How to: Test Prep

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Reviewing and Memorizing Notes:

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Yes, taking notes is a strenuous process, but it pays off in the end. Although note taking helps engrain information into your mind, it is still necessary to review them. This includes rereading everything, but that’s not all. Firstly, one of the best ways to review notes is to rewrite them. This once again helps with the memorization and refreshes the topic you might have otherwise forgotten. If it is an extensive amount of notes, summarizing is another option. Another very popular way to study for a test is to make flashcards. These can be made on Quizlet or another service, but it is even more helpful to make handwritten flashcards. The next step is to review notes with another student. This will allow you to have practice and also to get feedback. Lastly, if you are having trouble memorizing some of your notes, a trick to remembering them is to apply mnemonic devices to specific words or phrases. They can be essentially anything, as long as they help you memorize the notes. 

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Utilize Provided Materials:

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It may sound obvious, but it could not be more important. If a teacher or professor provides a study guide or a practice test, make sure those resources get completed. If they give you a list of exam topics, be sure to review and write out explanations of each of them. Each of these teacher-provided preparation materials will allow you to understand exactly what knowledge is expected of you when you sit down to take the test. It will also allow you to bone up on the exact type of content you’ll need to get the result you want. Answer all of the questions given on these resources fully, and write out extensive explanations of each answer. This will help you know if you truly understand how to get to the answer of similar questions. Then, check your answers! If you made even the smallest mistake, be sure not to overlook it. Do some more research on that question or topic, and try the question again when you feel ready to ensure your comprehension. Of course, sometimes you won’t be so lucky as to get one of these provided resources but don’t worry, there are still great ways to study.

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Find Outside Resources:

 

Another important thing to consider when preparing for a test: you are probably not the only one who has ever had to study this material. As a result, there are probably near endless resources online that could be very helpful to your process. Look for Quizlets that others have created. Play others’ Kahoots. Search for articles explaining difficult concepts. If you need a good way to quiz yourself, other peoples’ past work is a great way to do it. That being said, it is very important that you don’t take everything you find as correct. Your teacher is the only person who knows the correct way they want you to interpret material. However, that doesn’t mean an online quiz or wikipedia article can’t help lay a solid foundation on a concept for you to then build off in other study sessions.

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Teach Someone Else:

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The saying says those who can’t do, teach. Well in the case of the exams you’re likely to be taking, another saying is more true: Those who can’t do, can’t teach. If you wouldn’t feel comfortable explaining the content of your exam to a fellow student or friend, you may not be ready. Study up until you feel prepared to do this, and then find someone to practice with. Maybe it's a classmate who is struggling with a concept and could use your explanation, or maybe its a sibling or parent who will sit down with you and pretend to be your student. If it’s too hard to find someone else, try reteaching yourself by simply explaining the content out loud. Whichever approach you take, rehearsing the material and answering other peoples’ questions about it will increase your understanding, as well as provide a good assessment as to how much still needs to be done in your study process. Teaching others is a very good way to study for big exams, as it increases your own comprehension and understanding of the material.

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Get in the Mindset and Relax:

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Having a calm and relaxed demeanor when you’re studying is important, so make sure to take short, frequent breaks. Every person is different, but taking a five to ten minute break every half an hour is suggested. And that doesn’t mean sitting in your seat the whole time and getting on social media! Try to stay active by walking around, getting a snack, or anything else that lets you relieve both mental and physical stress. When you go and sit back down again for more studying, you will likely feel more refreshed. 

Being relaxed right before the test is difficult, but it is vital if you want to perform at your best. A common mistake students make is trying to review material right before a test starts. If you have properly prepared for the test using the measures above, that will not be necessary. The most important thing is to feel comfortable entering a test. Clearing your mind and doing an activity that isn’t stressful beforehand is a good option. If you take the wrong route and choose to cram in a quick review session before the test, you could start second-guessing yourself and “overload your circuits”.

 

 

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Written by: Max Wissman & Eric Verway-Cohen