- Buy a notebook and keep it with you while you read.
- Every time you come across a quote you like, copy it into your notebook with a page reference. This is not limited to prose texts; do the same for any plays or poems you read. When it comes to revision, this will save you a lot of time.
- When choosing quotes be mindful of the kind of themes or motifs you may be asked about in your exam.
- Every time you come across a quote you like, copy it into your notebook with a page reference. This is not limited to prose texts; do the same for any plays or poems you read. When it comes to revision, this will save you a lot of time.
- When choosing quotes be mindful of the kind of themes or motifs you may be asked about in your exam.
2. Mind Maps
- When you have your quotes from lots of different texts, create mind-maps based on the theme or motif they relate to (if you can't remember which theme just from looking at the quote, it probably isn't a very good one!).
- I recommend setting it out as: theme > text/author > quote (as shown below). This is all the information you need to use the quotes in an exam and you can get a friend to test you e.g. "It's a quote about religion from Goodbye to All That, what is it?" or " 'Nothing was divine anymore, everything was profane' What is the theme, what's it from, and who wrote it?".
- Find out what works for you to help you remember. You might like to copy them out a few more times, or say them out loud; whatever works! It may seem like a lot at first but keep working at it - you'd be surprised how quickly you'll start remembering them.
- I recommend setting it out as: theme > text/author > quote (as shown below). This is all the information you need to use the quotes in an exam and you can get a friend to test you e.g. "It's a quote about religion from Goodbye to All That, what is it?" or " 'Nothing was divine anymore, everything was profane' What is the theme, what's it from, and who wrote it?".
- Find out what works for you to help you remember. You might like to copy them out a few more times, or say them out loud; whatever works! It may seem like a lot at first but keep working at it - you'd be surprised how quickly you'll start remembering them.
3. Quick Thinking
- Another way to improve your rate of ideas and your range of ideas is getting together with a group of friends, looking at a past paper, and bouncing ideas off each other. Once you've got used to hearing other people's opinions you'll notice that you'll be able to come up with a wider range of ideas on your own.
4. Essays
- Try using the time limits you would have to use in the exam to make sure your result is accurate, and RESIST THE URGE TO TYPE IT OUT. Unless you are permitted to use a laptop in your exam do not type out your practice answers; it may seem like less effort but it will leave you much less prepared for the conditions of your exam.
- Once you've done an essay, ask your teacher if they would mind marking it for you. They'll probably be happy to (and impressed by your independent and dedicated attitude to your subject learning).
