My Studying Strategy

[nysegop]

So basically here is my strategy:

-Open the book/textbook.
-Open up quizlet/studystack/whatever flash cards tool you use. I prefer computer flash cards as physical cards are time consuming and wasteful IMO.
-Make a flash card "set" for every chapter. (This can be done 1 chapter at a time though).
-Read the section of the book that needs to be learned. Every time you come to an important term or fact make a flashcard for it. Even if you don't think the professor/teacher will test on it, you never know.
-At the end of each chapter test yourself on the flashcards until you get >90% correct. I've found that my self made tests have a lot more material than the actual test so if I know >90% of my terms, I probably know enough to get an A on the teacher's test.


This is much better than using pre-made flashcards. When you actually have to type in the information it burns the information into your head more efficiently than just using someone else's pre-made cards. Before tests review the cards for each chapter that you will be tested on.

*Note: This works best for very object oriented subjects and books. It's not great for learning math or abstract subjects. It's great for science and social studies. It's great for foreign language vocabulary too.

It's worked pretty well for me so far.

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[Winged Scapula]

Somewhat off-topic but do you guys have any suggestions for good flash card programs or applications?

I'd like to do some for general surgery review and ideally it would be something that would be functional on my iPhone and my Mac laptop at home.

 

[SteinmetzMD]

Somewhat off-topic but do you guys have any suggestions for good flash card programs or applications?

I'd like to do some for general surgery review and ideally it would be something that would be functional on my iPhone and my Mac laptop at home.

Quizlet is good for online flash cards, and I'm fairly sure it works with iPhones.

 

[PapaGuava]

Somewhat off-topic but do you guys have any suggestions for good flash card programs or applications?

I'd like to do some for general surgery review and ideally it would be something that would be functional on my iPhone and my Mac laptop at home.

Quizlet is a good one. It is used a lot in my school but im not sure about any others.

http://quizlet.com/

 

[nysegop]

Somewhat off-topic but do you guys have any suggestions for good flash card programs or applications?

I'd like to do some for general surgery review and ideally it would be something that would be functional on my iPhone and my Mac laptop at home.

Quizlet is the best. It's online for computers, and I believe there is an iPhone app. I'm positive there are third party apps (I have one). There's also anki, but I'm not too fond of it.

Unfortunately, colleges rarely work this way anymore. Especially with science classes.

Your first introductory courses, Bio 1, Chem 1, PHY1, and some other classes like genetics still utilize traditional study methods, but other classes do not. In the case of classes like Bio 2 and Orgo, you see a lot more labs and they expect you to be able to apply what you learned in the level 1 course to your level 2 academics. In fact, the majority of my science teachers don't even require a book anymore.

Now this is just my experience.

But you need to learn the stuff traditionally before you can apply it in the lab. You have to memorize organic nomenclature before you can start mixing acids and alcohols to produce esters in the lab. The strategy also works for non-science classes. I took a business class last summer and the strategy was profoundly useful. Honestly lab based science is one of the subjects where this has worked the best for me.

 

[Arijos0222]

Somewhat off-topic but do you guys have any suggestions for good flash card programs or applications?

I'd like to do some for general surgery review and ideally it would be something that would be functional on my iPhone and my Mac laptop at home.

I can't believe that Winged Scapula actually asked a question

On hSDN

I'm honoree

All joking aside I used Quizlet and it's the best.

 

[Hillo]

Well, today I had only two hours of studying/cramming (with no prior reviewing) for a college final exam (yes, it wasn't cumulative).

What you do in a time of stress is NOT go on Quizlet.
What I did was split average, lined paper into six columns and put key words/pictures/mneumonics/stories/hints. So column 2 would give info for column 1, ect.

You can't draw pictures or weird arrows/shapes on Quizlet.
And, gosh, printing takes time and money. And if you don't print, you can't study on-the-go or outside/in class.

I hope this helped.

 

[nysegop]

Well, today I had only two hours of studying/cramming (with no prior reviewing) for a college final exam (yes, it wasn't cumulative).

What you do in a time of stress is NOT go on Quizlet.
What I did was split average, lined paper into six columns and put key words/pictures/mneumonics/stories/hints. So column 2 would give info for column 1, ect.

You can't draw pictures or weird arrows/shapes on Quizlet.
And, gosh, printing takes time and money. And if you don't print, you can't study on-the-go or outside/in class.

I hope this helped.

I just attach images on Quizlet. When I was memorizing the functional groups I just popped images of the skeleton structures right in. Worked like a charm.

 

[Hillo]

Son, that takes TIME.

 

[HSUReddie]

I have the Mental Case app on my old MacBook, but haven't updated it in a while. http://www.mentalcaseapp.com

I also started paying to use Study Blue because I found a set of flash cards that was for a final I recently took. http://www.studyblue.com/

Be careful with just taking things from the textbook in college. There were classes where it was obvious the professors notes were from the book, therefore book = useful. But there were others that the book was purely just supplemental, and you were better off making flashcards from your notes or the Power Points.

 

[nysegop]

I have the Mental Case app on my old MacBook, but haven't updated it in a while. http://www.mentalcaseapp.com

I also started paying to use Study Blue because I found a set of flash cards that was for a final I recently took. http://www.studyblue.com/

Be careful with just taking things from the textbook in college. There were classes where it was obvious the professors notes were from the book, therefore book = useful. But there were others that the book was purely just supplemental, and you were better off making flashcards from your notes or the Power Points.

I'd say powerpoint + book = recipe for success.

I've never had a professor do pure powerpoint material on the tests. They almost always include stuff from the book too.

 

[ciruji]

I don't know how you people can study from flashcards. The best idea that comes to my mind is while studying, talking out-loud like if you're actually doing some oral presentation. By this method I understand things and just not memorize it.

 

[nysegop]

As a general rule, teachers present the information and expect you to familiarize yourself with it. Not know it. Every science class I've had so far throws the information into a powerpoint, tells you to read over it again before lab the next class, but gives you like 3-4 labs leading up to the hard information. I have barely "studied" traditionally the last two years and just showed up for the labs. I've gotten As in all of the classes and feel that I have a good grasp on all the information. Despite the fact that professors aren't necessarily trained educators, they know how to get you to learn the information. Yes, there are plenty of areas where you have to flat out study. Particularly for finals or midterms. But, as a general rule, don't get your hopes up for traditional studying nowadays in undergrad. Those methods are losing credibility and most progressive institutions (anything outside of ivy league) harp on the professors for hands on teachings. You might have to learn the periodic table in chemistry 1, and be able to do a few simple equations, but mostly everything you do afterward is going to be some kind of lab-based activity and you'd have to be a complete numbskull not to be able to pick up the information in that context.

I've had a completely different experience with college level science. Though much of it is hands on, like it or not, we still need to learn many things the traditional way. Science is a fact based discipline. Any professor who practices otherwise is doing a disservice to you. Especially in biology where every cell type, organ, and protein must be memorized. My parents both teach biology (at one of public ivies). The largest grade the students get is from the final which generally consists of several hundred multiple choice or other objective questions. Labs only account for 15% of the student's grade. Though some institutions may be very easy and relaxed, most respectable science departments will include a lot of fact based memorization. I took a class last year we were graded such that

Homework: 10%
Tests/Quizzes: 15%
Labs: 15%
Midterm: 25% (100% Multiple choice based on the textbook, powerpoints, and lectures)
Final Exam: 35% (Same as above)

 

[Tolbert]

I don't know how you people can study from flashcards. The best idea that comes to my mind is while studying, talking out-loud like if you're actually doing some oral presentation. By this method I understand things and just not memorize it.

Making Quizlet flashcards takes WAY too much time, so unless there is already a made one on the subject I'd rather just take the traditional read+highlight, plus saying it over and over lol

 

[nysegop]

Making Quizlet flashcards takes WAY too much time, so unless there is already a made one on the subject I'd rather just take the traditional read+highlight, plus saying it over and over lol

I don't know how you people can study from flashcards. The best idea that comes to my mind is while studying, talking out-loud like if you're actually doing some oral presentation. By this method I understand things and just not memorize it.

For me the process of making the cards actually helps reinforce the material. And if you have time for SDN, you probably have time to make flashcards.

 

[Tolbert]

For me the process of making the cards actually helps reinforce the material. And if you have time for SDN, you probably have time to make flashcards.

lol i'm just saying for me making flashcards takes hours that could be better used to go on SDN + reading/speaking and highlighting + eating of course that doesn't work for everyone. If Quizlet is what works then definitely stick with it

 

[Eiot]

I don't know how you people can study from flashcards. The best idea that comes to my mind is while studying, talking out-loud like if you're actually doing some oral presentation. By this method I understand things and just not memorize it.

Some people don't like drawing unwanted attention in public places. Otherwise, studying at home would work, which I feel is more difficult in college.

 

[nysegop]

Some people don't like drawing unwanted attention in public places. Otherwise, studying at home would work, which I feel is more difficult in college.

 

[nysegop]

I'm not arguing with you, I just said that is what my experience is. I prefer the old fashion way. I'm an auditory learner, not a visual learner. I know I'm the oddball in this scenario and I've just learned to adjust to it, but I learn better the traditional way. Unfortunately, most other people do not.

Luckily most of the college classes I've taken have been taught the traditional way. Especially science. Non-traditional teaching practices are more common at smaller universities and liberal arts colleges. Most of the large research universities still use traditional methods.

 

[PapaGuava]

I don't know how you people can study from flashcards. The best idea that comes to my mind is while studying, talking out-loud like if you're actually doing some oral presentation. By this method I understand things and just not memorize it.

Agreed, flashcards to me are more work than help but maybe the re writing value of it helps. I usually just reread notes and put stickies on important subjects in a text book.