I was a high school counselor for several years and
a few times a year a student would come into my office very frustrated and
wanting help studying for a test or a quiz.
My first statement would be: “Tell me how you study for a test.” Most of the answers would be: “I read my
notes. I look over the chapter. I skim the chapter.” I would also ask, “When
you study do you find yourself daydreaming and having a hard time
concentrating?” Their answer would be a
loud, “Yes!” Why does this not work
well? It is too passive.
The problem with this approach is you are only
reading. When my wife went to college to
study to become a dental assistant, she had a test or quiz in each class every
day. That is a lot of testing so she had
to find an efficient way to study. She
would take her notes from class each day and then in the evening type them
(this was before computer processing).
By typing her notes she was not only making a nice copy of her notes but
she was combining two important modes of studying: reading and writing. By rewriting or typing her notes it was
forcing her to concentrate and process the learning material. This approach moved her from being a passive
learner to an active learner.
The most effective way to study is to be active
when you study. Just looking or reading
notes will be ineffective and will lead to a lack of focus. Combine reading and writing together and you
will be far more effective. It will be
more work, but you will be amazed how more well prepared you will be.
Here are some good suggestions to combine reading
and writing and to be active in your quiz/test preparation:
- Re-copy your notes.
- Word process your notes.
- Outline the chapter(s) in the textbook.
- If there are a lot of terms and definitions, copy down the term and write and re-write the definition.
- Make a study list. This means from the unit of material covered by the instructor, what are the major terms, concepts, etc. that you know will be on the test. Write short essay answers explain each term or concept.
- If there is some sort of skill that you will be required to perform, practice it ahead of time using whatever resource that would be appropriate like a blank map, a chart, diagram, etc. Make your own flash cards.
- Write your own test. Write test questions involving the major ideas, terms, etc.
The key idea of this is: READING + WRITING.
Here is a list of effective studying suggestions from the
College of DuPage: http://www.cod.edu/people/faculty/fancher/STUDY.HTM
Steve - ICAN Council Bluffs Center
