Revision techniques

1. Revision techniques Department of German Dr Tracy Johnson

2. What should revision do? • Check your understanding • Make links and connections • Remind yourself of forgotten material • Reinforce your learning • Identify and fill gaps in knowledge (Cottrell: 2006)

3. What is effective revision? Where you interact with the material and make it meaningful to yourself. (Cottrell: 2006)

4. How to revise • What do you do already? • Active learning: • Creation not consumption • Involves the whole mind and body • Learn by doing the task • Works on different levels simultaneously

5. Acquire information • Make sure you understand both the ‘big picture’ and the ‘core themes’ • Use your senses: VAK • Visual • Auditory • Kinaesthetic • Proactive methods – create don’t consume!

6. Search out meaning • Mind-maps: • Patterns • Relationships • Themes • Work with others • Use mock questions to apply ideas

7. Trigger recall • Condense information to key terms – ‘pack up’ knowledge • Mind Maps/diagrams – use of senses • Mnemonics/Acronyms • Object-association/Memory ‘Palaces’ • Rehearse recall

8. Mindful state • What helps you get in the right state to revise successfully? • Planned time • Reverse time-line • Breaks and time off • Variety • Maximise concentration

9. Mindful state • Location: • Well lit/ventilated/heated • Free from distractions • History of success • Being with the right people • Well-being: • Sleep • Lack of anxiety – sense of control • Avoid stimulants

10. Bloom’s Taxonomy of Skills • Recall • Comprehension • Application • Analysis • Synthesis • Evaluation

11. Analysis is: • Being systematic and thorough • Breaking it down into its component parts • Internal analysis – how does the argument work? • External analysis – contextualise it • Could you explain it to someone else? • A largely objective process • Always asking questions

12. Criticism is: • Offering your interpretation • Weighing up, judging, justifying • Comparing and contrasting with other sources to evaluate • Considering a range of perspectives • Always asking questions • A largely subjective process

13. When practising: • Start by brainstorming • Then draft an outline plan • Consider fresh angles • Think of a range of perspectives • Time yourself for a full answer • Write down the timings in the exam

14. Thank you and good luck!