The Ultimate Revision Cheat Sheet [Infographic]

Exam revision and studying are words that every student in the world will be deeply familiar with. We’ve all been there, trying our best to cram all the specialist knowledge on any given topic in our heads in order to brilliantly conjure up a well thought-out argument and prove our fine-tuned abilities to think creatively and critically.

But for some it can be very difficult doing the actual studying, so we’ve built a revision cheat sheet! Below you’ll find the very best tips and tricks that will carry you through any strenuous study session in your student accommodation or library. We hope you find the advice helpful, and good luck with your exams!

Transcript – The Ultimate Revision Cheat Sheet

Write Write Write

Write everything important down over and over and over again until you can say it in your sleep. Whether it be in a journal, random pieces of paper or on your computer.

Remember that writing by hand is more effective: A study published in Intech found writing by hand allows the brain to receive feedback from a person’s motor actions.

Post-it

Write quotes, sums etc on post-its and put them everywhere. On the bathroom mirror, by your favourite mug, on your laptop. Eventually these will sink!

The Whiteboard Memory Test

Find a whiteboard, write what you need to revise, memorise it, wipe the board clean and then re-write them. (keep a note of them in case you do forget!)

Take Note

Type up lecture notes after the lecture, spend time on these and make them easy to understand with headers, titles, category tags, use bold and italics and include any relevant references. These will be invaluable later.

Get Your Sheets Together

Have a file full of revision notes split into categories separated by easy to locate dividers. Everything will be in one place, minimizing the risk of losing half a term’s work!

Reward Your Efforts

Bribe yourself by promising a square of chocolate for each page/chapter of your reading that you get through.

The More The Merrier

Revise with one or more friends. Set up a dedicated group and meet regularly in the library or your common room to quiz each other. Having someone else’s perspective can often help clarify a tough topic.

Finally Find That Library

The library is a dedicated place of study. It’s removed from your everyday so will not have any distractions. The perfect place to organize your thoughts and revision in peace.

Browse Advice

See if there are forums around your subject on The Student Room, Facebook or Reddit where you can get ideas from people with the experience of what you’re going through.

Colour Code

Classify your revision by topic, then colour code by importance/theme/idea and so on.

The Fastest Font

Write in Times New Roman, Palatino, Georgia, Courier, Bookman or Garamondan since these sans serif fonts are the easiest and quickest to read.

Switch Off Social

Distractions are the bane of the studious reviser. Turn off your phone, or at least notifications from Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat and all the other usual suspects.

Flashcards Everywhere!

Use Memrise (digital flashcards) to remember specific facts and figures. Alternatively, print them off and keep them in your pocket.

Brain Food And Drink To Keep You Going

• Oily fish: salmon, sardines and mackerel – eat them on some whole-wheat bread and you have a healthy, long-lasting meal of complex carbohydrates, vitamins and protein.
• Eggs: These are packed full of protein, perfect for any revision session.
• Vegetables and Fruit: These are full of minerals, ions, vitamins and liquids to help your body stay focused.
• Peanut butter: The healthy fats and proteins will keep your brain ticking for longer.
• Water: A study by the University of East London found that drinking 3 cups of water before an exam improved performance by 14%, so stay hydrated!
• Tea: The caffeine in herbal tea is released slowly, improves alertness, information processing and memory – it can even help relieve stress-induced headaches!
• Chewing Gum: Studies show that chewing gum rushed blood to the head which improves memory! So grab gum during your studies and as a pre-exam warm-up.

Do you have any tips to add to the revision cheat sheet? Please share in the comments below!