Study Skills

Your step by step guide to study skills and examination preparation 1. Consolidation – work throughout the year

2. Revision – timetables

3. Learning style and techniques

4. How to revise – revision notes etc.

5. Revision notes – different methods and examples

6. Stress – how to cope

7. A personal strategy – improvement through achievement of goals

8. Exam Day – the night before and the day of the exam: what to do

9. Top Tips – general tips for survival, revision and exams

1. Consolidation • Make a list of all the topics which you

need for the examination in every subject.

• When you complete a topic in class, make key point notes on it using cards/notebooks.

• Make the key points colourful: use diagrams and illustrations if you can. Don’t put too much on any one page – it should be easy to understand at a glance.

• Flick through these key point notes as often as you can – spend 10 minutes doing this each evening if possible. You should aim to have looked at each card 30-40 times in the months before the exam.

• Repetition is the key thing.

2. Revision • In the weeks before the examination you

should use your key point cards and revise in a more intensive way.

• Remember – key point cards do not contain all the detail of your notes so do not use them on their own.

• Plan a timetable. • Revision should be planned in 20 minute

slots; your brain will not focus for longer than this on one topic.

• After each 20 minute session get up and do something else for 5 minutes before you sit down to work again.

• In order for you to focus, your brain has to be kept alert.

• The key thing for successful consolidation and revision is repetition. For something to be lodged in your long term memory you must go through it thoroughly many times! It is essential that you go through your revision material as often as you can.

A summary

Consolidate

• ‘to bring together into a single or

unified whole’

• Consolidation is a DAILY process.

• You should only be working with small

quantities of material – THE WORK

COVERED IN CLASS THAT DAY.

• You should be ACTIVE in reviewing

your work– make notes, re-write

sections, make mind maps etc.

• Your output of work should be

THOROUGH, this is NOT a brief

summary this is making your

knowledge more concrete.

• This is thoroughly LEARNING the

material in order that you fully

UNDERSTAND it.

• This is useful for the next lesson, for

completion of homework, topic tests

and your examination.

Revise • ‘reread work done previously to improve one’s

knowledge’

• You should have already learned the

material – revision is NOT learning.

• This should be a longer process - 6 weeks

or more.

• You need to be active.

• Your output of work should be concise

summaries.

• Summaries should be REPEATEDLY

reviewed to access your long term memory.

• You need to EVALUATE your revision by

testing yourself using past papers or

reusing homework sheets – if you are

struggling, your revision needs more work –

don’t wait until your examination result to

find out that your method of revision was

ineffective!

• This is useful for check tests, topic tests

and examinations.

CAH 2015

1. Topic Heading

2. Write down any questions you have here

3. This section is for the main points and concepts – including detail

4. Write a summary

Try this as an example of making consolidation notes and then revising using section 4

Timetable – Subject specific •This timetable is for Form 2 Biology. •It starts 5 weeks prior to exams. •Each week is carefully planned to include all topics. •You should produce a timetable like this for each subject – ask your teacher if you are not sure of all the topics required for the exam. •This revision is intensive and should include all detail from your notes. •You should use your key point notes to enhance this revision.

Week Content 1.

2nd May – 6th May Form I Microscope, cells and specialisation Form I Photosynthesis

2. 9th – 13th May

Form I Food and Diet Form 2 Digestion

3. 16th – 20th May

Form II Transport Systems

4. 23rd – 27th May

Form II Respiration

5. 30th May – 2nd June

Final review of all material or ‘RED’ subjects

Timetable – Subject Specific •This timetable is for Form One Geography. •It starts 5 weeks prior to exams. •Each week is carefully planned to include all topics. •You should produce a timetable like this for each subject – ask your teacher if you are not sure of all the topics required for the exam. •This revision is intensive and should include all detail from your notes. •You should use your key point notes to enhance this revision.

Week Content 1.

2nd May – 6th May Industry: Pages 61 - 69

2. 9th – 13th May

Environment: Pages 73 - 83

3. 16th – 20th May

Political and physical maps of Northern Ireland

4. 23rd – 27th May

World maps

5. 30th May – 2nd June

Settlement

Timetable – overall This timetable is designed to incorporate all your subjects and will last for 6 weeks or more. You develop this timetable from your subject-specific timetables to make sure that everything is covered. Both timetables should be used together to make sure that all topics within each subject are covered.

HINT - Colour code your timetable – Red for things you need to go back to before the exam -Green for things that you are happy with - Orange for things that you are unsure of and need more practice or some advice from your teacher

Day/Time Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday

Friday

4.30 Biology Chemistry History French Maths

4.50

etc.

Physics Spanish R.E. English Geography

Plan your times of study carefully; use 20minute slots only. You will need to take breaks and you will need to plan around other activities. Timetables should be realistic and ensure that all material is covered. Make sure that you balance your work with other activities. The key element is repetition.

3. Learning Styles and Techniques

You need to be able to identify how you learn before you can start revision.

There are 3 main styles of learning; 1. Some people prefer to see what they are trying to learn and often use their

imagination to think about what they are learning. This is visual learning. 2. Many people like to listen to a story or description of something and like to be

given facts and figures. This is auditory learning. 3. Other people like to physically do something when learning and find sitting

listening difficult. This is kinaesthetic learning. Most people use a combination of all 3 different styles. However, it is important to

identify which style suits you best to ensure that your revision is profitable. It may be the case that you change your style of learning in different subjects so tailor your revision in the same way.

To help you identify how you learn log on to www.vark-learn.com and complete the Questionnaire. Follow the on-screen instructions and your score will tell you your preferred learning style.

4. How to revise… • Learn chunks of related facts

together. • Visual learners remember spider

diagrams, shapes, colours etc. • Auditory learners remember key

words best and should speak the facts out loud.

• Kinaesthetic learners need to do and move – use body movements to aid memory.

• Ask family and friends for help. • Repeat all material thoroughly, as

many times as you can.

5. Revision notes • If you have identified what style of learning

suits you best then you need to tailor your revision notes to suit.

• Revision notes can therefore take many forms; from spider diagrams to shortened notes to revision cards to songs or rhymes.

• If you make sure your notes suit your style of learning it will make your revision more efficient.

• Remember that your revision technique can change according to the subject.

• Revise these notes as often as you can.

Shortened notes – use colour and diagrams; keep things concise!

Energy sources Modern civilisation requires cheap and plentiful supplies of energy

Traditional use of coal and oil but these are running out and creating pollution

Nuclear energy Potential unlimited energy supply Fusion reactors Fission reactors are currently used – produce highly radioactive waste and accidents can happen e.g. Chernobyl

Solar energy Used in some countries Expensive to set up Can be used domestically for home heating Rather limited in U.K. due to weather

Wind energy Used by NIE and other countries to generate mains electricity Main problem is that it is not always windy – limited But most energy provided when we need it most in Winter

Tidal energy Reliable – tides go in and out twice a day Can cause water pollution during construction Can damage ecosystems Strangford Lough

Wave energy Floating construction harness wave energy Plagued with problems

Geothermal energy Hot rocks in earth’s crust Water pumped down and released hot to generate power More common in recent years for homes

Spider Diagrams – concise and colourful

Try a super summary – all key points on one sheet – organised and visual

1. Lab Rules List your 8 lab rules pg2 2. Bunsen Burner Label the Bunsen below pg6

3. How to light a Bunsen Write the numbered method here pg7

4. Part and function of

the Bunsen Complete the table from pg 7 here

4. Flame Types Use pg 8 and 9 to summarise the 2 different flame

types

Part of

Bunsen

Function

Collar

Tiny hole which allows gas into

the Bunsen

Air hole Allows oxygen in to the flame

Base

Yellow

Flame

Blue

Flame

Air hole position?

What is flame used

for?

Steady or not?

Other name?

Soot produced?

CAH F1 2015

6. Stress – a survival guide

• Stress is useful – it’s a survival mechanism.

• Stress can motivate you to work.

• If we act on it we can reduce stress, by attempting a task we feel more positive and our stress levels fall.

• If you are stressed it is your body’s way of telling you to revise.

• Revising will make it go away, panicking won’t.

• Be positive about stress, don’t let it get to you, use it in a positive way to get some work done.

If you are stressed and you feel you can’t cope you need to talk about it – share your concerns with someone instead of

bottling it up.

7. Personal Strategy • Exams are an opportunity for you to do your best so approach the process of revision and exams in a positive way. • Focus on the fact that you want to do your best. • Write a list of things that you want to improve since

your last set of exams. When you feel that you have done enough work to improve tick it off the list.

• You have to have a set of goals that you want to achieve in order to motivate you – make out a list of your last results and then another list of the results that you would like to get and then work to achieve these results.

• Stop all work by 9pm or you won’t sleep well. • Organise your equipment for the next day – this

will help you feel in control. • Take some exercise to clear your head. • Chill out and wind down before you go to bed –

watch some TV, chat to a friend, read a book, surf the net.

• Most importantly, get some sleep. Your mind needs rest in order to be active the next day.

• If you can’t sleep try some relaxation exercises – deep breathing, counting sheep, singing your favourite song, reading a book.

8. The Night before the Exam

8. Exam Day • You may be nervous or uptight – this is

normal. Allow yourself to be nervous and then move on.

• Eat a good breakfast even if you don’t feel like it. You need fuel to get you through the exam.

• Arrive early- give yourself time to get settled, chat with your friends and relax.

• Go to the toilet. • If you do get nervous breathe slowly and

deeply to stay calm and focused. • Drink some water before you go in to

make sure you are hydrated – not too much though!

9. Tips for Success • Eat well, sleep and exercise regularly. • Work for 20 minutes at a time, this is intensive revision to include

all detail, and then take a break. • Set a timer to help you stick to your schedule. • Use rewards for work done e.g. meet up with friends or go on

the Xbox for a while. • Make time for social activities which will help you to relax – only

after all your work is done. • If you are off school for study leave get up at your usual time

and work through the day so that you can take a break and socialise later.

• Make revision notes and use them – don’t forget: repetition is key. Read your notes and key points over and over.

• Be positive: tell yourself that ‘you can do it!’ • Remember to give it your best shot – you can only do your best.