How can i study for exams

Once you have a complete set of course materials, you can study by topic. Rewrite your notes Rewriting your notes helps you to remember them. The key is to read and think about the contents of your notes, what you noted down and why, and how to summarise your notes efficiently and memorably. Then rewrite them in your own words.

When you finish studying a section of notes, ask yourself questions relating to the material to see if you remembered what you just read. It can help to answer your questions out loud as if you were trying to explain it to someone else. Prioritise the hardest subjects first in each study session.

Allocate more time to studying the subjects you find most difficult. Study hard BUT set limits Set study periods. Short study periods are best for sustained concentration.

Don't try to study the entire course in one sitting. Divide the subject up into topics and aim to study a 'chunk' at each study session. Set study goals Set yourself a goal for each study session to help you keep track of what you are revising. I will read through and summarise chapters 3 and 4. I will work through five equations. I will learn the main concepts that were discussed in lectures from weeks Auditory learners might benefit from listening to lecture recordings or making their own recordings of notes they can listen to later.

Some people find it useful to explain key ideas aloud to themselves while moving around. Explore different ways to help you remember key facts and to increase your understanding of the main concepts.

Form a study group Form a study group with other students. Swap practice exams and give feedback. Drill each other on study topics. Review past exam papers Review any previous exam papers for your course. Past papers are not available for every course, but if they are, work through them.

For full details, please click here. You have a test on the horizon. Not sure where or how to begin? Learn how to study for a test, step-by-step. Try to get the answers to these crucial questions before you start studying. You can actually spend less time studying for your exam if you start with a great game plan.

Gather up all your class notes , quizzes, handouts and worksheets. Your previous homework will help you see what your teacher thinks is important. Plus, you can learn from your past quiz mistakes.

Start with what will definitely be on the the test, then what will probably be on the test, and finally what might be on the test. That way, if you run out of time, you know you at least have the essentials covered. By starting with the toughest material first, you have time to ask your teacher questions or get help from our tutors. That partly depends on the choice of music.

The more cognitively demanding the task, the lower your threshold for being distracted by music. Music will rarely put you off your stride when folding laundry or filing. For more, see my full article on does music help you study. Under lab conditions, test-score improvements equivalent to 1 or 2 whole grade boundaries percentage points are routinely seen in some of the most widely-cited experimental studies.

So without further ado, here are the absolute most important things you need to know about the psychology of memory, and what it tells about the smartest ways to learn:. The solution is to space out your retrieval practice.

Neuroscientists can even observe the positive impact of spacing at the level of neurons. So rather than spending an hour on one subtopic all on the same day, do half an hour the first day. Then do 10 minutes after a day or two, 10 minutes a week or so later, 10 minutes the week before the exam. When you combine spacing with retrieval practice, you get spaced retrieval practice.

But each time you leave a time delay then try and recall it, it sends a powerful signal that this information matters, and your memory responds by storing it away much more strongly. There are lots of ways to do this — this example is the spacing schedule I used when studying for my psychology final exams at uni:. Re-read your notes again, or break the topic down into smaller chunks and practise one section at a time. Not too hard, not too easy, but just right. If it feels too easy, space it out more by leaving a longer delay before re-testing.

If it feels too easy, leave a shorter delay and space it out less. And even better, doing that at intervals spaced out over time. Or if the topic is about a process that goes in order from start to finish, try a flow diagram. This principle is the basis of how many mnemonic strategies work — see Especially using them with confidence, competence and consistency. There are different ways to be an effective student. The problem is that note-making or writing summaries are pretty terrible ways to get information into memory.

Sure, some of the information might stick for a short time. Divide the page in two, and write questions in the left-hand column, answers in the right-hand column. Reading can have its place in your overall study system, often near the start of the process. For example, if you intend to use a different technique e.

This will be vastly most effective than just reading, especially if you follow up with subsequent rounds of spaced retrieval practice by attempting the blank page retrieval exercise on other days. Me and mindmaps go way back: I remember the hours and hours and hours happily spent in my room in my high school days merrily producing neat mind maps of all the information I needed to know for my exams. There was a belief — which you may also have heard — that mindmaps carried some almost-magical ability to get knowledge into your memory.

You got me. Make your study buddy read these seven steps, and look forward to spectacularly improved pair-testing results! If you spending any time researching memory strategies, you might come across advice on mnemonic strategies. By all means dive into the world of mnemonics. Some people prefer to be in places with some noise, others like music , and some need absolute quiet. Find out what works best for you and then get to studying!

Many students may think that reading a textbook or reviewing their notes is the only way to learn. However, you can mix up your study techniques to make it a more interesting experience.

Additionally, the more ways in which you can absorb information, the better. Many professors will provide you with previous exams to test your knowledge. These will help you understand how the test is formatted as well as how much time it may take you to answer each question. Try searching YouTube or Netflix for a documentary on said topic to learn more in a fun way. The mere act of creating flashcards is one of the best ways to learn. Then, you can also use them to test yourself if you prefer to study alone.

Try these tips from Thomas Frank on how to use flashcards effectively. Visually creating materials that differentiate information can help you on a test.

Use color coding to highlight or write information down based on whatever key you need to separate the information. Sometimes, the best way to learn is in groups! You can utilize your classroom notes and textbook to create your own study guide in whatever style you like to learn. Like flashcards, the creation of a study guide will help you memorize the material.

Memorization techniques like mnemonic devices and the creation of songs can help you retain information. When it comes to test day, you can use a memory dump by writing everything down before the start of a test that you think you may need i. At the heart of every successful student is time management. Instead, find the right hours to study and start early. On test day, you should be sure to take your time to read the questions carefully and start by answering the easiest questions first.

Studying should be a marathon, not a sprint. Proper learning goes hand-in-hand with taking care of your overall health. Be sure to get enough sleep and avoid an all-nighter because sleep actually helps you to retain information. Furthermore, you will want to fuel your body with healthy snacks rather than sugar-filled junk that will make you feel sluggish and cause your body to crash.

Try superfoods like roasted chickpeas or kale chips and antioxidant-rich fruits like berries as delicious study snacks.

Some good ideas include: exercising, meditating, doing yoga or going for a short walk. One way to really test if you know the material is to teach others. Within a study group or online, you can work together with your peers to see what you really know!

In this way, peers can foster deeper relationships with each other and also ensure that they understand the information strongly. The truth is that there is no one right way to tell you how to study for an exam. But there are countless ways to optimize your time and be prepared for your next test. Whether it means studying in a group or learning alone, creating flashcards or watching videos, reviewing the textbook or making your own study guide, you can set up your study routine to work best for your needs.