The summary.
OBTAIN PAST PAPERS AND THE MARKING CRITERIA
They show what is actually asked and what distinguishes each grade — both are usually narrower than the syllabus suggests.
REVISE BY TESTING YOURSELF, NOT REREADING
And return most often to what you get wrong. Most people spend most time on what they already know, because it is comfortable.
Produce condensed notes from memory. Producing them is the revision.
ALLOCATE TIME BY MARKS, AND KEEP TO IT
Running out of time on the last question loses more than imperfect answers elsewhere.
If short, write in note form rather than not at all. Points earn marks; prose does not by itself.
NOTE THE INSTRUCTION WORD
Describing when asked to evaluate loses most of the marks.
MUCH EXAM ANXIETY COMES FROM UNFAMILIARITY WITH THE EXPERIENCE
Practise under timed conditions, and protect your sleep — it affects retention more than extra hours of revision.
ASK WHAT SEPARATES YOUR GRADE FROM THE ONE ABOVE
It produces specific, actionable guidance that written feedback rarely does.
