The WAYS to PREPARE for EXAMS

"Are my ways for studying for exams effective at all?"

I always wondered if it was, but never dared to change. I mean if it really was effective, I would have gotten better grades than what I got last semaster. Maybe there are other things involved like procrastination, which I am working on right now along with other things. The ways I study for exams are not really ways. They are just getting to know the information that I need to know in order to take the test. All I did was read the chapters, go over the notes. Know the details, and what is most likely be on the test. What I always ended up doing was finish reading the chapters the very night before the exam. Because I cram for studying for exams, I get exhausted. After the chapters, I try to review the notes, the actual memorizing part. But nothing really comes into my head, so I tell meself, I need to sleep in order to take the exam, and then the first thing when I wake up, I will memorize all the notes. For a lot of exams that cover broad topics, this is a very hard thing to do. It will get harder for me to keep up with these kind of work ethics as well. So what I planned to do for this upcoming exam on wednesday was graphic organizer and writing my own test questions for CFS 255.

First, the graphic organizer. This was my first time using it, and I got to know how it works on me. It may look messy, but as I was writing the information down and filling in the gaps, I could see how everything works out with each other. In other words, the information in this topic "Language", are all related to each other in someways. I mean there are different subtopics in the one MAIN topic, but organizing the material in this way helps me to remember the materials more clearly, and it is easy for me to go back to it any time I want. One thing I did was that I tried not to get too wordy when I was writing down the information. I knew it would be harder to read and look over when it gets too verbose. Another way it can help me is that when I read the topics and the subtopics, I can remember what is included in them, and I will be able to explain out loud myself, rather than just reading and reading and over and over.

Just take a look at the notes that I take in class.

(It may be the color of the pen that I use, or that I did not organize it better in the short period of time that I am supposed to write all that stuff down?!?!)

But as for me, reading over all that does not really stick in my head. The 20 minute test prep helps me remember them again after each of my classes, since I just wrote them and they are still fresh in my memories. But when I try to go over them the night before the exam or right before I enter into the exam room, they just do not work out to stick to my brain. There are just too many words to read and too complicated to put them all into one thought. That is why I chose to utilize the graphic organizer into my studying habits. They are way more organized, and simple so I can take out the information easily and know what is important and what is not.

Secondly, I made questions for myself to answer. I remember I have done this as well back when I was in 6th grade. I do not know by what means I have done this for when I was that young, but I do remember that it was one of the best test scores I got for that year. So I decided to take that route again and make some questions that I thought might be important to know.

Here I go again with my Self-Made Study Questions. There are 10 questions for CFS 255 Chapter 4. It does not mean that it is a short chapter. And there are no answer sheet. It is either in the textbook, or up in my brain. The way I made the questions, there are no true/false, yes/no answer. They are more like short answer questions, with tons knowledges to put into, and explanations to scribble for. This way, it will help me learn the materials more thoroughly, and makes me feel like I am taking the actual test (even though the exams are multiple choices). I write down my answers at a different sheet of paper. Some of the answers, I knew perfectly, but some of them, I needed a little more thinking and going over the concepts. I think this is when I can utilize a topic outline, so that I can go over to the book and the notes quick. I will consider using a topic outline for the next exam. I think study questions do help because I am asking myself a question, and then I will figure out whether I know the answer to my question. This way, I know what I already know, and what topics I need to study review more.

I understood that I cannot just rely on my professors' notes and study aids. What I need to do is I prepare myself with everything first, and then when it comes to going over my professors' aids, I should know them perfectly.

And even before I make myself a Graphic Organizer and Study Questions, I need to know my materials first. I should have already read my chapters and know what is included in my course notes. Time Management comes into play when I am preparing for exams as well.