Get Good Percentage in Semester Exams
When it comes to a university, all students have to go through semester exams. Getting ready for exams can be a challenge when you're not sure how to approach the study but with some planning and self-testing, you'll discover that learning can be less painful and long retained.
Steps
- Understand what you're studying. Rote learning will not get you to score a good percentage; it isn't helpful in most cases because it fails to cause you to think and analyze. The latter two skills are important for being able to apply your knowledge to new problems.
- Write short notes or a summary of what you've studied.
- Read out loud. This can help to sharpen your understanding, as you are listening as well.
- Create doubts. Ask yourself questions about the content of the chapter. Did you agree or disagree with it? What would you explain differently and why? What about the work you're studying is confusing or seems at odds with other information you know?
- Ask your teachers, lecturers, professors about your doubts. Do some exploration to dig deeper. Such discussions can help cement the concepts deeply in your mind.
- Do a quiz. Quiz yourself on your subject matter as a way of working out what you haven't grasped properly yet. There are websites that allow you to make a quiz, such as quizlet.com. One approach to using a quiz could be:
- Make the quiz either online or on paper.
- Title it. For example, History Midterm (or Final) Exam.
- Add the date of the test. This helps to visually remind yourself of the approaching test date.
- Add the vocabulary from the subject or chapters you're studying.
- Add key information. For example: Who was in office during the Civil war? President Lincoln. Then make another row: What was this president's term in office? 1861-1865. Question yourself deeper in the question so it's easier to understand/remember.
- If the test book has practice tests, add them to the set too.
- Add information from your notes and question yourself on these.
- Use videos to enhance your learning and understanding. Watch videos on YouTube based on the same topic that you're learning. While watching videos, aim to picture the concepts and elements in your head.
- CrashCourse is one good source of videos useful for learning.
- Take notes of anything you don't understand or didn't remember, so that you can go back over these things after.
- Add notes from the video to your quiz set.
- Sit the quiz. Start small, with about 20 questions from 60-100 of the terms and concepts you've added. Use any medium, such as multiple choice, matching, etc.
- If using Quizlet, start with flashcards with audio, then scatter the questions and move to testing.
- Repeat the quiz at least four times doing 20/100 of the questions each time. Then move onto doing all 100 questions in a single sitting. Redo until you get 100 percent on the test.
- The quiz learning should begin 3 to 4 weeks before the real exam or test. Cramming the night before will not work.
- Study well. Make sure you don't study a day before or on the day of exams. Start studying at least one month before the due date. Choose a location which is quiet, well lit enough lights and where you're not going to be interrupted or distracted.
- Prepare a timetable for that particular month and study regularly. Take a break every 15 minutes, it refreshes the mind.
- Practice. Ask for or download copies of the previous year's question papers. Take these tests to see if you can solve them. Ask your guardian/parent/professors to evaluate it. This will give you more confidence and is a great way to remove any kind of exam fear. You know your stuff now!
Using Memory Techniques to Help Study
- Do something specific while you study that you can copy during the exam. If you can replicate what you were doing when you were studying you will help your brain to remember what it was you were studying. For example, if you were chewing a particular flavor of gum while you were studying, you should chew that same flavor during the exam. One of the best things you can do is actually study in the room, in the desk, where you will take the exam.
- Study with a friend. Studying with friends makes the job seem easier and not so tedious. Just make sure that the friend you study with will actually help you, not just play around and waste your time. If you can, take a little time to explain certain things that you are studying to your friend, or have them quiz you on the things you need to learn. You'll be more likely to cement the facts in your head and recall them for the exam.
- Use mnemonics to help you remember key concepts. Mnemonics are simply memorization techniques that can help you while you're studying. You can use acronyms to help you, chaining ideas together, or keywords (especially helpful for languages).
- Acronyms: this is basically a combination of letters, each of which stands for an idea that you will need to remember. For example, the FOIL method in algebra stands for First, Outer, Inner, Last, designating how you're supposed to do an algebraic problem.
- Chaining creates a story where each word or idea you have to remember cues the next idea that you have to remember.
- Keywords: for each foreign word you have to remember, pick an English word that sounds like it. Then you'd visualize an image that has both the English word and the foreign word in it. For example: "cabina" is the Spanish word for phone booth. Imagine a cab trying to fit inside a phone booth. You'll be able to recall the image, which will lead you to "cabina."
- Stay positive! If you visualize a successful outcome, you'll be more likely to actually have a successful outcome, than if you're neutral or negative in what you say about how well you're going to do on the exam. Tell yourself that you will do great. Be confident and don't lose hope.
Tips
- Keep your cell phone away during studies.
- Take breaks and in that break go for a walk or a round in your block which can help your refresh your mind.
- Meditation can help. Take 30 belly breaths every day and make time to relax your mind.
- Listen to pleasant music if you get bored. And don't make it too tough on yourself; meet your friends during a break now and then, to wind down.
- Stay away from junk food; instead, eat the healthy food your brain thrives on.
- Sleep well before exam, it will reduce your stress.
Warnings
- Don't cheat during practice tests. You're only kidding yourself and you can't cheat in the real ones, so don't give yourself this out now. Use the wrong answers to guide you into learning the right ones.
- Don't over study. Give yourself short breaks for 15 minutes between your studies.
- Don't stay up all night studying; you need to rest before your exams.
