When starting revision

[tinkerbell18]

Heya guys.

I am in my second Ib year now and want to start my revision soonish.

For that i have a general question.

When will u guys start proper revision.

How will you do it.

How much a day.

And for people who already did the IB and scored quite good grades: what are your advices.

I am looking forward for replies.

Thx

[__inthemaking]

I already graduated but, start as soon as you need to.

For your weaker subjects/subjects that require more revision (maths/sciences in general because anyone can do well in them as long as you practice a lot), start earlier.

I started revising for biology, chemistry and maths about 1 month in advance of the exams, doing all the past papers I could find. I studied for English and French 1 week before the exam. And for economics, I only studied 2 days before the exam but that was only because I had biology and economics on the same day and I decided bio was more important to me.

[tinkerbell18]

I already graduated but, start as soon as you need to.

For your weaker subjects/subjects that require more revision (maths/sciences in general because anyone can do well in them as long as you practice a lot), start earlier.

I started revising for biology, chemistry and maths about 1 month in advance of the exams, doing all the past papers I could find. I studied for English and French 1 week before the exam. And for economics, I only studied 2 days before the exam but that was only because I had biology and economics on the same day and I decided bio was more important to me.

Wow .. how did u still mnge to score so high?

are you just naturally clever.. or did u do quite a lot during the whole course?

[__inthemaking]

Wow .. how did u still mnge to score so high?

are you just naturally clever.. or did u do quite a lot during the whole course?

Blessed with a very good memory. I don't need a lot of time to revise, most of the time I can just read over notes once or twice and I'm good to go for an exam.

[Alfabeta]

BS

The **** you are writing about on your exams is material you've been trying to learn for 2 school years... unless you did IB in 2 months?

[tinkerbell18]

lol.. dont be so harsh;-)

[__inthemaking]

BS

The **** you are writing about on your exams is material you've been trying to learn for 2 school years... unless you did IB in 2 months?

I'm naturally not much of a revision type of person. I pay attention in class when we learn something and commit it to memory so that I don't forget it when exam time rolls around. That way I don't really need to relearn everything in the 2 years of IB, it's more of a refresher, thus why I don't need to spend as much time studying. Everyone has a different studying style, I study better as a crammer, others study better months in advance *shrug*.

[dexter]

well i took the IGCSE and i studied for the Mocks three weeks before, and as for math i literally studied a week before only beacuse im the type who forgets all the math style so i have to study and go to the exam , i cant study math then for a week study something else and go to the exam but for chem and bio i had a full three weeks to study all of it and revise few times .

[tinkerbell18]

wow... ll that sounds to me that you dont actually have to start as early as i exspected;-)

[KLSmash]

Well I'm in IB1, and I'm going to have my SL Chemistry and SL Physics exam in May. Luckily, those two courses are the only ones I have from February - June (along with TOK which is nothing). I'm planning to start to get all my notes together after my January exams (Ontario high school compulsory). And by April, I hope to have done enough studying, and went through all my past papers and etc, so that when May comes--I won't have to study hard core like everybody else.

[Ashika]

I graduated, but anyways.

I started maybe 1-2 months before exams and heavily focused on courses that I had issues with... and it showed since I over performed on those exams.

However, don't neglect the courses you're good at... which is what I did and I under performed on those exams.

Also, I left the languages to the day before the exam, and that was definitely the best approach for me.

[tinkerbell18]

Thx.. for all ur responses yet..

[RAfter]

HI

A lot of my friends that did IB adviced me to start studying from day 1. You should have started studying for the exams by now if you are taking it in may 2009

Ideally start solving past papers as soon you finish each chapter as the questions are repetitive. Focus on your HL s as you could get credits in universities and you can probably skip a year.

[KLSmash]

HI

A lot of my friends that did IB adviced me to start studying from day 1. You should have started studying for the exams by now if you are taking it in may 2009

Ideally start solving past papers as soon you finish each chapter as the questions are repetitive. Focus on your HL s as you could get credits in universities and you can probably skip a year.

It's pointless, in my opinion, honestly, to start studying from day 1. After the first week, the things you learn are little to none. Especially in my Physics class, we hadn't even surfaced the actual first chapter until the second month of school. Not to mention, you'll be sure to burn out by the time you hit March/April, because I mean studying for 8-9 months DAILY, is too straining. As for the HLs, you really have to look into what universities you're planning to apply to, because only some offer you advance placement if you score higher than a 5 on your HLs.

[Aldarion]

I'm naturally not much of a revision type of person. I pay attention in class when we learn something and commit it to memory so that I don't forget it when exam time rolls around. That way I don't really need to relearn everything in the 2 years of IB, it's more of a refresher, thus why I don't need to spend as much time studying. Everyone has a different studying style, I study better as a crammer, others study better months in advance *shrug*.

That's true for me also. I haven't done the examinations yet, but for smaller exams I just need to read my notes, because I pay attention in the class. For example I got 7 from a practice physics SL exam (it was a whole IB-exam) and I didn't open my book even once. I just read all my notes.

It's pointless, in my opinion, honestly, to start studying from day 1. After the first week, the things you learn are little to none. Especially in my Physics class, we hadn't even surfaced the actual first chapter until the second month of school. Not to mention, you'll be sure to burn out by the time you hit March/April, because I mean studying for 8-9 months DAILY, is too straining.

I also think that you shouldn't start from day 1. You'll just get tired after so much reading and the stuff won't stay in your memory. One of our teachers actually said to us that when our "reading holiday" starts a month before the examinations, we should go for a vacation with our friends or by ourselves. Just relax for the first week and THEN start reading. But in our school we revise all the stuff a month before the reading holiday and I don't know how common it is in other schools.

But yeah, I think the basic rule is first to relax and then start working. And remember, don't panic. That is the worst thing you can do.

[hermine0817]

Hmm... I can't give you that much advice due to the fact that I'm still a newbe too, but I heard that at least in sciences, it helps A LOT to read the Study Guides through at least once. You can find them under any sites where you can get Oxford University Press books. Amazon for example. And if you already have the Study Guides, read them through, do the questions in the end of the chapters etc. etc. In courses without Study Guides, I think that the Course Companions help a lot too. Same with the Study Guides, you can find them online. Especially the English A1 Course Companion is brilliant. Helped me a lot during exams and stuff.

[geek342]

I'm also starting IB2 and I was thinking of the same thing. I'm thinking of starting as soon as possible. I'm planning on just reading my notes over and over again till I can get the stuff to be easy to recall without hesitation. I normally don't have to read much cause I can easily recollect what I listen to in class, but I feel more confident when I can reproduce exactly what I wrote down when I made my notes. I'm doing my exams in November. I guess I'm doing so much also because of the subjects I'm doing (Maths-HL, Economics-HL, Chemistry-HL, Biology-HL, Kiswahili-SL and Text and Performance-SL). I'll be safer if I start revising now.

[Aliquantus]

I guess I'm doing so much also because of the subjects I'm doing (Maths-HL, Economics-HL, Chemistry-HL, Biology-HL, Kiswahili-SL and Text and Performance-SL). I'll be safer if I start revising now.

Hm, I thought you were required to read one group 2-subject.

Anyway, I think I should be starting revising pretty soon. History concerns me most (lots of memorisation), but I guess I should focus on maths since that's where I need to excel. I am not sure how I will structure my revision.. In maths I think I'll just go over the topics I have forgotten. Of course I'll do loads of past exams. Here's my view my subjects at the moment:

Easy subjects:

Swedish A1 SL (just 3 books, no problem!)

English A2 SL (6 books, but nonetheless, no problem)

Physics HL (low grade boundaries )

Not-so-easy subjects:

History SL

Chemistry HL (fairly high grade boundaries.. shouldn't be too much of a problem though)

Mathematics HL (could get nasty, especially P3)

[avrila]

I'm in my IB2. About revision, I suggest you to start it from now. Just do what you can first. Although you feel like you might forget what you read now, just make it a habit to read whenever you have free time. (Advising myself too)

And don't forget to complete your EE, IA, TOK, World Lit and any other extra assignments. You will feel so relieve if you manage to complete them earlier.

In my college, for the IB2 students, we have this special programme called Intensive Revision Programme (IRP)

I'm not sure whether other school has such programme or not. But my college has practiced this since around 2000 and it really boost up our grade.

First, we were divided in group of 4 or 5 students. A leader is selected. We will do revision together and it will be the initiative of the group of how to conduct the revision. This is really a group work. Everyone must contribute.

Next, one month before the exam, we will have an IRP test. What we will do is, we will be given the paper earlier. Sit in our group and discuss for about 20 minutes. We were not allowed to refer or write anything . Just discuss. Then only we will enter the exam hall and answer the question.

Any other school has their own revision programme?

[Hughie]

I'm gonna start my IB2 around the end of this month. I'm doing 2 SLs and 4 HLs - the two SL subjects are the ones that I have problems with (Japanese and Bio; I just hated Bio and man I'm cursed forever with those Kanjis).

I've finished all my core topics for Bio before my summer holiday started, and I've done my revision on it last month, made all the notes on it so only thing I gotta do before the exam is to read through it. I should do the same thing with Chem HL, I just can't get myself to it

As for the other subjects, e.g. Maths HL, I've went through the textbook, skimmed through all the chapters we've done, solved the revision exercises and that was it. My teacher gave us a 50 Qs revision sheet as well. I've also made some notes on some formulas and stuff that I thought I'd better memorise how to use, e.g. those probablity questions. I haven't revised at all for Economics HL, but that was only because I've covered all I've learnt last year and made notes on it when I was preparing for my final year exam last year.

English HL I don't even know how you're supposed to revise stuff; so all I've done is to go through my books and made notes on it to prepare for my World Lit. Japanese SL, I know that I'm weaker on Kanjis than grammar or vocab so I'm learning those Kanjis, as well as doing past papers. I'm also making notes on those kanjis, their pronounciation, etc.

Long story short, my advice is that keep making notes every time you finish a topic in a subject and it's still fresh in your mind (or at least during the holidays); that way before the exam you only gotta have a look through them and try to memorise what you need to know for the exams, without having to go through a mad rush the night before them (like I had to for my final year exam last year. Boy that was bad).

And stick to the syllabus - they tell you all you gotta know. But then you might as well add some extra info on your notes, e.g. the structure of a villus and a diagram of it; it's not in the syllabus as far as I know, but then it was included in my final year (IB1) exam.

Edited January 7, 2009 by Hughie