| For most students, the most difficult part of any | | | | content areas of the test, you can determine |
| exam is the actual studying. Typically, there is so | | | | what readily available material to study. For |
| much material to study that students begin to | | | | course-based exams, textbooks and lecture |
| procrastinate, putting off studying until the night | | | | notes are both ideal study content. Break the |
| before. After a late-night cram session, students | | | | content into chunks, and then assign specific |
| arrive at the exam tired and feeling dazed by the | | | | chunks to the study times that you have listed on |
| sheer amount of information they've tried to | | | | your schedule. |
| absorb. The easiest way to study for an exam, | | | | Chronological - Assign chunks of material to study |
| and avoid the cram sessions, is to make a study | | | | times in chronological order. In other words, study |
| plan. | | | | the material in the order that it was presented. |
| Group or solo? - The first step to making a study | | | | Remember to allot more time for studying the |
| plan is to decide whether you want to study | | | | most important information. |
| alone or in a group. When planning study times | | | | Critical first - Assign study times so the most |
| and organizing study sessions for a group, the | | | | critical method is covered first, and then work |
| needs and schedules of the group are a factor. | | | | down to the least important information. Allow |
| As a result, you must decide whether you will be | | | | more time for covering the most critical |
| studying with a group before continuing with | | | | information. If you are having trouble with the |
| making a study plan. | | | | most important information, re-assign time from |
| Time - There are two time elements that are | | | | the least important information. |
| crucial to an effective study plan. The first time | | | | The Studying Process |
| element to consider is the amount of time you | | | | Once you have set up study times and assigned |
| have until the exam, while the second is the | | | | material to them, it is time to study. When |
| amount of time during the day that you can set | | | | reading textbooks, take notes on the information. |
| aside for studying. Try to study for at least two | | | | With lecture notes, write notes in the margin. Use |
| hours per day for major exams, like entrance | | | | a highlighter. The idea is to make key information |
| exams, and at least thirty minutes per day for | | | | readily available for review. In addition, making |
| lecture exams. If you are limited on the amount | | | | notes and looking up ideas to supplement notes |
| of time until the exam, such as one week or less, | | | | reinforces the material in your mind. Quiz yourself |
| then you will need to increase your daily study | | | | as you finish each area you are studying to |
| time. Set up a schedule with clearly marked study | | | | determine what you still need to review. |
| times for each day. | | | | Study plans are as unique as the person making |
| Content - The content to be studied depends on | | | | them. The most effective study plan will take into |
| the type of exam. For placement exams, | | | | account your schedule, the times each day when |
| entrance exams, and licensure exams, there are | | | | you are able to study without interruption, and |
| no specific textbooks or prior lecture notes. There | | | | the amount of material that needs reviewed. By |
| are, however, commercially available review | | | | spreading out the study times and breaking up |
| guides, and textbooks and lecture notes from | | | | the information, you make it easier for to absorb |
| past classes often contain a great deal of material | | | | and retain the necessary material before the |
| that will help with the exam. By looking at the | | | | exam. |