How to study?

[Naturalrice]

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I'm not sure if this kind of post is appropriate or unwanted, but I'm feeling kind of desperate...

I feel how I've been studying has been unproductive. Poor test scores and lack of understanding of my core sciences. Has anyone found a method of studying that seems to work well?

 

[armybound]

there are a lot of different methods and you may have to try several out before you find the one that works for you.

does your school have an office of educational programming or something similar that can give you study tips?

 

[BABSstudent]

I'm not sure if this kind of post is appropriate or unwanted, but I'm feeling kind of desperate...

I feel how I've been studying has been unproductive. Poor test scores and lack of understanding of my core sciences. Has anyone found a method of studying that seems to work well?

Find out what works best for you. Personally, I learn best from having someone teach me and then having me teach someone else. It may sound weird, but just repeating everything in my own words in a way that allows someone else to understand helps.

Also, if I already have a little bit of background before I learn it then I retain a lot more. If the professor publishes the notes before lecture, I run over them quickly to get a picture of where the lecture will go and to get a brief intro. Then in lecture I just sit back and listen. I don't take notes because I find myself becoming fixated on the little details instead of the big picture. I will occasionally jot something down, but my main focus is the listen and learn.

At home, I go over the notes one more time. This time I see if anything doesn't make sense and learn what doesn't.

This entire process doesn't take much time because I just focus on learning the most during lecture. It is only college, so I don't study hardcore until right before tests.

I have a calendar printed of the entire semester and when everything is due/when tests happen. I make sure I spend my weekends preparing for the following week. It really doesn't take much effort, just time management and finding which study method works for you.

Edit: Also check out the signature for armybound (see post #2) for what a medical student does. If you do that in college, you will easily get an A in every class!

 

[stphnalan]

this is the way i do it for science classes:

1. read text to be covered in lecture before attending and take notes (identifying 1 or 2 key points w/ questions for lecture)
2. in class add key points to your notes from the text in a different color of ink (i use blue) and listen for indications of test questions
3. review notes 3 times a week before going to bed.
4. do hw problems regularly. i just give myself a certain amount of time to do the problems (i.e. 3 hours at a time until finished) and do extra if you don't feel comfortable with them yet
5. compile formal notes and make a detailed outline, try to reflect the professors outline given on syllabus. if there isn't one then go get one from that professor. must do this intermittently between areas of focus. this outline includes questions on topics that i am not 100% on and examples of problems.

Testing:
1. the biggest asset you can have is knowing the questions ahead of time. more likely than not this professor has taught this class before. so see if you can get an old test from that professor. if not then look on the internet. testing is standardized so the questions you find will most likely be similar to the questions he/she will give on the test. also, hit a book store and find the test preps for that subject. these people make these books for a reason so they are very good at what they are doing.

-on a side note (make use of highlighting). i highlight every problem on the homework that i have difficulty with. if i get it wrong i redo it the correct way in blue ink and highlight the area where i went wrong on my first attempt matched with the area where i did that step the correct way.

-also if i find something difficult then i try to read articles about it so that im orientating my thinking in the direction of that subject.

this is just how i do it and i never have a problem with my classes. it may seem extensive but now that ive gotten better at it i have a ton of free time and im not stressed. the key is to relieve yourself from stress because it simply just brings you down. the reality is that college science classes can be difficult and there's no way around putting in the time that is required to get an A in some classes. i hope this helps a little and good luck.

 

[pepocho]

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