IB Revision Guide

Did you know that 90% of IB Students do not have a proper revision plan for their IB exams? Revisiting the content of 2 years without a structured program is disastrous. It increases your stress levels. As a result, they perform poorly, not only in their IB finals but also in their Extended Essay and Internal Assessments.

 

In this blog, we have given tips to help you revise for your IB exams.

 

In this blog, we will:

Before we dive into the blog, consider watching this video which will further elaborate on the importance of having a structure for IB revision.

 

Being an IB student, you must have become a pro at writing many notes. While writing your notes is a great habit, they might only be helpful if they are organized properly. It is crucial to make them accessible. Let's admit it. We all do last-minute revisions. Just one more look for that one topic can be a life savior. In those times, if your notes are all over the place, you will save time looking for their materials and notes rather than using that valuable time to study. Technology has made it so much easier to help you organize your notes. You can maintain an IB Notes Repository on any online platform. You must already have one if you are a Nail IB subscriber. All your notes are safe and secured in your personalized repository! If you need more time, check out what Nail IB can do to help you better prepare for your exams.

Ha! Gotcha. If only eating almonds was the solution to revision. While eating almonds may improve your retaining capabilities, they will do the least in helping you revise better. You need to understand what revision is. To edit is to reignite the neural networks created when you first learned about a specific concept. The more frequently you reignite these neural networks, the more active they will stay in your brain. Therefore it is essential that all your neural networks are up and sparkling before your IB exams.

 

A scientific study concluded that the ideal time for revising something is a day after you are done learning it. To retain it for as long as possible, your second revision should be done within a week of the first time you understood the concept. Particular emphasis on the word understand. Understanding complicated concepts is way better than learning them. Learning implies that you are doing the bare minimum to retain these concepts. On the other hand, understanding makes sure you go to the root and decode the complexities.

 

Even your revision schedule should follow the same timeline. Work your calendar backward from the time you have to take the exam. The ideal time to begin revising a subject should be 38 days before you appear for it. You want to do your first revision on day 1, the second round of revision should be done on the 8th day, and the final edit should be done a day before the exam. This strategy is ideal for revising efficiently and ensuring you remember a single thing while taking your exams.

Okay, this one is my little secret which made remembering and recalling complicated theories fun. You need to associate knowledge with accessible anchors. Our brain works in weird ways. One of the ways you can tune your mind for recalling theories and formulas is by associating them with anchors you establish while you learn them for the first time. A very simple example is chewing a pack of gum. It has been proved and tested that chewing the same favorite gum while familiarising yourself with new concepts and while taking your exam helps your brain recall those concepts! The logic is that you are stimulating the same environment while taking your test as you did while learning. 

 

Here's another way of using this principle of association. Try and break down complicated concepts into superficial characteristics.

 

For example, if you are learning about mitochondria, you will have to memorize that it is

 

• the powerhouse of a cell,
•  
• sausage-shaped,
•  
• has a double membrane,
•  
• is absent in red blood cells, etc.

 

Now think of a classmate with whom you can associate these characteristics. For instance, you choose your class representative, Jeff. Since Jeff holds a position of power, he is, in fact, the powerhouse! Jeff is tall, which can help you recall that mitochondria are sausage-shaped. Jeff may have many layers to him. He is not only the class representative but is also very athletic and has a keen interest in theatre. This multilayered personality of Jeff may help you remember that mitochondria have a double membrane. Now I know this may sound silly. Most of the links don't even make sense. But that's the fun! They do not have to make sense at all. All they need to do is provide your brain with a trigger that will help you recall the characteristics of mitochondria.

 

Using this technique helps you use the power of visualization to learn complicated concepts. You should check out this video if you are interested in more such hacks which can help you study efficiently for your IB Exams.

 

This blog is not the first to tell you that you must submit your Extended Essay and Internal Assessments before your IB exams. However, the one thing that most students tend to overlook is their CAS reflections. If you have followed Nail IB's advice, you must have finished your CAS hours in DP 1. Now all you need to do is ensure you are done with your reflection. Check with your DP coordinator to ensure everything is taken care of from your end so you can be free from the burden of CAS.

The Pareto Principle, also known as the 80-20 rule, claims that 80% of the result is determined by 20% of your work. This principle fits beautifully in your revision plan. You need to identify 20% of the content in every subject, which might be used for 80% of the questions. But how do you determine that 20%? Ask your teachers! They always have a good clue about the essential parts. The other way to determine your 20% is by spotting a pattern in past papers. If you have been consistent with your studying, you must have identified a few topics that repeat themselves a bit too often. This is the 20% you should be focusing on! While revising, be sure to review this 20% as frequently as possible.

While it is encouraged to work in study groups, you need to understand that everyone studies uniquely. Some people choose to revise for the exams they have. First, others like to start preparing for the exams they have at the end. Be true to your preferred style, and don't worry about what your study group wants to study. Some people prefer practicing all the applied subjects like Maths, Physics, etc., in the early stage of your revision. Your brain tends to remember formulas when studied in a calm environment rather than when you are under pressure. Figure out if this works for you as well! However you decide to learn, just be sure to apply the knowledge as much as possible. Revision does not mean just reading a text and hoping to retain it. It means honing the ability to recall everything you have learned and understood easily. This can only be achieved when you practice what you have learned several times. Again, practicing Past Papers and self-evaluating your performance is the best way to apply your knowledge.

 

We want Nail IB to be your virtual companion and make IB worth it! We have many helpful blogs that will help you navigate your way through IB. Apart from our blogs, we offer the 'Take A Test'Test' module, which allows IB students to evaluate their level in the IB Program. Make sure to try a test and see your strengths and weaknesses. And finally, to ensure you have all the resources you might need to nail IB, we have curated exclusive student bundles for your convenience.