Exam Technique – 5 Things That Really Make a Difference

There’s a common myth in education:

“If I just revise enough… I’ll do well in the exam.”

If only it were that simple.

After 40 years of teaching, I can tell you this with absolute certainty:

👉 Students don’t just lose marks because they don’t know things…
👉 They lose marks because they don’t show what they know.

Exam technique is the difference between a Grade 5 and a Grade 7…
or a B and an A.

Here are 5 things that really make a difference 👇

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1️⃣ Read the Question Properly (Yes, Really!) RTFQ

This sounds obvious… but it’s the biggest mark loser.

Students skim-read, spot a keyword, and jump straight in.

Classic mistakes:

• “Explain” vs “Describe”
• Missing “Compare”
• Ignoring “Using the data”

👉 Top tip:
Underline the command word and key instruction.

If it says:

• “Explain using the graph” → You MUST refer to the graph
• “Calculate” → You need working AND an answer

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2️⃣ Answer What Is Asked – Not What You Know

Students often write everything they know about a topic…
…and still lose marks.

Why?

Because the mark scheme is very specific.

👉 If the question is:

“Give two reasons…”

Then:

• One reason = ❌ incomplete
• Three reasons = ❌ wasted time

👉 Top tip:
Match your answer to the number of marks.

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3️⃣ Show Your Working (Even If You’re Not Sure)

In maths and science especially, method marks are gold.

Even if the final answer is wrong, you can still pick up marks.

👉 Example:

• Correct method, wrong arithmetic → still earns marks
• No working → zero marks

👉 Top tip:
Write something. Always.

Examiners can’t give marks for what’s in your head.

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4️⃣ Structure Longer Answers (Stop Rambling!)

For 4–6 mark questions, structure is everything.

Think PEEL:

• Point
• Evidence
• Explain
• Link

👉 Example:

• Make a clear point
• Support it with data or knowledge
• Explain why it matters
• Link back to the question

👉 Top tip:
If your answer looks like one long paragraph… it probably needs organising.

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5️⃣ Check Your Work (Properly, Not Hopefully!)

The final minutes of an exam are often wasted.

Students “look over” their work… but don’t actually check anything.

👉 What you should check:

• Units (huge mark loser!)
• Signs (+ / -)
• Missing answers
• Silly mistakes

👉 Top tip:
Re-do one calculation from scratch—it often reveals errors.

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Final Thought

Exams are not just a test of knowledge.

They are a test of:

• understanding
• communication
• and technique

👉 The students who do best are not always the ones who know the most…
👉 They’re the ones who use what they know effectively.

 

From Chat to Content – Turning 2 Hours of Life Stories into a Podcast & Video

It sounded wonderfully simple at the start…

A chat with a friend.
A microphone.
A camera.
A few stories from “back in the day.”

My friend Romeo invited me onto his podcast and video channel, and for once, I had the easy job. No lesson plan. No experiments. No cameras to set up (well… not mine anyway!). Just sit down and talk.

And talk we did.

Two hours later… we had a lot of content.

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The Reality of “Just Recording”

Recording is the easy bit. Editing… that’s where the real work begins.

We now have:

• 🎙️ Over 2 hours of audio and video
• 📸 A need for supporting photos and clips
• ✂️ Decisions on what stays… and what goes
• 🎯 A story to shape so it actually makes sense to an audience

It’s very similar to teaching, actually. You might know a topic inside out, but presenting it clearly? That takes structure.

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Step 1: Find the Story (Not Just the Timeline)

A 2-hour conversation is not a podcast… yet.

First job:

• Identify key themes
• Group stories together
• Remove repetition (we all repeat ourselves when chatting!)

Think of it like this:

You’re not editing a recording… you’re building a narrative.

For mine, that might include:

• Early teaching career
• Moving into science videos
• Sailing adventures (and mishaps!)
• Building the business and studio

Each of these becomes a segment or chapter.

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Step 2: Ruthless Editing (But Keep the Personality)

This is the tricky balance.

Cut too much → you lose the warmth
Cut too little → people switch off

What to remove:

• Long pauses
• “Umm… ahh…” moments (some are fine—too many are not!)
• Repeated points
• Off-topic tangents

What to keep:

• Natural humour
• Genuine reactions
• The human side of the story

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Step 3: Bring It to Life with Visuals

This is where your style really shines—and where your experience with video production is gold.

For each story:

• Add photos from the time
• Insert video clips where possible
• Use cutaway footage (B-roll)

Examples:

• Talking about sailing → clip of the RS Toura on the Thames
• Discussing teaching → lab footage or experiments
• Mentioning early days → archive photos

This turns:

“A talking head”
into
“A visual journey”

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Step 4: Editing Workflow (Keeping It Manageable)

With 2 hours of footage, organisation is everything.

A simple workflow:

1. Rough Cut – remove obvious excess
2. Structure Cut – arrange into logical order
3. Fine Cut – tighten pacing
4. Add visuals & overlays
5. Audio polish – levels, clarity, noise reduction
6. Final export(s)

💡 Tip: Don’t aim for perfection on the first pass.
Get something watchable first—then refine.

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Step 5: One Recording = Multiple Outputs

This is where the real power lies (and something many people miss).

From one 2-hour recording, you can create:

• 🎙️ Full podcast episode
• 🎬 YouTube long-form video
• ✂️ Short clips for:
  • Instagram Reels
  • TikTok
  • YouTube Shorts
  • X / LinkedIn snippets

Each story becomes its own mini piece of content.

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Final Thoughts: The Easy Bit Was Talking

It’s funny really.

The part that felt like “work” (being interviewed) turned out to be the easiest bit.

The real craft comes afterwards:

• shaping the story
• choosing the moments
• building something people actually want to watch

But that’s also the fun of it.

Because hidden inside those 2 hours is:

A dozen stories
A handful of powerful moments
And possibly… your best content yet

 

UV Photography – seeing a world our eyes were never meant to see

Most of us take photographs of the world as it appears to us. Blue sky, green leaves, slightly muddy sailing gear, and the occasional student who looks as though they would rather be anywhere else. But what if the camera could see something we cannot?

That is where UV photography becomes fascinating.

Ultraviolet photography lets us record light that sits beyond the violet end of the visible spectrum. In other words, it shows us a version of the world that is there all along, but hidden from our eyes. It is a bit like discovering that the garden has been keeping secrets.

The first surprise with UV photography is that familiar things can look completely unfamiliar. Flowers are especially interesting. A bloom that looks plain enough in normal light may suddenly reveal bold patterns in ultraviolet, almost like runway markings for bees. Leaves, petals, skin, fabrics and painted surfaces can all behave very differently under UV. It is as though nature has its own invisible ink.

Of course, this is not quite as simple as pointing any old camera at a daffodil and pressing the button.

Most modern digital cameras are designed specifically not to record ultraviolet light. They have filters over the sensor to block UV and infrared because, for everyday photography, these wavelengths can reduce image quality and produce strange colour casts. So, to do proper UV photography, you usually need a camera that has been modified, or one with a lens and filter setup that allows ultraviolet through while blocking visible light.

And that is where the fun begins. Or the mild financial anxiety, depending on how many accessories you start looking at.

Not all lenses are good for UV work. Many modern lenses contain coatings and glass types that block ultraviolet very effectively. Excellent for ordinary photography, not so helpful when you are trying to photograph the invisible. Older lenses sometimes perform better, and specialist UV-capable lenses perform better still, although your wallet may need a quiet lie down afterwards.

Lighting matters too. Sunlight contains UV, so outdoor photography can work well, but conditions make a difference. Indoors, you may need a UV light source, and you need to do this sensibly and safely. UV is not something to mess about with around eyes or skin. The science is exciting; retinal damage is less so.

One of the great joys of UV photography is that it makes you look again at ordinary things. A white petal is no longer just white. A leaf is no longer just green. Even surfaces that seem dull in visible light may reflect or absorb ultraviolet in dramatic ways. It turns everyday photography into a mixture of science experiment, treasure hunt and detective story.

For someone interested in teaching, science communication, and unusual imaging, UV photography is a gift. It helps show students that light is far more than what we can see. The electromagnetic spectrum stops being an abstract diagram in a textbook and starts becoming something real, practical and slightly magical.

It also reminds us of something important: the world is always richer than it first appears. Cameras, sensors and filters give us tools to peel back those layers, whether in UV, infrared, thermal imaging or microscopy. Every time we do that, we are reminded that “seeing” is not nearly as simple as we think.

So yes, UV photography is technical. Yes, it can involve odd filters, fussy lenses, longer exposures and a certain amount of muttering. But it also opens the door to a hidden world of patterns and structures that are all around us.

And once you have seen a flower in ultraviolet, you may never quite trust it again.

3D printers, CNC machines, laser cutters and embroidery sewing machines – the new tools at home

There was a time when the “useful things at home” list looked fairly stable. A hammer. A saw. A drill. A sewing machine if you were organised. A screwdriver that somehow vanished every time you needed it. That was about it.

Now? A modern home workshop, studio, classroom or spare room can contain a 3D printer, a CNC machine, a laser cutter and an embroidery sewing machine. In other words, what used to require a factory, a sign maker, a machine shop and a very patient auntie can now happen somewhere between the kettle and the airing cupboard.

And I think that is rather brilliant.

These are not just gadgets for people who enjoy buying rolls of filament and saying words like “feed rate” at breakfast. They are practical creative tools. They let ordinary people design, repair, prototype, personalise and make things in ways that would have seemed extraordinary not very long ago.

A 3D printer is often the first step into this world. It turns an idea on a screen into a real object you can hold. Need a bracket, knob, jig, clip, spacer, cable holder, camera mount or a replacement part that no one sells any more? A 3D printer can often produce one. It is one of those machines that makes you look around the house and think, “I could improve that.” Sometimes you can. Sometimes you produce a small orange plastic thing that looks nothing like what you intended. That is also part of the learning process.

A CNC machine takes things a step further. Rather than building an object layer by layer, it cuts material away with precision. Wood, plastics, soft metals and sheet materials can all be shaped accurately. For anyone making science equipment, signs, model parts, jigs, or custom components, it is enormously useful. The great joy of CNC is repeatability. Once it works, it works again. Unlike hand cutting, where the first one is “pretty good”, the second is “not bad”, and the third somehow looks as if it was made in a moving vehicle.

A laser cutter feels slightly magical. You place in a flat sheet and out comes a set of beautifully cut parts, labels, panels, boxes, templates or decorative items. It is quick, accurate and ideal for acrylic, plywood, card and similar materials. For prototyping, signage and educational resources it is superb. It also gives everything a strangely professional finish. Suddenly your homemade item no longer looks “made at home”. It looks as if it came from a small company run by someone who knows what they are doing.

Then there is the embroidery sewing machine, which brings digital making into textiles. This is where clothing, bags, banners, uniforms and gifts can be personalised properly. Logos, names, decorative patterns and branding can all be stitched neatly and repeatably. For a business, club or creative project this is a real step up. There is something very satisfying about turning a plain garment into something that looks official. One moment it is a sweatshirt. The next it is part of a brand.

What links all these tools is that they move making back into the home. They shorten the distance between idea and finished object. Instead of saying, “I wish I could get one of those made,” you can increasingly say, “I’ll have a go.” That is powerful.

They are also changing education. Students can design something, model it, make it, test it, improve it and make it again. That is real learning. Not just reading about design and manufacture, but doing it. Mistakes become useful. Failure becomes data. The machine is not just producing an object; it is producing understanding.

For small businesses and creators, these tools are equally important. They allow rapid prototyping, custom production, branded merchandise, specialist one-off parts and low-volume manufacturing without huge setup costs. You no longer need to order 5,000 of something from the other side of the world just to see whether it was a good idea. You can make one. Then another. Then improve it. Then decide whether it is worth scaling up.

Of course, there is a catch. Owning these machines does not instantly make life simpler. There is software to learn, materials to choose, settings to get wrong and moments when the machine behaves as though it has taken against you personally. A 3D print can fail after five hours. A CNC cutter can ruin a perfectly good sheet because of one wrong zero point. A laser cutter can remind you very quickly that some materials smell dreadful when cut. An embroidery machine can turn your carefully planned logo into abstract modern art if the stabiliser or tension is wrong.

But that is part of the adventure.

These are not just machines. They are home manufacturing tools, creative tools, repair tools and learning tools. They reward patience, experimentation and imagination. They give people the ability to solve problems for themselves, create things that did not exist before, and personalise the world around them.

In many ways, they are the new domestic toolkit.

Not everyone will need all of them, of course. Some homes need a 3D printer. Some need a sewing machine. Some need both. Some need none of them and are perfectly happy with a screwdriver and a cup of tea. But for those of us who like making, adapting, fixing and experimenting, this new generation of tools is opening up remarkable possibilities.

The home workshop is no longer just about repairing old things.

It is now about inventing new ones.

Olympus Tough TG-7 – Upgrade or Stick with What Works?

 

Olympus Tough TG-7 – Upgrade or Stick with What Works?

If ever there was a camera designed for the British weather (and British sailing!), it’s the Olympus Tough series. Rain? Fine. Splash? Fine. Dropped on the slipway? Still fine.

Over the years, these cameras have become a bit of a staple in our kit bag.

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🌊 Why the Olympus Tough Cameras Just Work

I’ve used quite a few so-called “waterproof” cameras over the years. Most are… let’s say… optimistic about what waterproof means.

The Olympus Tough range is different.

• Properly waterproof (not just drizzle-resistant)

• Shockproof (important when stepping into a boat that moves!)

• Compact enough to live in a buoyancy aid pocket

• Easy to use with cold or wet hands

My current setup:

• I use the TG-5

• My wife uses the TG-6

Both have been utterly reliable, whether we’re filming on the River Thames, in the rain, or dangling over the side trying to get “that perfect shot” (usually just before someone shouts “Watch the boom!”).

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⚓ Enter the TG-7… Should You Upgrade?

The Olympus TG-7 (now under OM System branding) is the latest in the line.

On paper, it’s… well… familiar.

Very familiar.

What’s “new”?

• Minor UI tweaks

• Slight processing updates

• A few firmware-style improvements

What’s NOT new?

• Same sensor

• Same lens

• Same core image quality

• Same rugged design

In other words…

👉 If you already have a TG-5 or TG-6, you are not missing out on anything significant.

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🤔 Our Verdict (Real-World, Not Marketing!)

Will we upgrade?

No — not unless one breaks.

And that’s the key point.

These cameras are:

• Built like a brick

• Designed to survive exactly the environments we use them in

• Consistently dependable

So replacing a perfectly good TG-5 or TG-6 with a TG-7 feels a bit like…

Buying a new lifejacket because the old one is still floating perfectly well.

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🎥 Where It Still Shines for Us

For our sailing and filming setup, the Tough cameras are ideal for:

• Deck-level filming in spray and rain

• Backup camera when the main rigs (R5C / 360 cameras) stay dry

• Handheld shots from safety boats

• Quick stills without worrying about damage

They’re the camera you don’t have to worry about — and that’s worth a lot.

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🧭 Final Thought

In a world where tech companies push upgrades every year…

The Olympus Tough series quietly says:

“Still working? Good. Carry on.”

And honestly, that’s exactly what you want when you’re out on the water.

 

New Ideas for Sewing with the Wayliner – The Easy Elastic Waistband

In most sewing rooms, making an elasticated waistband is still done the traditional way: sew a casing, leave a gap, thread the elastic through with a safety pin, adjust the tension, then close the gap.

It works… but it’s slow.

Machines such as the Wayliner sewing machine were designed to remove most of that manual work and make the process faster, neater, and far more consistent.

For anyone sewing sportswear, school clothing, sailing shorts, lab clothing, or even lightweight trousers, it can transform waistband construction.

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What the Wayliner Actually Does

A Wayliner is essentially a specialist waistband machine that:

• feeds the fabric

• stretches the elastic

• folds the waistband

• stitches everything together

all in one continuous operation.

Instead of sewing the waistband first and inserting elastic later, the elastic is fed directly into the seam while sewing.

The result is a clean, evenly tensioned waistband every time.

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The Simple Method Using a Wayliner

1. Prepare the Elastic

Cut the elastic slightly shorter than the waist measurement so it provides gentle tension.

Usually 5–10% shorter than the waist size works well.

Join the ends of the elastic to form a loop.

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2. Feed the Elastic into the Machine

The Wayliner uses guides and rollers that:

• hold the elastic under tension

• feed the fabric evenly

• keep the elastic centred in the waistband fold.

This is where the machine saves time. Instead of stretching elastic by hand while sewing, the machine controls the stretch automatically.

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3. Stitch the Waistband

As the fabric passes through the machine:

1. The waistband fabric folds around the elastic.

2. The elastic stretches slightly.

3. The stitch secures the elastic inside the waistband.

All of this happens in one smooth pass.

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4. Continuous Production

Because the elastic is fed continuously, the operator can produce waistbands much faster than conventional sewing methods.

This is why these machines are common in:

• sportswear manufacturing

• underwear production

• workwear

• school uniforms.

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Why It’s Such a Clever Piece of Kit

The Wayliner solves several problems at once:

• Consistent stretch across every garment

• No twisting elastic inside the waistband

• Faster production speed

• Cleaner finish

From a teaching and engineering perspective, it’s a great example of good mechanical design solving a repetitive task.

Instead of relying on the skill of the operator alone, the machine builds the process control into the mechanism.

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A Bit of R&D Thinking

At Philip M Russell Ltd we often talk about process improvement in science experiments or video production.

Sewing machines like the Wayliner show the same principle:

If you can automate the difficult part of a task, everything becomes faster and more reliable.

Exactly the same thinking applies when designing:

• science apparatus

• filming rigs

• sailing hardware

• or even waistband sewing machines.

 The Photography & Video Show NEC 2026: a smaller show, and for us, a disappointing one

We went to The Photography & Video Show 2026 at the NEC Birmingham, running from 14–17 March 2026 in Hall 5, hoping to come back inspired, slightly poorer, and carrying at least one new gadget we didn’t know we needed. Officially, the show billed itself as a major event for photographers, filmmakers and content creators, with hundreds of brands and a packed programme of talks and demos.

Sadly, for us, it felt rather different on the ground.

The first thing that struck us was that the show seemed physically smaller than in previous years. We managed to see everything we wanted to see in a couple of hours, which is not usually the sign of a giant day out packed with irresistible temptations. The official material talks up 250+ exhibitors and brands, but the overall feeling was still that the event had less breadth than we had hoped for, particularly if you were looking for specialist or niche kit.

What was missing? In a word: exhibitors.

Some of the big names were there. Canon had a substantial presence, and RØDE was also exhibiting. Adaptalux was around too, which was nice to see, as familiar faces at these shows always make things feel a bit more personal.

But many smaller companies seemed absent, and some of the specialist things we were hoping to explore simply were not there at all. We were particularly keen to look at a new time-lapse camera, but saw nothing that really fit the bill. I am also using filters more and more these days, yet there seemed to be very little on display in that area either.

That was a theme throughout the visit: plenty of things to look at, but not many things that genuinely matched what we actually use in our work.

We did spend some time trying out the Canon EOS C50, and also looked at the Canon dual fisheye lens approach for stereo and immersive imaging. Canon was very much presenting its latest hybrid and creative imaging tools at the show, so it made sense to have a proper look.

But for our purposes, it just did not quite land.

In theory, stereo imagery and specialist immersive kit are clever. In practice, for what we do in a science lab and on a boat, a 360 camera is simply more useful. It is more flexible, often quicker to set up, and far better suited to awkward spaces, practical demonstrations, and filming where you cannot always stand in the ideal place waving a tripod around like a demented conductor.

There were also some lighting companies, a few models posing for photographers, and the usual pockets of interest where you stop, look, and think, “That’s clever.” But those moments were too few. The overall impression was that this was much more of a photography show with a few scattered video bits attached, rather than a truly balanced photography-and-video event.

That was perhaps the biggest disappointment of all.

For those of us who work seriously with both stills and video, the “video” side still felt like the poor relation. Yes, audio was represented — RØDE had microphones on show — but we already have a decent selection of microphones, so that did not tempt us. And beyond that, there was not enough video-focused gear, workflow, or specialist support to make the trip feel especially worthwhile.

So, was it a bad show? Not exactly.

If you are new to photography, want to attend talks, try some mainstream kit, or enjoy the atmosphere of a creative trade event, there was still plenty going on. The official programme was extensive, with hundreds of talks and demonstrations, and I am sure many visitors will have had an excellent day.

But for us, it was underwhelming.

We did not come back with a new gadget. We did not find the specialist products we were hoping to compare. We did not feel that the video side had enough substance. And we left with the feeling that, unless the show changes direction in future years, this may well be the last time we visit.

That is a shame, because these shows used to feel like treasure hunts.

This year, it felt more like checking a medium-sized shopping list and realising the shop had run out of most of the interesting items.

A camera show without the right exhibitors is a bit like a photography tripod with one leg missing: technically still standing, but not quite doing the job.

 Creating Images to Aid Learning

We often tell students to “make notes”. Fair enough. But sometimes a page of notes looks less like learning and more like the aftermath of a biro explosion.

That is where images come in.

Creating images to support learning is one of the best ways to make difficult ideas easier to remember. A good image can simplify a process, show links between ideas, and make something stick in the memory far better than another dense paragraph of text.

Brains, rather annoyingly, do not always fall in love with long written explanations. They do, however, tend to notice colour, shape, pattern, position and odd visual connections. So if you want to remember something, turning it into a picture is often a very smart move.

Why images help learning

An image can do several jobs at once. It can:

• make abstract ideas more concrete

• show relationships between parts

• reduce the amount of text needed

• help memory by giving the brain something visual to “grab”

• make revision quicker later on

For example, in Biology, a labelled diagram of the heart is often more useful than three paragraphs describing where the ventricles are. In Chemistry, a sketch of particle arrangements in solids, liquids and gases is quicker to understand than a wordy definition. In Physics, a force diagram can save a lot of confusion. In Maths, even a rough graph can reveal what an equation is doing.

In other words, sometimes a picture really is worth a thousand words — and in exams, it may also be worth several marks.

What sort of images work best?

Not every image helps learning. A random decorative picture of a beaker is not the same as a useful scientific diagram. The best learning images are simple, clear and purposeful.

Useful examples include:

• labelled diagrams

• flow charts

• mind maps

• timelines

• comparison tables with icons or sketches

• annotated photographs

• colour-coded processes

• symbol-based memory aids

• quick cartoons showing cause and effect

The key is that the image must help explain or organise the idea.

Draw it yourself — badly if necessary

Many students think they “can’t draw”, as though every revision sheet needs to look like it belongs in the National Gallery.

Rubbish.

Your learning image does not need to be beautiful. It needs to be useful. A terrible sketch that helps you remember mitosis is far more valuable than a perfect title page covered in flowers, banners and elaborate shading.

Stick men are allowed. Boxes and arrows are allowed. Clouds, blobs, stars, dodgy circles and uneven labels are all allowed. This is learning, not an art competition.

Turn information into pictures

A very effective revision method is to take a chunk of information and ask:

How could I show this as an image instead of writing it all out?

For instance:

• a sequence becomes a flow chart

• a structure becomes a labelled diagram

• a comparison becomes a split-page sketch

• a cycle becomes a circular diagram

• key facts become picture flashcards

If you are revising food tests in Chemistry or Biology, draw the test tube, the reagent added, the colour change and the result. If you are learning geography processes, sketch the coastline or river system and label each stage. If you are revising English literature, create character maps showing links and tensions between characters.

The act of creating the image is part of the learning.

Images are especially useful for revision

When revision time comes, students often realise they have pages and pages of notes but no quick way of seeing the whole topic.

This is where image-based revision wins.

One side of A4 with a large diagram, key words and arrows can often replace several pages of notes. It also makes it much easier to test yourself. Cover the labels. Redraw the process. Explain the image out loud. Recreate it from memory.

That last one is particularly powerful:
look, cover, redraw, check.

If you can recreate the image, you probably understand the topic far better than if you have simply read about it six times while slowly eating biscuits.

Digital or hand-drawn?

Both work.

Hand-drawn images are often better for memory because physically creating them slows thinking down and forces selection of what matters.

Digital images are useful when:

• you want neat versions for later revision

• you are combining photos, screenshots or diagrams

• you want to share learning resources

• you are producing teaching materials

A good approach is often to sketch by hand first, then produce a cleaner version later if needed.

A few simple rules

When making images for learning:

• keep them clear

• do not overcrowd them

• use colour with purpose

• label everything properly

• include only the key facts

• make connections obvious with arrows or grouping

• test yourself from the image afterwards

If the image looks impressive but teaches you nothing, it has failed. If it looks simple but helps you remember a difficult idea, it has done its job.

Final thought

Creating images to aid learning is not a childish trick. It is a highly effective study technique. Whether it is a mind map, diagram, flow chart, sketch or visual memory aid, the right image can make learning clearer, faster and more memorable.

So next time you are revising, do not just write more notes.

Draw the idea. Map it. Label it. Turn it into something your brain can actually see.

It may not be a masterpiece — but it might just help the knowledge stay put.

 Creating Mnemonics to Aid Memory When Learning and Revising

One of the most powerful tools students can use when learning new material is the mnemonic. It sounds technical, but in reality it’s simply a memory trick that helps your brain store and retrieve information more easily.

When you are learning a large syllabus — such as GCSE or A-Level science — remembering long lists, sequences or classifications can become overwhelming. A good mnemonic compresses lots of information into something short, memorable, and sometimes slightly silly.

And the silly part is important — the brain remembers unusual or amusing patterns far better than dull lists.

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What Is a Mnemonic?

A mnemonic is a memory aid that turns information into something easier to remember, often by using:

• Acronyms

• Acrostic sentences

• Rhymes

• Visual imagery

• Patterns or stories

They are extremely useful when learning content for the first time and again when revising before exams.

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Example 1: Planets of the Solar System

Many students remember the order of the planets using:

My Very Easy Method Just Speeds Up Naming Planets

• M – Mercury

• V – Venus

• E – Earth

• M – Mars

• J – Jupiter

• S – Saturn

• U – Uranus

• N – Neptune

The sentence itself is meaningless, but the first letters trigger the correct order.

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Example 2: Biology Classification

Students often struggle to remember the biological classification hierarchy.

King Philip Came Over For Good Soup

• Kingdom

• Phylum

• Class

• Order

• Family

• Genus

• Species

Once learned, this mnemonic can unlock an entire exam question.

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Example 3: The Colours of the Spectrum

The visible spectrum is often remembered as:

ROYGBIV

• Red

• Orange

• Yellow

• Green

• Blue

• Indigo

• Violet

Short, simple, and extremely effective.

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Why Mnemonics Work

Mnemonics work because they use several principles of how the brain stores information:

Chunking
Breaking large amounts of information into smaller pieces.

Association
Linking new information to something familiar.

Pattern recognition
The brain remembers patterns far more easily than random facts.

Emotion or humour
Funny or unusual sentences stick in memory.

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A Trick I Recommend to Students

When creating your own mnemonic:

1. Use humour — the stranger the sentence, the better.

2. Keep it short — long sentences defeat the purpose.

3. Make it visual — imagine the scene in your head.

4. Write it on flashcards or add it to a mind map.

For example, students studying electricity sometimes remember circuit laws with their own phrases, which they remember far better than textbook wording.

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Mnemonics + Flashcards = Powerful Revision

Mnemonics work particularly well when combined with:

• Flashcards

• Mind maps

• The Leitner system

• Traffic-light revision methods

These techniques reinforce the same information from multiple angles, strengthening memory pathways.

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A Final Thought

The best mnemonics are the ones you invent yourself.

They might make absolutely no sense to anyone else — but if they make you smile and remember the information in the exam, they have done their job perfectly.

After all, if a strange sentence about King Philip and his soup can help you remember biological classification for the rest of your life, that’s a pretty good return on investment.

 

Traffic Light Your Knowledge

A simple but powerful way to start learning effectively

One of the biggest mistakes students make when revising is starting with what they already know. It feels productive… but it isn’t always the most efficient use of time.

A much better starting point is to “traffic light” the syllabus.

This method is simple, visual, and extremely effective for GCSE and A-Level students.

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Step 1: Get the Official Syllabus

Start with the actual exam board specification (AQA, Edexcel, OCR, etc.).

Every topic that could appear in the exam is listed there. Think of it as the examiner’s checklist.

Print it out or open it on a tablet.

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Step 2: Colour Code Each Topic

Now go through the specification and mark each item:

🟢 Green – I understand this well

• I could answer exam questions on it now

• I could explain it to someone else

🟠 Amber – I partly understand it

• I recognise the topic

• But I would struggle with harder exam questions

🔴 Red – I don’t understand this yet

• I have little or no confidence in this area

• This is where the learning needs to start

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Step 3: Build Your Learning Plan

Once the syllabus is colour coded, the priorities become obvious.

Start with:

1️⃣ Red topics first – this is where the biggest gains are
2️⃣ Amber topics second – practice questions help here
3️⃣ Green topics last – occasional review only

Many students discover that only 20–30% of the syllabus is actually “red”. Fix those areas and your grade can improve dramatically.

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Step 4: Turn Reds into Ambers

For each red topic:

• Watch a teaching video

• Read the textbook explanation

• Make a mind map or notes

• Attempt a few exam questions

Once you start getting questions right, move the topic from red → amber.

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Step 5: Revisit Regularly

Learning isn’t a one-off event.

Re-traffic-light your syllabus every few weeks.

You’ll often see progress like this:

🔴 → 🟠 → 🟢

That visual progress is incredibly motivating.

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Why This Works

After 40 years of teaching, one thing is clear:

Students often don’t know what they don’t know.

Traffic lighting the syllabus makes the gaps visible — and once you can see them, you can fix them.

It turns revision from random activity into a clear plan.

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✔ Simple
✔ Visual
✔ Examiner-focused
✔ Highly effective

And best of all… it takes less than 30 minutes to set up.