Study tips (II)

9) check out the glossary or list of the terms

Make sure that you understand these completely. You don't have to memorize them, but whenever there is an important concept in a particular field, there is usually a special term to refer to it. Learn these terms, and be able to use them easily, and you will have gone a long way towards mastering the subject itself. (Besides, teachers frequently draw from these lists as a quick and easy way to make up test questions!)

10) make flash cards

Traditionally, this is done with index cards, but you can also download computer programs that cut down on space and the cost of index cards. You can also just use a regular piece of paper folded (vertically) in half. Put the questions on the side you can see when the paper is folded; unfold it to see the answers inside. Keep quizzing yourself until you get all the answers right reliably. Remember: "Repetition is the mother of skill."

You can also turn your notes into flash cards using the Cornell note-taking system, which involves grouping your notes around keywords that you can quiz yourself on later by covering the notes and trying to remember what you wrote based on seeing only the keyword.

11) make associations

The most effective way to retain information is to "tie" it to existing information that's already lodged in your mind.

Take advantage of your learning style. Think about what you already learn and remember easily--song lyrics? choreography? pictures? Work that into your study habits. 

12)  use mnemonics ( memory maid )

Rearrange the information is a sequence that's meaningful to you. For example, if one wants to remember the notes of the treble clef lines in music, remember the mnemonic Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge = E, G, B, D, F. It's much easier to remember a sentence than a series of random letters. You can also build a memory palace or Roman room to memorize lists. If the list is short, link the items together using an image in your mind.

13) use visualization skills

Construct a movie in your mind that illustrates the concept you're trying to remember, and play it several times over. Imagine every little detail. Use your senses--how does it smell? look? feel? sound? taste

14)  make  a study sheet

Try and condense the information you will need into one sheet, or two if absolutely necessary. Bring it around with you and look at it whenever you have downtime during the days leading up to the test. If you type it up onto the computer, you can get a lot more control over your layout by changing font sizes, margin spaces, etc.

15) make it a group effort

Get some friends together--friends who are actually interested in studying, that is--and have everyone bring over their flash cards. Pass them around and quiz each other. If anyone is unclear on a concept, take turns explaining them to each other. Better yet, turn your study session into a game like Trivial Pursuit.

16) block distracting sites

Download the one of the available applications to instantly block some of the distracting sites on your computer. When you are done with your work, you can unblock access to all the sites as before.

17) test yourself

Test yourself or have someone test you on the material to find out what your weak and strong areas are. You can use the review questions at the end of each chapter, practice tests that the teacher may give out or other pertinent materials.

18)  ask for help

If you need help, ask someone who is good at these subjects. Friends, family, teachers are all good options. If you don't understand what the person helping you is communicating, don't be afraid to ask them to elaborate.

19) get creative with online study tolls

Don’t feel obliged to just sit in front of a book with a highlighter; there are many different ways to study. You should pick whatever works for you. Try using as many study tools and techniques as possible to help you study better and find what works best for you. Perfect examples of such study tools would be online flashcards, mind maps, mnemonics, online study planners, video and audio resources.

20) teach it

Find someone and explain it to them. Nothing forces you to learn better than teaching.

21) song or story

This memorizing technique links information together by placing it in a sequence of a song or a story. You could list all the bones in your hand by creating a story in which you meet each of them in sequence.

22) burn of stress

Party, mediate, socialize, whatever you need to do to relax. Being in a depressed state won’t help your studies, so have fun and find a balance. Then again, hangovers aren’t the best way to write an exam so know where to draw the line.

23) study every day

If you study a little bit every day you'll be continually reviewing things in your mind. This helps you understand things. It also helps you avoid the stress of last-minute cramming.

Early in the year an hour or two a night might be enough to stay on top of things. Later in the year you might need to study more each day.

If you're finding it hard to find time to study, cut back on some (but not all!) of your other activities. Prioritising study might mean spending less time online, or it might mean cutting back on shifts at work, or giving weekend sport a miss for a while.

24) discover your learning style

Most of us have a preferred way of learning. Get to know your learning style and study in the ways you learn best.

Auditory learners learn by listening.

If you're an auditory learner you could try reading your notes aloud and discussing them with other people. You might like to record key points and play them back. 

Visual learners learn by seeing.

If you're a visual learner you could use colours in your notes and draw diagrams to help represent key points. You could try to remember some ideas as images. 

Tactile/kinesthetic learners learn by doing.

If you're a tactile/kinesthetic learner you could use methods like role-playing or building models to revise key points.

25) review and revise

At least once a week you should go back over the things you've studied in class. Thinking things over can help you to understand the concepts and help you remember when you need them the most.

26) grade are just letter

My final suggestion is to stop thinking about classes in terms of grades and degrees. Think of school as just one facet of the larger self-education in your life. Find reasons to learn information for its own sake, instead of just to pass the class. While this may sound obvious, I believe it is the most important tip on this list and the one few people actually use. Study to learn, not just to pass.