Rereading notes and highlighting feel productive, but research on learning shows they're among the least effective ways to revise. Here's what works better.
10 study techniques that work
- Active recall: close your notes and write down everything you remember, then check. Testing yourself is far more effective than rereading.
- Spaced repetition: review a topic after 1 day, 3 days, 1 week and 2 weeks. Free apps like Anki do the scheduling for you.
- Past papers: the single best predictor of exam questions. Do them timed, then mark with the official mark scheme.
- Interleaving: mix topics in one session (e.g. three different types of maths problem) instead of doing one type over and over.
- The Feynman technique: explain a topic in simple words as if teaching a 12-year-old. Gaps in your explanation show gaps in your understanding.
- Pomodoro sessions: 25 minutes of focused work, 5 minutes break, a longer break after four rounds.
- One-page summaries: condense each topic onto one sheet — key formulas, definitions and diagrams.
- Learn the command words: "evaluate", "explain", "compare" and "calculate" each require a different answer style.
- Sleep and exercise: memories are consolidated during sleep. Pulling all-nighters lowers performance.
- Ask for help early: a 1-hour session on a topic you don't understand saves days of confused revision.
A 4-week revision timetable
| Week | Focus | Daily routine |
|---|---|---|
| 4 weeks out | List every topic; rate each red, amber or green | 2–3 Pomodoros on red topics; make summaries |
| 3 weeks out | Rebuild understanding of red and amber topics | Active recall + one set of practice questions daily |
| 2 weeks out | Past papers under timed conditions | One past paper every 1–2 days, marked with the mark scheme |
| Final week | Review mistakes and summaries; exam technique | Short recall sessions, light review, early nights |
The night before the exam
- Skim your one-page summaries — don't start new topics.
- Pack everything: ID, pens, calculator, water, and check the exam time and location (or log-in details for online exams).
- Sleep at least 7–8 hours.
On exam day
- Eat a proper breakfast and arrive early.
- Read the whole paper first and plan your time by marks: if a question is worth 20% of the marks, give it about 20% of the time.
- Answer the questions you're most confident about first.
- Leave 10 minutes at the end to check your answers.
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Frequently asked questions
How many hours a day should I study for exams?
Most students do best with 4–6 hours of focused study a day in the final weeks, split into Pomodoro sessions with breaks.
What is the most effective way to revise?
Active recall and past paper practice, spaced out over several weeks, are the most effective methods according to learning research.
How early should I start revising?
4–6 weeks before the exam is ideal for most university and A Level exams.