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Study Strategies

The way that you are studying right now might not be the best for you:
How would you know? Easy: If your grades aren't what you'd like them to be, then you probably need to change how you study!
Each person has different learning preferences and styles that benefit them, such as hearing, seeing or writing.
 
  1. The first rule is: Don't cram!
    • Do not wait until the last minute to study. Short daily sessions are better than one long session the night before the test.
  2. Believe it or not, re-reading your textbook has "little or no benefit" when you are studying for a test
    • "Take notes in class & re-write them at home"; don't "Take notes in class & study them at home." Of course you should study your class notes at home, but just re-reading them is too passive. Studying must be active. It's too easy when just reading passively to have your mind wander or fall asleep.
    • The main idea behind re-writing your class notes (besides making them more legible and organized) is that the very act of coping them is one of the best ways of studying them!
  3. Make an outline of just the main ideas in the book.
    • Example:    
      1. (Identify major topics)
        1. (Subtopics for major topic)
          1.  (Further points of interest for subjects)
  4. Make a timeline of important dates or the order of events.      
    • If you have already done this in class, re-write it over and over until you have it memorized.
  5. Review study guides by covering up the answers on the study guide and writing the answers down on a separate sheet of paper.
  6. Make "Flash Cards" 
    • You can make a set of "flash cards" for any subject!
    • Only put one piece of information on each card. Questions on one side and the answers on the other. 
    • Then memorize the questions and answers; BUT, do not simply recite them by heart. Instead, write down the answers.
    • Why write and not recite? Because you will have to write the answers on the actual test. Get used to writing them now! A person tends to skip details when reciting, especially if you recite silently to yourself, but if you write the answers and have a good memory, then, during an exam, you can "read" the answers with your mind's eye. 

It should go without saying that you should do your homework and do it on time! Completing homework is the first phase of studying.