Are you going to take a major exam soon and really want to shine? Or do you want to improve your grades in general? There are a number of tricks and practices that can significantly increase your chances of getting high marks on tests. This article will help you study, analyze and answer exam questions: what are you waiting for to read it?
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Assimilating the Notions Efficiently
Step 1.
The best thing to do to raise your exam grades is to be careful when you should focus on learning the program in particular: in class! Letting your mind wander or not going there are two actions that will likely cause you to lose the key information that will later appear in the test.
Step 2. Take good notes
This is important if you want to have less difficulty studying. Writing the information while listening to the professor will not only help you absorb the study materials and pay attention, it will also allow you to have a point of reference to study on your own.
Step 3. Do your homework
Homework and homework will allow you to find other information that will be included in the exam, so taking time out for these activities is key. Organize your study schedule and find a quiet place to settle down - this way, you'll fight procrastination.
Step 4. Use learning tricks, especially mnemonic ones
There are several exercises to stimulate memory that can be useful for remembering certain things, such as numbers, categories and lists. Make sure you learn them correctly and don't get confused!
- Memory tricks involve using phrases that can help you remember the order of certain things. For example, "Ramona Can Call Every Family Daily Plot" is a great way to remember biological classifications (Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Gender, Species).
- If you have a series of numbers, you can use another mnemonic trick. Instead of trying to remember 2537610925, for example, break it as if it were a phone number: 253-761-0925. You can split dates this way as well. October 14, 1066 (the Battle of Hastings) can become a locker combination: 10-14-66.
Step 5. Take trial tests
Ask your professor or go online to try some past exams. Taking a practice test will help you figure out how much information you actually know and how much you think you know. Being aware of your weaknesses before a test is critical!
Part 2 of 4: Studying like an Expert
Step 1. Study frequently
Toiling hard for just a few hours the night before the exam won't help you ensure perfect grades. If you really want to shine on tests, study old and new topics every day, or at least several times a week. So taking the test will be a breeze.
- Take breaks from studying. When studying, be sure to take a 5-10 minute break for every 20 minutes of studying. This will help the brain avoid overloading itself by allowing it to absorb information.
- In the breaks, try not to fill your brain with other information, even if it's about Justin Bieber's last concert and not Winston Churchill's foreign policy.
Step 2. Study according to your learning style
Some subjects are easier to understand when you study using a style that connects to the nature of the subject itself. For example, if you are studying literature, you will need a visual stimulus for reading and writing activities. If you study music, you will need aural material. To study art, it is often useful to resort to kinesthetic activities.
- Learning styles, as they are commonly viewed, are somewhat controversial. Many academic studies suggest that students develop personal preferences for study material, but there is actually no research that scientifically proves that a student learns best using one of the above styles.
- In any case, the idea of learning styles continues to persist, even in academic circles. If objective preference for a particular learning style helps motivate you to study, you can still try it.
Step 3. Take advantage of sensory memory
Your brain is pretty good at associating smells or sounds with ideas or memories. You should take advantage of this advantage! As you study, spray an unusual cologne or scent (one that has a scent you typically don't smell) and then expose yourself to that smell again shortly before or during the exam.
Step 4. Listen to the music
Your teacher probably won't allow you to put headphones in the middle of a test, but you should listen to music, specifically classical music, just before taking an exam. Studies have shown that exposure to certain types of music just before rigorous mental activity can truly awaken the brain and boost one's cognitive abilities.
Part 3 of 4: Preparing the Body
Step 1. Eat well
The most important thing is to feed yourself properly, period. Being hungry during a test will distract you and make you feel tired. Don't eat too early before an exam, as some foods can make you feel sluggish. Instead, make sure you're eating a lean protein meal before taking the exam.
Eating healthy will generally improve mental performance as well, so make sure you always follow a healthy diet to study without problems
Step 2. Sleep well
If you don't sleep, you won't be able to concentrate when the pressure hits! Make sure you go to bed early the night before a test instead of staying up until dawn to study. Your brain, however, will not be able to keep all the information piled up.
Step 3. Gather all the necessary materials
Go take the exam with your calculator, pens, pencils, blank paper, and other materials that may be helpful. Not having all of these things could cause you a lot more problems!
Step 4. Drink lots of water
If you are dehydrated during a test, you can become distracted and reduce your ability to think clearly. Stay hydrated before the exam and carry a bottle of water, which you will sip as you hold it.
Step 5. Don't do anything different
If you're not used to drinking coffee, now is a bad time to start. Try not to do anything unusual from your classic routine the day or night before the exam. This can really knock you out.
Part 4 of 4: Pass the Exam with Honors
Step 1. Write the important things first
As soon as the test begins, write down any formulas or other information that really matter on a draft sheet. Do this before you start scrolling through the questions. This will allow you to avoid having a memory gap when you need the data later.
Step 2. Do the problems you know how to solve first
Always give solutions to quick and easy problems to which you know the answer. This will give you the opportunity to take a good part of the test, or at least the one that will make you feel confident. If you get stuck, move on to the next question you think you can answer quickly.
Step 3. Cross out the wrong answers
Once you have answered the questions you know, consider the ones that make you doubt. Eliminating answers that are practically impossible or silly will give you a better choice between the possible options.
Step 4. Look for clues in the other questions
Sometimes the answer to a question may be contained or suggested in another exam question. Look at the other answers or questions to get your memory going.
Step 5. Answer all the questions
Unless points are deducted for wrong answers, answer all questions, especially if they are multiple choice, as you will have at least a 25% chance of getting the right answer.
This is where eliminating incorrect answers comes in handy
Step 6. Check the clock
This is crucial! Always keep track of the time you have available and try to use it wisely. You can always go back before you finish to check or refine the answers!
Advice
- There is no shortcut to success. This is the first thing you should remember. Therefore, you have to commit and make an effort.
- Studying with an inner state of fear is a waste. Get rid of fear and other possible negative feelings before opening the books.
- Study in stages. Each phase should not exceed 40 minutes. Take a break at the end of each study session (but not exceed 20 minutes).
- Take notes while you study. Make an outline with the topics covered in class from the first days of school. This will help you remember the topics that were addressed to prepare you for the exams.
- Studying while thinking about something else you'd like to do isn't of much use. Do whatever you want and then put yourself on the books, as your brain won't beg you to stop studying. However, if you have nothing in mind, don't pursue your hobbies before opening the books, finish what you need to do and then immerse yourself in your free time.
- Each subject calls for a unique way to prepare, study and answer questions. Some competitive exams (such as university exams) require a long and complex preparation, while school exams may take a week or two.
- Make a list of everything you need to study for each subject and estimate the time it will take. Use this information to create a roadmap. Make sure you've set aside all the time you think you should have, plus a little extra, in your study plan. Also, make sure your study plan has enough space, so if one day you have an unforeseen event, you can redeploy it without wasting time.
- Write clearly and get straight to the point. Don't write irrelevant information. Avoid mis-explaining the right answers and end up making a mistake. Write complete sentences. Don't expect the examiner to connect your thought stream or fill in the blanks. Think of your teacher as your little brother and you have to explain a topic to him. Would you understand if I just listed the keywords? NO!
- Forget about the existence of all the tools that make you waste time while studying. They include television, computer (only if you have internet access), cell phone, tablet or your little brother!
- A good study program will help you. You could organize it so that long / difficult subjects take up more space than short / easy ones. Remember, however, that all disciplines should be studied.
