Q&A for How to Revise Quickly and Effectively

Whatever works for you. Some people find music too distracting when studying, some find it helps them concentrate. Some people find music with lyrics distracting, but not instrumental music.

Waking up super early and studying isn't great because doing so interferes with sleep. But if you did get a good amount of sleep, then studying right after you wake up can be good because your brain is fresh. But don't make it too long. You can also try studying right before bed, which cements the information in your mind a lot better.

It is good to listen to music without lyrics, like classical music, as it distracts you less. However, if it is distracting for you, you should not listen to music.

You might not be revising in the right way. Make sure you're always thinking about the best way to learn and experimenting to fit. Remember the three types of learners are visual, auditory, and kinaesthetic. You might be one of these, all of them for different subjects, or you might be able to use techniques from each. The best way to revise is to learn how you learn best.

When at a desk, clear everything away. Only have the essentials out (e.g study books, highlighters, pens, notebook, etc.). Switch off your phone, tablet, computer, etc. If you need to, give your devices to someone else and instruct them not to give them back until study time is over. If you need to work at your computer, look into ways of blocking access to certain websites temporarily. If your study environment is too distracting, go to the library.

It can be, depending on what the topic of conversations is.

You can create a timetable and follow the steps in the article above. If you have a really short amount of time (e.g. one night), then you can prioritize which subjects or parts of subjects you really need to revise, and then focus on them.

Pick up your notes, block everything that distracts you, read and understand it well and dedicate a set amount of time to work before you take a break.

You may try to break the long answer into smaller chunks to memorize more easily. Try to include a simple drawing related to the answer next to each of the small bits if you’re a visual learner. Reread the answers constantly (e.g. on the bus, in the elevator, when you’re waiting for someone) to refresh your memory!

It depends on how long you have until the exam. If it is months away, you should only study for about 15 minutes a day. If it is weeks away, you should study for about 45 minutes a day (this may seem like a lot, but it goes a lot quicker than you think). If it is days before, then you would need to consider how urgent your subject is; if you have no idea what you're doing, study for 2 - 4 hours each day. Even if you are very confident, you would still need to study for 10 - 15 minutes each day to solidify it in your brain.

Both. Read/revise your notes, and pick up key points, but you should do worksheets/practice questions as well. You obviously need to know the content, but exam questions can also be really helpful as they help you understand what the questions will be like.