With exams fast approaching I thought it would be fun to look at some of the cool apps available on the iphone which could help you to study whilst on the move.  I’ve listed my top 10 so you can check them out.  You never know, these might be the tools you’ve been looking for!

• For Psychology students there is a great little app called Studysets – psychology lite which  covers topics such as views of psychology, research methods, neuroscience, sensation & perception, consciousness, conditioning, memory, personality, developmental psychology etc.  Perfect for squeezing in some extra revision time on the bus! (Studysets also have apps for Spanish and translation which I am sure will also be useful to students studying language).

• Studyguru is another app which has been specifically developed for students studying their GCSE Maths, Biology, Chemistry or Physics. It contains the full range of study materials for each of these subjects and is presented in digestible notes and diagrams.  Use this with your study group or friends to test you knowledge on each.

• There are a number of apps: Geography GCSE revision, Biology GCSE revision, Chemistry GCSE revision which have approx 600 topic related questions to help test your knowledge for the exams.

• A fun revision app is Revision Aid.  This app allows you to use the Question and Answer tool to build text or multiple choice questions which will be mixed up and presented to you in a quiz format.  This is a great way of testing your knowledge when you have a little time to spare.

• To assist your study and revision, there is an app called Flashcards which funnily enough allows you to create your own flashcards.  In each card you can have text, images, audio or any combination.  You can also customise them with whichever font, colour, background image etc so that these suit your individual requirements. You can create groups for your cards and as many cards as you like.  You can set these cards to display randomly or in any specific order you require.  The great thing about these flashcards is that they go everywhere that you do as they are on your iphone.

• The Chemical Touch app basically displays the full periodic table. Now there are no excuses for not knowing the periodic table from top to bottom!

• If you need to brush up on your mathematics formulas then the Mathematical Formula app is the one for you.  You can easily refresh your memory and check the formulae for Algebra, Arithmetics, Complex Numbers, Differentiation, Geometry, Integration and Trigonometry.  It’s like having a maths tutor by your side which might be a little odd, but very useful at the same time.

• Quickpedia lite is a brilliant little app which makes finding facts so easy as its a little faster to use than wikipedia, although follows the same principles.  This is also another useful addition and I’m sure that once you have completed your exams this one will also come in handy for your local pub quiz night.

• For all students studying Law there is even an app which gives information on the following categories: Animal Cruelty, Breaches, Communications, Drugs, Motoring, Offences, Public Order, Sexual, Theft or Violence. In each you can discover the range of sentences available to a judge or magistrate, which offences are punishable by custody, which by community orders or fines.  It also gives brief outlines about which factors are relevant and which factors can lead to longer custodial terms. These sentencing guidelines are produced by the UK Governments Sentencing Guidelines council so if in doubt this is a great reference tool.

• After all of this studying some relaxation may be needed.  There are even some apps for this.  You can ‘Relax with Andrew Johnson – Deep Relaxation – Sleep’ or check out ‘irelax Melodies (sleep, meditation, yoga and relaxation) helper.  But best not to do this on a bus as you may miss your stop!

1. Start afresh, produce a blank document detailing the dates for your entire revision period.
2. Include the dates for your examinations; dates for when you are working; dates for when you have other commitments to take care of etc and block these out. This will show you what available time you have for revision so you can then allocate this time effectively.
3. Now, look at the revision you need to do.  Throughout the year you have studied, and have completed the various modules and assignments as part of your coursework – you will be surprised about how much you already know.  On your timetable, detail the areas you just need to ‘refresh’ your memory with and then detail the areas on which you feel you need to spend a little more time on. By mixing ‘refresh’ revision with ‘detailed’ revision periods and breaking this out into manageable chunks, you will really feel like you are getting somewhere.
4. Remember to include time in your schedule for relaxation and breaks. This is very important.  You need to ensure that you strike a balance so that you can absorb the information you are revising.  Allocate yourself time to perhaps go for a walk, meet up with friends for a coffee or maybe chill out in front of the TV.  Feeling happy, confident and rested will make your revision time much more effective.