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[academicjourney]

How I Make A Study Guide

MATH

Gather class notes from the section(s) being tested/quizzed

Grab a blank sheet of paper (graph or lined) and write down problems (include which sections it is from) without the answers

Work the problems first then check your answers in different colored pen

Work problems until you can get them right on the first try 

SCIENCES

Gather class notes from the section(s) being tested/quizzed

Write down important topics on a notecard 

On a blank sheet of paper, write the heading (ex: Science Exam: Chapter 3)

Start by writing chapter then list major topics

Go through notes and write out definitions along with examples and drawing

Put everything in your own words

Include a “miscellaneous” section in the study guide where you put everything that doesn’t fit into other sections and/or reminders

If math is involved, include a section for this as well following the math steps listed above 

HISTORY 

Gather class notes from the section(s) being tested/quizzed

Make a timeline of things covered in the sections (ex: Civil War through Reconstruction. Include small summaries)

On a separate sheet of paper include big summaries of the dates, what happened, who was involved, and cause/effect

Study your timeline and big summaries at first, as you get closer to test day, start limiting yourself to timeline only

Eventually you should be able to look at the timeline and recall information from the big summaries page

Active Recall 

Write flashcards on discrete facts (things you don’t know) and “What’s the deal with…” ex. “What’s the deal with criminal justice?” 

Answer these questions as if you are explaining it to someone else 

Do not write extremely long answers; keep them simple and to the point

Put these flashcards in an Excel sheet and white out the answers and recall them as you go

Try to avoid looking at the answers frequently

Highlight the ones you continue to miss and put them in a Quizlet to learn them better 

#study guide #how to #active recall #study tips #studyblr #kirstenposts #finals

[academicjourney]

How I Study & Take Notes

hope this helps some of you as much as it helps me :)

Digital Notetaking

I always start by typing my notes in either Google Docs or One Note

I set up the document before I head to lecture that way I am prepared and ready

I use One Note because it allows for you to record the lecture in case you miss something the professor says or can’t type fast enough

Rewriting Notes

Many people may not find this helpful, but it works for me

It allows me to be creative and gives me a refresher on what I just learned

I summarize by section that way I am not writing word for word

Active Recall

This has scientifically been proven to be one of the most effective studying methods

I use flash cards (quizlet mostly) or a Google Sheet to write questions and “test myself” on the material at hand

For example, I would start off with a question like, “What is photosynthesis?” and answer the question on the flash card or Google Sheet

This helps me see what I know and don’t know with the information that I’ve taken notes on

I study these flashcards 30-40 minutes daily of every other day so that I interrupt the Forgetting Curve and won’t have to cram when it comes time for tests or exams

Mind Maps and Tests

I use mind maps to further test my knowledge on the information that I’m learning

I start with the topics of what I’m learning and write as much as I can remember about the topic. For any information I missed I fill it in with a red pen and try again another day. I do this until I miss little to no information

When learning a knee topic, I also take multiple practice tests. For math, I tend to do multiple practice problems until I can solve a problem without having to look at my notes. Asking professors for practice tests is also helpful as well

I try to study daily 30-45 minutes at minimum everyday to retain the information and make sure I don’t forget anything. I start the day I learn something in lecture.

Sometimes, I pretend I’m a teacher and teach the material to myself, not looking at my notes.

This is what works for me and hopefully it’ll help you to!

#study notes #studyblr #active recall #undergrad #stem major #good luck #google docs #one note #flashcards #kirstenposts