Dr Paul Holmes – Private TutorMaths and Physics

Summary (of all the notes and advice gathered from the internet and other sources)

Hyperlinks to web pages are shown in green. Internal hyperlinks are shown in blue.

How to Revise

Creating a Revision Plan

Specific Tips for Maths and Physics ISAs

Hyperlinks

Workshop

Summaries

Conclusion

Revision Techniques

Dr Paul Holmes – Private TutorMaths and Physics

Section 1.

How to Revise

First of all, find somewhere quiet.

Minimise distractions by finding somewhere that is:-

Organised and not cluttered Peaceful and quiet Equipped with all you need (textbooks, notes, stationery etc.) Free from distractions (mobiles, TV, playstations)

Section 2.

Create a Revision Programme and a Revision Timetable.

These are different things. A revision programme lists all the different topics you need to revise for each subject. See later. A revision timetable should have the next several weeks up to and including the exams all neatly timetabled.

There are many examples on the internet.

Dr Paul Holmes – Private TutorMaths and Physics

If you have followed Dolder’s study technique, then revising is simple.

1. Prepare a revision programme at least 2 months before the start of your exams.2. Write down all the topics in a column on the left hand side, divided into chapters, if

appropriate.3. Make three columns on the right, labelled R (for revise), L1 and L2 (for learn). You might

want to have a fourth column N (for notes)4. Go through all of these small topics, re-reading them and reminding yourself. Because you

understood it thoroughly in the first place, it will all come flooding back.5. As you revise a topic, tick off the R column. Test yourself as you revise. Write down all you

know about the topic and then check the notes.6. Later (days or weeks), go through each topic again, thoroughly testing yourself as you go.7. When you are confident you know it, tick off the L1 column.8. Later, repeat 6 and 7, this time ticking column L2.

Subject/Topic – Maths N R L1 L2Algebra Formulae and Equations Using formulae 30/9 Changing the subject of a formula 30/9 Rearranging symbols 1/10 Index notation 2/10 and so on….

When you learn something for the first time, it lasts for a day. Remind yourself a day later, and it lasts for a week. Remind yourself of the topic again a week later and it lasts for a month.

Dr Paul Holmes – Private TutorMaths and Physics

Specific Tips for Maths and Physics

1. Always put the Units. This is really good practice even if not required by a given question. In one paper, one mark was deducted if you put hz or HZ instead of Hz. Putting in the units helps you get the answer right, and helps the examiner give you marks.

2. Learn the units (Energy = joules, power = watts, etc.) and learn the abbreviations.

3. Learn the Formulae. Even the ones on the formulae sheet. This helps massively with understanding and also saves time in the exam. Always refer to your Sheet, of course, but keep the formulae in your head.

4. Setting out your work. Keep your writing and calculations reasonably small and neat. Always show your workings. Make it clear what your workings relate to. E.g. putting ½x8x10=40 will get you few marks, whereas “Area of triangle ABC is half base x ht = ½ x 8 x 10 = 40 cm2” will do.

5. Accuracy. Always check after you finish a question that you are giving the answer to required degree of accuracy that was asked for. It may be 3 significant figures, 1 decimal place etc. Lots of marks are thrown away by not giving the answer as required.

6. Use a highlighter to emphasis specific important points as you read through the paper.

E.g. “Give your answer to 3 sig. fig.”

7. Simultaneous equations. Most questions that are set will give nice answers, usually integer values. If you get horrible decimals then suspect your answer and check again. It is quite likely that you have made a mistake somewhere.

8. Similarly, Solving Quadratic Equations. When a question says “solve the following quadratic giving answers to 3 significant figures” then do not waste time trying to factorise it. It will not factorise. Instead, use the quadratic formula.

9. Exact. When a question asked for an exact answer it means leave in the surds and pi. And for A level Maths, it means leave in pi, surds, e, logs and ln.

10. GENERAL ADVICE: the examiner is not a kindly soul: if you write neatly, clearly, showing your workings, writing in the units, and answer to the requested no. of dp or sig. fig., then he will like you, and it keeps you on track. Make it easy for him to give you marks. If you are untidy and sloppy, he will delight in deducting marks. Try to scratch together as many extra marks as you possibly can.

Physics Revision and Exam Technique link

Resources for Physics ISA link

GCSE Maths Exam tips link

Dr Paul Holmes – Private TutorMaths and Physics

Hyperlinks

Revision techniques - the good, the OK and the useless

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-22565912

GCSE Revision Tips

https://www.examtime.com/gcse/revision-tips/

21 Killer Revision Tips

https://www.cgpbooks.co.uk/interactive_tips_exam

Section 15 - Revision Techniques

http://www.bristol.ac.uk/media-library/sites/sps/migrated/documents/section15.pdf

Slide Player – Belle Vue

http://slideplayer.com/slide/5254303/

GCSE Physics revision

https://www.bangor.ac.uk/ccm/GCSE/GCSE%20Science%20-%20Physics%201.pdf

GCSE Maths revision

http://revisionmaths.com/gcse-maths-revision

A level Maths revision

http://revisionmaths.com/advanced-level-level-maths-revision

A level Physics revision

http://physicsnet.co.uk/a-level-physics-as-a2/

Dr Paul Holmes – Private TutorMaths and Physics

Workshop - Interactive session

Fill in the form and then we will discuss.

1. How do you prepare for revision?

2. How long before the exam do you start your revision?

a. one month b. 6 weeks c. 2 months d. 12 weeks e. other?

3. Where do you Revise?

a. At home b. in your bedroom/study c. with a friend

d. at school e. in the library f. elsewhere

4. For how many hours do you/ will you revise each week day?

a. less than one hour b. between 1 and 2 hours c. more than 2 hours

5. For how many hours do you/ will you revise each weekend day?

a. less than one hour b. between 1 and 2 hours c. between 1 and 2 hours

a. between 2 and 3 hours b. between 3 and 4 hours c. more than 4 hours

6. What type of learner are you?

a. Visual b. Auditory c. Kinaesthetic d. Reading/Writing

There are different strategies depending upon the type of learner you are.

Dr Paul Holmes – Private TutorMaths and Physics

Visual Learners – prefer to see how to do things (29%)

Preferred Techniques: Diagrams, Graphs, Mind maps, Keywords, posters, post-it notes stuck on the fridge, timelines, lots of use of colour etc.

Auditory Learners – learn by listening and speaking (34%)

Preferred Techniques: talk over the work with someone else, get someone to test you or ask you to explain it to them, record notes on your phone, repeat back your work in funny voices, make up rhymes or raps about the topics.

Kinaesthetic Learners – learn by doing (37%)

Preferred Techniques: use keyword cards or post-it notes, walk around while reading, employ gesturing while ‘explaining’ your subject to your imaginary audience, stretch or exercise while studying, at least every 20 minutes.

Reading Writing learners – prefer to absorb all their knowledge through – you guessed it – reading and writing. This is often not counted as a separate type – hence no percentage given.

Dr Paul Holmes – Private TutorMaths and Physics

SUMMARIES

Revision techniques - the good, the OK and the useless

Prof John Dunlovsky, of Kent State University, and his colleagues reviewed 1,000 scientific studies looking at 10 of the most popular revision strategies.

They found that eight out of 10 did not work, or even hindered learning.

HOW THE TECHNIQUES FARED

Elaborative interrogation - being able to explain a point or fact - MODERATE

Self-explanation - how a problem was solved -MODERATE Summarising - writing summaries of texts -LOW Highlighting/underlining- LOW Keyword mnemonics - choosing a word to associate with

information - LOW Imagery - forming mental pictures while reading or listening

- LOW Re-reading - LOW Practice testing - Self-testing to check knowledge - especially

using flash cards - HIGH Distributed practice -spreading out study over time - HIGH Interleaved practice -switching between different kinds of

problems - MODERATE

Dr Paul Holmes – Private TutorMaths and Physics

Final Summary

Bad techniques (surprisingly!):-

Re-reading over and over again

Writing out your notes over and over again

Highlighting and Underlining

Good Techniques:-

Distributive Practice. Spreading out your study over time.

In other words, start now. Make a revision programme by listing all the topics you need to learn. Prepare a revision timetable, showing your exams. Do 2 hours revision every day and twice that much at weekends.

Practice Testing. Lots of questions and exercises, past papers. Self testing. This is particularly good for Maths and Science subjects.

Elaborative Interrogation: This is very good for Scientific Subjects although less so for Humanities. With Maths, there is no substitute for doing lots of exercises, as Mathematics is a technique, requiring practice rather than a factual recall.

Conclusion

Find somewhere quiet to revise - with no distractions in the room.

Dr Paul Holmes – Private TutorMaths and Physics

Have all your materials, textbooks, notes, stationery and a drink to hand. Revise for no more than 45-50 minutes per

hour. Take a break for 10 minutes per hour. Follow your carefully prepared revision

programme and timetable. Employ Practice Testing and Elaborative

Interrogation techniques. Start now and do 2 hours revision every day (this is on top of your

homework) and twice that at weekends.

Dr Paul Holmes – Private TutorMaths and Physics