos on the processes and concepts in the lecture to help me understand.

I have a few favourite YouTubers whose content works so well for me (Ninja Nerd Lectures and Sam Webster) so I always start with them.

When I find good videos, I save them to my own youtube playlist for that module. I will add things from these videos into my lecture notes if I feel like they link ideas together or explain something well. I tend to speed the videos up and watch them at 1.25x or 1.5x to speed up the revision process.

This stage is really crucial for getting me to actually understand the content of the lecture. If I understand something and it makes sense to me, it really sticks in my head and half the work is already done.

Step 5. Making Anki flashcards

Now I make flashcards based on my notes.

I use Anki which is a digital flashcard programme. You can either get it as an app (which is a little pricey, but definitely worth it) or you can just use the free web version. You make an account and it will sync your cards so you can access the same flashcards from multiple devices.

I structure my flashcards as questions, not just text on a card, which is important for active recall. The front has a question and the back is the answer. I divide the content up and it usually works out at about 30 flashcards per lecture. I make them specific and short so I can work through them quickly and when I struggle on something, I only have to work on that one fact/concept as oppose to having to recall big chunks of information every time I am trying to recall one specific point.

SIDE NOTE: Why do I think digital flashcards are better?

You can make as many cards as you like
They're quicker to make
You can't accidentally leave them on a train or spill water on them
You can edit them without having to start the whole card again
You don't waste time trying to make them look pretty and perfect
You can take them and do them anywhere as they're on your devices
The software gives you statistics (which I love)

Step 6. Spaced repetition

Once the flashcards are made, I test myself on them. Currently, I am repeating the set of cards for each lecture every two weeks but this will increase in the weeks right before the exam.

When I go through them, I make myself write the answer down before I flip the card so that I can't say to myself 'yeah that's basically what I thought'. I have to get the answer exactly right.

Anki allows you to click how well you did on that card and then it shows you the ones you didn't get again. If you're using physical flashcards, Just make three piles as you're working through them and then go over the bad ones and the medium ones again until you can put them in the good pile.

When I've completed a set, I then look at the statistics page and see the percentage of cards I got right the first time. I add this to a spreadsheet so I can track my progress and identify the lectures I am weakest on.

And that's that. The End.

Some other comments... (because I love talking)

Why does this method of revision work for me?

It works because I initially focus on understanding the content, not just memorising it, which helps it stick in my head.
I incorporate youtube videos because I am a visual learner. (If you don't know what kind of learner you are, find a google quiz this because it really helps direct your study).
Active recall requires brainpower and this repetition of recalling information is basically what you're going to need to do in the exam. Making mistakes is the best way to learn.

General tips and techniques

I can't say it enough times, START STRAIGHT AWAY. Your life will be way easier, you'll have less stress and you'll feel way more prepared.
Look into the 'Pomodoro technique' for studying if you struggle to focus or procrastinate a lot
Create a designated study space that isn't multipurpose
Distinguish between concepts and facts
Identify whether you are actually recalling something or you just recognise it

As promised...

The download of my revision plan:

Here's the link if you want to read the study on revision techniques, but an easier and less time-consuming option would be watching this youtube video (he summaries it pretty nicely).

Thank you for reading! I hope you found this helpful.

Please feel free to send me a message if you have any questions.

Remember, #healthiswealth !

Lots of love,