Chookiehen Posted April 15, 2012 Share Posted April 15, 2012 I have my Financial Accounting exam looming on the 26th, and, despite revising my backside off (I have seriously never worked so hard for something in my life. I have children to provide for, so failure is simple not an option), I am struggling to get some of the more boring theory subjects implanted in my brain. The actual physical accounting part is a walk in the park (I got an overall assessment score throughout the course of 89%), but as at least half the exam paper is expected to be theory, I'm starting to panic. Any tips for getting this stuff in my brain? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Couperwife Posted April 15, 2012 Share Posted April 15, 2012 Bullet points on postcards. Write the bullet point on one side, then the answer on the other. So you pick a card, read the point then try and explain it. And put them everywhere around the house Re-word everything so your children can understand it Make the children play the learning game with you. Hope these are slightly useful... Cathy X Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chookiehen Posted April 15, 2012 Author Share Posted April 15, 2012 Ah yes, when I was trying to get the layout of a cash flow statement memorised, I was chanting the headings out loud to Squidger, so he could probably complete one in his sleep now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sadietoo Posted April 15, 2012 Share Posted April 15, 2012 When DD was revising we found using the locus? method worked well...so for example you attach in your mind some fact or other to say your living room curtains, another to the shower, another to the fireplace, and so on..then when you are in the exam you just need to take a tour around your home and all the relevant facts (hopefully) come popping back into your head! Well it worked for her anyway.... Also... don't get too strung up on perfection...a pass is all you need...as a very dear friend always used to say...it says Chartered Accountant on my certificate..not Chartered Accountant with Distinction , or Marginal Chartered Accountant...... Good luck with your exams... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted April 15, 2012 Share Posted April 15, 2012 I've always found that regurgitating the information in writing was what worked for me, so I used to read my notes and then either do a question from a past paper, or just write out everything I could remember about a subject. The flash cards and bullet points also worked well, as did revising to music - nothing too wordy or distracting, but I found having classical music playing helped me to focus. The annoying thing is that once you are in practice, you will probably hardly ever have to memorise these things. I'm not an accountant, but in my own area of work you just say to clients 'hmm, well that's interesting - I'll need to research that'! Good luck - I really admire you for doing this. You are probably ten times more motivated than younger people on your course who don't have children to feed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chookiehen Posted April 15, 2012 Author Share Posted April 15, 2012 Also... don't get too strung up on perfection...a pass is all you need...as a very dear friend always used to say...it says Chartered Accountant on my certificate..not Chartered Accountant with Distinction , or Marginal Chartered Accountant....... Yes, that's almost exactly what my tutor said at the last tutorial! But, I am a target-driven person, I always have been. I don't like to do half-baked jobs on anything, so I have set my target for the final exam. I have an upper score I would love to get, and a lower score that I think is more realistic. Anything between the two will suit me down to the ground. There was a lot of people who didn't bother to do the final assessment because they had already done enough in previous ones to get a high enough assessment mark to be guaranteed their place on the exam, but I just can't work like that - I have to do my best (although my first assessment mark might give a different impression ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lillybettybabs Posted April 15, 2012 Share Posted April 15, 2012 Flash cards bullet points most importantly breaks, don't push yourself to learn too much all a once as i won't sink in. I feel your pain as i am cramming too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatieB Posted April 15, 2012 Share Posted April 15, 2012 I agree with all of the above and they were my usual revision methods, particularly regurgitating notes.... however this is food for thought. When I was in my second year at uni, shortly before my exams my long term boyfriend who I lived with finished with me. I was devastated and could not concentrate on revision at all. Someone suggested taping my work/notes/revision which I did. I used to listen to them at various times including when I went to bed and I would fall asleep listening to a walkman. I honestly felt like I wasnt taking it in and had learnt nothing, I was extrememly scared about the exams. I passed; worth a try on top of the other suggestions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chookiehen Posted April 15, 2012 Author Share Posted April 15, 2012 Ooooh, I like that idea! I have the three theory units on my kindle, and often put it on the speech facility, and listen while I'm doing something else, but never in bed. Sound like a plan for the heavy law and ethics units! Thankyou!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubereglu Posted April 15, 2012 Share Posted April 15, 2012 I've always found that regurgitating the information in writing was what worked for me, so I used to read my notes and then either do a question from a past paper, or just write out everything I could remember about a subject. The flash cards and bullet points also worked well, as did revising to music - nothing too wordy or distracting, but I found having classical music playing helped me to focus. The annoying thing is that once you are in practice, you will probably hardly ever have to memorise these things. I'm not an accountant, but in my own area of work you just say to clients 'hmm, well that's interesting - I'll need to research that'! Good luck - I really admire you for doing this. You are probably ten times more motivated than younger people on your course who don't have children to feed. I must admit that this is how I mostly work as well! Also, start with a key word and think of everything you can to do with it and anything related. Write down the things you continually can't remember on to sticky notes and stick them everywhere, and write down key things in multicoloured pens! I have several A3 poster sheets on the go in rainbow colours at the minute and they seem to help. Even if I don't look at them afterwards I have had to rearrange the information to start with and the act of making the poster helps me go through things. Also, when you take a break, go into another room and see how much you can recall of what you learnt earlier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted April 15, 2012 Share Posted April 15, 2012 My ED does the A3 poster method too, with great success DS is doing power points, as yet unproven, he also has ED's A3 posters but of course he hasn't drawn them up so they have a limited use, he is lucky to be blessed with a photographic memory though. Good luck with the exam. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adelochick Posted April 15, 2012 Share Posted April 15, 2012 How about making up 'mind maps' of relevant information/bullet points. I've also used aide memoire cards, hand written because the information is easier to recall if I've written about it myself (as someone else mentioned). Good luck for the exam. Jx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
