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Above all, Review Regularly and Plan To Study Ahead, so that the night before an exam, All You Do Is Review Material. Avoid All-Nighters!
Along with guidance from the therapists at CWS, students who want to improve their study skills may contact a Learning Specialist at The Learning Center 962-3782.
Good Study Habits
- Decide what to study (reasonable task) and how long or how many (chapters, pages, problems, etc.). Set and stick to deadlines.
- Do difficult tasks first. For procrastination, start off with an easy, interesting aspect of the project.
- Have special places to study. Take into consideration lighting, temperature, and availability of materials.
- Study 50 minutes, and then take a 10 minute break. Stretch, relax, have an energy snack.
- Allow longer, "massed" time periods for organizing relationships and concepts, outlining, and writing papers. Use shorter, "spaced" time intervals for rote memorization, review, and self-testing. Use odd moments for recall/review.
- If you get tired or bored, switch task/activity, subject, or environment. Stop studying when you are no longer being productive.
- Do rote memory tasks and review, especially details, just before you fall asleep.
- Study with a friend. Quiz each other, compare notes and predicted test questions.
Preparing for Exams
When the Exam is Announced:
Find out what the exam will or won't cover.
Find out what kind of exam it will be: objective, short essay, long essay, or a combination.
Exam Study:
- Prepare summary sheets for large amounts of lecture and textbook notes.
- Spend several nights before an exam making a final review of notes.
- Stress the following areas in your review: Points emphasized in class or in the text; Areas the professor has advised for study; Questions in study guides, past quizzes, and reviews at the end of textbook chapters.
Preparation by Type of Exam:
Objective exams: Study as if it were an essay exam. Stress specifics; Definitions of key terms and examples; Lists of items; For True/False, write some false statements.
Essay Exams: Stress concepts. List probable questions. Prepare a good outline answer and practice it.
Problem Exams: Memorize formulas if needed. Practice problems. |
