Make sure to find a place where you will not have to move for a while. A quiet room, library, coffee shop, or your study desk are ideal options. [1] X Research source
Make sure not to bring anything that may distract you.
Be careful of studying with friends. It is easy to get distracted if you are only studying with good friends. Make sure your study group has some members that you only know from class. [4] X Research source
Try writing summaries of your notes for each chapter or major concept. [5] X Research source Write them in the simplest terms on a separate piece of paper. These summaries can help guide your study day. Read your notes out of order as you review them. This will allow you to make sure you know each piece of information on its own, rather than part of a series.
Try teaching a chapter or concept to an imaginary student. [6] X Research source This will force you to fully articulate the subject. It will be clear whether or not you have a handle on the material if you try to explain it to someone else. You can also do this with a study group or partner.
Re-writing information over and over again may help it stick in your brain. Make sure to copy the fact or idea at least three times for this method to work. Use mnemonic devices. Mnemonic devices are techniques that help your brain retain information. Creating rhymes, acronyms, and songs that you can associate with the material will help you recall it.
Look for review questions at the end of chapters, or in the back of your textbook. It is important to be testing yourself whenever possible to better gauge what you still need to work on.
A friend or classmate may have created their own study guide which you might be tempted to borrow when you are short on time. However, the act of creating your own study guide will force you to put the information into your own words and copying out the material will help it stick in your mind.
For multiple choice tests, questions will usually be geared towards smaller details and facts, as well as vocabulary and definitions. There may also be questions about sequences and steps. Questions that ask about the similarities and differences between things are also common on multiple choice tests. While it may be difficult to memorize all the tiny details with a limited amount of time, focus on specific areas rather than attempting to conquer the entire subject. [9] X Research source For essay or short answer tests, you will be asked to have a good understanding of wide themes and ideas. Try preparing a few sample questions based on the textbook and syllabus. Time yourself for 15 minutes and write out a detailed outline for each question, as if you were going to turn it into a full essay. Be sure to memorize some key terms and examples that you can use for support in your essay questions during the actual test.
One way of creating a break schedule for yourself is the 50/10 method. Study diligently for 50 minutes, without distractions. Hold yourself accountable. If you stop or get distracted, restart the 50 minutes. Once you have had a completely undistracted 50 minutes, go on a 10-minute break. This will force you to be much more productive when you are studying.
Organize terms and facts according to these larger groupings. This is a technique called “chunking. " It is easier to memorize individual concepts when you are putting them in relationship to a greater whole
You can also use the syllabus to guide your study. There is a good chance that your professor organized the material in a specific way to guide your learning. Use the syllabus to help you find ways to look at the course material from a larger perspective, and figure out how to best organize this mass of information.
