Studying
Where to Study
- Make sure your study area is well lit, spacious and organized.
- Try to use the same area each time and make sure all materials are within reach.
- Do not study on your bed.
When to Study
- Eighty per cent of material is forgotten within 24 hours if not reviewed.
- The optimal study schedule for maximum retention and recall is:
- 10 minutes after a one-hour lesson
- 5 minutes the next day
- 5 minutes the next week
- 5 minutes each month
- daily again two weeks before the exam
- Study during your peak performance time and create a routine that includes physical exercise.
A note about time:
- Research indicates that teenagers need nine hours of sleep at night to fully assist the brain in its growth.
- Naps should be between 20-40 minutes. Brain reshuffles information.
- Optimal review schedule is 20-30 minutes of study with 5-10 minute breaks.
What to Study
- Know what is on the exam.
- Know the format of the exam and how it will be performed.
- Have the name and contact information of one student in the class for backup.
- Review old tests.
How to Study
William Glasser, an expert in the field of education, has stated that "Students learn 10% of what they read, 20% of what they hear, 50% of what they see and hear, 70% of what they discuss with others, 80% of what they experience personally and 95% of what they teach to someone else."
A note about study groups:
- 4-6 people is optimal.
- Seek dedicated individuals.
- Don't confuse studying with socializing.
- Break up the work and assign each individual as an expert to teach the group.
- Schedule meeting times and place, consider "rules" (i.e. dealing with an absence).
How to study:
- Know your preferences but use all of your senses. Consider re-writing notes.
- Prioritize your work and breakdown overwhelming material.
- Test-taking can help retention by up to 50% when used as a form of studying.
- Cell phone technology can help you review material because it is portable and can be easily organized.
Study Skills Apps:
- Check out what University of Waterloo recommends
Memorization Techniques:
- Review and Rehearse
- Intensified Attention
- Chunking Information
- Mnemonic Devices
- Create a song or poem.
- Use associative clues.
- Assign each item a number.
- Imaging.
- Make it meaningful.
- Use acronyms and acrostics.
Exams
Exam Week Schedule
- One exam per day (usually period 1 is on the first day, period 2 on the second, etc.)
- The exam is held in the morning and begins at 9:00 a.m. and is anywhere from 1-2 hours.
- You may go home after your exam and you are not expected in school on the days you don't have an exam.
The Day of the Exam
- Materials you may need include:
- 3 pens, 3 pencils, eraser
- highlighter
- water
- tissue
- sweater
- ruler, calculator, geometry set, book (if open)
- watch (set to clock in the room)
- double check the date, time and location
- Arrive 15 minutes early.
- Avoid caffeinated beverages.
- Act as if you are confident. Research has shown that stress/anxiety is contagious.
- Do not go over the material while you are waiting.
- Quick de stressors
- deep breathing
- focus on your muscles
- visualize
- use a mantra
- listen to classical music
- give yourself 10 minutes before the exam to write down your worries
- remember anxiety is caused by your thoughts about the exam, not the exam itself
During the Exam
- Put your name on the exam.
- Write down your memorized codes.
- Skim for marks, trick questions and options.
- Answer what you know for sure. Put an asterisk beside questions you need to come back to.
- Review.
After the Exam
Go to exam review day to learn about how you did. Find out what areas you need to improve on so you can focus on them next time. The content is important if you are continuing in the subject and the format is important in terms of general knowledge for your test-taking skills.