Revision Guide 2025

RETRIEVAL STRATEGIES

Flashcards Use simple flashcards: cards with one question (or a concept, term or phrase) on one side and the explanation on the other side. Write flashcards for each topic, in all subjects, then mix them up for the most effective revision. The “Leitner System” helps with spacing and interleaving subjects and with regular recall.

These techniques may be helpful in your active revision times. Some are better for some subjects than others and depend on your existing knowledge. For example, past papers are good for Maths and sciences, but not if you need to learn a topic first.

Mind maps Choose a topic and write down as much as you can remember, without referring to your notes. Check your notes and see what you missed then try to fill the gaps without the notes. Check your notes a third time and add the missing information.

Pros/cons: Good for embedding small units of knowledge, can be time consuming to create and overwhelming if too many cards.

Correctly answered cards

Pros/Cons: Good for making connections between areas, less good for very detailed subjects.

Example  Idea  Quote 

 Text  Example  Idea

DAILY

TWICE WEEKLY

WEEKLY

SUBTOPIC

SUBTOPIC

Incorrectly answered cards

The Leitner System – start with all the flashcards in the left-hand box. Correctly answered cards move one box to the right. Incorrect move to far left.

MAIN TOPIC

 Text  Idea

IDEA

SUBTOPIC

Example 

Key Vocabulary For a particular topic, make a list of key vocabulary, then do the following: define each word, use each term in a sentence, create a question where the key word is the answer, identify other words which connect to each of the words in your list.

Text  Quote  Idea 

 Summary  Method  Discussion

SUBTOPIC

IDEA

16

17