Knowledge Organisers
Condense each topic onto one page
What the Research Says
A knowledge organiser is a single A4 page that contains all the essential information for one topic: key definitions, equations, processes, and required practicals. The real value isn't the finished page — it's the process of creating it from memory. When you decide what to include, how to organise it, and fill it in without looking at your notes, you're combining summarising, retrieval practice, and organisation into one activity.
Evidence Base
| Study | Finding | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Fiorella & Mayer (2016) | Generative learning — students learn better when they create their own summaries rather than receiving pre-made ones | Making it yourself matters |
| Dunlosky et al. (2013) | Summarisation alone rated LOW utility, but combined with self-testing it becomes much more effective | Must test from it, not just create it |
| EEF Cognitive Science Report (2021) | Recommended structured knowledge organisers as tools for building substantive knowledge | Endorsed for GCSE science |
Step-by-Step Method
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1
Read one lesson — Go through the full lesson page once to refresh your memory. Pay attention to key fact boxes, equations, and glossary terms.
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2
Set up your A4 page with sections — Divide the page into a grid with these headings: Key Definitions, Key Equations, Key Processes / Mechanisms, Required Practical (PAG), Common Exam Questions.
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3
Fill it in from memory first — Close your notes and write what you can remember in each section. This is retrieval practice built into the process.
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4
Check and complete in a different colour — Open your notes and fill in anything you missed using a different colour pen. The colour difference shows you exactly what you didn't know.
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5
Self-test from it — In your next revision session, cover the knowledge organiser and try to recreate it from memory. Alternatively, use it to quiz yourself: cover one column and try to recall what's there.
When and How Often
Creating one knowledge organiser takes about 35 minutes. Aim to create one per revision session. Over 6 weeks you can build a complete set — one per lesson — covering all three sciences. Then use them as retrieval practice tools.
Ohmic conductor — a component where current is directly proportional to voltage (constant resistance) at constant temperature
Resistance — opposition to the flow of current, measured in ohms (Ω)
LDR — light-dependent resistor; resistance decreases as light intensity increases
Thermistor — resistance decreases as temperature increases
V = IR (voltage = current × resistance)
P = IV (power = current × voltage)
P = I²R (power = current² × resistance)
E = Pt (energy = power × time)
• Series circuit: same current throughout, voltages add up, total R = R₁ + R₂
• Parallel circuit: voltage same across branches, currents add up, total R is less than smallest branch
• Non-ohmic conductors (filament bulb, diode): resistance changes with temperature or direction
Investigate how resistance varies with length of wire. Variables: independent = length (cm), dependent = resistance (Ω), control = wire material and cross-sectional area, temperature. Method: connect wire in series with ammeter; voltmeter in parallel. Calculate R = V/I. Plot graph — should be linear through origin.
• Calculate resistance from V and I readings
• Explain why a filament bulb is not ohmic
• Describe how an LDR is used in a circuit (e.g. automatic street light)
• Compare series and parallel circuits
What the colours reveal: The second-colour additions clustered in Key Equations and the PAG method — showing these need more practice in future retrieval sessions.
Common Mistakes
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Copying from notes instead of recalling — If you fill it in while looking at your notes, you're just rewriting, not learning. The retrieval step is where the memory is built.
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Making it too detailed — One A4 page is the limit. If you can't fit it on one page, you're including too much. The constraint forces you to identify what really matters.
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Creating but never testing from it — A knowledge organiser in a folder is just a piece of paper. You must use it for self-testing in future sessions to get the full benefit.
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Using someone else's instead of making your own — Pre-made knowledge organisers skip the generative learning process. The act of deciding what to include and organising it is where most of the learning happens.