How To Study For Your Next Science Exam: Active Revision, What Is It?
You are approaching the next big exam. Is it the year 7 science test? Or the year 12 biology exam? Where do you begin? Do you read over notes? Or do you rewrite them? The main takeaway from this article is that for most people there is a right way to study and a wrong way to study.
Most people spend their academic lives focused on what to study and not teaching themselves how to study. Indeed, the difference between ineffective study and effective study is non-trivial.
Why are we not taught how to study in school? Why does school let us down in our pursuit of academic efficiency?
That is why I bring you this discussion, which looks to shed awareness on ways of teaching your kids important lessons about studying effectively.
There are two broad types of revision: passive revision and active revision.
Passive Revision
Passive revision refers to a type of studying where the learner passively consumes information without actively engaging with it. This could include activities such as re-reading notes or textbooks, listening to pre-recorded lectures or audio materials, or watching educational videos without taking notes or interacting with the material in any meaningful way. There is an abundance of studies that suggest that this is a relatively ineffective way to learn, understand and memorise material.
I often see students at university rewriting notes and rereading textbook chapters. It makes us feel good because we are not actively trying to recall information we have learned, which is comparatively more challenging. We feel like we get more done passively, which makes us feel like we are achieving productivity. However, the quality of what we complete is not ideal for long-term memorisation.
2. Active Revision
Active revision is a type of studying that involves engaging with the material in an interactive and participatory way. This can include, techniques such as summarising, self-quizzing, creating flashcards, practising problem sets, and explaining the material to others.
Summarising involves condensing the material into a brief and concise format, such as bullet points or outlines. This helps to identify the main points and organise the information in a way that is easier to understand and remember.
Self-quizzing involves testing oneself on the material, either by creating and answering questions or by using practice tests. This helps to identify areas of weakness and reinforces learning by providing immediate feedback.
Creating flashcards involves making cards with key terms or concepts on one side and their definitions or explanations on the other. This is a highly effective technique for memorisation and recall.
Active revision is generally considered more effective for long-term learning and retention than passive revision, as it promotes deeper engagement with the material and encourages the development of critical thinking skills.
So what type of study is better for your exam preparation?
What Does The Scientific Literature Say?
To answer this question, the following article will be used:
Dunlosky, J., Rawson, K. A., Marsh, E. J., Nathan, M. J., & Willingham, D. T. (2013). Improving Students’ Learning With Effective Learning Techniques: Promising Directions From Cognitive and Educational Psychology. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 14(1), 4–58. https://doi.org/10.1177/1529100612453266
The rise in popularity of different learning styles led Dunlosky et al. to review what the current literature thinks of passive and active learning.
Dunlosky et al. produced the table above which comprises multiple robust studies which investigated passive revision vs active revision. The findings are abundantly in favour of active revision as the most optimal type of revision for the study variables listed in column 2 in the table above. While Dunlosky’s review is not an exhaustive list, it does provide a snapshot of the broad relevant literature on this topic.
Dunlosky also addressed their own findings on the specific types of active revision and their effectiveness. Their table can be seen below.
If you draw your attention to the utility column, it suggests that practice testing and distributed practice offer the highest utility and generalisability of the listed active revision methods. This makes plain that consistently reviewing one’s content is the most effective form of revision. Say goodbye to cramming before the exam!
So What Do I Think Works Best for Science?
In my personal opinion, active revision is the best way to approach learning, particularly in science. It is a skill you will need in the STEM fields at university and is far more effective for subject retention. The skills required to do well in science include information recall and critical thinking; these are both trained, refined and improved by an active approach. I personally would not be able to manage in medical school without prioritising active revision over passive revision. However, active revision is not for everyone. Learning how to study is more than learning about passive vs active revision, it is implementing techniques and seeing which one works best. The best way to learn how to study is to try different techniques and see what works best. Maybe you like flashcards instead of summaries? Whatever it is, finding and trying it, is the pathway to success in high school science.
