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Education
 Education
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Achieve
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Art
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How
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 Every person has his own way of studying to achieve success in exams. Some like
studying in the early morning, some like to do late nights, some like studying
all through the year while some believe that last minute study is effective.
Whatever your method is it is always better to be thoroughly prepared for your
exams and there should not be a last minute rush. Today we are presenting before
you some steps of effective study and it is our belief that you will benefit a
lot from it.
STEP
1
Read through all the materials and all the chapters,
including class notes, text chapters and any handouts the professor has
distributed. Read carefully, paying special attention to any underlined sections
you may have marked. Do not leave any chapter because probably the question
carrying the maximum marks may come from that chapter.
STEP 2
Evaluate the test questions of previous
years and the question paper sets. Mark and write down the most repeated
questions and the marks they contain. This will give you a general idea of the
most important areas that you have to cover. This will also help you come to
know the mind frame of the paper setter and will help you give importance to
some chapters which requires more consideration rather wasting time on
unnecessary topics. But that doesn't mean that you can leave other topics. Try
to cover the most chapters as far as possible.
STEP 3
Now that you have the materials in front of
you start preparing your own notes. This will be most helpful because it will
make you aware of the particular topic and if the notes are made by you, you
will always remember it and memorizing it will not be a problem. Generate
questions to focus studying. Write down their answers. Exam questions don't just
ask you to recite back information you have learned. They often ask you to think
about that topic in several ways and you have to be prepared for all possible
questions in all possible forms.
STEP 4
The next step is reciting and recalling. This is the most
important part of studying. You want to memorize as much relevant information as
you can. Then close the book or cover your notes and summarize the main points.
Practice recalling important concepts and definitions. Keep doing this everyday
so that you don't forget what you have read. At the end of the day sit in your
room, close your eyes and then try to summarize what you have studied the whole
day.
STEP 5
The last step is going
back and reviewing all the materials again, all the topics and all-important
sections. This helps to fix the information in your long-term memory. Now, you
should be able to answer all the questions you posed to yourself. If you can't,
review again. Make sure you understand the concepts, don't just memorize names
and details. Try to understand the logic behind it and I am sure you will not
face any difficulties anymore.
Apart form these
important steps here are a few general tips that will help you in your study
strategy:
Get all relevant info
Get all
the information you can about the test before you study. Be it your class tests
or competitive test or any other tests you are planning to appear in. You should
also know how specific the test would be. Thus be prepared and know what to
expect.
Review Habitually
It's a
good idea to review your class notes right after you've written them and then
again, just before the next class. Make sure you understand the concepts you've
illustrated. This way you will be ready with the topic and if you have any
difficulty you can approach the professor right on.
Exam Review
Start studying for the exam early.
Don't do that last minute study because then you are bound to miss out on many
topics and though you might pass but you will not be able to secure the
percentage that will be helpful in getting admission for higher studies in
reputated colleges. If you have a large amount of material to cover, try
dividing it into smaller chunks and start studying the most difficult sections
first. Go over that material just before the test, so it's fresh in your mind.
To fix it in your memory, practice recalling the information aloud or try
explaining it to someone else or discuss the topic with your friends.
Take proper rest
Generally, it's not
advisable to stay up all night. Learning diminishes with fatigue and you'll
think more clearly if you're rested properly. If you do stay up late, give
yourself frequent breaks to keep your mind alert. Study but don't kill yourself.
Chill out
Don't exert yourself too
much. Just relax and keep your cool. Excessive anxiety will reduce your ability
to think clearly. Get to your class early and use those minutes to unwind.
Chances are, if you have given yourself adequate preparation, you'll feel better
about the test before you take it.
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