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IAS Exam Revision Tips

Exam Revision Tips

A printer friendly version of this page can be downloaded. Right click on the link ans

select "Save Target As...".Andrew Johnson is a science tutor in Borrowash, erbyshire. !is ea# revision advice isas follows$

EXAM TOP TIPS :

Topics covered$%. Revision & Approach'. Revision & Techni(ues). *a# +reparation. Before The *a#-. The *a# tself

!ere are so#e tips which #ay help you during your revision for ea#s.

Revision - Approach

f you feel it will help you, set a revision ti#etable, revising certain sub/ects atcertain ti#es.

f you feel the need for silence while revising, try to #ake this possible.

f you like to work to #usic, get so#e headphones and listen to your favouritealbu# whilst you work. Try to listen to so#ething that is fa#iliar and "one of yourfavourites" & this will help to put you in a positive fra#e of #ind during your revision

& it can also reduce the risk of distraction, under the right circu#stances.

0ake sure you have a break fro# revision & try to arrange things so that you havea "day off" revising. This will #ean when you re&start your revision, you will be a littlefresher.

Try to revise one section of notes, or one set of topics together.

f you have trouble with specific details of topics, at least try to understand thetopic generally and try not to get too bogged down with details. f you /ust choose to"ignore" topics, you #ay be li#iting your options too #uch when it co#es toanswering (uestions .

Revision - Techniques

Try to develop your own techni(ue for revision. ifferent techni(ues work for differentpeople and depending on the type of sub/ect being revised, so#e techni(ues are #oresuitable than others. !ere are so#e$&

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Read and 0e#orise.

Su##ary notes & short version of #ain notes.

1ist of keywords for each topic covered, which can act as "triggers" for otherideas. So#e kind of diagra##atic representation of notes can be helpful.

Revise with a friend or colleague & if possible, echange ideas during revision &this can be very helpful to both people in understanding topics and buildingconfidence.

2uestions and Answers & get a friend to ask you specific (uestions about topicsand think up (uestions to ask your friend. This will test and help to build your ownunderstanding.

0ake up a set of revision cards & with one #ain topic per card, each topic listingideas or infor#ation for this topic. 3ou can carry these cards with you . f possible, ask your teacher or tutor to revise topics you are unsure about and tryto get the tutor to help you to fully understand the topic.

Exam Preparation

Try not to treat the ea# as anything other than a nor#al school or college day,other than that you are doing an ea#. Try to follow your nor#al routine as this willhelp you rela.

Try to think that at least after the ea#, you can rela and won4t have to do any

further revision & this will help you rela before the event too.

5et a good night4s sleep & do not stay up till "all hours" revising unless you feelthis is vital. A final review of topics and a review of your "strong" and "weaker" areas

would be best.

Take sufficient pens 6 pencil, rubber ruler etc. Try to use the sa#e pens etc. asyou would nor#ally use in class as this too, can be a s#all psychological booster &/ust use new pens for "spares".

Take a wristwatch or s#all traveller4s clock .

Rela7

Before The Exam 0ake your way slowly to your position and sit yourself co#fortably.

0ake sure you listen very carefully to instructions that are given or anyannounce#ents that are #ade.

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Set out your pens 6 pencils etc. and set up your clock or wristwatch so that youcan see it /ust by looking up and not having to #ove anything out of the way.

0ake sure that you have everything necessary & (uestion paper, answer papers,additional sheets etc. Ask the invigilator if so#ething appears to be #issing.

The Exam Itself Read all the paper and all the instructions carefully & check that you know eactlyhow #any (uestions you have to answer and carefully note any constraints such as"Answer % (uestion fro# each section" or "Answer ' (uestions fro# Section A and %(uestion fro# Section B" etc.

"Speed Read" the paper to get an idea of what (uestions are in it but then...Readeach (uestion carefully and thoroughly and #ake sure you understand what it isasking. Read all parts of the (uestion before deciding whether or not to answer it.

Try work out how #uch ti#e you will need to answer each (uestion, but allowso#e ti#e for reading 6 checking at the end of the ti#e.

Try to write neatly.

f you are doing #athe#atical (uestions always show your working. Si#plystating an answer will not get full #arks. Rela as #uch as possible and try to think clearly and keep confident.

n a given (uestion, concentrate of what you do know rather than what you don4tknow.

8se what you know to #ai#u# effect, but re#e#ber to A9S:*R T!*28*ST;9.

o the (uestions you feel #ost confident about first eep thinking positive and do the best you can. Just answer as #uch as you can.

f, after reading a (uestion, you genuinely feel it is a#biguous or too broadly

based, state this in the first part of your answer and eplain briefly your reason.

Answer the (uestion.

Rela7

Source $ iasodel&(uestion&papers.blogspot