You spend an hour copying out your notes, choose three colours, and your revision sheet looks spot on. But when it comes to doing the exercise, you still have to open your notebook. A revision sheet can look nice without actually helping you much to work out how to solve a problem.
A useful revision sheet contains just enough information to test yourself and correct any mistakes. The template below is not a universal rule: it gives you a starting point that you can adapt for maths, science or languages.
One fact sheet, one main idea
Choose a fairly specific topic: the Pythagorean theorem, solving an equation or a verb tense. If you try to cram a whole term’s worth of material onto a single page, you’re likely to end up with a tiny text that you won’t use.
Give your worksheet a title that explains what you need to be able to do. «Calculating a side using Pythagoras» theorem« is more helpful than simply »geometry’. Add a question on the back or at the bottom of the page so you can practise.
What deserves to be preserved
Include the terms of use, a few keywords, a relationship or a rule, a diagram if necessary, and a worked example. Above all, make sure to include the mistake you often make. A personal note is most useful when it addresses a problem you’ve actually encountered.
Cut out long introductions and passages that you’ve copied down without understanding them. If you don’t know how to rephrase a sentence, go back to the lecture notes or ask a question before keeping it.
Full example: using Pythagoras’ theorem
Aim: to calculate the length of one side of a right-angled triangle.
Condition: the triangle must be a right-angled triangle. The hypotenuse is the side opposite the right angle. It is the longest side.
Diagram to draw: draw a right-angled triangle ABC with the right angle at A. Mark the right angle at A, and write AB = 6 cm and AC = 8 cm on the corresponding sides. Mark BC as the length you are looking for.
B |\ | \ | \ BC = ? | \ (hypotenuse) 6 cm \ | \ | \ C-------A 8 cm
Equation: BC² = AB² + AC².
Solved example: BC² = 6² + 8² = 36 + 64 = 100. As BC is a positive length, BC = 10 cm.
Check: 10 cm is greater than 6 cm and 8 cm. The unit used is the centimetre, as we are looking for a length.
A common pitfall: do not write BC = 100 cm. The result 100 corresponds to BC²; you still need to take the square root.
A question to test myself: a right-angled triangle has a hypotenuse of 13 cm and another side of 5 cm. How long is the third side?
Answer to be hidden: the square of the side we are looking for is 13² – 5² = 169 – 25 = 144. Its length is therefore 12 cm. We subtract here, as we are not looking for the hypotenuse.
Pythagoras is one of the topics covered in the Year 9 resources [1] consulted. The values in this example have been chosen simply to illustrate the steps.
How to use the form once you have created it
Hide the example and work out the answer. Then hide the formula and try to work it out from the diagram. Finally, explain out loud why you are allowed to use the theorem.
If you get it right, go back to the worksheet a few days later. If you get it wrong, practise the specific part you’re struggling with. Research into learning supports the value of testing yourself and [2] to space out the revision sessions. They don’t claim that any particular format or colour is a magic solution.
Adapt the template to your other subjects
In Physics, specify the quantities, units and conditions of the relationship. In Life and Earth Sciences, use a diagram and an explanatory question. In Language, include a short rule, a correct example and a sentence to complete or rephrase.
For a long chapter, create several notes linked by a common theme. Number them if it helps, but keep the system simple. You must also set aside time for exercises and written assignments.
Have a go now
Choose a mistake from your last test and create a fact sheet to help you avoid making the same mistake again. You can use the exact headings from the example: objective, condition, rule, diagram, example, pitfall and question.
If there’s anything you don’t understand, ask your teacher or contact Elite Academy. Then, write up the summary in your own words. It’s only by putting it to the test that you’ll see whether it really helps you.
Clarify a concept before I write my summary →
→ See also: Maths in Year 9: the chapters that really make a difference · Biology: how to learn things off by heart without forgetting it all on the big day
