This is an edited extract from 'Blackstone's Police Investigators' Q & A' (2010 edition) written by Paul Connor and published by Oxford University Press 2009

Revision Methodology

Methods of Revising

The prospect of revising from the Blackstone's manuals can be an overwhelming one for students. Many have not revised for a police examination since their initial training and this can, in some cases, be in excess of ten years or more prior to taking their Part I examination. Even students familiar with the format of multiple-choice examinations as their initial training period was not that long ago or perhaps because they have taken the Part I examination at some time find the task daunting. One of the primary difficulties faced by all students, regardless of their experience, is deciding on an approach to revising from the manuals; having set the time they will study for (see Revision Log), how will they study?

Perhaps the most important point to make at this stage is that nobody is expecting the student to remember, word for word, all of the Blackstone's manuals. I would go so far as to say that this task is near impossible. The task for the student is to retain enough information from their revision in order to pass the examination; whether the student gets 99% or 55% (sergeants) or 65% (inspectors) is irrelevant as a pass is a pass.

There are no absolute rules when it comes to methods of revision as all students differ in the way they revise and retain information. However, I am often asked about alternative revision systems by students seeking to maximise the benefit of the time they will invest in the task. Below are several tried and tested methods of revision used by successful students who have revised for examinations (they are in no order of popularity or effectiveness).

1. Reading through the text of the manuals in order (beginning to end).
Many students favour this method because it is simple and effective. Students will read and re-read the same text continually, a task that can become tiresome and heighten the danger of 'scanning' the text rather than actually reading it and taking in the detail. To counter this I suggest students consciously slow down their reading speed; take more time reading the definitions and 'keynote' explanations of the law in action. It is far better to take time and therefore ensure comprehension rather than race through the text in an effort to finish reading the manuals as soon as possible.

2. Reading through the text and 'highlighting' relevant point and words.
A version of method 1, this method naturally draws the attention of the student to important elements of legislation highlighted by that student. Used correctly, this method can make referring to the manual a speedier process. However, students should not overuse the 'highlighter' as the end result is often half or whole pages of the manual highlighted with no discernable relevant points as the page turns into a mass of bright pink, yellow, blue or green. Perhaps the best use of the highlighter is to make marks in the margin of the 'hotlist' subjects I send to all crammer course delegates. This will draw your attention to the most regularly tested areas of the manual as far as you examiners are concerned.

3. Begin revising from the students perceived weakest area.
For example, a student may consider their weakest area to be 'Crime' or 'Evidence and Procedure' and start their revision by reading and re-reading that particular section. One of the advantages of this method is that by dealing with the difficult from the outset, the task of revision will become easier as the student progresses through their revision to areas of strength, such as 'Road Policing'. A disadvantage is that in beginning with an area of weakness, the student may become demoralised at an early stage of the revision process.

4. Begin revising from the students perceived strongest area.
This is the exact act opposite of method 3 with the opposite advantage and disadvantage i.e. starting from an area of strength will boost the confidence of the student at an early point in their revision but leaving the difficult area(s) till last may demoralise the student in the run-up to the examination.

I would raise a note of caution with regard to methods 3 and 4. These methods operate of the students perceived areas of weakness or strength and the student is sometimes incorrect as to their ability. For example, a student may believe that 'General Police Duties' is an area of strength when in fact this is not the case and on closer examination of the text it is an area of weakness and visa versa. Students should be aware of the detrimental effect this may have.

5. Read a section in the manual, make short notes from that section and then revise from the short notes.
Another popular choice with students, this method condenses the manuals into smaller more manageable portions and allows the student to draw their own attention to significant points. Making notes from the text sometimes helps to cement knowledge in the mind of the student as the exercise involves reading the text, making a mental decision on relevant points, writing down those points and then re-reading them. I would not recommend a total abandonment of the manuals after the notes have been written as there is always the danger that in making the notes, a student may inadvertently miss out a vital part of a definition or explanation. I would also suggest that you never use other people's notes. The whole idea of notes is that you make them to remind you of what you think is important, not what someone else thinks. Remember that making notes is a very individual process.

6. Reading the manual from cover to cover (to understand the nature and difficulty of the task of revising), constantly re-reading the manual and taking part in study sessions with another student(s).
Some students have been successful by meeting with a fellow student or students and testing each other on their knowledge of the manuals in various ways. The element of competition can act as a spur for students to work hard and answer more questions correctly than their colleague(s). It also enables students to discuss difficulties with certain areas of law and help each other to understand those areas; one student's weak area is another's strong area. It is not always possible to meet with a fellow student face to face but this should not preclude the use of this method as there is nothing wrong with the telephone or the internet as a means of communication.

7. Split the manuals into their four broad subject areas and set aside a time period in which to study each part.
An example of this method is the student who sets aside 20 weeks to study and splits those 20 weeks into four five-week sections. Each five-week section is devoted to studying one manual, for example 'Crime'. The student will study according to his or her own preferred revision method. This method is successful as the manuals as a whole can be a barrier to effective revision because of their sheer size. Further breaking down those barriers by removing unnecessary material can greatly assist the student. The drawback with this method is that some manuals are far larger than others, for example, 'General Police Duties' is at least three times longer than 'Road Policing' and may, as a consequence, require considerably more time to study effectively. It is also worth bearing in mind that the examination may not be structured to best suit a student following such a programme of study. However, there is no reason why the student could not alter the split of the revision period to reflect this and any other factors that affect the student's revision programme.

8. Read the whole book and make crammer cards on offences. Alternate between reading the crammer cards and reading the manual.
A version of method 5 but instead of notes, the student will revise from cards with the very basic details of the chosen offences written on those cards. Using cards in this manner can really help with revision as the student will only have the card to concentrate on rather than a full page of A4 from the manual or notes that they have written. As with method 5, students should not exclusively use the cards they have written because they may miss out certain details from the manual in the process.

9. Read a section of the manual and then answer multiple-choice questions on that section.
This method enables the student to test their knowledge and understanding of a chosen subject and also practice multiple-choice questions in the process. Sometimes, a student's error may help them remember the aspect of law they are studying. There is also the possibility that students can become demoralised when first beginning to answer questions as their knowledge base will not provide them with the answers they require. However, as the revision increases, so will the students knowledge and the process should become less problematic.

10. Attempt 5 to 10 multiple-choice questions on the subject e.g. Homicide (do not read the answers).
Follow the questions by reading the manual section on Homicide. Next read a crammer book on Homicide and then answer multiple-choice questions on the subject (look at the answers at the conclusion).
This is similar to a method advocated several of my other books (National Investigators' Workbook and Q & A). Answering questions before you do anything else gives you a better idea of what your knowledge on the chosen topic is like (this may come as a rude awakening or a pleasant surprise). With a more realistic idea of your true knowledge you read the manual section. This is followed by reading a crammer book. Reading the crammer afterwards may well simplify some of the more complicated areas of the manual and will certainly condense the material. However, you will also be able to see what areas the crammer has had to leave out and this is also beneficial to your study. Following this with multiple-choice questions allows you to test you learning.

Whatever method a student employs, I would recommend that some form of testing knowledge i.e. answering multiple-choice questions, follows revision from the manuals. I have known many students whose knowledge of the manuals was certainly good enough to pass the examination, however, they did not test that knowledge by answering questions. The result of this is that in the Part I examination, the student who has not practised multiple-choice questions can become disorientated by the complexity of the questions and the choice put before them. The result of this has, in many cases, been failure. Multiple-choice questions can be obtained from a variety of sources. Blackstone's have an On-Line service available at £90 for 12 months access or £50 for 3 months access (www.blackstonespolice.com)

What not to do

Having examined alternative revision methods it is also advisable to mention methods that students should not employ in their revision.

1. Do not use any other legal textbooks to revise from.
Although students may be tempted to utilise other legal textbooks (e.g. Smith & Hogan, Criminal Law) to enhance their knowledge, there is a high risk that such a method will only confuse the student. The law is not always black and white, it is sometimes grey and accordingly, different legal textbooks will often have different interpretations of the law. This might be a bonus if the student was answering essay type questions where the answer is expected to discuss different opinions but it is an obstruction to answering a multiple-choice exam question, as only one answer from the four choices is right. If the student reads from other texts there is a strong chance that when answering questions in the Part I examination they will feel that two or three of the options could be correct. In addition, questions in the Part I examination are often worded to mirror the text of the manuals. If the student has read from other sources then their ability to recognise the correct option will be adversely affected.

2. Do not use the' Police National Legal Database' (PNLD) as a revision tool.
This facility is an excellent professional tool for police officers to use in the workplace. However, like using other legal texts it may conflict with the manuals and confuse the student rather than enlighten. The further difficulty with the PNLD is that it is constantly updated with new law and procedures and this new law may contradict the law that is written in the manuals. Students then ask, 'what should I answer if this question comes up in the exam?' The answer to that question is that you answer according to the manuals regardless of whether it is right or wrong. This confusion can be avoided if the PNLD is used occasionally as a reference tool and not as a major part of revision.

On that last point, students are often concerned about changes in the law where the manuals are inconsistent with those changes. This is also a concern to the examiners who construct the examination. If the examiners are aware of a contradiction in the law, it is unlikely that a multiple-choice question relating to that law will be set in the Part I examinations, in order to avoid confusion. However, there is always the possibility that such questions may inadvertently be set (as has occurred in several OSPRE© examinations) and hence my advice as above.

3. Do not answer multiple-choice questions ONLY.
I have known several students who have told me that their learning style meant that answering multiple-choice questions was way they preferred to learn and that they had never looked at the manuals. I would advise extreme caution before using such a method. Whilst it is important to test your knowledge by answering MCQ's you may regret 'putting all your eggs in one basket'. Just as reading the manuals alone is not enough, answering MCQ's alone is not enough either; a combination of methods is far more likely to generate success.

In conclusion, if the student has a revision method or pattern that they find works for them then my advice is simple; use it. Every student is different and will learn in a different way and at a different pace. One fact I am sure of is that 99.9% of students get the result their efforts deserve; students must revise to succeed.

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