The day before the exam, you recognise every sentence in your notes. The next day, faced with a blank sheet of paper, the words just won’t come. This discrepancy is frustrating: you’ve worked hard, but you can’t seem to recall what you thought you knew.
To revise Life and Earth Sciences effectively, use reading as your starting point, then include moments when you have to come up with an answer without looking at your notes. This will allow you to check what you can recall, explain and apply in a new piece of work.
Why rereading isn’t always enough
Rereading can help you understand something the first time round or correct an oversight. But simply recognising a sentence does not mean you would be able to recall it on your own. A research review by Dunlosky and his colleagues highlights the value of retrieval tests and revision [1] spread out over time.
So you don’t need to give up on your exercise book. The key is to alternate: understand the material using the lesson notes, try it without them, then check your work. Here are three techniques to use with the topics you’ve actually covered in class.
Technique 1: Turn the lesson into a series of questions
Pick a small section of the chapter and write some specific questions. Avoid a huge mind map entitled «Everything you need to know about digestion». Instead, ask: «What is the difference between digestion and absorption?» or «What observation supports this conclusion?»
For a chapter on intestinal absorption, you might ask yourself what role the exchange surface plays. Your answer should link the structure under consideration to its function, using the terminology covered in your course. Then check for any omissions or misunderstandings.
A good question may ask for a definition, but it may also ask for a comparison or an explanation. Answer either out loud or in writing. If you’re unsure, have a look at the answer, rephrase it, then come back to the question later.
Technique 2: Redraw a diagram from memory
Look at an outline of your lesson, then hide it. Draw a simple version with a title, the key points and captions. Only add arrows if you can explain what they represent.
Next, compare the two versions. Is there a caption missing? Have you got the direction wrong? Correct it in a different colour and write a sentence explaining the mistake. The aim isn’t to win a drawing competition: it’s to make the mechanism easy to understand.
You could also ask a classmate to look at your diagram. If they don’t understand an arrow, explain it to them. If you’re unsure yourself, you’ve just found the bit you need to go back and revise.
Technique 3: practise answering using a document
In Life and Earth Sciences, simply reciting the lesson is not enough when the task requires you to analyse a graph or an experiment. Start by identifying what is being measured, the units, the conditions and any possible comparisons.
Fictitious example: a document shows that the quantity of a substance changes from 8 to 3 units during an experiment. You can start by describing this decrease. To explain it, you must then draw on the context and relevant knowledge. The graph alone does not allow you to invent a cause.
An answer can follow three steps: I identify a relevant piece of information, I link it to a concept covered in the course, and then I answer the question precisely. For «compare», highlight the similarities or differences; for «justify», state the points that support your answer.
Spread the revision out over a few days rather than cramming everything in the night before
You could try this schedule: a first reminder on the day of the lesson, another two days later, and then one the following week. These intervals are just a starting point – you can adjust them as needed. A difficult card comes round sooner; a concept you’ve mastered well can wait a bit longer.
Each time you revise, start with the questions or the diagram. Then open the lecture notes to check. That way, you’ll avoid spending the whole session re-reading what you already knew.
A 20-minute biology lesson
Spend five minutes on a few questions, ten minutes on a diagram or a short document, then five minutes on marking. Make a note of just one priority for next time.
If you’re still unsure about a particular concept, contact Elite Academy, stating your level and the relevant chapter. For today, just start by closing your workbook and trying to explain an idea. What you’re not yet able to put into words will show you where you need to focus your efforts.
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→ See also: The perfect revision sheet: the template that really works · A-level revision timetable: your 30-day study plan
