How do you study?

Question

I have a whole bunch of tests that are being thrown at me from school and theyre brutal. I need ideas to get the information memorized. Any suggestion on what might help me? What do you do when you study? PLEASE help! Thanks.

Answer 1

I've been out of school for many years, but when I was in college, I would sit at the table and read the material out loud, as if I was teaching the class. I'd make up questions and of course, I'd also be the one to answer them. I'd read some paragraphs, then go back a few to ask myself questions.

In class, I highlighted everything the teacher mentioned. I made outlines of the chapters, then filled in the important points. Don't do this if you don't own the book!

My son was in 6th or 7th grade when I was a sophomore in college, and we were both studying the same time frame in American history. I read both texts out loud and quizzed both of us. We did great in Amercing history that semester.

You don't really want to memorize the material. You want to learn and understand it. Reading it over and over, and explaining it to myself in my own words did it for me.

For Algebra, I worked the problems in the text book over and over, so that when I saw a similar problem on a test, I knew what to do. But again, I wasn't memorizing anything, but trying to understand why you did such and such on a certain type of problem.

One last thing: the environment. I know some kids think they should have music on while they study, or be sitting in a room with a TV. I sat by myself in the kitchen, tuning out everything else going on. Mostly I didn't start my work until after 10, when the kids homework was done, and they were in bed, and I did everything else the mommy has to do first.

I, too, wish I would have worked this way in high school, and during my first go at college right after. I was about 40 when I figured out what to do.

Answer 2

I run around about half an hour before I have to study so I'll burn off any energy that would otherwise make me pace, without leaving me all hyped up.

I don't have my own room or a quiet place in my house to study, so I go to the library, find an abandoned table, and get to work.

First, look at what your assignment is. Jot down what you already know. Don't make it neat, or complete sentences. Just the key concept words. Lets say you're learning about rocks. Write down what you think of when you think of rocks. "Lava, igneous, metamorphic, sedimentary, fossils," for example. Then think about some questions you might have. How are the kinds of rocks formed? How do they find out how old the rocks are? Stuff like that. Scan the material once so you get a basic idea, then read it through and answer your questions. Write the answers down as your notes. That helps prioritize and condense. Also, try to anticipate what the writer's going to say; that keeps you engaged, and keeps you from falling asleep.

Whatever you do, don't underline anything unless it's key words/phrases, dates or people. Otherwise, you'll end up underlining everything, which messes up your book and gets you confused. Underlining is passive, and ultimately tells you nothing. If there's an important passage you're going to need, underline it **after** you've finished reading so you know it actually matters. In other words, it's okay to underline 'Antietam' and 'Stonewall Jackson', but don't do it to anyone else. I screwed up ten chapters in my history book by doing that and learned almost nothing because of it.

When you're done studying, do the hopelessly nerdy and talk to someone about it. You'll have to apply it and will be forced to put it in your own words, so you'll remember it.

It sounds a lot more time-consuming than it is.

Read your notes every day and give them to a friend or relative so he or she can quiz you. Let's say you wrote, "Civil War: 1860-1865." Your friend would ask, "How long did the Civil War last?" You should also tell your impromptu tester to not go in the order of your notes; that keeps you from thinking too linearly.

Hope this helped.

Answer 3

I used a tape recorder and played it as much as I can. I used it in classrooms that allowed it while I also took notes. I couldn't remember everything. I would study and actually I over-studied and that's not good. Study about 20 minutes or so and then take a break. Go back to it. I found that using 3x5 index cards very useful. I would put a question on each card and the ones I knew and answered correctly; I put them in one pile. The ones I had trouble with, went in a different pile. I concentrated over and over again on the ones I didn't know. If you can enlist someone to quiz you using the cards....that is even better. Memorizing is impossible on many things.......so try to form acronyms to help you remember. For example, when I was studying something in grade school like the Great Lakes, I used HOMES to remember....Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie and Superior.Highlight what is important like dates, names, events and such. The rest of the words aren't as important. Use any technique that works for you. Good luck!

Answer 4

I agree with the others but walk as you memorize and talk===repeat/recite/ review. I would gather my notes and walk the floor in a well light quiet place and repeat over and over. I would stop ever 1/2 hr and drink ice cold o.j. and then back pacing and reciting. I graduated with honors and I wish I had studied this way in High school.....Good Luck

Answer 5

Ok!
Quiet place! Your room is best, or outside. (depending on weather.

Write everything you think you'll need for the test down. Get someone near you, parent or sibling, to "quiz you on what's on those pieces of paper.

Keep goig over those pieces of paper, it really pays off.

Or, say you have to memorize a list ofsomething that's in order. Make and acronym! :D

Answer 6

well, to start, turn off the tv, find the quirtest place in your house and just sit and read the material a few time ...thats what works for me:)

Answer 7

i have never studied and when i do, i notice that i know all of what i am studying.

but if you want to.....
find a quiet place.
talk to yourself when reading the question.
don't study the day before.

Answer 8

by studying