revise for essay exam

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Aptitude tests, higher learning, 7-steps to revising for essay-based exams.

University exams can be daunting. They are very different from school exams. There is often more material, but fewer questions. An entire semesters worth of material can sometimes be assessed on the basis of two essay questions. To do well, you need to construct a solid and convincing argument, and often need to cite specific literature, including the author and date of the research. This can seem impossible if you have never done it before!

In my first year of exams at University of Edinburgh, I barely understood the expectations of my exams let alone how to do well on them. Over the next three years I improved my approach to exam revision and by my final year, I achieved firsts on all my exams.

Here I share my exam revision method. It is important to remember that everyone is different, so it is important to find an approach that works for you. But this is what worked for me, and if you are intimidated or have found yourself struggling, it could work for you too!

Review material and make a module guide

This one is pretty simple. Go through the lectures, tutorials, your own notes, and your coursework. Make a new set of notes that outlines the whole module, including key ideas, concepts, research and readings (highlighting readings which you havent done would be helpful at this stage!).

Even if you will only need to know a couple of topics for the exam, courses are often designed so that all parts are connected in some way. Having a good understanding of the overall course will be helpful in understanding topics in greater detail. This is also a good way of spotting which aspects you are stronger or weaker on. If there is a part of the course you are struggling with, you can meet with your tutor to review these.

Use past papers

By this stage, it should be safe to look at the past papers without risk of causing a panic attack you will have just reviewed the whole module will likely have at least an understanding of what the question is asking and what you might say, if not an idea for an argument.

When looking at past papers, I like to copy and paste relevant questions into a word document (sometimes the syllabus changes and it will be clear that a question or two was not covered this year). This allows you to more easily look at the past few years all together, and cluster questions by topic. Sometimes you will see exact questions repeated over the years! This gives you a good direction for the rest of revision. You can choose topics/questions that have come up frequently and study those in more detail. If the exam involves picking two questions from a choice of six, I would recommend choosing for questions to revise.

Further reading

Once you have your topics picked out, its a great idea to go beyond the compulsory reading list to the optional or further readings section of the syllabus. Discussing further reading in an exam essay is a sure fire way to impress the marker! You can add notes from these readings to the module guide from step 1.

Another tip at this stage you will only need to know the key findings from the research. You probably will not have enough time in the exam to discuss readings in detail. So you have permission to skip the complicated methods section just know the context, key findings, authors and year!

Make condensed notes

With additional reading now included in the module guide, you can make a condensed set of notes of just the topics you have chosen to focus on. This might include definitions, and key readings with a sentence or two about the findings. I like to hand write these writing by hand has been proven to help you remember things! You can make it more fun by adding coloured pens.

Flash cards of key concepts, definitions, and papers

It is really helpful to make flashcards, particularly for the readings. Having the authors and date on one side with the key findings on the other is a great way to commit the literature to memory. I like to use online flash cards there are websites you can use to make them and that have different games you can play with them. Its a great break from all the reading and writing!

Make essay plans including thesis, key arguments, and papers that support those arguments

Choose some of the questions from the past papers and make plans for how you would respond.

I like to break the essay down into five or six parts:

• Introduction (including thesis)
• Counterargument (if available)

Each argument and the counterargument should be complemented with the readings. It is helpful to think about the readings in how they support specific arguments.

Play with the flashcards and rewrite the plans until they are committed to memory!

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Three Tips For Better Essay Writing

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Your 3-step guide to revising for essay-based exams.

Essay-based exams are particularly difficult to prepare for. If you're worried about revising for your essay-based exam, read our blog from Newcastle University student, Robina, on how to get the most out of your revision.

This is the tried and tested revision method I’ve been using since college to pass essay based exams. The 3 R’s of revising…

Missed a lecture or two? It happens! Recap  is going to become your best friend over the break in helping you fill up any gaps you have in your notes.

Another thing I always find useful is to only write down what your lecturer is saying, not what's on the slide . Don't waste your time frantically scribbling down what you could easily access another time. 

Once recapped, you’ve got the basic skeleton of your essay down, now it’s time to put some meat on the bones.

Chances are you’ve got a massive reading list for each lecture. If you have no idea where to start I’d recommend following up any references already mentioned in the lecture , especially when it comes to case studies. Having relevant examples/case studies are  a MUST in essay based exams.

Every essay introduction should start with a basic definition , so look at the first few essential readings on your list, and pick out a definition you think sounds best. Work your way from there. I’d recommend including no more than three references already mentioned in the lecture or on the essential reading in your essay plan.

In order to get a 2:1, you need to show evidence that you’ve gone beyond the reading list and found your own material . So it’s best to get into the habit straight away. Looking at references within references is always a good idea, so picking a key author and seeing who they mention.

The same thing goes for your case studies and examples, refrain from just regurgitating the example your lecturer gave and try to find your own . Especially with a subject like human geography think about current events in the news, even if it is a basic example it will show the examiner that you’ve understood the concept/topic.

3. REHEARSE

This is my golden rule. What works best for me is firstly understanding the topic you’re writing about, but also actually MEMORISING your essay plans .

Do not underestimate the amount of time this step takes.

There is a general consensus amongst psychologists that the most effective way to remember information is through REHEARSAL .

Yes, you could probably cram a few days before but again, studies show that your short term memory can only retain 7+/- 2 pieces of information at any given time. So the TRICK is to get information into your LONG TERM MEMORY . And the only way I’m afraid is by going over your essay plans again and again. So highlight,  make cue cards,  say them out loud, listen to them, use pictures. Do whatever works for you but remember to keep going over them as much as possible.

When something is in your long term memory you have the ability to retrieve it at any time, so this way if you already have say 4 potential essay plans memorised it will save loads of thinking time in the exam.

We hope you have found this blog post useful, should you need a little more surviving exam season, why not read our essential blogs on what to know before accessing our libraries , and how to meditate to manage stress-levels during these especially uncertain times.

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How to Revise for Exams Effectively: Guide + Infographic

The most stressful time in a university or high school student’s life is definitely the exams period. This is the time when students try to figure out how to revise effectively in a short time.

Exam revision involves reviewing all the study materials again to refresh your memory. We have gathered several techniques and recommendations to help you revise for your exams efficiently.

In this article, you’ll find:

• 6 exam revision techniques
• 23 revision tips

Learn how to revise for exams and how to make a revision timetable with our guide. To help yourself in this process, check out some essay examples for free on our website, too. Look for works on the same subject and topic to get additional information or maybe gain some insights.

• 🚦 How to Start Revising
• 📅 Making a Timetable
• 📝 Revision Techniques
• 🙌 More Tips
• 📊 Infographic

🚦 Revising for Exams: How to Start

So, your exam period is coming! How do you start the revision process?

The best way to revise for exams is to prepare thoroughly. If you prepare for your revision well, you’ll have an easier time remembering the material during the exam itself. Here’s some advice on how to revise correctly and efficiently.

Start Early

It is crucial to start preparing as soon as possible. Many students struggle with their exam revision because they don’t start studying until the last minute.

Here are some benefits of starting your revision early.

• You can keep your stress to a minimum. When we’re pressed for time, we often become anxious. So, in order to prepare for your exams without getting too stressed out, make sure to start studying a few weeks before the exam.
• You can boost your grades . By preparing for your exams early, you can deepen your knowledge of the subject matter and improve your grades on your current assignments.
• You have more time to identify your weaknesses . Knowing what your weak points are early on gives you more time to work on them.
• You can review past exam papers . If you have more time to study past exam papers, you can begin to predict what your future exams will be like. Sometimes the structure of the exam is more important than the actual questions.

Organize Your Study Space

Organizing your study space is more crucial than it may seem. Here are some tips for tidying your workspace and preparing it for your exam revision.

If you want to learn more about organizing your study space, you are welcome to look at this infographic on the topic .

📅 Revision Timetable: How to Make a Successful Plan

A timetable can help you manage your time effectively. You’ll also be able to decide which topic or subject you need to spend the most time on.

Moreover, a lot of students tend to forget about taking a rest while revising for exams. Having a timetable can not only manage your time for studying but help you put aside time for relaxation.

Decide Where You’ll Make Your Timetable

Think about what kind of timetable is most convenient for you. Some people prefer creating one on Excel or on Google Calendar , while others prefer writing their calendar down by hand. However, there are also many different apps you can use.

Our favorites are the following:

• Trello Trello provides boards and lists that you can customize and share with others. It is very convenient, but doesn’t have a lot of storage, and doesn’t handle big projects well.
• Evernote With Evernote, you can sync your notes on all your devices. You can choose from several different formats, including text, audio, photos, videos, and more. However, the app has limited storage and its plans are expensive.
• myHomework Student Planner This is a student calendar planner where you can track all of your deadlines. It has a simple interface and many different tools. It also has the option to remind you of your deadlines.
• Marinara Timer

You can also try different apps to help you manage your time via the Pomodoro technique. Marinara Timer is a timer that organizes your study and rest periods.

Set Your Study Goals

After you make your calendar, it is time to set your goals.

• Start by getting a full picture of your time limit and writing down all the exam dates.
• Then, you should think realistically about what grades you can get in each of your subjects and what you can do to boost them.
• Finally, identify your strengths and weaknesses in the subject you’ll be studying. Based on that, you can set your revision priorities.

Break Down Your Goals

Big goals can be hard to achieve. A good way to reach your study goals is to break them into smaller parts.

Let’s say your study goal is to get an A on your Literature exam in college. To do so, you need to break down the process into smaller steps. For example, read the required chapters, analyze the reading material, write down the possible exam questions, etc. It is easier to focus on these smaller steps. Moreover, you’ll be able to watch your progress little by little.

We suggest that you make a to-do list for each of your subjects. Then, estimate the amount of time you need to spend on the steps to achieve the overall goal.

Timetable Your Studies

Now it’s time to make your schedule.

You can start by writing down your everyday activities that have nothing to do with your academic work and exam revision.

Then, identify the empty spots and decide which will function as your revision time.

When preparing for the exams, it is better not to stick to one subject for a long time. Instead, aim to alternate them every so often.

Moreover, it is crucial to switch between your favorite topics to your least favorite ones so that you won’t have to deal with the most difficult material at the end.

Don’t forget to give yourself a day off . For example, choose one day not to study at all. Giving yourself a break can help you avoid burnout.

Stick To the Plan!

Now, all you have to do is stick to your plan. Making a schedule is one of the most crucial steps of exam revision. So, make sure to take your time and prepare it thoroughly.

Remember to follow your schedule and give yourself breaks.

📝 Revision Techniques: Which to Use

Here are six techniques for efficient revision. Choose the best ones for you based on your learning style. You can take a quiz to find out what kind of learner you are.

• Visual learning style. As you may have guessed from its name, a visual learner is someone who learns better if they see the material through diagrams, charts, pictures, etc.
• Aural/auditory learning style. On the other hand, an auditory learner needs to hear the material to learn it better. They usually pay more attention during lectures.
• Reading/writing learning style. Reading/writing learners are the ones who take notes and write down the explanations to themselves.
• Kinesthetic learning style. Kinesthetic or physical learning is when you act out what you are learning. If you think that doing something yourself is more efficient than learning the theory, you are probably a kinesthetic learner.
• Solitary learning style. A solitary or intrapersonal learner is someone who prefers self-study. They like to study in quiet places and generally avoid crowds.
• Social learning style. Social or interpersonal learners, on the other hand, prefer working and studying in groups. They like to discuss and connect with others to achieve better results.

Technique #1: Summarize Effectively

This technique is usually helpful for reading/writing learners. The idea is to summarize the material in order to deepen your understanding of it.

Here are a few steps that can help you summarize effectively.

• Read the material . Make sure to read it more than once. Scan the text first, then read it carefully. Finally, reread the text to see if you understand it well.
• Divide it into smaller parts . Break the text down into smaller parts to make it easier to follow.
• Find the key point in each section . After you break down the text, identify the key points of each part. Pay attention to thesis statements and topic sentences.
• Write your summary . Now that you have identified the essential points, it’s time to summarize them in your own words. This step will help you to absorb the information.
• Double-check your summary . Now, read your summary and make sure you didn’t miss any crucial information.

Technique #2: Make Flashcards

Reading/writing learners might find flashcards useful for their revision too.

You can make your flashcards by hand or use an app. Two websites you can use are:

Why are flashcards efficient?

• They allow you to choose which material to study.
• You have to evaluate your knowledge of the subject before creating a flashcard.
• By writing out the material on the flashcard, you strengthen your memory.
• Using flashcards makes you go through the same information several times, which solidifies your information recall.

How do you create a good flashcard?

• Make sure to have a term or a question on one side and a definition or answer on another.
• Keep it short and precise.
• You can categorize your flashcards by making them in different colors (one color = one category).

Technique #3: Draw Pictures

Drawing pictures is a good option for visual learners. According to Current Directions in Psychological Science , drawing pictures while studying strengthens memory recall. You may think that you can’t use this technique if you are not creative or not a talented artist. However, according to the research, the quality of your drawing doesn’t matter.

Drawing causes better recognition than writing because of the number of details involved in the process.

Try doodling while memorizing new vocabulary or terms for your exams instead of writing them down.

Technique #4: Try Mind Mapping

Mind mapping is another great option for visual learners.

This technique involves creating a diagram with pictures and lines to structure the information.

The best way for students to create a mind map is to make it big and bright. Try using capital letters and different colors for different sections. Make sure to use textbooks, guides, and books as resources for your map.

You can create one yourself or use an app.

Canva provides a mind map maker with templates. With this app, you can:

• Customize your map
• Use different elements such as shapes, lines, icons, etc.
• Color code your map using the color palette
• Download and share your mind map

After you finish your map, we recommend printing it out and hanging it in your room, where you can see it and review it regularly.

Technique #5: Test Yourself

Solitary learners can try self-testing while revising for exams.

• You can use online tests or prepare questions for yourself in advance.
• Another option is to summarize everything you’ve learned. Read the material, then try to write down as much as you can.

This process is great to strengthen your memory recall. If you can remember what you’ve learned, you will be able to use it in the future as well.

Testing yourself can also help you to identify your weak spots. Don’t be disappointed if you make mistakes while preparing yourself. Thanks to these mistakes, you can learn more and do better on the actual exam.

Technique #6: Teach Someone

This method is great for social and aural/auditory learners.

Teaching someone is a very effective way to learn something yourself.

Try to find someone who doesn’t know much about the topic you’re studying and explain it to them as simply as possible.

Another way you can follow this technique is to find a study partner. You can divide the topics between the two of you and explain them to each other. This is an efficient way to revise for your exams that can also save you a lot of time.

Even if there is no one to study with, you can say the material out loud. The act of repeating the material out loud can help solidify it in your memory.

🙌 More Exam Revision Tips

So far, we have reviewed the main revision techniques. Let’s now take a look at some tips and tricks that can make your exam revision easier. These also include psychological tricks that will help you feel better and optimize the entire process.

👨‍🎓️ Exam-Day Tips

The exam day has finally arrived! Here are some tips you can use so that all your revision won’t be in vain.

Check the Time and Place Once Again

As simple as it sounds, make sure to double-check the time and venue. Manage your time so you don’t arrive late, and plan your route to the exam location in advance.

Pack Your Things in Advance

Another simple thing to do is pack your bag in advance. Make sure you have an extra pen and pencil. Pack your things depending on which exam you will take. You may need a calculator or a dictionary, so remember to check your bag before each of your exams.

Sleep Well & Wake up Early

Manage your time so that you don’t stay up all night before the exam. Set your alarm early to have time for breakfast and get to the venue with no rush. Being in a hurry might make you nervous, and you don’t need that before your exam.

Eat Well & Stay Hydrated

It is beneficial to eat slow-release carbohydrates before the exam. Try having oats, apples, or whole grain bread for breakfast.

Don’t forget to stay hydrated too. Dehydration can make you less concentrated and cause headaches. You can usually have a water bottle with you during the exam, so don’t forget to bring it.

Learn more on the topic in an article on brain food for students !

Review Your Preparation Process After the Exam

Your exam is over, so now it’s time to reflect. Ask yourself these questions:

• Which revision methods were efficient? Which ones were not?
• What would you change about your performance on the exam?

By answering these questions, you can identify which methods worked for you and apply this knowledge to your next exam revision.

📊 23 Exam Revision Tips: Infographic

Here you’ll find an infographic with the revision tips and techniques we’ve outlined for you. Learn how to track your progress, reward yourself, find time for relaxation, look for support, and stay calm during the stressful exam revision period.

That’s it for our revision tips and techniques! We hope you’ve found this article helpful. What revision techniques do you use? Do you have any lifehacks you can share? Let us know in the comments below, and good luck with your exams!

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Writing Essays for Exams

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What is a well written answer to an essay question?

Well Focused

Be sure to answer the question completely, that is, answer all parts of the question. Avoid "padding." A lot of rambling and ranting is a sure sign that the writer doesn't really know what the right answer is and hopes that somehow, something in that overgrown jungle of words was the correct answer.

Well Organized

Don't write in a haphazard "think-as-you-go" manner. Do some planning and be sure that what you write has a clearly marked introduction which both states the point(s) you are going to make and also, if possible, how you are going to proceed. In addition, the essay should have a clearly indicated conclusion which summarizes the material covered and emphasizes your thesis or main point.

Well Supported

Do not just assert something is true, prove it. What facts, figures, examples, tests, etc. prove your point? In many cases, the difference between an A and a B as a grade is due to the effective use of supporting evidence.

Well Packaged

People who do not use conventions of language are thought of by their readers as less competent and less educated. If you need help with these or other writing skills, come to the Writing Lab

How do you write an effective essay exam?

• Read through all the questions carefully.
• Budget your time and decide which question(s) you will answer first.
• Underline the key word(s) which tell you what to do for each question.
• Choose an organizational pattern appropriate for each key word and plan your answers on scratch paper or in the margins.
• Write your answers as quickly and as legibly as you can; do not take the time to recopy.
• Begin each answer with one or two sentence thesis which summarizes your answer. If possible, phrase the statement so that it rephrases the question's essential terms into a statement (which therefore directly answers the essay question).
• Support your thesis with specific references to the material you have studied.
• Proofread your answer and correct errors in spelling and mechanics.

Specific organizational patterns and "key words"

Most essay questions will have one or more "key words" that indicate which organizational pattern you should use in your answer. The six most common organizational patterns for essay exams are definition, analysis, cause and effect, comparison/contrast, process analysis, and thesis-support.

Typical questions

• "Define X."
• "What is an X?"
• "Choose N terms from the following list and define them."

Q: "What is a fanzine?"

A: A fanzine is a magazine written, mimeographed, and distributed by and for science fiction or comic strip enthusiasts.

Avoid constructions such as "An encounter group is where ..." and "General semantics is when ... ."

• State the term to be defined.
• State the class of objects or concepts to which the term belongs.
• Differentiate the term from other members of the class by listing the term's distinguishing characteristics.

Tools you can use

• Details which describe the term
• Examples and incidents
• Comparisons to familiar terms
• Negation to state what the term is not
• Classification (i.e., break it down into parts)
• Examination of origins or causes
• Examination of results, effects, or uses

Analysis involves breaking something down into its components and discovering the parts that make up the whole.

• "Analyze X."
• "What are the components of X?"
• "What are the five different kinds of X?"
• "Discuss the different types of X."

Q: "Discuss the different services a junior college offers a community."

A: Thesis: A junior college offers the community at least three main types of educational services: vocational education for young people, continuing education for older people, and personal development for all individuals.

Outline for supporting details and examples. For example, if you were answering the example question, an outline might include:

• Vocational education
• Continuing education
• Personal development

Write the essay, describing each part or component and making transitions between each of your descriptions. Some useful transition words include:

• first, second, third, etc.
• in addition

Conclude the essay by emphasizing how each part you have described makes up the whole you have been asked to analyze.

Cause and Effect

Cause and effect involves tracing probable or known effects of a certain cause or examining one or more effects and discussing the reasonable or known cause(s).

Typical questions:

• "What are the causes of X?"
• "What led to X?"
• "Why did X occur?"
• "Why does X happen?"
• "What would be the effects of X?"

Q: "Define recession and discuss the probable effects a recession would have on today's society."

A: Thesis: A recession, which is a nationwide lull in business activity, would be detrimental to society in the following ways: it would .......A......., it would .......B......., and it would .......C....... .

The rest of the answer would explain, in some detail, the three effects: A, B, and C.

Useful transition words:

• consequently
• for this reason
• as a result

Comparison-Contrast

• "How does X differ from Y?"
• "Compare X and Y."
• "What are the advantages and disadvantages of X and Y?"

Q: "Which would you rather own—a compact car or a full-sized car?"

A: Thesis: I would own a compact car rather than a full-sized car for the following reasons: .......A......., .......B......., .......C......., and .......D....... .

Two patterns of development:

• Full-sized car

Disadvantages

• Compact car

Useful transition words

• on the other hand
• unlike A, B ...
• in the same way
• while both A and B are ..., only B ..
• nevertheless
• on the contrary
• while A is ..., B is ...
• "Describe how X is accomplished."
• "List the steps involved in X."
• "Explain what happened in X."
• "What is the procedure involved in X?"

Process (sometimes called process analysis)

This involves giving directions or telling the reader how to do something. It may involve discussing some complex procedure as a series of discrete steps. The organization is almost always chronological.

Q: "According to Richard Bolles' What Color Is Your Parachute?, what is the best procedure for finding a job?"

A: In What Color Is Your Parachute?, Richard Bolles lists seven steps that all job-hunters should follow: .....A....., .....B....., .....C....., .....D....., .....E....., .....F....., and .....G..... .

The remainder of the answer should discuss each of these seven steps in some detail.

• following this
• after, afterwards, after this
• subsequently
• simultaneously, concurrently

Thesis and Support

• "Discuss X."
• "A noted authority has said X. Do you agree or disagree?"
• "Defend or refute X."
• "Do you think that X is valid? Defend your position."

Thesis and support involves stating a clearly worded opinion or interpretation and then defending it with all the data, examples, facts, and so on that you can draw from the material you have studied.

Q: "Despite criticism, television is useful because it aids in the socializing process of our children."

A: Television hinders rather than helps in the socializing process of our children because .......A......., .......B......., and .......C....... .

The rest of the answer is devoted to developing arguments A, B, and C.

• it follows that

A. Which of the following two answers is the better one? Why?

Question: Discuss the contribution of William Morris to book design, using as an example his edition of the works of Chaucer.

a. William Morris's Chaucer was his masterpiece. It shows his interest in the Middle Ages. The type is based on medieval manuscript writing, and the decoration around the edges of the pages is like that used in medieval books. The large initial letters are typical of medieval design. Those letters were printed from woodcuts, which was the medieval way of printing. The illustrations were by Burn-Jones, one of the best artists in England at the time. Morris was able to get the most competent people to help him because he was so famous as a poet and a designer (the Morris chair) and wallpaper and other decorative items for the home. He designed the furnishings for his own home, which was widely admired among the sort of people he associated with. In this way he started the arts and crafts movement.

b. Morris's contribution to book design was to approach the problem as an artist or fine craftsman, rather than a mere printer who reproduced texts. He wanted to raise the standards of printing, which had fallen to a low point, by showing that truly beautiful books could be produced. His Chaucer was designed as a unified work of art or high craft. Since Chaucer lived in the Middle Ages, Morris decided to design a new type based on medieval script and to imitate the format of a medieval manuscript. This involved elaborate letters and large initials at the beginnings of verses, as well as wide borders of intertwined vines with leaves, fruit, and flowers in strong colors. The effect was so unusual that the book caused great excitement and inspired other printers to design beautiful rather than purely utilitarian books.

From James M. McCrimmon, Writing with a Purpose , 7th ed. (Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1980), pp. 261-263.

B. How would you plan the structure of the answers to these essay exam questions?

1. Was the X Act a continuation of earlier government policies or did it represent a departure from prior philosophies?

2. What seems to be the source of aggression in human beings? What can be done to lower the level of aggression in our society?

3. Choose one character from Novel X and, with specific references to the work, show how he or she functions as an "existential hero."

4. Define briefly the systems approach to business management. Illustrate how this differs from the traditional approach.

5. What is the cosmological argument? Does it prove that God exists?

6. Civil War historian Andy Bellum once wrote, "Blahblahblah blahed a blahblah, but of course if blahblah blahblahblahed the blah, then blahblahs are not blah but blahblah." To what extent and in what ways is the statement true? How is it false?

For more information on writing exam essays for the GED, please visit our Engagement area and go to the Community Writing and Education Station (CWEST) resources.

Academic Skills and Writing Development

Study tips and reflections from newcastle university's academic skills team.

Tackling essay-based exams

Exam season is almost upon us and one challenge you may find yourself facing is revising for essay-based exams. These can cause a lot of anxiety, not least because essay-based assessments are often something we are used to doing over the course of several weeks. How do you plan, structure and write an essay in the space of a couple of hours? And how on earth do you revise when you don’t know what you’ll be asked? 

Read on for our guide to effective revision and exam technique for essay-based exam questions:

What are essay exams testing?

Before you jump into your revision, it can be helpful to remember that essay exams are not just testing your memory. Instead, your lecturers are looking for evidence of how well you can  apply  the knowledge you have gained throughout the course to solve a problem or answer a question under timed conditions. Therefore, whilst memory is still important – you’ll need to be able to recall that knowledge in the exam – it’s only part of the story. You’ll also need to make sure you have an in-depth understanding of that knowledge and have practiced applying it to different questions, problems, and contexts.

How do I revise for essay exams?

You may be tempted to write a ‘generic’ essay on each of the topics you’re revising and memorise them so you can repeat them in the exam room. However, keep in mind that your lecturers are asking you to solve the specific problem they’ve set for you and simply ‘dumping’ everything that’s relevant won’t address the question and is unlikely to earn you good marks.

A more effective approach to revising for essay exams is incorporating strategies that develop your understanding of the topic so you can apply your knowledge to different problems effectively. Some revision strategies you might want to try for this are:

• Questioning and interrogating the knowledge: why does this happen? How does it happen? Does it always happen this way? Is this always true? What about if we apply it to a different context? What are the implications of this?
• Try applying the knowledge to case studies or different scenarios to get a better understanding of how theory works in practice.
• Look at past papers or devise your own questions and either answer them in full or sketch out an essay plan under timed conditions. This will help you to test your recall and practice skills you’ll be using in the exam.
• Compare and weigh up different approaches to the topic. Does everyone agree on this? Why? Why not? Which perspective is stronger?
• Identify gaps in your knowledge and do some additional reading to fill them.

What about strategies for the exam itself? 

You might be used to spending hours or even days planning, writing, and editing a coursework essay and be wondering how on earth you do all of this under timed conditions. Keep in mind that your lecturers  know  that this is a big ask and they are not expecting the same level of sophistication in the way you construct your arguments that they would be looking for in a coursework essay. However, it’s still necessary that your lecturers can follow your answer and see clearly how it addresses the question so:

• Spend some time at the beginning paying attention to what the question is asking you. Our video on question analysis offers some strategies for understanding essay questions: 
• Sketch out a basic structure to follow. This needn’t be more than the main points you want to argue and the order you want to argue them in.
• Clearly state your point or communicate your main focus at the beginning of each paragraph to help your reader get their bearings and follow your argument.
• If you find yourself running out of time, write down a few bullet points around your remaining points – you may still pick up a few extra marks for this! 

Do I need to reference sources in an essay exam?  

While you won’t be expected to reference others to the extent you do in a coursework essay, it’s worth incorporating a few references to back up your points and show how you worked out your answer.

Try to memorise a couple of key arguments and/or debates made by others for each topic as well as the authors’ surname(s) and the year of the article so that you can cite it in the exam. Don’t worry about the details – just one or two lines summarising their main argument is enough.

What about other types of exams?

Exams exist in various formats in addition to the traditional essay-based exam type. For example, your course may also have multiple choice papers, vivas/oral presentations or exams relating to specific processes, techniques and interactions. All types of exams test your ability to recall and apply your subject knowledge, so most advice on revision and exam technique is applicable to different exam types. Effective revision trains your brain both to retain and to retrieve information; a process that’s equally useful for all exam formats. However, different types of exams can also present different challenges, and transitioning from online to in-person exams is a key change for this year. For more details on this and other exam-related issues, see our  ASK Exams Collection  and our  calendar  for upcoming workshops on revision and exam preparation.

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How to revise for exams: Top tips

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Revising for exams can be difficult and it can be easy to develop bad revision habits. Read our helpful revision tips to ensure you are fully prepared.

Start early

Effective revision is not something that can be rushed. The earlier you start and the more organised you are, the greater your chance of success. You’ll be less likely to encounter stress or have to do last-minute cramming and pulling all-nighters in the library.

It’s a good idea to have a routine with your revision where you aim to start and finish at roughly the same time each day. Try and revise in the morning as this is when your brain is fresher. Not starting until the afternoon means you’re likely to wake up later and try to revise while tired.

Decide what you’re going to revise

Look over your syllabus and decide how you’re going to approach your revision. Find out the format for your exam as this will determine how much of the syllabus you need to revise.

For essay-based exams, you don’t need to cover the entire syllabus and it will be more effective to learn some of the content in greater detail. Short, answer-based exams will require a broader, yet less detailed, understanding of the syllabus.

Make a plan

Construct a detailed revision timetable, including any relevant papers or notes you need to look over. Block out time for socialising, exercising and any other breaks or plans you might have. Stick to this as best you can and avoid the temptation to jump straight into your revision without one.

Find a method that works for you

There are various revision techniques including flashcards, past papers, mind maps, group work and recording yourself talking and playing it back.

There's an element of trial and error to finding what works for you, and bear in mind what works well for one exam may not be the best method for another. All the more reason to start early, as you need to take time to find out how you revise best.

Eat healthily 

Eating a healthy, balanced diet will leave you feeling more energetic and focused. While revising, it can be easy to end up surviving off excessive amounts of coffee and junk food. This may be less time consuming but junk food leads to dips and spikes in blood sugar and too much caffeine can make you anxious – both of these will affect your concentration and energy levels. It’s best to drink plenty of water and eat balanced foods to get the best from your revision time.

Regular exercise

Exercise gets the blood flowing and makes for a nice respite from studying. Popping to the gym, playing team sports with friends or even going for a nice walk means more oxygen will reach the brain and help it function better. This should also help you sleep better at night, meaning you'll be able to concentrate better and retain information more effectively. 

• READ MORE 
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Take breaks

Effective revision does not mean constant revision. Taking breaks during revision gives the brain a higher chance of remembering what you’ve crammed into it.

If you start to lose focus, take a break and do something completely different. It's better to do five one-hour stints with breaks than to revise solidly for seven or eight hours.

Get a good night’s sleep

This is especially important the night before an exam, but applies to the entire revision period. Getting to sleep at a reasonable time means you'll wake up earlier and be able to fit in more revision during the day time. Sometimes revising later is unavoidable, but try to keep late nights to a minimum.

Stay calm and positive

Perhaps the most important thing to remember throughout the whole revision process is to stay calm and positive. Bear in mind that performing well in exams is not the be-all and end-all of your university experience.

If you have a bad day, try to not let it affect how you revise the next day.

There's no perfect formula for exam success and you may not find all of our tips to be right for you. The key is to work out how you revise most effectively and stick to that as best you can. Ultimately, when it comes to revision, you get out of it what you put in.

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Tips for revising for psychology essay-based exams

Overall tips for essay-based exam questions

Essay-based exam questions when you don’t know what the questions will be can be daunting. Sometimes when you first open the exam book, the essay questions can be worded in a way that might throw you – you might worry that you’ve only revised a very specific part of that essay question, for example. This is a completely normal, and a sometimes inevitable, reaction. Because you have spent a long time revising a topic in a specific way that’s best for you, thinking about it in a different way (that reflects how the question has been worded) can make you question whether you know how to answer the question and get a good mark. If you’ve revised the topic broadly with some key specific information about a topic, then I can assure you that you can answer the question.

Overcoming this initial worry is entirely possible. In many ways, you can do this by turning the question into something you have revised , and answering the question accordingly. This can take a bit of practice, so it’s important to do some practice exam questions before your exam day.

The way to do it is simple: pick out the key parts of the essay question . Sometimes questions can have superfluous information, so the key parts you want are the topic of the question and how to answer it. Remember: You don’t need to talk about everything you’ve revised or covered.

• If the question says compare and contrast or critically discuss , you know how to write the information. (I’ve provided a couple of definitions below for these key terms below.)
• If the question mentions a broad topic/phenomenon (e.g. language disorders), then talk about the key aspect of that broad topic that you have revised.

Before writing the essay question I recommend always creating a plan structure for your essay question. (You can scribble it out at the end.) This is a brief structure for the main points in your essay. Doing this at the start can actually help trigger your memory for some other pieces of information you could talk about. I’ve provided a general structure below that you can use to help start planning for any question.

A general structure to use for every essay-based exam question:

• What is a definition of the topic?
• This should be a brief overview of describing what the topic in the question is.
• You could mention an implication of why its important to study this topic.
• What is a theory of the topic? Or why does it happen?
• Brief summary of a theory or two of the topic.
• What is the evidence for the topic?
• Are there any clinical case studies to use as an example of how this approach has been tested?
• You could consider how difficult a topic it is to study. Is getting good quality evidence for this topic an easy or a hard thing (and how?), for example.
• Are there any other ways of assessing or understanding this topic?
• What assessment tools can we use to understand this topic, are there any other theories you could mention here, any other studies?
• ­This should always summarise an answer to the question and be reasonably conclusive. You could reiterate all of the key parts of the essay structure above.
• For example, if your question is asking about compare and contrast two theories, make sure to summarise which you think is better in the conclusion.

What do the key terms mean?

• Critically discuss/evaluate – go beyond purely describing a theory or an approach. Critically discuss/evaluate means evaluating what our current understanding is of a phenomenon: is the quality of the evidence good, do we have a lot of evidence (if not, what are we missing), are many of the studies outdated, how difficult of a topic is it to study? It can mean using a clinical case study to demonstrate the existence of an approach, and then critically evaluating whether a case study is a good source of evidence. I have a whole blog post on how to demonstrate critical evaluation here .
• Compare and contrast – Describe two theories/approaches for a topic, and then use critical discussion of which is more effective at explaining a phenomenon. A conclusion should be clear as to which is more effective.

Some pointers to help prepare :

As a general rule of thumb, try to do these things (in order):

• As it’s impossible for anyone to remember all of the information across a set of modules, which can be overwhelming, it pays to spend time before you start revising to look over your lecture notes and format the information to revise in a way that’s easy for you to read and understand.

This might involve creating a mind map or a table of information on a topic that you feel comfortable revising from. It should include (at minimum) all the parts of the general structure above:

• A definition for the topic,
• A description of theory of the topic,
• A study exploring the topic (which you can critically evaluate in some way and cite; you could search for one that you can remember in detail on Google scholar). This is where you can show further reading (by finding another study not mentioned in the slides), and
• An alternative piece of information that you can use to contrast the topic (e.g. a theory, another study).
• Think about any general difficulties of researching each topic. For example, studying language disorders is difficult because they could be a rare phenomenon. Therefore, we rely on case studies to understand the disorder, which do not provide us with a generalizable understanding of the disorder that may apply to everyone with the disorder.

Spend time creating this information for each module is important before you start revising.

2. Use general revision techniques to remember this information. Read and make sure you understand the topic.

3. Use practice exam questions and test yourself. Put yourself in the environment you will be in in the exam. Create your own questions based on the information you’ve revised. If you want to write your own questions, keep them reasonably broad for the general topic. Get in the habit of writing the same information twice but in slightly different ways (e.g. to compare and contrast or to critically discuss). You can create practice questions easily by going through your lecturer’s slides.

Want to know what you need to definitely pass?

A final way to help prepare is to know what you’re being tested on. You can usually find this information by looking at the overall learning outcomes for the module . This may include, demonstrating knowledge of the topic, synthesizing literature on the topic, and critically discussing the evidence for the topic. Make sure to include this information in any mindmap/table of information you use for each topic in your revision.

Other useful sources:

• https://www.oxbridgeessays.com/blog/essay-exams-make-revision-notes/
• https://tavistocktutors.com/blog/7-steps-to-revising-for-essay-based-exams

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Essay-based exams: A short guide

Before the examination, what you need to bring with you to the examination room, during the examination.

• Writing and answering
• Effective revision is, of course, key. The better you have prepared and practised, the more confident you will feel on the day.
• Sleep well, in order to be able to focus during your exam.
• If you need technological support for your exam (eg, in the case of dyslexia or dyspraxia), contact your department in advance.
• If you are used to typing rather than handwriting, we suggest you exercise your hand by answering questions on paper a few days prior to the exam. Otherwise, you may feel hand pain.
• Arrive at the exam location at least 15 minutes before its start.
• If you do not know where the particular building and room are, visit them in advance.
• Eat something beforehand to give you energy.

• Your student ID
• Three or more pens and pencils
• Water to hydrate yourself, and a snack to eat afterwards
• A watch (in case the clock is too far for you to see the time well enough)
• Follow the instructions given by the examination coordinator
• Read the exam paper carefully
• Read the exam question several times. Identify the task word. What are you being asked to do? Make sure you answer the question in full, and not the question you would like to answer.
• You might find it helpful to sketch out a quick plan to organise your approach to the question
• Make sure you allow enough time for each question
• Make sure you leave time to go back through your answers to make any edits
• Next: Writing and answering >>
• Last Updated: Nov 13, 2023 4:02 PM
• URL: https://libguides.bham.ac.uk/asc/essaybasedexams

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How to Revise Successfully

Last Updated: May 24, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Alexander Ruiz, M.Ed. . Alexander Ruiz is an Educational Consultant and the Educational Director of Link Educational Institute, a tutoring business based in Claremont, California that provides customizable educational plans, subject and test prep tutoring, and college application consulting. With over a decade and a half of experience in the education industry, Alexander coaches students to increase their self-awareness and emotional intelligence while achieving skills and the goal of achieving skills and higher education. He holds a BA in Psychology from Florida International University and an MA in Education from Georgia Southern University. There are 7 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 897,838 times.

Your upcoming exams may seem like the end of the world, but there's no reason to fear them! By using some simple and effective revision techniques, you can keep yourself engaged with your studies without turning into a research zombie.

Organizing Your Revision

• Log-out or temporarily disable social media like Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. The effort of logging in or enabling it will deter you and after a day you'll start to forget about it- you lose a lot of time to vines and stranger stalking! Also, science proves that our brains have optimum irritation levels - basically we work better if we're a little too cold, or on a rigid chair. sit to a desk or table- its more formal and re-creates the environment you'll be tested in. Yet feel free to get down to it in your jammies- you can wear comfy clothes on the day. Some people like to designate one specific study-place, while others enjoy moving between the their room, the coffee shop, the library, and other study-places to break up the monotony. Choose whatever works best for you and your habits.
• Some studies show that studying information in different places allows you to compartmentalize the information, making it easier to recall at a later date if you can associate the information with the location.
• Some students find studying in public to be more effective, making it more difficult to watch television or fiddle with other distractions found in the home. Know yourself and head your bad habits off at the pass.

• Alternatively if this isn't your style and your life is more unpredictable, write up a tick list/ to-do list of all the subject areas or units you need to cover. You can do a separate colour or page for each of your subjects and see clearly exactly what you've covered or what needs doing. This allows for chunk revision or a variation of topics in one day.
• You can create your study schedule digitally or on paper—choose whichever option best motivates you.
• Reader Poll: We asked 502 wikiHow readers and 63% of them agreed that their preferred way to schedule study time is by making paper revision timetables . [Take Poll]

• You could revise throughout the year by spending 15 minutes each day making notes you'll be able to rely upon later. By doing it in short stretches, you will remember more and feel less stressed. A month before your exam, you will have finished all your notes so you can spend a few hours a day reviewing notes and doing timed writing practice.
• If your exam is a long way off, (although this is probably not the case for 80% of you) after each lesson write up your new notes on a flash card (it only take a couple of minutes!) and keep it with your work. This way you're consolidating your knowledge and saving time and panic at the end of the year. If you are the 80% of last-minute panickers with 7 exams in 8 days just around the corner - DO NOT PANIC - it is NEVER too late. You've already started the journey here, and stressing out is the last thing you need to do.
• Prioritize the most urgent and important topics on your schedule. For instance, if you have one exam happening on Monday and another on Wednesday, spend more time studying for the Monday exam as it’s happening first.

Revising Actively

• Also, you could: highlight your notes/book, mind map/summarize the ideas on each page or TEACH what you've learned to a friend or family member. The best test of knowledge is if you can teach it-remember: "If you can't explain it simply- you don't know it well enough." (Albert Einstein) By turning your revision into an activity you must participate in, you can liven it up a bit and help your memory work more effectively.
• Ask open-ended questions of each text or subject you revise by writing questions in the margin, or on a separate sheet of paper. Try to think about the consequences should certain elements of it be changed, or should certain features occur differently. Whether it is science or history, small changes can make big differences and your thinking process is the important part.

• Periodically, Try to repeat the process of summary, writing down on a separate sheet of paper what you know about a given topic or subject without consulting your books or your previous notes. Compare your new notes to your old, finding what you've left out and what you still need to memorize. [4] X Research source

• If no one's around, pretend you're on TV or the radio being interviewed about the topic. Ask yourself a series of questions and reply as succinctly and clearly as you can, pretending people are listening and wanting to learn all about it.

• Try to stick to your schedule. Make sure to check off topics and subjects as you accomplish revising them. It may even be a good idea to reward yourself with a treat on the completion of a target to help you get there. It is a good motivation to not consider giving up as an option.

Finding Support

• Find ways to test each other, playing revision games as challenges. Use flash cards or structure your study sessions like a quiz game. Chat online if you haven't time to catch up in person.
• Make sure your revision time with friends is spent actually revising. You may actually be better off revising with classmates you're not friendly with to make it productive.

• You may need emotional support as much as other support and if you can trust in someone to talk to about your anxiety or worries, this can help you to offload many unneeded troubles to a caring listener. Even having someone, you can trust like this available online or by phone is better than no one.

Community Q&A

• Don't make pointless notes or just copy huge chunks of text. Look at past exam papers, see how questions could be asked, and base your revision on topics that are likely to come up. As explained above, follow the active revision approach to get the most out of your revising. Thanks Helpful 5 Not Helpful 0
• Have confidence. If you are positive about exams, you are much more likely to take in the necessary information and to remember it when it counts. Thanks Helpful 3 Not Helpful 0
• Get somebody to test you, or read texts, cover and repeat. This helps your brain with confidence and memory. Thanks Helpful 2 Not Helpful 0

Things You'll Need

• Chart, A3/large paper sheet or notebook for revision plan
• Markers and rulers for drawing up revision plan (bright colours and highlighters are good if you want to remember information easily)
• Poster tack to place revision plan somewhere visible

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://www.apa.org/gradpsych/2011/11/study-smart
• ↑ https://www.prospects.ac.uk/applying-for-university/university-life/how-to-revise-for-exams
• ↑ https://learningcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/studying-101-study-smarter-not-harder/
• ↑ http://www.theguardian.com/education/2014/jan/08/five-secrets-of-successful-revising
• ↑ https://www.stetson.edu/administration/academic-success/media/STUDY%20SCHEDULE.pdf
• ↑ https://www.youthcentral.vic.gov.au/study-and-training/help-with-study/how-to-study-better/top-10-study-tips
• ↑ https://www.fnu.edu/benefits-studying-music/

About This Article

Before you start revising, log out of your social media accounts and go to a quiet place so you won't be distracted. When you’re ready to begin, look over your material and highlight important people, places, dates, and ideas. Stop every 10-15 minutes and write a summary of what you read to help you retain the information. Then, write sample questions that you can quiz yourself with before the test. If you start to feel worn out, take a break to help boost your concentration. For tips on how to create a revision schedule or find study partners, scroll down! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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Study & revision: a Practical Guide

Revising for exams.

• Study & revision
• Being organised
• Note-taking
• Active Recall
• Spaced Repetition
• The Feynman Technique
• The Pareto Principle
• The Leitner System
• The SQ3R Method
• The PQ4R Method
• Studying online
• Studying beyond your department
• Short-answer question exams
• Essay questions in exams
• Understanding exam questions
• Workshops and 1:1 appointments

At University, you will encounter different types of exams , each requiring specific study preparation . On the following pages, we'll explore different techniques and strategies to help ensure that you're fully prepared for any exam scenario.

Types of exams

Examinations are a type of assessment that takes place in controlled conditions .

Explore the dropdown selections below to find out more about some of the most common types:

Closed book exams

• You cannot bring any material or resources in a closed book exam.
• You're required to rely on memorised knowledge and learnt understanding to respond to questions.
• Marks are awarded for knowing and understanding key facts and concepts and constructing an argument.
• They can include short or long-form answers, be multiple choice, or indeed, any other format.

Open book exams

• Open book exams are assessments where you can consult your notes , textbooks , and other resources during the exam. 
• These exams focus on evaluating your ability to construct an essay drawing on sources and notes you have taken into the exam.
• There is a greater expectation for evidence to be used and referenced. 
• They can include short or long form answers, be multiple choice, or indeed, any other format.

'Seen' exams

•  In ‘seen’ examinations, you are given the essay question(s) in advance .
• This allows time for thorough preparation , research , and planning before writing your answers under exam conditions.
• This type of exam aims to better assess your understanding and analytical skills by focusing on an in-depth exploration of the material.

Top Tips for approaching 'Seen' exams:

• Avoid rote memorisation : Instead of memorising an essay word-for-word, focus on understanding the key points and structure.
• Bullet point planning : Develop a bullet-point plan with a clear conclusion directly addressing the question. Learn this list to draw upon in the exam room.  
• Timed practice : Write the full essay under timed conditions to familiarise yourself with exam constraints and refine your response.
• Clarity and structure : Ensure your essay is concise, well-structured with paragraphs, and uses clear signposting for key ideas.
• Review and refine : Allocate time to review your work to ensure you have not missed anything or made an obvious error. 

Oral examinations

In some subjects, you are examined not in written form, but by talking . This is typical of language subjects. In other systems, such as that used in Italian universities, oral exams are much more common. 

• Although they don’t involve writing, it can be useful to prepare notes and write down ideas and phrases so you can check them for accuracy. 
• Some of these are open-book exams. It is important to check carefully the rules relating to each exam. These can usually be found on the module VLE or in the module handbook.

Multiple choice examinations

In this type of exam you are asked questions and provided with a list of possible answers to select from. 

• Used in many subjects. 
• They are mainly a test of knowledge and understanding. 
• They usually don’t require you to write any answers. 
• Some exams are only partly multiple choice in combination with questions that require written answers. 

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Revising for specific exams

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Assessment & examination at York

To find out more about the specific assessment and examinations that take place at the University of York, take a look at the Assessment and examination pages:

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How to Tackle Exam Questions

Learn more about how to tackle different kinds of exams and exam questions.

We cover the following topics on exam preparation on this page:

• Quantitative Questions
• Multiple Choice Questions
• Essay Questions

First, Let’s Think About De-Coding Different Types of Exam Questions

It’s helpful to understand the kinds of question that are asked on a exam, because the response you need to come up with depends on the type of question. Knowing about different types of exam questions can help you activate appropriate strategies for formulating answers and reduce exam-taking anxiety.

Exam questions generally fall into one of three categories: 1

“Green Light”

• Go right ahead!
• These are factual questions, and the answers are straight-forward. You either know the answer or you don’t; it’s right there in your head or it’s not.
• Some green light questions can be very difficult, and your ability to recall details is often tested with this typeof question.
• Study for this type of question by using recitation, making flash cards, quizzing yourself or a study partner, etc.
• If you don’t know the answer to a green light question right away, circle it and move on; often the answer will pop into your head later on during the exam.

“Yellow Light”

• These questions are more detailed than green light questions, but are based on the same idea: you either know the answer or you don’t.
• Often you’ll have to put multiple or “green light” details together.
• Similar strategies work for yellow and green questions, but with yellow light questions you’ll need to recall many ideas, concepts, formulas, etc., just to answer one question.

• These questions ask you to make inferences or apply your knowledge to new situations, which is sometimes called “critical thinking”.
• You need to know the material being covered to answer these questions at the “green light” level, but the exam question is not asking you to simply regurgitate it. You will need to take what you know and use it in ways you have not yet used it.
• This type of question sometimes flummoxes students, because they are surprised to they are being asked a question that wasn’t exactly covered in class. Remember that with red light questions you are not supposed to already know the answer. You have to come up with the answer yourself, it is not already in your head. (You will need to know the basic information, though, to be able to answer this type of question.)
• Red light questions are asked more frequently in college than in high school.
• To study for red light questions, make diagrams or concept maps that link ideas or topics from the course together. Think about how what you’re learning relates to what you’ve learned in other classes. Sit down with friends or classmates and talk about how one might use information from the class in a job setting.

See this link for a pdf of  Decoding exam questions.

How to Tackle: Problem-Solving and Quantitative Questions

Study for problem-based exams by practicing (new!) problems

As you work on the problems, remember:

• DO let yourself be stuck.* (yes, we mean that!)
• DON’T sneak a peak at the answer if you get stuck. (keep trying!)
• Check your answer only after you’ve put something–anything–down. Think partial credit, which is better than no credit if you freeze when you get stuck on hard problems on the test.

* You need to get your “stuck” muscles stronger so you know what to do on tests when you feel stuck.

Watch: LSC’s Mike Chen Shares “The Key to Problem-Solving Tests”

Taking problem-based exams

1. Understand the problem: Determine what you are supposed to find, what you need to find it, and what the unknown is (and if there is extra information). Consider whether drawing a sketch will help. Also – note each part of the question. Not answering each part is an easy way to lose points.

2. Determine a way to solve the problem: Write down all that is given or known. Draw a sketch when appropriate to show relations. Write down all relevant formulas.

3. Carry out the procedure you have devised: For numerical problems, try and estimate an answer first. This will help you to check your work later. Neat, careful work keeps you from making mistakes, and allows you to find them when you do make them (show your units!!). Additionally, when the instructor can see your work clearly, he or she may give you partial credit for what you do know, even if your ultimate answer is incorrect.

4. Check your Answers: This requires the same quality of thought originally used to solve the problem. Is your answer what you thought it would be in your original estimate? Is it a quantity that makes sense? Is your answer in the correct units? If your answer does not seem reasonable, rework the problem.

How to Tackle: Multiple Choice Questions

1. Read the stem: First, read the stem and make sure you understand what it is getting at. Look out for double negatives or other twists in wording before you consider the answer.

2. Try to come up with the correct answer: Before you look at the answer choices, try to come up with the correct answer. This will help you to rule out choices that are similar to the correct answer. Now read and consider each option carefully.

3. Look for clues in the stem: Look for clues in the stem that suggest the correct answer or rule out any choices. For example, if the stem indicates that the answer is plural you can rule out any answers that are singular. The basic rule is: the correct answer must make sense grammatically with the stem. Options which fail this exam can be ruled out.

4. Cross off any options you know are incorrect: As you rule out options cross them off with your pencil. This will help you focus on the remaining choices and eliminates the chance of returning to an item and selecting an option you had already eliminated.

5. Come back to items you were unsure of: Put a mark next to any questions you are unsure of. If you complete the entire exam with time to spare, review these questions – you will often get clues (or even answers) from other questions.

Take a look at some additional information on difficult “ Multiple Choice Tests ” (opens a PDF).

How to Tackle: Essay Questions

The best way to  prepare  for essay tests is to practice writing essays.

• Anticipate questions : Make outlines of possible essay topics using your course materials so you know you’ve got a good grasp of what might be on the test. Then recreate your outlines from memory (unless it’s an open-notes test).
• Practice writing  at least one full essay; be mindful of the time you spend practicing and think about how much time you will have during the exam. It is also important to think about  how  you are organizing the information you are including in your essay — for example, if you are asked to compare and contrast two theories as they relate to an issue, you might want to define each of them, describe the issue, and then compare and contrast them.
• If your exam is closed book,  memorize key events, facts, and names  that you will need to support your argument. If it is open-notes, then make sure you develop good outlines.

When you are  taking  essay tests:

• Manage your time  well. As with all exams, if there are multiple essay questions, be sure to look at them all at the beginning (taking note of the points each is worth), and prioritize the order you answer the questions.
• Read the directions  carefully. Ask yourself honestly: are you answering the  actual  question on the test, or the question you  want  to be on the test?  (tip: instructors know when you aren’t really answering the exact question, so make sure you are addressing the actual question and don’t just write random information that is unrelated to the question.)
• Before you write the essay,  decide on your argument  and  quickly list your supporting evidence  (it is ok to do a brain dump of all the important information that you want to include so that you have it handy when you begin writing).
• Make a quick outline  of what you are going to write to organize your thoughts and arguments.
• Write! And, make your point right away – you don’t want to get to the end of a timed essay test with your amazing argument still unmade!
• If you have time, go back and quickly  proof-read  your essay for errors.

You might want to take a look at some “ Words to Watch for in an Essay ” (opens a PDF).

References:

1 Taffy E. Raphael, Teaching Question Answer Relationships, Revisited, The Reading Teacher, Vol. 39, No. 6 (Feb., 1986), pp. 516-522.

Ellis, D. (1998). Becoming a Master Student. Houghton Mifflin: Boston

• Academic Skills
• Study skills
• Exam preparation

Essays in exams

How to write essays in exams.

How should I prepare?

Find out what you will be expected to do in the exam..

• How many essays will you have to write?
• How many marks will each one be worth?
• Will you have some choice or will you have to write on any and all topics covered by the subject?
• Will you be able to refer to notes or materials (open book)?
• Where will you sit the exam (at home or in an exam hall)?
• How long will you have to complete the exam?

Review your notes

Systematically review your notes and course material. As with any revision, your aim is to identify key topics, concepts and major theories or approaches.

Essays often ask you to integrate concepts from different topics and weeks, so try to take a holistic view and make connections as you review.

Review old exam papers

You can use past exam papers to:

• test yourself and monitor your progress.
• increase your knowledge and understanding of certain topics.
• help you to practise the types of questions you are going to encounter.
• familiarise yourself with the format of the exam itself.

Analyse the kinds of questions asked. Note the ‘direction’ words used, such as, ‘compare and contrast’, ‘discuss’, ‘evaluate’, ‘illustrate’.

Draft responses for the question you would find easiest and then the question you would find most difficult. This will help you to identify where your knowledge is satisfactory, incomplete or inadequate.

Look at the marks allocated to a question. How many points might you need to make to earn that many marks? Is broad coverage or depth expected?

Example of question requiring breadth :

‘Discuss the ten factors that contribute to heart disease’ - 30 marks.

Example of question requiring depth :

‘Discuss in detail two of the causes of greenhouse gas production and how they might be eliminated’ - 30 marks.

Identify possible exam topics

Looking at both your notes from this year and the past exam papers, try to anticipate the topics you will be asked to write on and possible questions.

This is a great activity to do with peers in study groups – together you’ll come up with a broader range of questions and approaches. If you work with others, don’t write out full answers and memorise them (your examiners will notice identical responses), instead jot down key points or ideas in your own words.

It won’t matter if you don’t guess exactly the question that appears in the exam. This gives your mind practice at imagining how the material could be organised in different ways to answer different questions.

What should I do during the exam?

Read all the questions carefully.

If you have a choice, identify the ones you might attempt. Re-read those and make a final selection.

Make some brief notes next to each of the questions you will attempt. Consider how you will respond to the question, the subject area/s you will be dealing with, and any main points or initial thoughts. This will give you something to start from, or build on, later in the exam when you are getting tired.

Calculate how much time you can spend on a question, relative to its mark value.

Start with the easiest task

If you have to write a few essays do the easiest one first.  If it’s just one essay, then begin with a section you’re comfortable with. This will help you to settle into the exam and develop your confidence.

Write a brief essay plan

Taing time to write a plan helps you to organise your thoughts and write efficiently. You don't have time for significant editing in an exam, so you want to get it right first time. Consider the following:

• What’s your argument regarding the essay question?
• How many paragraphs do you expect to write?
• What will be the topic of each paragraph?
• What supporting evidence or information will you provide for each major point you make?
• What is the most logical order in which to make your points so they develop and support your argument?

Write clearly

If you need to write your essay by hand, practice writing for extended periods of time. Handwriting for more than a few minutes can become uncomfortable if you’re used to typing everything and this might mean you can’t write everything you want, or worse, your examiner can’t read your writing.

Remember that the examiner will have just a few minutes to read and mark your response; don’t make their job harder.

Try to use the wording of the question in your first sentence

This helps you to stay on task and answer the question directly.

Use transition or connecting words

This will help organise your ideas and to make it easier for the examiner to follow your arguments.

For example: Firstly, … Secondly, …; In contrast to…; In addition…; As a result…

For example:

Question: ‘Compare the main features of orthogonal and oblique cutting processes ’.

Response : ‘ The main features of orthogonal and oblique cutting processes [topic] differ in three main ways. First , [connecting] …’

Include an introduction and conclusion

While introductions and conclusions can be quite basic in exam essays, they are worth including for the guidance they can provide you as a writer and especially for the examiner. Make them as clear and succinct as possible.

Include clear signal language: ‘This essay will argue that …’; ‘In conclusion, …’; ‘To sum up…’

Leave time to check your work

Check the logical flow, clarity of ideas and, most importantly, re-read the question and check that you have answered all parts of it . If you haven’t answered the question directly, you won't get the marks!

Thinking critically by connecting and evaluating ideas as you revise will help you to prepare for essay exams. While examiners do expect you to demonstrate your knowledge of the subject in your essay, they are more interested in your ability to produce a succinct response to the question in the form of a reasoned and well-organised argument.

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10 Tips on How to Revise Effectively and Ace your Exams

(Last updated: 19 October 2023)

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We have helped 10,000s of undergraduate, Masters and PhD students to maximise their grades in essays, dissertations, model-exam answers, applications and other materials. If you would like a free chat about your project with one of our UK staff, then please just reach out on one of the methods below.

Revision plays a crucial role in achieving exam success, that’s why developing effective revision strategies can make all the difference. Here are 10 tips to help you revise effectively and maximise your exam performance:

Start Early

It’s never too early to start revising. The earlier you start your revision, the better. Avoid procrastination, and give yourself ample time to review and absorb the material, allowing for a gradual, stress-free learning process.

Create a Revision Timetable

A revision timetable helps you manage your time efficiently, ensuring you cover all subjects and topics. Allocate specific time slots for each subject and adjust your schedule based on your progress.

Break Down Information

Breaking down information into smaller, manageable chunks makes it easier to process and remember. Use bullet points, lists, and flashcards to summarise key points and concepts.

Use Active Revision Techniques

Active revision techniques, such as teaching the material to someone else, creating mind maps, or testing yourself with quizzes, can help reinforce your understanding and improve recall.

Vary Your Revision Methods

Keep your revision sessions engaging by using a variety of methods. Switch between reading, writing, creating visual aids, and interactive activities to maintain your focus and motivation.

Stay Organised

Keep your study materials organised and easily accessible. Use folders, binders, and digital tools to categorise your notes, resources, and practice papers.

Take Regular Breaks

Revision can be mentally taxing, so it's crucial to take regular breaks to rest and recharge. Follow the Pomodoro Technique which involves 25-minute focused work sessions followed by a five-minute break.

Stay Healthy

Maintain a healthy lifestyle during your revision period. Prioritise sleep, eat nutritious meals, stay hydrated, and incorporate regular exercise to boost your energy levels and concentration.

Stay Positive

A positive mindset can significantly impact your revision and exam performance. Keep your end goals in sight, acknowledge your progress, and be kind to yourself during this challenging period.

Seek Feedback and Clarify Doubts

Don't hesitate to ask for feedback on your revision efforts and exam practice. Discuss any uncertainties or challenges with your teachers, tutors, or classmates. Clarifying doubts and addressing misconceptions early can enhance your understanding and improve your overall exam performance.

Revise Smart, Succeed Big

In conclusion, effective revision requires planning, organisation, and a variety of active learning techniques. By following these tips and staying motivated, you can maximise your potential and achieve your desired exam results.

If you need further assistance with your revision or exam preparation, we can help. Our experienced academics can provide personalised tutoring support, helping you develop effective revision strategies, and build confidence in your exam-taking abilities. Contact us today to enhance your exam performance and reach your academic goals.

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How to Revise for Different Types of Written Exams

I’ve talked a lot recently about how not all exam revision techniques are created equal. There are strategies that are a waste of time , and strategies that are super valuable for achieving high grades.

Additionally, a large factor in how you choose HOW to study should be the type of exam you’re going to be taking.

Written exams can be distinguished in 3 different ways: - the type of questions - prior knowledge of the questions - resources allowed in the exam.

This blog post will help you realise what these different types of written exam are. You’ll discover how each type impacts on your revision process, along with tips and strategies for how you should prepare for these exams.

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3 types of written exam question

Multiple choice A multiple choice exam is one where you have to select the correct answer from a selection of incorrect answers.

Pros of multiple choice questions: - The correct answer is there. If you don’t know you can guess (unless your exam penalises guessing/incorrect answers) - There will be more questions, and lower marks per question so the risk of answering a few incorrectly is lower than with other types of exams - The questions are normally simpler and require lower level thinking i.e. define, describe rather than analyse and evaluate.

Cons of multiple choice questions: - A broad range of knowledge is needed - A clear understanding of terms and details is needed to be able to distinguish between similar answers.

Tips for multiple choice exams: - Focus on active revision techniques to ensure you understand the material (not just memorise it) - Improve the encoding of your revision material to improve your recall e.g. create mnemonics, add pictures to your flashcards …etc. - While using practice papers – try to think of the correct answer before you look at the options.

Short-answer A short-answer exam is one where the questions range from around 200-800 words each with a focus on describing, explaining, applying or analysing the material.

Pros of short-answer questions: - You won’t be expected to include all details and points around a topic - You can use the number of marks per question to gauge the detail and length of your answer. For example, a 5 mark question will normally require 5 points or details.

Cons of short-answer questions: - If your exam is also unseen, this mean you’ll need to revise a wide range of topics - For essay-based exams, remember you’ll still be expected to write a coherent answer.

Tips for short-answer exams: - Make sure you understand the question words you might be asked (e.g. describe, evaluate, analyse…etc.) so you are always answering the right question - Use active revision techniques to boost your understanding as recall won’t be enough to allow you to apply the material.

Essay-based An essay-based exam is made up of a smaller number of questions requiring longer, essay-style answers with more detail.

Pros of essay-based questions: - Patterns may emerge over years of exams so you can anticipate possible questions or topic areas - Your exam answer won’t be expected to be as polished, detailed or researched as a normal essay.

Cons of essay-based questions: - If you don’t know an answer you risk losing a lot of marks - Deeper understanding is needed to build a coherent, flowing argument with application, critical analysis and synthesis.

Tips for essay-based exams: - Brush up on your essay writing skills: critical thinking , how to breakdown an essay question …etc. - Use past papers to create skeleton-answers (outlines) for lots of possible exam questions - Focus your note taking on adding your own commentary to the material – don’t just summarise.

Will you have prior knowledge of the questions?

Unseen exam An unseen exam is one where you do not know the questions beforehand. You should, however, always know what range of material the exam could cover.

Pros of unseen exams: - With solid revision focusing on active techniques you should be able to tackle what’s on that question paper.

Cons of unseen exams: - Incomplete or ineffective revision could leave you struggling to tackle all the questions - Not knowing what’s coming can add to exam stress.

Tips for unseen exams: - Make sure you know all the topics that could come up in your exam - Focus on the full spectrum of active revision techniques: mindmaps, flashcards, quizzes and past papers.

Seen exam A seen exam is one where you are told in advance either the topics that will be tested, or the exact question(s), so you can plan your answer in advance.

This seems to defeat the point of an examination. But, for some subjects, a clearer understanding of a student’s ability and understanding of the material can be achieved through essays that allow time for exploration, research and analysis.

To combat the fact that it’s pretty easy to cheat in essays nowadays, some universities compromise with a seen exam by giving you time to prepare in advance but write the assignment in exam conditions.

Pros of seen exams: - You know what the questions will be or cover so you can target your revision - A lot less anxiety because you know what will be tested.

Cons of seen exams: - You still have to revise! You will need a deep understanding of the material - You will need to master your essay writing technique and ensure you can memorise your answer.

Tips for seen exams: - Again, improve your essay writing skills: critical thinking , how to breakdown an essay question …etc. - Prepare your answer in multiple formats: plan/outline; full answer; summary of points…etc. - Practice writing out your full answer by memory, to time, to see if you need to remove material or you have time to add some more points.

What resources are you allowed to bring into the exam?

Closed book A closed book exam is one where you have none of your materials with you and must rely on your memorisation and recall of the information.

Pros of closed book exams: - Most universities won’t expect you to include all relevant details to achieve a high grade.

Cons of closed book exams: - Your ability to recall concepts in the exam is super important.

Tips for closed book exams: - Ensure you’re only revising with active techniques . Don’t waste time creating index cards with tons of bullet points or rereading notes over and over - Improve the encoding of your material with pictures and mnemonics.

Open book An open book exam is one where you’re allowed to bring some or all the course material into the exam with you.

For some exams this means you can have your textbooks, and for others you can bring notes in. You may even be allowed both.

Pros of open book exams: - You have your material in front of you so you don’t have to panic about forgetting a key detail from your notes.

Cons of open book exams: - Your understanding of the material needs to be deeper as the questions will ask for higher level thinking e.g. apply, evaluate and synthesise - If your notes aren’t clear and organised you’ll struggle to find the information you need.

Tips for open book exams: - If you’re allowed your textbook: underline and highlight important points; add your own thinking to the margins ; mark key pages with sticky notes - If you’re allowed your notes: make them clear/legible; always write in your own words; create a contents page and other lists to organise the material.

So now you know what these types are and how you can best prepare for them. Identify which three categories your exam falls into.

For example, is your exam a closed book, unseen exam with essay-based questions?

Or is it an open book, seen exam with a combination of short-answer and multiple-choice questions?

Get clear on the type of your exam so you can prepare in the best way possible.

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Essay exams have a significant written component, such as detailed short answer questions and/or formal essays. These exams may ask you to:

• Show what you know about the course content and communicate this knowledge effectively.
• Be analytical and critical about the themes of the course.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the relationships between course content, course objectives, and the practical and theoretical perspectives used within the course.
• Integrate and apply what you have learned in lectures, readings, and discussions.
• Articulate connections between the course material in complete sentences and paragraphs.

Both short-answer and essay questions ask you to demonstrate your knowledge of course material by relating your answer back to concepts covered in the course.

Essay questions require a thesis (argument) and supporting evidence, which comes from knowledge gained from course lectures, readings, seminar discussions, and assignments.

Short-answer questions are more concise than essay answers and they generally do not require an introduction, body, and conclusion.

• Go beyond the topics that are covered and try to figure out the broader themes that the course explores.
• Use this information to prepare sample questions.
• Keep the content fresh in your mind.
• Look for recurring themes, ideas, concepts, and trends.
• Organize your study notes around these major ideas.
• Go beyond simply reading your notes.
• Describe concepts aloud, explain them to a friend, or use a strategy such as concept mapping to organize your thoughts and show how concepts are related or different.
• Identify the areas that you understand well and the areas where you can strengthen your knowledge and understanding.
• Review your notes from lectures, seminars, textbook, online notes, and other course materials to create summary or study notes.
• Formulate practice questions based on the different categories of questions described above. Use old midterms, course outlines, study partners, and lecture and text notes to help you predict and create possible short-answer or essay questions.
• Create outlines to answer your possible questions. Choose a definite argument and organize the supporting evidence logically.
• Try mnemonics such as rhymes or acronyms to help you remember your outline.
• Use a timer to practise answering your questions within a limited time frame.
• Arrange a study group to discuss possible questions and key issues or concepts from the course.
• Research the questions from your text, lecture notes, and other supplemental resources, and write down outlines for your answers ahead of time.
• Memorize an outline or key points.
• Prepare as if you were going to write the exam on campus.
• Study before you receive the take-home exam or you may spend too much time researching the material and not enough time writing the exam.
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How to Revise for Your English Literature GCSE Exam

English and Language Lead

2 months ago

• 1 . Understand the Exam Structure
• 2 . Create a Revision Schedule
• 3 . Effective Revision Techniques
• 4 . Text Analysis and Annotation
• 5 . Practise Using Past English Literature GCSE Papers
• 6 . Stress Management and Self-care
• 7 . Summary 
• 8 . Boost your Grade with more English Literature GCSE Revision Tips

If you are looking for new ideas for how to revise for your English literature GCSE or you are stuck in a bit of a revision rut, read on to find lots of inspiration and fresh approaches to help you with your revision today.

I will also share some secrets of exam success with you by revealing the revision tips that my top-performing students have used to get a grade 9.

With so many different texts to revise, including Shakespeare, 19th-century novels and unseen poems, it can feel a bit challenging to know how to begin your GCSE English literature revision. But with a few proven revision tips and handy hints, you can prepare confidently for your exams and feel focused and motivated to start your exams. 

Understand the Exam Structure

Start by familiarising yourself with the different formats and requirements of your GCSE English literature exams. Whether you are studying AQA, Edexcel, WJEC or OCR GCSE English literature, all the exam boards’ specifications are broadly similar, although the texts and exam questions will differ. 

You will sit two exam papers and your exams will be closed book (so you can’t bring your texts into the exam with you). Each paper is worth 40–60 per cent of your grade, so find out how many marks each question is worth, the length of each exam, and look at how your exam board frames each question so you are familiar with the format. 

In Paper 1 or Component 1, you will answer two questions

In Paper 2 or Component 2, you will answer three questions

Here’s a quick outline of the types of questions you will be asked: 

When you’ve understood the exam structure and different question types, take a look at the marking criteria and the four different assessment objectives for English literature (AO1, AO2, AO3 and AO4). Rewrite the assessment objectives in your own words to make sure you understand them and check which assessment objective is marked in each question and its percentage value. 

Now you are ready for the next step. 

Create a Revision Schedule

It’s tempting to start revising the texts or areas you are most confident with or enjoy the most, but these are usually the topics you hardly need to revise at all. 

Instead, start by identifying your weakest areas of subject knowledge or the skills you need to work on. This will help you to break the syllabus into manageable sections. Look again at recent assessments or mock exams you’ve completed — were there any questions you found particularly challenging? Make a list and use traffic light colour-coding (red, amber and green) to prioritise your revision topics in order of importance. These are your revision targets.

Now you can create a detailed revision plan or schedule using a revision timetable , setting specific goals for each study session. Plan to study in short bursts of no more than 20–40 minutes and only revise your target texts, skills or question types to begin with, until you start to feel more confident about them. 

Here are some examples of specific goals or revision tasks you could try when revising English literature GCSE: 

Reread my class notes on the theme of the supernatural in Macbeth, underlining key points and quotations. Put my notes away and create a set of revision flashcards by recalling everything I can remember, and then ask a friend to test me. Use a different coloured pen to add any information I didn’t remember to my flashcard — this is what I need to revise in future.

Summarise my class notes on a key character in no more than 150 words in a mindmap. Write three of my own exam-style questions on this character.

Make a list of all the themes and poems featured in past paper poetry anthology questions. Choose one (difficult) question and complete a five-minute essay plan, summarising the three paragraphs I would write and any quotations I can remember. After creating my plan, look at my notes and add anything essential that I didn’t remember.

Using last year’s exam paper on my 19th-century novel, write a ten-minute timed paragraph, with a topic sentence outlining my main idea or argument (including any key words from the question). Review the marking criteria to assess how I did.

Effective Revision Techniques

There are so many brilliant revision strategies and methods you can use to revise for English literature GCSE. One of my top tips – gathered from over 12 years of helping students to succeed at GCSE – is to make sure you don’t waste time passively rereading through your class notes or simply copying your notes into a different format. 

Instead, put your notes to one side and try to use more active learning methods such as mind mapping and summarising , which can help you to recall what you know from your memory. This technique is also known as retrieval practice . According to revision experts and cognitive scientists, this approach works because when you practise bringing information to mind, your memory for that information is strengthened and you remember it for longer. 

You might also find it helpful to engage in group discussions or run study sessions with others. By working with friends or peers — and teaching others what you know — you can practise another revision technique called elaboration . This is when you explain and describe ideas with details and examples. You might also find it more motivating to learn with others. 

Be creative and experiment with a range of different revision strategies to see what works best for you. For example, if you are finding it difficult to remember a tricky key word or quotation, try dual coding , which means combining the words with drawings (emojis work well) to make it more memorable. Try watching a quick revision video and then explain everything you can remember in 40 seconds to a friend, or make your own revision video on your phone, summarising what you’ve just learnt. The act of recalling and explaining something makes it more memorable. 

Sometimes just trying something different or fun can help to make information stick in your memory. My students have enjoyed decorating chairs with sticky notes to represent a key theme or using wipeable window pens to create a graffiti-style revision word cloud for a key character (with quotations). 

Text Analysis and Annotation

Another quick and effective way to revise GCSE English literature is by using a technique you’ve probably practised lots of times in lessons. This is when you read a poem, prose text or play and annotate it, identifying any interesting aspects of language, structure and form. 

In your English literature GCSE exam, you will need to be confident with annotating unseen poems or key extracts from your set texts under timed conditions. Simply turn to any page in a relevant set text and annotate it in detail, spending around five minutes looking at the key features of the writer’s craft. Some of my students have found it helpful to use the left-hand margin to note literary techniques and the right-hand margin for their questions and analysis of the effect of the writer’s craft. 

Here are some simple but effective ways to improve your annotation and text analysis skills: 

Read the text aloud (or in your head, a technique known as silent speech or subvocalising ) as this can help you to spot interesting techniques like rhyming couplets or alliteration that you might otherwise overlook.

Skim and scan the text, highlighting or circling key words and techniques. Look at sentence type and length, and whether there is any repetition of words or phrases, or interesting linking of ideas.

Try using simple abbreviations such as rep. for repetition or meta. for metaphor to save time.

Ask yourself quick prompt questions such as “Why?” and “Effect?” to help you consider the writer’s choices and intentions and your own responses to the text.

If you can develop effective annotation strategies for poems, prose texts and plays by practising this sort of close reading technique, you will also enhance your reading comprehension skills (which will help in your GCSE English Language Exam too). 

Practise Using Past English Literature GCSE Papers

All of my students who achieved the highest grades in English regularly practised writing timed responses using past paper questions. It’s one of the best ways to revise for GCSE English literature because it is quick and effective, and helps you to identify any gaps in your knowledge or skills, revealing what you need to revise next. 

By familiarising yourself with the style of the exam questions, including the command words your exam board uses (the words that tell you how you should answer the question), you’ll feel more confident when you are in the exam hall under exam conditions. More importantly, using GCSE past papers can also help you to identify the questions that students have already been asked about your text. 

My top-attaining students found that the best way to use past exam questions is to practise writing timed essay plans (in roughly five minutes) – a bullet point summary of ideas organised in three or four paragraphs. They were also able to build their exam technique and confidence by regularly writing timed paragraphs (in about ten minutes), using these quick essay plans. 

My students found that the more timed paragraphs they wrote, the more they enjoyed it. Their confidence grew rapidly too, as they could see how much they were improving. They felt as if they had found a secret key to exam success — and they had: practice makes perfect! 

By writing a practice paragraph every day in the run-up to your exams, you’ll also build stamina and train your hand to write faster in the real exam. 

Ask your teacher for feedback or see if your classmates or peers will give you any suggestions for ways to improve on your practice essays or timed paragraphs. Their insights will help you to improve. 

Another great revision tip is to write your own exam-style questions and produce model answers for them. This approach works because it helps you to think and write like an examiner while also anticipating questions you might encounter on the day of the exam. 

Look at exam board past papers for GCSE English Literature . 

Stress Management and Self-care

You probably already know that a really important part of revising for GCSE English literature – or any exam – is to actively manage your stress levels and stay calm in the weeks and months running up to your exams. Feeling stressed is a natural response to pressure. It can help us to feel motivated to get things done, but it can also become overwhelming at times.

You can combat exam stress by being aware of its impact on you: 

Prioritise the fundamentals of self-care by eating well, exercising and getting enough sleep

Try relaxation techniques like deep breathing and visualisation

Be kind to yourself: make time to do things you enjoy, take regular revision breaks, and talk about the pressures you feel with others

What’s the best advice for revising for GCSE English literature? 

Revise actively in short bursts

Target your weakest areas of knowledge 

Vary the revision approaches you use 

Write timed paragraphs to recall what you know using past paper questions

Combat stress through self-care, exercise and good nutrition 

Boost your Grade with more English Literature GCSE Revision Tips

Get the grade you want with our essential guide to How to Get a Grade 9 in GCSE English Literature or read our expert exam advice on How to Write a GCSE English Literature Essay . 

If you are looking for more support with your revision, check out our detailed GCSE English Literature revision resources including examiners’ tips, model answers and key quotations to help you succeed.

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Written by Kate Lee

Kate has over 12 years of teaching experience as a Head of English and as a private tutor. Having also worked at the exam board AQA and in educational publishing, she's been writing educational resources to support learners in their exams throughout her career. She's passionate about helping students achieve their potential by developing their literacy and exam skills.

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Fall 2024 Semester

Undergraduate courses.

Composition courses that offer many sections (ENGL 101, 201, 277 and 379) are not listed on this schedule unless they are tailored to specific thematic content or particularly appropriate for specific programs and majors.

• 100-200 level

ENGL 151.S01: Introduction to English Studies

Tuesday and Thursday, 11 a.m.-12:15 p.m.

Sharon Smith

ENGL 151 serves as an introduction to both the English major and the discipline of English studies. In this class, you will develop the thinking, reading, writing and research practices that define both the major and the discipline. Much of the semester will be devoted to honing your literary analysis skills, and we will study and discuss texts from several different genres—poetry, short fiction, the novel, drama and film—as well as some literary criticism. As we do so, we will explore the language of the discipline, and you will learn a variety of key literary terms and concepts. In addition, you will develop your skills as both a writer and researcher within the discipline of English.

ENGL 201.ST1 Composition II: The Mind/Body Connection

In this section of English 201, students will use research and writing to learn more about problems that are important to them and articulate ways to address those problems. The course will focus specifically on issues related to the mind, the body and the relationship between them. The topics we will discuss during the course will include the correlation between social media and body image; the efficacy of sex education programs; the degree to which beliefs about race and gender influence school dress codes; and the unique mental and physical challenges faced by college students today. In this course, you will be learning about different approaches to argumentation, analyzing the arguments of others and constructing your own arguments. At the same time, you will be honing your skills as a researcher and developing your abilities as a persuasive and effective writer.

ENGL 201.S10 Composition II: Environmental Writing   

Monday/Wednesday/Friday 1-1:50 p.m.

Gwen Horsley

English 201 will help students develop the ability to think critically and analytically and to write effectively for other university courses and careers. This course will provide opportunities to develop analytical skills that will help students become critical readers and effective writers. Specifically, in this class, students will:

• Focus on the relationships between world environments, land, animals and humankind.
• Read various essays by environmental, conservational and regional authors.
• Produce student writings. 

Students will improve their writing skills by reading essays and applying techniques they witness in others’ work and those learned in class. This class is also a course in logical and creative thought. Students will write about humankind’s place in the world and our influence on the land and animals, places that hold special meaning to them or have influenced their lives and stories of their own families and their places and passions in the world. Students will practice writing in an informed and persuasive manner, in language that engages and enlivens readers by using vivid verbs and avoiding unnecessary passives, nominalizations and expletive constructions.

Students will prepare writing assignments based on readings and discussions of essays included in "Literature and the Environment " and other sources. They may use "The St. Martin’s Handbook," as well as other sources, to review grammar, punctuation, mechanics and usage as needed.

ENGL 201.13 Composition II: Writing the Environment

Tuesday and Thursday 9:30-10:45 a.m.

Paul Baggett

For generations, environmentalists have relied on the power of prose to change the minds and habits of their contemporaries. In the wake of fires, floods, storms and droughts, environmental writing has gained a new sense of urgency, with authors joining activists in their efforts to educate the public about the grim realities of climate change. But do they make a difference? Have reports of present and future disasters so saturated our airwaves that we no longer hear them? How do writers make us care about the planet amidst all the noise? In this course, students will examine the various rhetorical strategies employed by some of today’s leading environmental writers and filmmakers. And while analyzing their different arguments, students also will strengthen their own strategies of argumentation as they research and develop essays that explore a range of environmental concerns.

ENGL 201 Composition II: Food Writing

S17 Tuesday and Thursday 12:30-1:45 p.m.

S18 Tuesday and Thursday 2-3:15 p.m.

Jodi Andrews

In this composition class, students will critically analyze essays about food, food systems and environments, food cultures, the intersections of personal choice, market forces and policy and the values underneath these forces. Students will learn to better read like writers, noting authors’ purpose, audience organizational moves, sentence-level punctuation and diction. We will read a variety of essays including research-intensive arguments and personal narratives which intersect with one of our most primal needs as humans: food consumption. Students will rhetorically analyze texts, conduct advanced research, reflect on the writing process and write essays utilizing intentional rhetorical strategies. Through doing this work, students will practice the writing moves valued in every discipline: argument, evidence, concision, engaging prose and the essential research skills for the 21st century.

ENGL 221.S01 British Literature I

Michael S. Nagy

English 221 is a survey of early British literature from its inception in the Old English period with works such as "Beowulf" and the “Battle of Maldon,” through the Middle Ages and the incomparable writings of Geoffrey Chaucer and the Gawain - poet, to the Renaissance and beyond. Students will explore the historical and cultural contexts in which all assigned reading materials were written, and they will bring that information to bear on class discussion. Likely themes that this class will cover include heroism, humor, honor, religion, heresy and moral relativity. Students will write one research paper in this class and sit for two formal exams: a midterm covering everything up to that point in the semester, and a comprehensive final. Probable texts include the following:

• The Norton Anthology of English Literature: The Middle Ages. Ed. Alfred David, M. H. Abrams, and Stephen Greenblatt. 9th ed. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2012.
• The Norton Anthology of English Literature: The Sixteenth Century and Early Seventeenth Century. Ed. George M. Logan, Stephen Greenblatt, Barbara K Lewalski, and M. H. Abrams. 9th ed. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2012.
• The Norton Anthology of English Literature: The Restoration and the Eighteenth Century. Ed. George M. Logan, Stephen Greenblatt, Barbara K Lewalski, and M. H. Abrams. 9th ed. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2012.
• Gibaldi, Joseph. The MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. 6th ed. New York: The Modern Language Association of America, 2003.
• Any Standard College Dictionary.

ENGL 240.S01 Juvenile Literature Elementary-5th Grade

Monday, Wednesday and Friday noon-12:50 p.m.

April Myrick

A survey of the history of literature written for children and adolescents, and a consideration of the various types of juvenile literature. Text selection will focus on the themes of imagination and breaking boundaries.

ENGL 240.ST1 Juvenile Literature Elementary-5th Grade

Randi Anderson

In English 240 students will develop the skills to interpret and evaluate various genres of literature for juvenile readers. This particular section will focus on various works of literature at approximately the K-5 grade level. We will read a large range of works that fall into this category, as well as information on the history, development and genre of juvenile literature.

Readings for this course include classical works such as "Hatchet," "Little Women", "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" and "Brown Girl Dreaming," as well as newer works like "Storm in the Barn," "Anne Frank’s Diary: A Graphic Adaptation," "Lumberjanes," and a variety of picture books. These readings will be paired with chapters from "Reading Children’s Literature: A Critical Introduction " to help develop understanding of various genres, themes and concepts that are both related to juvenile literature and also present in our readings.

In addition to exposing students to various genres of writing (poetry, historical fiction, non-fiction, fantasy, picture books, graphic novels, etc.) this course will also allow students to engage in a discussion of larger themes present in these works such as censorship, race and gender. Students’ understanding of these works and concepts will be developed through readings, research, discussion posts, exams and writing assignments designed to get students to practice analyzing poetry, picture books, informational books and transitional/easy readers.

ENGL 241.S01: American Literature I

Tuesday and Thursday 12:30-1:45 p.m.

This course provides a broad, historical survey of American literature from the early colonial period to the Civil War. Ranging across historical periods and literary genres—including early accounts of contact and discovery, narratives of captivity and slavery, poetry of revolution, essays on gender equality and stories of industrial exploitation—this class examines how subjects such as colonialism, nationhood, religion, slavery, westward expansion, race, gender and democracy continue to influence how Americans see themselves and their society.

Required Texts

• The Norton Anthology of American Literature: Package 1, Volumes A and B Beginnings to 1865, Ninth Edition. (ISBN 978-0-393-26454-8)

ENGL 283.S01 Introduction to Creative Writing

Steven Wingate

Students will explore the various forms of creative writing (fiction, nonfiction and poetry) not one at a time in a survey format—as if there were decisive walls of separation between then—but as intensely related genres that share much of their creative DNA. Through close reading and work on personal texts, students will address the decisions that writers in any genre must face on voice, rhetorical position, relationship to audience, etc. Students will produce and revise portfolios of original creative work developed from prompts and research. This course fulfills the same SGR #2 requirements ENGL 201; note that the course will involve a research project. Successful completion of ENGL 101 (including by test or dual credit) is a prerequisite.

ENGL 283.S02 Introduction to Creative Writing

Jodilyn Andrews

This course introduces students to the craft of writing, with readings and practice in at least two genres (including fiction, poetry and drama).

ENGL 283.ST1 Introduction to Creative Writing

Amber Jensen, M.A., M.F.A.

This course explores creative writing as a way of encountering the world, research as a component of the creative writing process, elements of craft and their rhetorical effect and drafting, workshop and revision as integral parts of writing polished literary creative work. Student writers will engage in the research practices that inform the writing of literature and in the composing strategies and writing process writers use to create literary texts. Through their reading and writing of fiction, poetry and creative nonfiction, students will learn about craft elements, find examples of those craft elements in published works and apply these elements in their own creative work, developed through weekly writing activities, small group and large group workshop and conferences with the instructor. Work will be submitted, along with a learning reflection and revision plan in each genre and will then be revised and submitted as a final portfolio at the end of the semester to demonstrate continued growth in the creation of polished literary writing.

• 300-400 level

ENGL 424.S01 Language Arts Methods grades 7-12  

Tuesday 6-8:50 p.m.

Danielle Harms

Techniques, materials and resources for teaching English language and literature to middle and secondary school students. Required of students in the English education option.

AIS/ENGL 447.S01: American Indian Literature of the Present 

Thursdays 3-6 p.m.

This course introduces students to contemporary works by authors from various Indigenous nations. Students examine these works to enhance their historical understanding of Indigenous peoples, discover the variety of literary forms used by those who identify as Indigenous writers, and consider the cultural and political significance of these varieties of expression. Topics and questions to be explored include:

• Genre: What makes Indigenous literature indigenous?
• Political and Cultural Sovereignty: Why have an emphasis on tribal specificity and calls for “literary separatism” emerged in recent decades, and what are some of the critical conversations surrounding such particularized perspectives?
• Gender and Sexuality: What are the intersecting concerns of Indigenous Studies and Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies, and how might these research fields inform one another?
• Trans-Indigeneity: What might we learn by comparing works across different Indigenous traditions, and what challenges do such comparisons present?
• Aesthetics: How do Indigenous writers understand the dynamics between tradition and creativity?
• Visual Forms: What questions or concerns do visual representations (television and film) by or about Indigenous peoples present?

Possible Texts

• Akiwenzie-Damm, Kateri and Josie Douglas (eds), Skins: Contemporary Indigenous Writing. IAD Press, 2000. (978-1864650327)
• Erdrich, Louise, The Sentence. Harper, 2021 (978-0062671127)
• Harjo, Joy, Poet Warrior: A Memoir. Norton, 2021 (978-0393248524)
• Harjo, Sterlin and Taika Waititi, Reservation Dogs (selected episodes)
• Talty, Morgan. Night of the Living Rez, 2022, Tin House (978-1953534187)
• Wall Kimmerer, Robin. Braiding Sweet Grass, Milkweed Editions (978-1571313560)
• Wilson, Diane. The Seed Keeper: A Novel. Milkweed Editions (978-1571311375)
• Critical essays by Alexie, Allen, Cohen, Cox, King, Kroeber, Ortiz, Piatote, Ross and Sexton, Smith, Taylor, Teuton, Treuer, Vizenor, and Womack.

ENGL 472.S01: Film Criticism

Tuesdays 2-4:50 p.m.

Jason McEntee

Do you have an appreciation for, and enjoy watching, movies? Do you want to study movies in a genre-oriented format (such as those we typically call the Western, the screwball comedy, the science fiction or the crime/gangster, to name a few)? Do you want to explore the different critical approaches for talking and writing about movies (such as auteur, feminist, genre or reception)?

In this class, you will examine movies through viewing and defining different genres while, at the same time, studying and utilizing different styles of film criticism. You will share your discoveries in both class discussions and short writings. The final project will be a formal written piece of film criticism based on our work throughout the semester. The course satisfies requirements and electives for all English majors and minors, including both the Film Studies and Professional Writing minors. (Note: Viewing of movies outside of class required and may require rental and/or streaming service fees.)

ENGL 476.ST1: Fiction

In this workshop-based creative writing course, students will develop original fiction based on strong attention to the fundamentals of literary storytelling: full-bodied characters, robust story lines, palpable environments and unique voices. We will pay particular attention to process awareness, to the integrity of the sentence, and to authors' commitments to their characters and the places in which their stories unfold. Some workshop experience is helpful, as student peer critique will be an important element of the class.

ENGL 479.01 Capstone: The Gothic

Wednesday 3-5:50 p.m.

With the publication of Horace Walpole’s "The Castle of Otranto " in 1764, the Gothic officially came into being. Dark tales of physical violence and psychological terror, the Gothic incorporates elements such as distressed heroes and heroines pursued by tyrannical villains; gloomy estates with dark corridors, secret passageways and mysterious chambers; haunting dreams, troubling prophecies and disturbing premonitions; abduction, imprisonment and murder; and a varied assortment of corpses, apparitions and “monsters.” In this course, we will trace the development of Gothic literature—and some film—from the eighteenth-century to the present time. As we do so, we will consider how the Gothic engages philosophical beliefs about the beautiful and sublime; shapes psychological understandings of human beings’ encounters with horror, terror, the fantastic and the uncanny; and intervenes in the social and historical contexts in which it was written. We’ll consider, for example, how the Gothic undermines ideals related to domesticity and marriage through representations of domestic abuse, toxicity and gaslighting. In addition, we’ll discuss Gothic texts that center the injustices of slavery and racism. As many Gothic texts suggest, the true horrors of human existence often have less to do with inexplicable supernatural phenomena than with the realities of the world in which we live. 

ENGL 485.S01: Undergraduate Writing Center Learning Assistants 

Flexible Scheduling

Nathan Serfling

Since their beginnings in the 1920s and 30s, writing centers have come to serve numerous functions: as hubs for writing across the curriculum initiatives, sites to develop and deliver workshops and resource centers for faculty as well as students, among other functions. But the primary function of writing centers has necessarily and rightfully remained the tutoring of student writers. This course will immerse you in that function in two parts. During the first four weeks, you will explore writing center praxis—that is, the dialogic interplay of theory and practice related to writing center work. This part of the course will orient you to writing center history, key theoretical tenets and practical aspects of writing center tutoring. Once we have developed and practiced this foundation, you will begin work in the writing center as a tutor, responsible for assisting a wide variety of student clients with numerous writing tasks. Through this work, you will learn to actively engage with student clients in the revision of a text, respond to different student needs and abilities, work with a variety of writing tasks and rhetorical situations, and develop a richer sense of writing as a complex and negotiated social process.

Graduate Courses

Engl 572.s01: film criticism, engl 576.st1 fiction.

In this workshop-based creative writing course, students will develop original fiction based on strong attention to the fundamentals of literary storytelling: full-bodied characters, robust story lines, palpable environments and unique voices. We will pay particular attention to process awareness, to the integrity of the sentence and to authors' commitments to their characters and the places in which their stories unfold. Some workshop experience is helpful, as student peer critique will be an important element of the class.

ENGL 605.S01 Seminar in Teaching Composition

Thursdays 1-3:50 p.m.

This course will provide you with a foundation in the pedagogies and theories (and their attendant histories) of writing instruction, a foundation that will prepare you to teach your own writing courses at SDSU and elsewhere. As you will discover through our course, though, writing instruction does not come with any prescribed set of “best” practices. Rather, writing pedagogies stem from and continue to evolve because of various and largely unsettled conversations about what constitutes effective writing and effective writing instruction. Part of becoming a practicing writing instructor, then, is studying these conversations to develop a sense of what “good writing” and “effective writing instruction” might mean for you in our particular program and how you might adapt that understanding to different programs and contexts.

As we read about, discuss and research writing instruction, we will address a variety of practical and theoretical topics. The practical focus will allow us to attend to topics relevant to your immediate classroom practices: designing a curriculum and various types of assignments, delivering the course content and assessing student work, among others. Our theoretical topics will begin to reveal the underpinnings of these various practical matters, including their historical, rhetorical, social and political contexts. In other words, we will investigate the praxis—the dialogic interaction of practice and theory—of writing pedagogy. As a result, this course aims to prepare you not only as a writing teacher but also as a nascent writing studies/writing pedagogy scholar.

At the end of this course, you should be able to engage effectively in the classroom practices described above and participate in academic conversations about writing pedagogy, both orally and in writing. Assessment of these outcomes will be based primarily on the various writing assignments you submit and to a smaller degree on your participation in class discussions and activities.

ENGL 726.S01: The New Woman, 1880–1900s 

Thursdays 3–5:50 p.m.

Katherine Malone

This course explores the rise of the New Woman at the end of the nineteenth century. The label New Woman referred to independent women who rebelled against social conventions. Often depicted riding bicycles, smoking cigarettes and wearing masculine clothing, these early feminists challenged gender roles and sought broader opportunities for women’s employment and self-determination. We will read provocative fiction and nonfiction by New Women writers and their critics, including authors such as Sarah Grand, Mona Caird, George Egerton, Amy Levy, Ella Hepworth Dixon, Grant Allen and George Gissing. We will analyze these exciting texts through a range of critical lenses and within the historical context of imperialism, scientific and technological innovation, the growth of the periodical press and discourse about race, class and gender. In addition to writing an argumentative seminar paper, students will complete short research assignments and lead discussion.

ENGL 792.ST1 Women in War: Female Authors and Characters in Contemporary War Lit

In this course, we will explore the voices of female authors and characters in contemporary literature of war. Drawing from various literary theories, our readings and discussion will explore the contributions of these voices to the evolving literature of war through archetypal and feminist criticism. We will read a variety of short works (both theoretical and creative) and complete works such as (selections subject to change): "Eyes Right" by Tracy Crow, "Plenty of Time When We Get Home" by Kayla Williams, "You Know When the Men are Gone" by Siobhan Fallon, "Still, Come Home" by Katie Schultz and "The Fine Art of Camouflage" by Lauren Johnson.

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Visual Stories

By Michael Waters

Michael Waters is the author of “The Other Olympians: Fascism, Queerness, and the Making of Modern Sports.”

Sometime in May 1936, a reporter for The Western Morning News, a newspaper based in Plymouth, England, arrived at the doorstep of Mark Weston, a retired shot putter who had embarked on a career as a massage therapist. Mr. Weston brought the reporter into the sitting room, where he handed over a certificate recently signed by his doctor. The certificate stated, “This is to certify that Mr. Mark Weston, who has always been brought up as a female, is a male, and should continue life as such.”

Mr. Weston, born in 1905 in Plymouth, had been labeled a girl for most of his life. Throughout his sports career, he played in women’s leagues. But in early 1936, he began seeing a doctor about living as a man. He checked into Charing Cross Hospital for what turned out to be two sex-reassignment operations — one in April, another in May. Mr. Weston explained to the reporter, “I realize I am now in my true element.”

The Morning News published its article on May 28, 1936, under the headline “Devon Woman Athlete Who Has Become a Man.” Compared with the contentious discussion of trans and intersex athletes today, the article and the coverage that followed were striking for their empathy. The paper focused on explaining how a gender transition like Mr. Weston’s was possible. But eventually, the focus shifted. Mr. Weston’s story made its way to two prominent sports officials — a sports doctor who often advised federations on medical matters and a member of what was then the International Amateur Athletic Federation and is today World Athletics, the track-and-field federation — who responded by drafting early iterations of its modern sex testing policies, the first of their kind in contemporary sports. Mr. Weston did not want to return to sports, much less women’s sports, but the officials worried that gender transitions like his would poke holes in existing male and female categories. Since then, international sports bodies have continued to deny or restrict opportunities for trans and intersex athletes to compete at the highest level, in some cases barring them from competition completely — all for failing to meet a subjective definition of “female.”

When I first encountered this historical coverage of Mr. Weston, I saw that we had missed a chance to chart an alternate path — to organize sports without the regimes of gender surveillance that dominate it today. We still have an opportunity, though, to design policies that acknowledge male and female sports categories as imperfect and permeable and that place the humanity and dignity of athletes first and foremost.

Advocates of sex-testing policies cloak themselves in the guise of fairness; they exist, proponents claim, to exclude anyone with a perceived biological advantage in women’s sports. That group ranges from trans women, who are banned from most major sports even after undergoing a medical transition, to many cisgender and intersex women who have not undergone any medical transition but who have testosterone levels considered higher than normal for women. Yet little evidence supports the idea that these women have physical advantages, in strength or otherwise, over other women.

These sex testing policies also fail to acknowledge natural variations in human bodies. There’s no single way to cleave people into binary categories, but that hasn’t stopped sports officials from trying.

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