My A+ review method is a result of trying different study techniques over the course of my college career. To date, I have taken over 100 exams since the start of my college career, but it was only in this past summer that I finally, FINALLY, think I have perfected my Method. I believe it is perfected because in my most recent use of The Method I earned the highest score on my evolution midterm-- 97%, when the class average was 67%. I am proud to say that I was not even included in the curve because my score was an outlier. I used the perfected Method again to study for an exercise physiology midterm and only missed 1 point-- overall, a 98.9%. Additionally, through the variations of the Method that lead up to the perfected Method, I consistently scored in the upper percentiles of my exams.
So, do you want an edge?
Read through The Method and take what you like from it. Make my method Your Method by adjusting it and adding to it.
So, do you want an edge?
Read through The Method and take what you like from it. Make my method Your Method by adjusting it and adding to it.
~My A+ Review Method~
1. Take notes in class. Don't necessarily write things down word for word, use shorthand (see previous post!), and write down things the professor says in class that you wouldn't be able to get from the classical notes or powerpoint slides (if posted). Use arrows to connect related information or cause/effect and stars to indicate important concepts. Purpose: information collection.
2. Re-write your notes into a notes summary. Doing this at the end of each week is ideal, but I often end up starting my notes review a week before the midterm, summarizing one week's worth of notes at a time. Purpose: clarification and organization. *you can see an example of what my class notes look like compared to my notes summary pictured at the end of this post.
3. Directed review. Depending on the nature of the class, you may be required to know one or more of the following types of information: vocabulary, examples/case studies, and calculations. Go through the entire notes summary but ONLY look for vocab. Highlight the word and then read the definition. When you finish the packet, go through it again but ONLY look at examples/case studies and mark them with a different color highlighter, noting in your head the salient points and what concept it is being used to exemplify. When you've gone through the packet, repeat with a different color highlighter looking only at calculations noting the purpose of the equation and maybe do a practice problem. Purpose: mental association for detail recall.
4. Read through your notes summary. While reading through it, write down on a separate page things that you are particularly concerned about remembering, for example, the difference between codominance and incomplete dominance, which I always mix up. Purpose: clarifying confusing information.
5. Before the exam, look over the sheet of things that you are particularly concerned about remembering. Aim to be finished with this last step at least 20 minutes before your exam. Purpose: reinforcement of correct information.
These steps don't have to be taken immediately after one another. In fact, it's really good to take a break in between each step to let your brain digest the information. The most important break is the one you take the night before exam day. Actually, it's probably the most awesome study tip because you don't have to actively study. While you sleep, you are passively studying-- information you took in from your active study sessions are being synthesized into neural pathways that allow you to retrieve the information during your exam.
Final notes:
1. Take notes in class. Don't necessarily write things down word for word, use shorthand (see previous post!), and write down things the professor says in class that you wouldn't be able to get from the classical notes or powerpoint slides (if posted). Use arrows to connect related information or cause/effect and stars to indicate important concepts. Purpose: information collection.
2. Re-write your notes into a notes summary. Doing this at the end of each week is ideal, but I often end up starting my notes review a week before the midterm, summarizing one week's worth of notes at a time. Purpose: clarification and organization. *you can see an example of what my class notes look like compared to my notes summary pictured at the end of this post.
3. Directed review. Depending on the nature of the class, you may be required to know one or more of the following types of information: vocabulary, examples/case studies, and calculations. Go through the entire notes summary but ONLY look for vocab. Highlight the word and then read the definition. When you finish the packet, go through it again but ONLY look at examples/case studies and mark them with a different color highlighter, noting in your head the salient points and what concept it is being used to exemplify. When you've gone through the packet, repeat with a different color highlighter looking only at calculations noting the purpose of the equation and maybe do a practice problem. Purpose: mental association for detail recall.
4. Read through your notes summary. While reading through it, write down on a separate page things that you are particularly concerned about remembering, for example, the difference between codominance and incomplete dominance, which I always mix up. Purpose: clarifying confusing information.
5. Before the exam, look over the sheet of things that you are particularly concerned about remembering. Aim to be finished with this last step at least 20 minutes before your exam. Purpose: reinforcement of correct information.
These steps don't have to be taken immediately after one another. In fact, it's really good to take a break in between each step to let your brain digest the information. The most important break is the one you take the night before exam day. Actually, it's probably the most awesome study tip because you don't have to actively study. While you sleep, you are passively studying-- information you took in from your active study sessions are being synthesized into neural pathways that allow you to retrieve the information during your exam.
Final notes:
- It's OK to phrase things however you want on your personal notes. If noting "induced mutations in the coadapted gene complexes for floral parts fucked up the flower" helps you remember that the induced mutations cause abnormal growth in the sepals, petals, and carpals, then absolutely write down that the mutations fucked up the flower!
- When you think a piece of information is cool, write "Cool!" next to it in your notes. Acknowledging your enthusiasm keeps you interested in studying.
- Don't arrive to the exam too early. You don't want to get mixed up by other students' scrambling last-minute discussions (I've lost points to this before). Aim to walk into the exam confident with your grasp on the material and take other's conflicting last-minute comments with plenty of doubt.
- Power poses (such as standing tall with your hands on your hips and head held high) are proven to raise testosterone, leading to increased performance and confidence. Google "power poses" for examples. Telling yourself confidently "I know what I know, and I know this material pretty well"; "Let's do this"; "I got this"; or something of the sort also helps boost confidence and performance on exams.
- Keep in mind that professors don't write exam questions to trip you up. The exam is simply an assessment that provides valuable feedback to you about how well you are learning and to your professor about how well they are teaching.
- Honestly, I have never, not once in my life gotten a question on an exam that was "totally unexpected" or "not covered in class" that I was graded for. This is simply a result of being a totally active learner, going to office hours for clarification
These are my in-class lecture notes. Sloppy, containing cross outs, arrows. Notice the Question I had written at the top, which I asked during class for the professor to please repeat. | These are my notes re-summarized. Much more organized, easier to study off of, and contain better drawn pictures. When re-writing, I realized that I preferred to write down the troponin protein's roles and locations rather than draw a picture of it. |
Acknowledgement:
I would like to thank Dr. Laura Burns, PhD, Professor of Chemistry, for suggesting in the first place that re-copying my own notes could be a valuable study technique.
I would like to thank Dr. Laura Burns, PhD, Professor of Chemistry, for suggesting in the first place that re-copying my own notes could be a valuable study technique.