How To Study:
A Brief Guide
I'm going to share a few secrets with you that I have picked up throughout my life as a student. These are tips that I still use today when learning something new or preparing to write a test (Yes, teachers still write tests!).
Table of Contents
1. Attitude
2. Take notes in class
3. Managing your time.
4. Tips to help your remember.
5. Study location.
6. Do the homework.
7. Research your questions.
Table of Contents
1. Attitude
2. Take notes in class
3. Managing your time.
4. Tips to help your remember.
5. Study location.
6. Do the homework.
7. Research your questions.
Attitude
Your success at learning something new or studying for a test depends on the attitude that you have going into it. If you have a "I don't care" attitude, there's a good chance you won't do well. However, if you have a positive "I can do this" attitude, you'll likely do better. Remember, only you can give yourself that A+ on a quiz or test.
Your success at learning something new or studying for a test depends on the attitude that you have going into it. If you have a "I don't care" attitude, there's a good chance you won't do well. However, if you have a positive "I can do this" attitude, you'll likely do better. Remember, only you can give yourself that A+ on a quiz or test.
Taking Notes
Taking notes in class has it's ups and downs. One of the big 'ups' is that you have the information from a lesson recorded. You can then use this information to review something you're unsure of or help you with projects or studying. The major 'down' with taking notes is that often times you don't listen to the lesson because you're too panicked to copy everything down. A good tip is to go home that evening and rewrite your note one more time. This not only helps you keep your notebooks neat and organized, but its a good way for your brain to review something that it just learned. Also, when you rewrite notes you can also add your own examples into them that help you remember something easier.
Taking notes in class has it's ups and downs. One of the big 'ups' is that you have the information from a lesson recorded. You can then use this information to review something you're unsure of or help you with projects or studying. The major 'down' with taking notes is that often times you don't listen to the lesson because you're too panicked to copy everything down. A good tip is to go home that evening and rewrite your note one more time. This not only helps you keep your notebooks neat and organized, but its a good way for your brain to review something that it just learned. Also, when you rewrite notes you can also add your own examples into them that help you remember something easier.
Managing Your Time
School is a full time job. Managing your time is very important. If you have a "real" job after school that you do just for fun (or for some extra spending money), or if you participate in extra-curricular activities, keep your priorities in mind. Your education should come first. You only get one chance at a good education, and that door opens up many possibilities for your life.
School is a full time job. Managing your time is very important. If you have a "real" job after school that you do just for fun (or for some extra spending money), or if you participate in extra-curricular activities, keep your priorities in mind. Your education should come first. You only get one chance at a good education, and that door opens up many possibilities for your life.
As far as studying is concerned, cramming the night before is never a good idea. Your brain can only soak up a limited amount of knowledge at a time before it stops. It's like working out at a gym. You need to take breaks to help your muscles (think of your brain as an intellectual muscle) to recover before starting again.If you learn on a Monday that you've got a test on the Friday, don't start studying on Friday night. You should break up your work into chunks. Study one chunk per evening. On the second evening, review the chunk from the night before and study the next part. Repeat this process until test time. You're guaranteed to remember a lot more because you give your brain the time it needs to absorb the information.
Remember not to blame others when you feel stressed. Take a deep breath, organize a schedule for yourself and follow it through.
If you have a test or quiz to study for and some assignments to work on, the worst thing you can do is leave it all to the last night before they are due. It's up to you to manage your time and work on them gradually. Spend some time on each every evening until they are done. Teachers are reasonable people and they would never purposely overload you with work that they know is impossible to finish.
Tips to Help You Remember
The best way to ensure that you do well on a test or quiz is by making sure that you understand what you are learning about. Understanding is different from memorizing. To help you understand, try to connect what you're learning about to life experiences. Doing this will bring meaning to new ideas.
For example: Particle Theory of Matter states that particles expand when heated. Once I tried to hard boil an egg in the microwave. Let's just say that it wasn't pretty. I learned that when you heat something up, the particles in that object expand. Since an egg is in a shell, the egg particles had nowhere to go. Ultimately, the egg exploded because they shell couldn't take the pressure anymore.
If you connect something to an amusing story, you're also more likely to remember it.
There are also other ways to help you remember things:
- Songs (Sedimentary rocks have been formed in layers..... -- Row Row Row Your Boat)
- Acronyms (ROYGBIV - Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet)
- Comparisons (A cell cell wall is the the wall around a castle, it keeps unwanted things out)
- Make Flash Cards
The best way to ensure that you do well on a test or quiz is by making sure that you understand what you are learning about. Understanding is different from memorizing. To help you understand, try to connect what you're learning about to life experiences. Doing this will bring meaning to new ideas.
For example: Particle Theory of Matter states that particles expand when heated. Once I tried to hard boil an egg in the microwave. Let's just say that it wasn't pretty. I learned that when you heat something up, the particles in that object expand. Since an egg is in a shell, the egg particles had nowhere to go. Ultimately, the egg exploded because they shell couldn't take the pressure anymore.
If you connect something to an amusing story, you're also more likely to remember it.
There are also other ways to help you remember things:
- Songs (Sedimentary rocks have been formed in layers..... -- Row Row Row Your Boat)
- Acronyms (ROYGBIV - Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet)
- Comparisons (A cell cell wall is the the wall around a castle, it keeps unwanted things out)
- Make Flash Cards
Making a study outline is also a good way to help you prepare for tests and make sure that you've covered everything you need to know. Study guides also help keep you focused. You can always highlight stuff that you find harder and spend more time studying that specific thing.
Study Location
Study in a quiet place, with as few distractions as possible.
Do not listen to music or watch TV while studying.
It is virtually impossible to do two things at once if one of them is studying.
Study in a quiet place, with as few distractions as possible.
Do not listen to music or watch TV while studying.
It is virtually impossible to do two things at once if one of them is studying.
Avoid studying with electronics around. The lure of Twitter, Facebook, Youtube or Instagram can prove too difficult to resist. Before you know it, you'll find yourself 3 hours deep in adorable cat videos on Youtube instead of studying for a test.
Doing Homework
It should go without saying that you should do your homework and do it on time.
It should go without saying that you should do your homework and do it on time.
Science and Math homework often require you to do homework excerises and problem sets. I strongly recommend that you don't simply do the problems and hand them in. Rather, do them on scrap paper, check them over and copy them neatly into your notebooks. Turn in the neat copy (and remember to put your name on it).
Don't just write down answers. Write down the problem and the complete solution showing how you arrived at your answer.
Research Your Questions
Often time when you study, you will come across questions about what you're studying. That's a good thing! It means that your brain is thinking about what you're studying and trying to understand. Don't leave those questions unanswered. Go online and do some research, either one Google or Wikipedia. Often times, its these random searches that help us understand and remember new ideas.
Often time when you study, you will come across questions about what you're studying. That's a good thing! It means that your brain is thinking about what you're studying and trying to understand. Don't leave those questions unanswered. Go online and do some research, either one Google or Wikipedia. Often times, its these random searches that help us understand and remember new ideas.