How To Revise Effectively For University Exams

Exam season is almost upon us, so you might already be fully immersed in the world of revision - but if you're not quite up to speed yet, you may be wondering how to revise effectively for your university exams. 

Thankfully, there are a number of simple steps you can take to make sure your revision is the most effective it can be, helping you to retain as much information as possible without burning yourself out.

Whether you’re a first or final year student, here are our top tips on how to revise effectively for university exams…

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Create a revision plan

It may be tempting to dive straight into revision without forming a plan beforehand, but it can soon become very difficult to keep track of which topics you’ve covered and which you still need to work on.

A revision plan doesn’t have to be complicated, it can be as simple as producing a handwritten table indicating when you’ll cover each topic, creating a super straightforward spreadsheet or using a handy digital task management tool such as Monday.com or Trello to track your progress.

To begin with, you’ll want to look over your course syllabus and organise it by subject area. From here, you can plan out exactly when you’ll focus on each subject and give yourself enough time to revise each one in the way that best suits you - whether that’s taking notes, creating Q&A style flash cards or completing mock papers. 

Time blocking 

A crucial aspect of creating your revision plan will be time blocking, as this is the best way to make sure you’re giving yourself sufficient time to cover each subject area in enough depth. You don’t want to get four weeks into your revision only to realise you’ve spent the whole of that time on one topic, with another three topics to cover in the same timeframe. 

It’s also a great way to make sure you’re striking a good work/life balance, as you can schedule your usual activities - attending uni, doing your weekly grocery shop, socialising with friends, going to the gym - alongside your revision. 

This is a good way to avoid feeling overwhelmed or burned out; by setting aside a certain amount of time each day to dedicate to revising and scheduling your other daily tasks and activities around this, you’ll know exactly where you’re up to and can avoid cramming at the last minute. 

Start revising sooner rather than later

For your revision to be as effective as possible, you should aim to start in advance rather than leaving it until the last possible minute. 

According to WhatUni, the minimum amount of time you should give yourself to revise is around four to five weeks before your exam, but preferably sooner than this. 

Avoid long revision sessions

Expert tutors from Kaplan say it’s best to avoid long study sessions, as the human brain can only concentrate for a certain amount of time. Generally speaking, one to two hour revision sessions are far more effective than studying for four hours or more at a time. 

Find the best time of day to revise

You may have already identified the time of day that works best for you when it comes to revision and retaining information, but if you’re yet to determine this, the most important thing is consistency and routine. 

Try revising at the same time each day and you’ll probably notice that it’s easier to focus as your brain becomes accustomed to studying at this time. 

Scientifically speaking, the most effective time to revise is between 10am-2pm and 4pm-10pm, depending on the individual. 

Establish which type of learner you are 

The type of learner you are should definitely influence how you revise, as this will make it the most effective for you personally. 

The most common types of learner are:

• Visual learner

• Auditory learner

• Kinesthetic learner

• Verbal learner

• Read/Write learner

If you’re a visual learner, the best revision methods for you may include:

• Mind maps

• Flash cards

• Diagrams 

• Colour-coded post it notes

• Sitting past papers

If you’re an auditory learner, the best revision methods for you may include:

• Recording revision notes on a Dictaphone and listening back to the recordings

• Making up rhymes or songs to memorise complex information

• Playing background music whilst taking in information

• Reading your revision notes aloud 

• Listen to podcasts on the subject area

If you’re a kinesthetic learner, the best revision methods for you may include:

• Incorporate small movements whilst reading/note taking, such as bouncing a ball, doodling, or tapping 

• Stay active whilst you revise by taking frequent breaks to exercise/stretch 

• Work standing up 

• Try role playing to act out ideas you need to remember 

If you’re a verbal learner, the best revision methods for you may include:

• Group revision sessions which allows you to communicate ideas/concepts that you need to understand and memorise

• Read your notes aloud 

• Use creative word games/rhymes to help you memorise information

If you’re a read/write learner, the best revision methods for you may include:

• Rewriting and paraphrasing key information repeatedly

• Rereading notes repeatedly

• Read articles on the subject area

• Writing down key quotes/stats repeatedly

Most effective revision techniques 

Looking for some science-backed revision techniques to try out before your university exams? Here are some of the best tried-and-tested revision methods… 

Pomodoro method

The Pomodoro method is ideal for those who work best in short bursts, following a simple pattern which involves 25 minutes of studying followed by a five minute break. After completing this pattern four times, you can reward yourself with a longer break of 30 minutes before starting from the beginning again. 

This is a great revision technique for everyone but particularly those who struggle to concentrate for long periods of time. By setting a timer for 25 minutes of undisturbed study, students can often feel more motivated to knuckle down knowing they will be rewarded with a break afterwards. 

Feynman technique 

The Feynman revision technique follows a four-step process and is particularly useful for ensuring you have fully grasped the subject you’re studying and have a true understanding of the subject matter.

The four steps include: 

1. Study the chosen topic.

2. Teach it to somebody else in the most simple terms possible.

3. Return to the source material if you need to recap.

4. Simplify your explanations and create easy-to-understand analogies to help you to remember them.

SQ3R method

Finally, the SQ3R method is an ideal revision technique for read/write learners. This method aids reading comprehension, making sure you gain an in-depth understanding of the subject you are revising.

The five steps include:

1. Survey the material - Briefly skim read the text, taking in the headings, subheadings, summary etc. to get a general idea of the subject matter.

2. Question - Make a note of any questions that immediately spring to mind on this topic based on the headings and summary you've just read.

3. Read one section at a time with your questions in mind to begin finding the answers.

4. Recite - After each section, stop and reflect on your questions and whether you can now answer them from memory. If not, go back to the text to find the answers and don't move on to the next section of text until you can recite the answers in this section from memory.

5. Review - Once you've finished reading the entire text, revisit your questions and see if you can still answer them all.

Hopefully, you'll now have a greater understanding of how to revise effectively for your university exams.

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