Exam study tips

BOOST YOUR MEMORY

Your memory plays an important part in preparing for exams. The tips and ideas in this
section will help you to remember things, but people learn things in different ways so
try some of them and see which ones work best for you. For example, some students
like to see information written down, some prefer to listen to information and others
learn better while they are walking or moving around.
 Try out these different ideas. Which ones help you remember best?
 Use pictures and visuals to help you remember things. For example, to learn
vocabulary, use a picture dictionary.
 Make diagrams and mind maps. For example, make mind maps for different
topics of vocabulary or use tables to record word families.
 Write notes and then use highlighters and coloured pens to focus on important
things. For example, use different colours to highlight pronunciation or different
grammatical words.
 Look at your diagrams, mind maps or highlighted notes again a few hours later
or the next day. The more often you look at your notes, the more you will
remember.
 Write things down.
 Stick pieces of paper around your room with notes and look at them regularly.
 Use your mobile phone or an online voice recorder (there are lots of free voice
recorders online) to record your voice. Record yourself reading your notes and
then listen to the recordings.
 Study with a friend. Explain things to each other and ask each other some
questions. If you like listening to information, this will help you remember.
 Read out loud (or record) just the main points you have underlined or
highlighted.
 Listen to your notes regularly. The more you listen, the more you will remember.
 Connect new information to things you already know. For example, when you
learn a new meaning of a word, think about the meaning you already know. Is
there a connection?
 Read your notes aloud while you walk around.
 Go for a walk with a friend and test each other while you are walking.

BEFORE THE EXAM

Notes
 Keep your notes tidy and complete. If you miss a class, get the notes from a
friend or ask your teacher what you missed.
 Organise your notes into different sections, e.g. vocabulary, grammar,
pronunciation, speaking, reading, listening, writing. This will make it easier to
find the section you need to revise for the exam.
  Look through your notes regularly, not just the day before the exam.
 Use different coloured pens and highlighter pens to help you focus on the most
important things you have to learn.
 Make summaries of your notes. Include the most important things in your
summaries. Write short summaries on small cards that you can carry around with
you and read them on the bus or when you have some free time.
 Make mind maps, visuals and diagrams.
 If you don’t understand something in your notes, ask a classmate or your teacher
to explain it to you.
Time
Many students have lots of exams close together. It is useful to plan how much time you
have to revise and make a revision timetable.
Work out how much time you have to study each subject and complete a table or grid
with the subjects you are going to study and when you are going to study them. Try to
stick to your revision timetable to make sure you have enough time to do everything.
Don’t leave your revision until the last minute. Try to revise for each exam more than
once to help you learn things well. Our long-term memories remember more if we look
at things more than once so look at your notes regularly.
Remember to take regular breaks while you study. Take a 15-minute break after every
hour you study. This will help you concentrate during your study time.
Phones and other distractions
If you and your friends send each other messages every five minutes, you will find it
very difficult to concentrate on what you are learning. So, switch off your phone and
your favourite social network sites while you are studying! You can send messages to
your friends during your breaks
Music
Some people like listening to music when they study and it can help them concentrate.
But if music distracts you, turn it off while you study or listen to music without words.
Listen to your favourite music during your breaks. Try studying with music on and
without music, to see how you study better. You might find that a certain type of music
helps your concentration.
Brain food
It’s really important to eat properly while studying for exams. A healthy diet will give
you lots of energy. Sugary snacks like sweets and chocolate may give you short-term
energy, but it is better to eat foods that give you lots of energy over a longer period of
time. Check out our list of brain foods and try to make sure your diet includes lots of
these things during exam times.
Super brain foods: brown bread, cereals, pasta, rice, beans, lentils and chickpeas, oily
fish such as sardines, tuna or salmon, shellfish, red meat, chicken, cheese, eggs, fresh
fruit, vegetables and salads.
Eat regular, healthy snacks while you’re studying as well as three good meals a day to
keep your energy levels high.
Exercise
Do plenty of physical exercise while you are studying for exams. Exercise helps oxygen
move around your body and your brain needs lots of oxygen to work well. Go outside
for a walk and get some fresh air, go for a swim or meet your friends for a game of
football.
Look after your eyes
Spend your study time in a quiet room with plenty of light. If you study better in the
evenings, make sure you have a good lamp so that your eyes don’t get tired. Do
exercises for your eyes. Look at something near you and blink (open and close) your
eyes several times and then look at something far away. Repeat this several times.
Revise with a friend
Talking through what you have learned with a friend can help you remember things.
You can also test each other and explain things to each other when one of you doesn’t
understand. It can be more fun revising with a friend.
Early bird or night owl?
It’s good to know when you learn better. Some people study better in the morning (early
birds) and others in the afternoon or evening (night owls). Plan your study time when
you feel at your best and feel wide awake!
Sleep
The best food for the brain is sleep, so you’ll need a lot of sleep during exam times.
When you’re tired you will find it difficult to concentrate and learn.
So, how much sleep do you need? Well, when you’ve had the right amount of sleep you
don’t feel tired, not too much and not too little. Most teenagers need between 8 and 9
hours sleep a night.
Try and get good quality sleep. So, don’t sleep with your books all over your bed or
with lights, music or the computer on. For the best sleep, make sure your room is quiet,
comfortable and dark.
If you stay up late studying and don’t get enough sleep, you may need a ‘power nap’ in
the afternoon. A short sleep of 30 minutes may give you some energy before you start
revising, but keep it short – you don’t want to spend all afternoon in bed!
Tips to help you sleep
 Have a regular bed time. Try to go to bed at the same time every night, if
possible 8 or 9 hours before you have to wake up.
 Do plenty of exercise. Don’t do exercise just before bedtime, but regular
exercise earlier in the day can help your body sleep at night.
  Don’t drink caffeine (colas, tea or coffee) in the afternoons and evenings. Drink
water, fruit juices or herbal teas.
 Have a milky drink just before bedtime.
 Relax before you go to bed. When you have finished studying, read a book,
listen to music, watch TV or have a bath to help you relax.
 Turn off lights, your computer, mobile and any other electrical devices in your
room.
 When you wake up, open the curtains to get lots of natural light in your room.
This will help you feel more awake in the morning.

THE NIGHT BEFORE THE EXAM

If you’ve prepared well for the exam, the night before the exam shouldn’t be too
stressful. In fact, you should be able to relax a little and you should also have time to get
organised for the big day.
 Review your notes.
 Get your bag ready. Do you need to take anything to the exam? Pens? Pencils? A
dictionary? A bottle of water? A watch? An ID card?
 Do something you enjoy, like listening to music or watching TV before you go
to bed. This will help you relax.
 Go to bed early and get a good night’s sleep.

THE DAY OF THE EXAM

OK, so the day of the exam is here. These tips will help you to do the best you can on
the day of the exam.
 If your exam is in the morning, get up early and have a good breakfast. This will
give you lots of energy.
 Don’t forget to take your things!
 Get to school early. Leave plenty of time to get there. If you are late, you will
feel more nervous. Check which room your exam is in.
 Go to the toilet before the exam starts!
 Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths if you feel nervous.
 Listen carefully to the teacher while he/she is explaining what to do.
 Read the instructions carefully. If you don’t understand the instructions ask the
teacher.
 Look through the test and see how much time you have to do each part. Write
the time you have for each part on the test paper to help you organise your time.
 Write your name on the exam paper.
 If possible, start with the easiest section first. This will help you relax.
 When you have finished, check your answers carefully.
 In a writing exam, check your writing carefully for any mistakes.