Eight tipe to improve your study skills:
- Get Organized. Avoid last minute cram sessions by using a planner or calendar. Plan out a study schedule. Working backwards from the test date, give yourself plenty of time to review all materials
- Review with a Pen and Paper. When reading over notes, write down all the subject headings, subheadings, and bolded words. This will help provide a clear picture of the material. Plus, the physical act of holding the pen and writing makes study time active rather than passive.
- Ask Questions. By starting your review early, you’ll have plenty of time to ask the teacher questions about material that you find confusing.
- Put it in your own words. Rather than attempting to memorize a bunch of facts, try explaining what you’ve just read outloud using your own words. If you find this difficult, identify key words and work around them. Understanding material is learning.
- Be efficient. Before beginning to review a chapter ask yourself what you already know about this unit. Once you’ve identified the material that you are comfortable with, study what you don’t know. A common mistake is spending too much time reviewing material that is familiar.
- Use mnemonic devices. To remember all items or examples, write the first letter of each example and create a sentence from that acronym. For instance, to remember the planets use this infamous tool: MVEMJSUNP, or My Very Educated Mother Just Sent Us Nine Pizzas.
- Test yourself. Give yourself mini quizzes. Read over your notes, cover them up with a sheet of paper or another book, recite aloud what you have just read, and paraphrase.
- Sleep. Studying for a test isn’t easy and can tire you out. Having a good night of sleep the day before an exam helps your brain to properly organize and store what you’ve studied so you can recall information come test-time.