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Preparing For Exams

Step 1: Preparing to Study

Studying for an exam should be more than just a cramming session; successful studying is an ongoing process that involves effectively learning from lectures and textbooks, and managing your time. It also involves developing a foundation from which to begin your review.

Assess Progress and Set Goals

The first step in preparing for a test or exam is to consider how much it is worth (ie. what percentage of your final mark) and how you've been doing in the course so far. This will help you to prioritize and allocate study time. You also need to consider your long-term goals (such as getting into graduate school) and how they're connected to this particular course. Is the course required for your program? What mark would you like to get in the course? What results will you need on this particular test or exam to achieve that mark? What implications does this have for your approach to preparing for this test or exam?

Review Material Regularly

Reviewing allows the brain to consolidate and integrate information, so that cramming should not be necessary! By taking these steps, you'll be able to use pre-exam study time to review rather than relearn (or learn) course content.

Daily review
Edit class notes ASAP after class to fill in gaps. Review notes quickly before class.
Weekly review
At the end of each week, take an hour to do a structured review for each course, integrating class and text notes. Make summary notes of important concepts and information. Look at the specific material covered that week, and also at how this information relates to the course as a whole.
Major review
Begin extensive review 1 - 3 weeks before the exam.

Use the Instructor and Teaching Assistant as Resources

During the semester and particularly as exams approach, see the instructor or TA for assistance with any content you don't understand. If they have scheduled a review class, go prepared with questions to ask.
Tactfully gather as much information about the test as you can. Although it is not appropriate to ask specifically what will be asked on an exam, there is nothing wrong with requesting information on, for example, approximately how much of the material will be coming from lectures vs. readings.
Be sure to attend review sessions.

Make a List of Questions and Terms You Don't Understand

Before you start studying, be aware of what knowledge you're lacking.
Try to find the answers in the text, or ask classmates, the instructor, or the TA.
Making a concept map can be a useful way for pinpointing areas of weakness.

Step 2: Planning Your Time

A big part of studying effectively is knowing when to study and finding the time to do it. Below are some suggestions for planning your study time.

Set Study Goals

Know exactly what the test will cover, the format, and the length of the test.
When you sit down to study, know what you want to complete.
By setting specific goals, you can avoid procrastination and give yourself a feeling of accomplishment as your goals are met.

Make a Study Plan

Divide your available time and your work load into manageable chunks. Study in short, distributed periods of time.
Pay attention to how much time you're spending on specific study tasks and stay on track with your study plan.
Plan breaks (eg. 10 minutes for every hour of studying). Build some free time into your schedule to allow for unforeseen things. Be flexible.
Focus your energy on studying, not playing catch up. If you are already behind, try to prioritize, concentrating on the material most likely to appear on the exam.

Step 3: Gather Information on

What to Emphasize

Consult the Course Outline

Both the course objectives and the lecture topics will tell you something about what to focus on when studying for the final.

Analyze Previous Tests

Be sure to review any previous tests you've had in the course. These can help you to determine what kinds of questions your professor will ask on the final exam, as well as his or her particular "style."
Analyze errors you've made in the past - recognizing where you lost marks will help you to avoid making the same mistakes again.

Step 4: Use Effective Study Strategies

and Techniques

The following are some general study strategies, which may or may not apply to your specific situation. It is important to recognize that your studying should be adapted to the type of exam you'll be doing (eg., multiple choice vs. essay questions) and to the course objectives and learning demands. These techniques are best used as a starting point from which to develop strategies that are relevant to your needs.

Use Active Study Strategies

This means involving your senses, and thinking consciously about your studying. Active studying increases your memory and understanding of the material.

Verbalize information instead of reading silently: this increases sensory input to the brain.
Re-organize the course material in a logical way - how do the concepts fit together? Try creating a ‘concept map.'
Try teaching the material to someone else. This is one of the best ways to learn it yourself.
3R's: Read, Write, Recite the material.
Involve physical movement or senses where appropriate.

Predict Questions

Students generally spend too much study time taking in information and not enough time "producing" this information in the exam format. Predicting questions and answering them will help you both to consider what will be on the exam and answer the type of question that you'll be facing.

Use the course outline, previous tests, course notes, and any information given by the instructor to make up possible test questions, then practise answering these questions.
Try this strategy with a study partner, trading questions to give you a new perspective.
Set a time limit that reflects the amount of time you'll have in the exam.
Make sure to correct your answers, and then focus your studying on the areas in which you made the most mistakes.

Find a Study Partner or Form a Study Group

Working with someone else can give you a different perspective on course materials, and a lot can be accomplished by sharing skills and resources with others. Some suggested activities for group studying:

Practise teaching each other the material.
Brainstorm possible test questions.
Compare lecture notes.
Conduct discussions or debates on selected course topics.

Create Diagrams to Help Summarize Information

Brainstorm ideas/concepts that are related to a chosen topic.
Draw a diagram to provide a pictorial representation of the subject.
Try a concept map with the most important idea in the centre, and then various branches showing the relationships between other ideas and their subcategories.

Use Strategies to Help Reduce Forgetting

Test yourself as you study.
Over-learn the material so that you can't forget it.
SOAR (Select, Organize, Associate, Rehearse).
Use mnemonics
- acronyms (HOMES)
- acrostics (Kings Play Chess On Fairly Good Soft Velvet)
- analogies (lungs = trees, pump = heart)
- key words linked to other information

Try Flash Cards

They are great for memorizing definitions, vocabulary, facts, formulae, etc.
Write the question on one side, the answer on the other.
Flash cards serve as compact, portable study notes - carry them with you to study in short, spare moments.

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