Creating Your Own Exam Review
Build a Review That Actually Helps You Prepare
An exam review is more useful when you create it actively. Instead of only rereading notes or waiting for a study guide, you can use your course materials to predict important topics, choose representative problems, organize key ideas, and create your own practice questions.
On this page, you will learn how to:
Predict what is likely to appear on an exam
Turn homework into a useful review tool
Organize notes, quizzes, and examples
Create a topic-by-topic review
Build a practice problem set
Use your review to check what you actually know
Primary button: Download the Exam Review Builder
Secondary button: Download the Practice Problem Tracker
On This Page
Predict what will be on the exam
Gather your review materials
Turn homework into exam review
Organize topics and problem types
Create your own practice questions
Build a final review packet
Downloads and additional resources
1. Predict What Will Be on the Exam
Embed video:
How to Predict What Will Be on the Exam
Video link: https://youtu.be/vG9tL3yljgs
You may not know every question that will appear on an exam, but you can often make a strong prediction about the topics, skills, and problem types that are most likely to matter.
Start by looking for patterns.
Look for Clues In
The syllabus or course calendar
Chapter titles and section headings
Learning objectives
Homework assignments
Quizzes
Previous tests
Review sheets
Problems emphasized in class
Topics your instructor repeated or spent extra time explaining
Mistakes that appeared often in graded work
A topic is more likely to deserve review time if it appeared in several places: lecture, homework, quiz questions, review sheets, or instructor announcements.
Try It Now
Choose one upcoming exam and list five topics or skills that are likely to appear.
Likely Exam Topic or SkillWhy I Think It May Be Important1.2.3.4.5.
2. Gather Your Review Materials
Before creating your review, collect the materials that show what you have been expected to learn.
Useful Materials to Gather
Class notes
Homework assignments
Online homework screenshots or problem lists
Quizzes
Previous exams
Review sheets
Textbook examples
Lecture slides
Formula sheets
Instructor announcements
Graded feedback
Problems you missed or guessed on
Do not try to organize everything perfectly at first. Begin by gathering the materials in one place.
Sorting Your Materials
Create three groups:
Definitely Important
These are topics, examples, or problems that appear repeatedly or were clearly emphasized.
Possibly Important
These are topics that appeared once or twice but may still be connected to larger ideas.
Need to Ask About
These are topics where you are unsure whether they will be included or how deeply you need to know them.
3. Turn Homework into an Exam Review
Embed video:
Turning Homework into an Exam Review
Video link: https://youtu.be/VcZEzrK6aJY
Homework can become one of your strongest exam-preparation tools if you use it actively. The goal is not to reread completed homework. The goal is to identify problem types, practice independently, and learn from mistakes.
How to Use Homework as Review
Step 1: Identify Problem Types
Look through your homework and group similar problems together.
For example:
Solving linear equations
Graphing lines
Factoring expressions
Solving systems of equations
Applying formulas
Interpreting word problems
Simplifying expressions
Working with functions
Step 2: Choose Representative Problems
For each topic, choose a few problems that represent what you need to know.
Include:
One basic problem
One medium-difficulty problem
One challenging problem
One problem you previously missed
One problem that connects to another topic
Step 3: Rework Problems Without Looking
Cover your old solution and try the problem again from the beginning.
Ask yourself:
Can I start this without help?
Do I know which method to use?
Can I explain each step?
Can I check my answer?
Did I make the same mistake again?
Step 4: Correct and Explain
Do not only mark an answer right or wrong. Write a short explanation.
Use this format:
I missed this because ______________________.
The correct idea is ______________________.
Next time, I will ______________________.
Try It Now
Choose one homework assignment and complete this table.
Problem NumberTopicCorrect Before?Can I Do It Now Without Notes?Next Step☐ Yes ☐ No☐ Yes ☐ No☐ Yes ☐ No☐ Yes ☐ No☐ Yes ☐ No☐ Yes ☐ No☐ Yes ☐ No☐ Yes ☐ No
4. Create a Topic Map
A topic map helps you see the structure of the exam.
Instead of making one long list, organize topics by category.
Example Topic Map
Unit or Chapter: ___________________________
Main Ideas
Skills I Need to Practice
Common Problem Types
Formulas, Rules, or Vocabulary
Common Mistakes
Questions I Need to Ask
This kind of organization helps you move from “I need to study everything” to “I know exactly what I need to practice.”
5. Organize Review Materials Effectively
Embed video:
Organizing Review Materials Effectively
Video link: https://youtu.be/K2w_CK2XfMs
Once you have gathered your materials, organize them in a way that helps you study actively.
Suggested Review Packet Sections
Section 1: Exam Information
Include:
Exam date
Chapters or sections covered
Allowed materials
Question types
Topics emphasized by the instructor
Section 2: Topic Checklist
List each topic or skill and rate your confidence.
Use this scale:
3 — Ready: I can do this independently.
2 — Almost ready: I can do this with a reminder or example.
1 — Needs attention: I am unsure how to begin.
Section 3: Key Ideas and Procedures
Write short summaries in your own words.
For math, include:
When to use a method
Steps in the process
Important formulas
Common mistakes
How to check the answer
Section 4: Representative Problems
For each topic, include several problems to practice.
Try to include:
Basic problems
Mixed problems
Word problems
Previously missed problems
Problems that require choosing the correct method
Section 5: Mistake Corrections
Create a section for problems you missed.
For each mistake, record:
Where the mistake happened
Why it happened
The correct solution
A reminder for next time
A similar problem to try again
Section 6: Practice Test
Use your review packet to build a short practice test.
Include a mix of problem types, put away your notes, set a timer, and check your work afterward.
6. Create Your Own Practice Questions
A strong exam review should help you test yourself.
Create questions from:
Homework problems
Quiz questions
Lecture examples
Textbook examples
Review sheets
Instructor comments
Mistakes from previous assignments
Question Types to Include
“Can I Start?” Questions
These help you recognize what type of problem you are looking at.
Example:
What method would I use to solve this problem, and why?
“Can I Do It?” Questions
These require full independent practice.
Example:
Solve this problem without using notes or examples.
“Can I Explain It?” Questions
These check understanding.
Example:
Explain why this step is allowed.
“Can I Check It?” Questions
These help you verify your answer.
Example:
How can I tell whether my answer makes sense?
“Can I Fix It?” Questions
These build mistake-awareness.
Example:
Find and correct the error in this solution.
7. Build a Mini Practice Exam
After creating your review, use it to make a short practice exam.
Mini Practice Exam Template
Part 1: Basic Skills
Choose three to five problems that check essential skills.
Part 2: Mixed Practice
Choose several problems from different topics and mix them together.
Part 3: Challenge or Application Problems
Choose one or two problems that require multiple steps, interpretation, or decision-making.
Part 4: Error Correction
Choose one missed problem and explain the correct process.
Part 5: Reflection
After completing the practice exam, answer:
Which topics felt strongest?
Which topics still need practice?
What mistakes did I repeat?
What questions should I ask before the exam?
What should I study next?
8. Use Your Review to Study Actively
Once your exam review is created, do not simply read it from beginning to end.
Use it to:
Cover solutions and rework problems
Quiz yourself
Explain steps aloud
Create a timed practice set
Teach a topic to someone else
Correct old mistakes
Mix problem types together
Identify topics that need tutoring or instructor help
A review packet is most useful when it becomes a tool for practice.
9. Downloads for This Page
Exam Review Builder
A worksheet that guides students through predicting exam topics, gathering materials, organizing review sections, and creating practice questions.
Button: Download the Exam Review Builder
Homework-to-Review Organizer
A worksheet for turning homework assignments into topic lists, representative problems, and practice sets.
Button: Download the Homework-to-Review Organizer
Topic Map Template
A visual organizer for grouping topics, formulas, problem types, mistakes, and questions.
Button: Download the Topic Map Template
Practice Exam Builder
A worksheet for creating a mini practice exam from homework, quizzes, notes, and review materials.
Button: Download the Practice Exam Builder
Mistake Analysis Sheet
A worksheet for studying missed problems carefully and practicing a similar problem.
Button: Download the Mistake Analysis Sheet
10. Additional Resources
These resources can help you create stronger review materials and study more actively:
Strategic Test Preparation — UNC Learning Center
Preparing for Finals — UNC Learning Center
Better Ways to Study — Oregon State Academic Success Center
Problem Solving Strategies — Oregon State Academic Success Center
Retrieval Practice — UC San Diego
Retrieval Practice — The Learning Scientists
11. Before You Leave This Page
Choose one action to take now.
Gather your notes, homework, and quizzes.
List five topics likely to appear on the exam.
Choose three representative homework problems.
Rework one old problem without looking at the solution.
Create one practice question for each topic.
Ask your instructor what types of problems to expect.
Download the Exam Review Builder.
My next action: ________________________________________
When I will do it: _____________________________________