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Preparing for exams
Students know that they need to study and that they should probably start well in advance of the exam but because high school may not have demanded much in the way of studying, students find they really don't know how to study efficiently.
Try
Not cramming! (But see cramming for exceptions).
Why?
Because short-term memory doesn't have enough space for all you need to know. Also, cramming stupefies long-term memory (where well-learned material lives), and it can set you up for panic and "blanking."
Try
Starting well in advance, breaking your studying into chunks and reviewing often.
Why?
- A week or more before the exam, do an initial overview (a 2-4 hour quick review of the material); this will help to motivate you and to determine the structure of the course, where your difficult material is and the volume to be covered.
- Develop and follow a plan for getting yourself through this volume of material, starting (if possible) with your most difficult material.
- At the beginning of each study period, do a 10 minute review of the previous period's material.
Try
Studying "from the top down."
Why?
Because it is easier to understand and retain material that is well-organized. Therefore, start with a good grasp of the course's main ideas, then follow with the sub-topics and supporting details.
Try
Studying by jogging your memory.
Why?
Because real understanding comes not when we stuff information in but when we draw it out. Exams require this same drawing out of information so this should be the focus of studying: answering questions, solving problems, writing essays, defining, explaining and applying terms, and working through past exams.
Try
Taking in no new material the night before an exam.
Why?
Because you want to build confidence by reinforcing what you know rather than running the risk of scaring yourself by discovering something you don't know. Also, you want to avoid the temptation to cram.