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Sunday, October 8, 2017

How to Prepare For Any Big Test/Exam


When it comes to study and revision, everybody has a learning method that works best for them. I'm a visual learner which means I find it easiest to process things through charts and diagrams however you may prefer learning through listening or reading. Even though we all absorb information differently, there are still certain study habits that will benefit everyone no matter what their learning style is. My end of year exams are coming up so I know that compiling this list of tips and tricks will be a good way for me to mentally prepare myself for the upcoming months. If you know you'll be undergoing a test anytime soon, hopefully you'll be able to take something useful away from this post!

Start With The Tricky Stuff
Always study the harder content first. This should get top priority over the things you find least challenging. Make sure you've wrapped your head around the trickier stuff before reviewing the easier topics. Most of the time, the more complicated it is, the more points it offers so even if you aren't perfect at the basics, you'll still have a very good chance at achieving a high grade. 

Try a Practice Test
Find a past paper or test and try to complete it under exam conditions. To make it as official as possible, set yourself the same amount of time you'll have for the actual thing and make sure all devices are turned off or switched to silent. Aim to have just your test paper and stationery in front of you. After all, this is all you'll have on the day. Once you've completed your practice test, you should have a better idea of the exam format and how you're going to manage your time when it comes to the real thing. 

Keep Your Notes Tidy
Make sure you have notes that are both legible and easy to follow. There's no point in having a book of class notes if you can't read a single word of it. If you're really struggling to make sense of what you've written, ask to borrow a friend's book and review the content by writing all the information out again. After you've finished, you'll have both tidier notes and a better understanding of the things you re-wrote.  

Teach Others
When you explain something to a fellow classmate, not only are you helping a person in need but you're also strengthening your understanding of the information being taught. Sharing your knowledge and strategies is a great way to see how well you get the content. By teaching someone, you're testing your ability to process information. If you can teach it effectively, then you can execute it with ease however if you struggle to phrase your ideas then you may not have a complete grasp of the concept just yet. 

Communicate With Your Teachers
If you're ever unsure about anything exam-related, talk to you teachers. They know the content and test material better than anyone. They'll also be able to point you in the right direction in terms of what to study and how to best prepare for the questions. Your teachers are there to help you so so don't be afraid to contact them if you're feeling a bit stuck. 

Thanks for reading! What's the best piece of study advice you've ever been given? Let me know down below!


18 comments:

  1. Hi, thanks for sharing these useful tips that I am sure others will find helpful. I always found that a practice test helps.

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    1. Thanks for commenting! Definitely! Practice tests are so important. I can't go without them! :-) AnnieChanie

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  2. Keeping your notes tidy is definitely a good tip! Also your blog photography and theme is really gorgeous <3
    I wrote a whole post about GCSE note taking actually on my blog too.

    Morgan // www.justmorgs.com

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    1. Thank you so much Morgan! That's really sweet of you to say! Yes, I did check out that post! It was very, very useful! :-) AnnieChanie

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  3. Thank you so much for this post! I have so much revision to do and this is so so helpful and these tips will definitely help me! I think doing practice tests/ questions really help too.
    -Olivia Xxx

    http://oliviaxalesha.com

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    1. Aw, I'm so glad you found this post helpful! Thank you for your comment Olivia! AnnieChanie

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  4. Love these ideas! I've just finished my GCSEs so will definitely be taking some of these tips through into A levels! Having tidy revision is a must for me if it's not tidy I probably won't use it again

    Ellie
    www.headintheclouds.me.uk

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    1. Thanks so much Ellie! I agree! I'm definitely less likely to refer to my notes if they aren't nicely written out or organised. AnnieChanie

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  5. I wish I had known these back when I was at uni. I was not the best at preparing for an exam. I had a really good memory so I never really bothered and did only the bare minimum. Like reading twice or thrice a lesson. I was not having bad grades but I could have been better! xx corinne

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    1. Aw, that's okay! We all prepare differently. I know quite a few people who don't really need a lot of study and revision. Everybody's minds work differently. :-) AnnieChanie

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  6. This is great advice, especially keeping your notes neat! There were so many times at uni when I'd look back at what I'd written and have no clue what I was on about which is definitely less than ideal when your deadlines are fast approaching

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    1. Thank you Bronia! I really appreciate the feedback! I'm glad you liked the post! :-) AnnieChanie

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  7. So many great tips! Past papers are so great for exam revision as it helps to know what to expect in the exam, and that makes me feel much more confident when I walk into the exam. I also find watching YouTube videos really helps me to revise and there are so many great revision channels! đź’•

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    1. Thanks much for the comment Emily! Watching YouTube videos is such a good point! You're so right! I'll definitely remember that one for my own study and revision! :-) AnnieChanie

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  8. I haven't had to do an exam for over a year (thank goodness) but I definitely agree that keeping your notes tidy is imperative - I'm a pretty organised person anyway so this was always something that I'd try and do! x

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    1. Thank you for commenting Chloe! Haha, that's nice that you've been able to have a break from exams! AnnieChanie

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  9. These are very helpful tips. Thanks and I hope your exams went well☺

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    1. Thank you! That makes me so happy to hear! AnnieChanie

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