How to Revise before Examination with Top Revision Tools and Techniques? Discover the Use of Past Question Papers for Revision + Much More...!

Abstract:

Revision is often a process of memorising facts, dates, formulas and quotes, but the best way to make sure you've retained that information is to test yourself on it. Answering past papers helps you to work out which topics you know really well and figure out what gaps you need to focus on. 

Revision is an essential part of any student's academic journey. It is the process of reviewing and consolidating what you have learned in your studies.

One of the most effective ways to revise is by using past papers. Past papers give you an idea of the type of questions you can expect in your exams and provide an opportunity to practice answering them. By revising with past papers, you can identify your strengths and weaknesses, improve your exam technique, and boost your confidence.

Keywords:

Past papers, Revision, Academic, Questions, Answers, Techniques, Knowledge

Learning Outcomes

After undergoing this article you will be able to understand the following:

1. What are past papers?

2. What's the significance of past papers?

3. Where you can find past papers?

4. Why should you use past papers?

5. How many past papers you should consider for revision?

6. Is doing past papers a good way to revise?

7. Can you buy past papers?

8. Conclusions 

Introduction:

Revision is essential. For scoring maximum marks you should use the tools like 

Class notes

Important questions

Probable questions

Questions frequently asked in previous years

Model questions given in the exercise books 

Text books 

Among the above sources previous years question papers are significant sources of knowing the pattern of questions, marks alloted, Instructions in the question papers for the exam.

You have the opportunity to get acquainted with the basic information beforehand examination. 

Practice make perfect. Revising works best when you practice what you'll be doing in the exam ­and that means answering questions. By concentrating on key facts and writing them down as exam answers you'll be making it easier to remember what you learned in class.

By making a revision plan early and organising your time, you can divide your revision into manageable chunks and, just as importantly, when to take breaks. This will increase your chances of remembering the important things, help with better exam performance while avoiding last minute stress.

Start by dividing the number of days you have until the exam by the number of topics you need to revise. Ask your teacher for a list of topics, or make your own by going through your notes.

Think about any topics that will need more revision time - perhaps they are more detailed, or you found them more difficult than others.

When you know how many days you need to revise for each topic, you'll be able to make revision part of your daily routine. However, you need to be realistic about the time you have:

mark on the plan those things you need to do, such as being at school and mealtimes

split the remaining time into half-hourly slots

break each topic on your revision checklist down into smaller pieces that can be learnt in 30 minutes, fill your slots with these pieces.

Let's understand some important aspects of past papers 

1. What are past papers?

Past papers are examinations from previous academic years. Past papers can be used as a means of revision or to highlight some topic areas that typically come up during end-of-year exams.

Most past papers will also come with previous marking schemes. This will have the answers to the questions on the exam and will also likely come with the examiner’s report, which gives insight into why questions are marked in a certain way or what sort of answers the exam board typically looks for.

2. What's the significance of past papers?

The answer is really down to the person using this specific revision technique. For some, past papers are an essential way to revise and to prepare for an exam, for others, they are less useful.

Past papers are examinations from previous academic years.

The important thing to remember with past papers is how you use them. Past papers are supposed to be used as preparation for the kinds of questions you might be asked. Examiner’s reports can be especially helpful too. These reports can show you how to answer specific questions and what sort of answers the exam board are specifically looking for.

3. Where you can find past papers?

You can visit the library and check if they have the question papers you need. Contact seniors or teachers: You can also contact your seniors or teachers and ask them if they have any previous years' question papers. They may be able to provide you with the papers or guide you on where to find them.

Exam boards will usually have past exam papers on their websites. But remember There are possibility of change of syllabus and question asking pattern. This is also the same for university degree courses, as the courses change their teachings and syllabus every academic year.

The best places to find these past exams papers are:

Educational websites

Vedantu

Byju's

Aglasem

StuQi

Collegedunia

Libraries

Institute library

University library

Public library

Local library

Regional library 

Academic Resources Depositories

Board offices

Career guidance centres

Some schools have also been known to have past papers on their websites or intranet. Not all colleges and schools offer this though, so going through the exam board website is usually the best way to find them.

4. Why should you use past papers?

Past papers are an excellent way to learn more about what examiners are looking for. Past papers do not just familiarise you with the kind of questions you may be asked, but also encourages you to explore different types of answer, be it short-form or essay-type.

Test and apply your knowledge

Past papers are a good way of seeing just how far your revision is taking you. If you have spent a week revising a specific topic, then a past paper gives you the chance to test what you have spent the week learning.

Past papers are examinations from previous academic years.

Application is one of the best revision techniques available. Learning from notes, books, videos or audio clips are all good ways of studying things, but answering actual exam questions on the topic gives you the opportunity to apply everything you’ve been revising.

Understand the questions

Past papers are an excellent way of gleaning the salient point of an exam question. Most exams will change their wording each year, but past papers will give you the chance to really work out what kinds of things the exams are asking you for.

One of the main things you will be looking for with past papers is “command words”. These are words that identify exactly how you should answer a specific question and what they are looking for. With past papers, you will be able to cut through the fat and find exactly what you need in an exam question.

Examiner’s reports are reports written by the people who mark the exams. These reports are highly-detailed and very in-depth, covering each and every question in the exam and giving specific advice and criteria for answers.

These reports are not cheat guides, far from it. These are meant to provide you with the resources to answer questions in the future.

Past papers are an excellent way to learn more about what examiners are looking for.

5. How many past papers you should consider for revision?

That’s really down to you. Past papers are an excellent way of testing what you’ve already revised, so it's best not to become too over-reliant on them but rather as a conclusion to any revision you have done.

We recommend doing a past paper at the end of your revision for a specific subject. For instance, if you have a revision timetable and are going to be studying one subject solidly for a full week, then it is best to have a past paper at the end of it to test yourself.

5. Is doing past papers a good way to revise?

This will vary from person to person. Some find revising using past papers to be an excellent way of revising, while others consider it to be a less effective method.

As with all revision methods, it’s about what works for you and what enables you to learn the most. It’s always best to play to your strengths, and if you feel that your revision is best served by using past papers, then it’s best to use that method.

Examiner’s reports are reports written by the people who mark the exams.

6. Can you buy past papers?

Most exam boards will already have past papers on their website. This is not necessarily a fool-proof method because, as stated above, exam boards can be somewhat fickle about which papers they will offer for students to download.

Some exam boards have been known to sell past papers. These can usually be found on Amazon or through other bookshops or public libraries. Buying is not generally recommended, purely as it is not always economically viable. Most schools, colleges or universities will have copies of past exam papers for you to study from if you require them.

8. Conclusions 

Follow these steps to produce a helpful revision timetable:

Create a blank timetable covering all the days in the week and all the hours that you are awake.

Mark on the hours of the week that you have fixed responsibilities, like classes, work, family commitments, etc. Schedule around these

Consider other activities that you can do with more flexibility. These may include exercise, catching up with friends, housework and of course eating! Don’t put them into the timetable yet, but list them so you know what you will need to add.

Do you work best in the mornings, afternoons or evenings? Think about the time of day when you are most productive and find it easiest to get motivated and remember information.

Mark in the times that you will be revising based on your most focused time of day. Aim for 45-minute sessions with a 15-minute break in between.

Incorporate your extra activities that have flexible timing around your revision sessions.

Allow for extra time. It is important not to fill every slot in your study plan. As well as being overwhelming, you also need an element of flexibility - some topics may take longer than you anticipate, and other unexpected events may take up your time too.

Now look at your revision sessions more closely. How many assessments do you have? Make a note of all your assessments and their dates. Work backwards from these dates to ensure you fit in enough revision time for each assessment.

For each assessment write down a list of the main topics that should be covered. If you are unsure, look through Canvas, your module handbook or speak to your classmates.

For each topic, think about how confident you currently are. Try rating your confidence between 1 and 5 (1 = low confidence, 5 = high confidence). Then dedicate more of your revision time to the topics where you have rated your confidence towards the lower end of the scale.

At the end of each week, review your revision plan. What worked for you and what caused problems? Were you right about how long different activities took? You may need to adjust your plan or adjust how long 

you spend on certain tasks the following week.

Start early. Starting your revision early means you can spread it out and avoid last-minute panic. 

Find out the exam format. 

Find a revision method that works for you. 

Test yourself. 

Teach someone else. 

Space out your revision and take breaks. 

Look after yourself.