How to memorize details from the textbook?

[htdt]

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Hi,

I know I should have asked this question way earlier but well, better late than never. I am currently a first-year Bio major in my 2nd semester of college. This term I'm taking a 6 credit Intro Bio I for pre-med and I absolutely HATE that class. The reason is that I am used to being lectured and surprisingly, the professor of this Intro Bio class does not teach us anything at all. What we have to do is reading the textbook (1 chapter per week, approximately 30 pages) and then we have a 15 minute quiz on Monday on the whole chapter. And the quizzes would ask us all the little details about the chapter. I am the type of student who never read textbook (I didn't even purchase the textbook for Gen Chem!) so for the first 2 month of class I did not bother to open the textbook. Guess what, I totally failed the quizzes and got a C- for the 1st exam. Since then I have been reading the textbook and I am now doing better with a B in that class. However, when I read the textbook I can never remember all the little details, and sadly those details are what they usually ask in the quizzes. I wonder if any of you guys might have experiences taking classes like that, and if so how do you do to excel in the class, especially about the reading part. And being a Bio major, do I absolutely need to change my studying strategy (i.e. start to seriously read the textbooks). Will the future classes be really heavy-reading? Thanks all!

 

[amazing tekkers]

These kinds of courses are pretty frustrating because I'd be on the same boat as you. I'm more of understanding concepts than memorizing them

What are other students who are getting A s doing?

 

[Snowdon48]

I read through it, take extensive notes, and then study my notes over and over until I basically have them memorized. Its key to understand your prof's test style so you can pick out the types of details he or she will likely put into a test question.

 

[Cinclus]

Unfortunately, you just have to repeat, repeat, repeat. Go over it again and again.

 

[CaliGirl14]

Generally for biology and such things like that, I tend to highlight in my book first to get the general idea/larger picture. Then I go back and re-read the chapter again and write down the highlighted details. Normally I'll pick up on other minuet details I glazed over and include them in my notes. It's important to actually write them down vs type them out because you're better at remembering things if you write it down. Then I'd just sit down and review the notes.