How you prepare for tests can count almost as much as how you take
tests. Sometimes it counts more. That's because in most cases, the
professor is actually expecting you to have thought out the answers in
advance of the test, not just when you get your test paper. Since there
are as many different kinds of tests as there are professors, what's the
best way to prepare? Here are our baker's dozen of tips for excellent
test preparation:
1. Spread it out. Make sure you
divide your studying time over a number of days, rather than leaving it
all for the night before. If you try to learn it all at one go, you
could find yourself in the same position as that Burmese python in
Florida who tried to swallow an alligator whole. The result: not so
pretty (for either the python or the alligator).
2. Study for the test, not for the course.
Many students think that study time is "go over the whole course" time.
It's not. There's no way you're going to be able to learn 15 (or 25 or
even 45) lectures' worth of stuff in a week. Instead, resolve to focus
your attention only on those points you think will be on the test. And
stick to your resolution.
3. Scope out the scope.
Be sure you know what's fair game for the test and what's not. Many
times students aren't exactly sure which lectures, readings, sections,
and homeworks are to be covered on the test. (Does the test include the
material that was on the last test? Is the most recent lecture included?
Are we responsible for that article discussed in section?) You can't
study right if you don't know what you're supposed to be studying.
4. Figure out the format.
There are many kinds of questions your prof could ask: multiple choice,
short answer, essay, problem solving. Make sure you know which is his
or her favorite type of question. Consult the sample exam, study guide,
syllabus, or instructions in lecture or section to find out. And if
you're not sure, text or E-mail a friend in the class (it's unlikely
your professor will be answering your questions in the middle of the
night).
5. Line up your ducks. Before you start
studying, make sure you have a complete set of lecture notes (putting
them in order wouldn't hurt, either) and all the problems, homeworks,
and quizzes you've taken. It's difficult to study well if you're missing
essential pieces.
Extra Pointer. If you're going
to borrow a friend's notes for a lecture you missed, pick a smart
friend, not just a Facebook friend. You'll really put yourself behind
the eight ball if you get the notes from someone who barely paid
attention in class and then the big question on the midterm is on that
very lecture.
6. Remember this. In some
courses—language, history, math, and some sciences, for instance—there's
a lot of stuff to be memorized. Do this first. You'll memorize better
while you're still at least half awake. And you'll feel a sense of
relief and well-being when you've gotten the tedious work out of the
way.
Extra Pointer. Use mnemonic devices or
acronyms (that is, words formed from the initial letters of the things
to be memorized). Make them as clever or as dirty as you can; they're
easier to remember that way. And then sing them out loud while making
faces and flapping your arms—really. You'll remember the tunes and your
silly motions.
7. Capture the concepts. In many
courses, the real studying work is to get your mind around the key
concepts and central ideas of the course. This isn't just memorizing
some code words (as in the previous tip), but understanding the main
points in a clear enough way to be able to explain them to someone who
didn't know them. Tip: Locate the three or four main concepts the
professor was trying to teach, and think how each can be explained in
enough detail to communicate a real understanding of the idea.
8. Go for the score.
Allot your studying time in proportion to the points on the test. Are
short ID's worth only 15 percent? Spend about 20 minutes preparing them.
Do essays count 80 percent? Spend 110 percent of the time on them. You
get the idea.
9. Never read. Reading the assignment—or if you've been good, re-reading
the material—is never an efficient way to study. It takes too long.
Instead, scan your reading notes or, if you don't have these, study the
lecture notes. Your prof probably flagged the main points.
10. Milk a friend.
In many cases, it's good to invite a friend to your "study group"—that
is, to find a friend, smarter than you, whom you can ask to explain the
things you don't understand. Just make sure you're picking on the basis
of smarts.
11. Conspire with the prof. If your
prof or TA is having a review session, that's a gift from God. Be sure
to go, equipped with lots of questions about what you think will be on
the test. Otherwise, try the special office hours the days before the
test or your own individual meetings during the regular office hours.
12. Test-drive your test.
The last stage of your studying should always include some practice,
"self-testing," in which you construct some questions in the format you
expect to be on the test, then formulate some answers. You might be
tempted to skip this step, but don't. A trial run helps you start
thinking like your professor and processing the material in the way
you'll need to do in the actual exam. Think of it as a warm-up for your
brain.
4-Star Tip. Be sure to monitor—and
evaluate—your test-taking performance as you go. If you find that you're
devoting too much time to one question, or spending too much time
thinking rather than writing, or getting so tensed up that you can
hardly think straight, make a mental note. When you have finished your
trial run, think up strategies so you won't fall into the same pitfalls
when you take the real test.
13. Pull a "half-nighter." Figure out how many hours there are in the night, then spend half that number cramming. Try sleeping the other half.
Professors' perspective.
Most professors grade as much on how well you express your ideas as on
how much you know. So if you've stayed up until 5 in the morning
funneling as much data into your head as you can, you won't be able to
think and write clearly when you take the test at 8:30 a.m. That's where
the sleep comes in.
Bonus tip. Have an Egg McMuffin or something similar. Your brain will work better with carbs and protein (even in reduced dosages, if you opt for a low-fat version).
by Jeremy S. Hyman and Lynn F. Jacbos
© Copyright 2010 Professors' Guide LLC. All rights reserved.
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