Study Tips

How:

• Organize information into charts, diagrams, and outlines to help you visualize the information.
• Put information into your own words, and create your own examples, known as elaboration. It is easier to understand and remember your own explanations and examples than someone else's, because it allows you to rely on your own way of thinking.
• Rehearse or practice key pieces of information. Read over and try to say from memory key pieces of information. The more you do this, the better you remember.
• Be selective in choosing the information to focus on. The amount of information that can possibly be covered on a test is much too great to get into memory. Therefore, you have to decide what is the most critical material to store.
• Distributed studying (practice spread out over time) is far more effective than massed studying (practice concentrated in a short period of time) in helping memory.
• You must start your practice far enough in advance so that you can rehearse all the key pieces of information a number of times, with sufficient periods in between to allow memory to occur.

Be sure to organize:

• Set a consistent study schedule that is attainable.
• Arrive to class 15 minutes early to review material from the previous class. After class, take time (about 15 minutes) to think about what you learned.
• Read information before arriving to class so that you are better prepared to fit the information of the lecture into an organized background.

Where:

• Find a quiet place to study and always study in that place.
• Avoid studying in areas with distractions like noise, music, radio, and television.
• Study in places with adequate lighting to avoid unnecessary eyestrain.
• If possible, avoid studying in bed or on a couch that would promote relaxation.

How often:

• Study in 20-30 minute intervals with 10-minute relaxation breaks in between. This format will provide optimal study time with breaks to rejuvenate.
• Have everything you need available before you start to study including textbooks, notebooks, pencils, pens, highlighters, calculators, etc.

Hints:

• Use flash cards to memorize information.
• While studying, anticipate possible questions that might be included on test.
• Participate in a study group.
• Use mnemonic devices to organize and memorize information (e.g., Every Good Boy Does Fine for the notes of the musical scale, EGBDF)
• Reward yourself for studying