The blank sheet of paper method.
Seriously. Let's say you're taking gen bio and you need to memorize the Kreb's cycle, among other confusing cycles related to respiration and photosynthesis. Review first, obviously. But with the sheet of paper write down everything you know until you can't go any further without your textbook. Fill in the missing (or incorrect) details using the book or your notes. Review a little more. Try again. Keep doing this until you can put it all on paper.
Another seemingly scary idea... Write mini essays.
This is not as scary as it sounds, trust me. When you're reading, after you finish a section write a summary, and devise a good free response question to ask yourself later. Then once "later" comes, try to answer the free response question in as much detail as possible (same idea as above) until you can get it correct and with all the necessary detail. It's not a legitimate essay, of course. Just a free response. But one of the only ways you're going to get better at this is to practice when you're studying. Honestly, being an immaculate writer has little to do with it. If you understand the concept and can show that... That's fine. That's all your professor is looking for, the fact that you really know your shet. Your professor is not expecting you to be the next Stephen King.
The more exposure you get to free response questions on exams the better you can anticipate what sort of questions are of the free response variety. So don't psych yourself out and avoid it. Go for it.
Good luck. 👍
