9-1 Series/Make the most

How to make the most of this book

These books, unlike most other GCSE textbooks the wikibook 9-1 Series textbooks are orientated and designed around questions: They provide all the information you need to know and then ample amounts of questions to test what you understand. There are 2 rough strategies depending on whether you are starting the course and learning the material for the first time or whether you are using this as part of your revision leading up to the exams.

For new pupils

If you are a pupil new to the course, or perhaps a short way through, we recommend you use this book in the following way:

1. Read a chapter before the lesson you are going to study that topic
2. When reading that topic, if there were any questions or queries then you can now ask them to your teacher.
3. A few days later, do some topic specific questions, mark them. If you got something wrong, focus in on what you didnt understand or get right and either ask your teacher for help again, or check out some of the further reading links provided which may explain, or present the topic so that you understand it better (such as an animation clip). It may help to follow a revision strategy, such as writing out notes, although aim to spend most of your time doing questions. Finally, finish off by redoing the questions you got wrong (and doing any similar questions if there are any available).
4. Optionally, after a month return to that topic and do some quick questions to ensure you are roughly familiar with that topic.

For not so new new pupils

Do not do too many questions (10 as a maximum) as repeating the same thing over and over again doesn't help you to understand it properly. The next strategy is similar, but designed if you are starting, say several months or a year through the course:

1. Read, in order, from the start of the book, each chapter. Answer any quick questions that are posted. If you get any quick questions wrong then click on some further reading links as well as some more questions. If you are still struggling speak to your teacher. Using this method, you should be able to quickly catch up to where you are in class after a week or two.
2. Once you have caught up, you could follow the above instructions, or if you have covered a significant amount of the course you could move on to the Easter revision and get ahead by starting it early.

"Easter revision"

You have now reached the point where the exams are coming in quickly and you have finished the course. If you haven't finished the course you can still follow the same process but it may be worthwhile to read through those chapters to get a rough understanding. Revision is very simple, yet very boring:

1. Do a past paper
2. Mark the past paper
3. Review weak areas (questions that you got wrong) by rereading the chapter and answering some topic specific questions.
4. If you can't improve ask your teacher next term, or click on some further reading links.
5. If you run out of past papers, start doing some practice papers these books provide (or any other books you own).
6. After at least a week you could optionally repeat the past paper to see how you've improved.

It is often recommended to plan out your revision with a spreadsheet or timetable to track what subjects you should do.