Now for some of you this will be the first time you are revising for exam season. Others with have had experience but now as a sixth year I know that many of the ways I revise have been recent developments rather than something I have done all along. A lot has been done this year to promote effective study methods, but nothing can compare to hearing it from pupils who have experience in the specific subject. This blog series will provide an insight into the ways we find it best to revise for specific subjects.

Maths

With such a big course, it’s important to spread maths revision out. By following the week-by-week guides, you can make sure all areas of the course are covered. Utilising the PowerPoints that collate past paper questions means that you can check answers with a step-by-step process that you can then replicate in another context. Highlighting questions you find difficult can be useful when looking for topics to return to closer to the exam or to receive extra support from your teacher. As always, a full past paper can help settle nerves and improve your timing to put your mind at ease before you enter the exam hall.

Written by Darcy Robson from the research of Bruce McDougall

Chemistry

Chemistry revision, for me, is all about past papers. Repetition of past papers means that by the time you reach the final exam there aren’t many things the SQA can throw at you to surprise you. A substantial number of marks can be picked up from calculations which, by creating a model example, and repetition can become second nature. Using your knowledge of chemistry questions can be difficult to prepare for and truly the best option for revision is practice and getting them marked. Chemistry is a particularly good subject for improving from the prelim to the exam, but it does take time and effort.

Written & Researched by Darcy Robson

Physics

For physics, the Scholar website can be used to help us understand a lot of the knowledge. This is a great resource with clear and simple explanations for all the key points of the course. Practice questions can help you revise the maths questions for the exam as well as help remember formulas. Revising little and often is key as the course is quite difficult. Revisiting homework consistently is a good way of reviewing all parts of the course. Always remember you can ask teachers for help.

Written by Darcy Robson from the research of Bruce McDougall

Biology

With very specific wording required, biology can best be studied by referencing past papers with their marking instructions. But how do you remember the specific wording? Summary pages can be very effective alongside any relevant diagrams. Mind-maps can help to create connections between elements of the course to help with a deeper understanding of what is being studied. Keywords can be collated into flashcards which effectively help with memory through the making and using of them.

Written by Darcy Robson from the research of Ellie Darlow

Environmental Science

In environmental science you are able to capture the knowledge that you may have from biology and geography. Like those subjects, it is important to utilise past papers with accurate timing. This helps you to remember all the knowledge, associate the knowledge with the repetitive SQA questions and feel more comfortable with the time management heading into the exam. As always, use the notes on Teams to make sure you have a complete understanding of the course.

Written by Darcy Robson from the research of Lucy Cathrow

We hope you’ve picked up something from our revision guide. We have a guide for each faculty and subject in the schools, so go and check out what we have to say about all your other subjects. You might just learn a few tips and tricks.