Here is a method of studying that gives you
an accurate perception of how well you know the material,
and forces you to think about it, rather than just look over it.
- Review your notes and readings frequently, so the material is
"fresh"
- As you're reading your text or reviewing your notes,
write down questions about the material.
Imagine you're teaching the course. What questions would you ask on the exam?
- Keep track of any terms you need to know
- Try the index card system:
- Write each question or term on the back of an index card
- On the front of each index card, write an answer
or an explanation for the question or term on the back.
Use your notes and text for a reference, but put the answer or explanation in
your own words whenever possible
- Shuffle the index cards
so you can't figure out any
answers based on their location in the deck
- Look at the card on the top of the deck:
Try to answer the question or explain the term.
If you know it, great! Put it
on the bottom of the deck.
If you don't know it, look at the answer, and put
it a few cards down in the deck (so you'll come back to it soon)
- Proceed through the deck of cards until you know all of the
information
Some Tips:
- Carry your cards with you everywhere.
Take advantage of little pockets of time.
Test yourself while you're waiting
on line, riding the bus, etc.
- If you think you know an answer,
but can't put it into words, you probably don't know it well enough.
Explaining the information is a good way to be sure that you know
it.
It's also a good way to prevent test anxiety
- Test yourself someplace where nobody can see you
and recite the answers out loud.
That's the best
way to be sure that you can explain them
- Study with a friend from your class.
You can share ideas and help each other out with concepts.
You can use
each other to make sure that you're explaining your answers adequately
Website overview: Since 1996 the
Study Guides and Strategies web site
has been researched, authored, maintained and supported by Joe Landsberger
as an international, learner-centric, educational public service. Permission is granted to freely copy, adapt,
and distribute individual Study Guides in print format in non-commercial educational settings that benefit learners. Please be aware that the Guides welcome, and are under, continuous review and revision. For that reason, reproduction of all content on the Internet
can only be with permission through a licensed
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