We all know that Law courses can be challenging and one way to help you succeed in them is by having the right revision strategy. This is what we want to share with you today. It is so important to use every tool at your disposal to make sure you’re doing well in your studies. Here are some methods that will help
1 . Look at past exam papers
This is key to doing well in exams since most topics and questions are repeated year after year. Looking at exam papers will give you a good indication of where you should be focusing your efforts. Also, speak to your tutor in advance of the exam to find out what types of questions or topics you should focus your attention on. They will also give you some tips on how to structure your answers.
2. Assess your strengths and weaknesses
If you’re particularly strong in one module or elective as opposed to another then you’ll need to spend more time on the one you have trouble with. Look at where you’ve lost marks in the past in the subjects you are weaker at and go over those topics thoroughly.
Write down your strength and weaknesses and decide how to focus on your revision. These strengths and weaknesses will help you to plan your revision timetable.
3. Discover your learning style
Try to discover what type of learner you are to help your revision process. Are you someone who can read something once and have it sink in? Are you a visual learner who relies on diagrams and coloured pens? Do you need to make notes, and then make notes on your notes?
Find your way of learning to ensure that the information you need to learn stays in your mind.
4. Create a revision timetable
When you’ve decided on the areas that you’d like to focus on, you can create a revision timetable. A revision timetable will help you make sure that you can cover all bases without spreading your efforts thinly over multiple projects.
If you have more than one exam, you can plan your timetable according to which exam is first. A revision timetable can also help you plan breaks between your sessions for lunch or to get away from your desk – and will help you schedule in time for family and friends.
NOTE: Breaks are vital to prevent burn out or stress, so do not leave them out of your timetable.
5. Make notecards/cue cards
Notecards with definitions, dates, cases and more can be a really helpful tool for memorisation. Go through them yourself or ask a family member or housemate to read the questions while you shout out the answers.
Write the question on one side, and the answer on the other. This turns memorisation into a game, which can be a useful technique for helping you remember what you need to.
6. Practice exam technique
Knowing the subject and being able to write all your knowledge down in an exam are two different things. A good way to prepare for an exam is to practice exam technique to ensure that you know how to plan and write an exam question under exam conditions and in the time stated.
You can try one essay without timing yourself and then follow with timed essays (exam conditions) if you feel that will ease you into it better.
7. Create study groups
We all know the saying ‘two heads are better than 1’, well you can even have 4-6 people in a study group and go over topics you each find challenging that the others can guide you through and teach you. Its always a good idea to have people you can bounce ideas off of. This is a good way to study and check that you have really understood a topic.
8. Create summary notes after each class
This will make it easier for you when exams come around as you will already be half-way there will revision preparation. This also allows you to fill in the gaps which you missed in calss or in a seminar.
We hope that these tips help you excel in your studies!
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