Study a Week Before an Exam

Studying for a big test can be stressful, but you can complete a lot of studying in a week. Some important tips for getting that good grade is making time for studying, having a good environment to study in, studying actively, and studying with a friend.

Steps

Making Times and Places for Studying

1. Have a quiet place where you can study. If you still live at home with your parents, be sure there is a quiet room (your bedroom, a den or playroom) that you can use to be alone and complete your studying. Libraries, quiet coffee shops, and parks are nice locations outside of home that college students and adults (as well as older high school students) could use for studying.
2. Keep track of time. Think about your schedule for the week. When are you not in class? How much time is left after your other responsibilities that you can use for studying? Mark times on your calendar or planner that you will dedicate to studying for your exam, and be sure not to wait until the last minute.
3. Prioritize. If you are extremely busy with non-school responsibilities, then you may have to actually shift some other responsibilities to a later time (like the week after the exam) or ask for help from others so that you allow yourself enough time to study. If you have other class assignments due before the test, be sure to make studying for the test a priority, especially if the exam will be worth more for your grade than the other assignments.
4. Be organized and focused. Keep your textbook, notes from class, and notes you’ve taken outside of class all together. Know what is going to be on the test by paying attention to what the teacher says in class, and prepare for what to study accordingly.
5. Communicate with others about times you are studying. This is especially important if you live with others or have responsibilities such as your own family to care for. Designate certain times for studying, and send out a type of “do not disturb” message to the people you have daily contact with. This way, they know to give you space and not disrupt you while you are studying.

Studying Actively

1. Use the study guide. If your teacher has given you a study guide, this is great news! Read it carefully. If you have time, read it again. And again. If it is a study guide with questions, be sure you answer all of the questions. Most likely, the material in the study guide is what will be on the test.
2. Use past or practice exams. If the type of exam you’re studying for is a big general one (like for a certification or license, or college admission – such as the SATs or PRAXIS) instead of for a specific class, then you should be able to find practice tests on the web or available for sale. It’s definitely worth your time to use these and take notes based on questions you have trouble with, so you can focus your study sessions on topics you need to review more.
3. Preview. If you’re about to read something new, or to start reviewing, it’s important for you to get your brain ready. There are several important ways to do this:
   • Scanning. Flip through what you’re supposed to read and look at headings, pictures, charts, diagrams, and/or bolded words.
   • Make predictions. After scanning through some assigned reading material, make some predictions about what you will be learning. What is this going to be about?
4. Read with a purpose. You should have a mission when you read. Find out from the teacher what you’re supposed to be looking for or figuring out while reading. If you have been given a study guide, pay attention to the reading portions and give those most of your attention.
   • For older students, the purpose may be left up to you to determine. Determine what the purpose for the reading is before you begin.
5. Mark the text. If you are allowed to (some public schools don’t allow writing in the textbooks), you should highlight or circle and underline phrases and words that stand out to them and write questions and notes in the margins.
   • Another way for you to be able to mark the text without marking up public textbooks are to make photocopies of stories or sections of the text.
6. Make connections. While reading, make connections between the text and yourself (This reminds me of the time that I…), or the text and another text (This reminds me of this other book…), or between the text and the world (This sounds like what happens when…).
   • Making connections is extremely important for long-term remembering of what you read in a text.
7. Summarize. After reading, you should ask yourself, what’s the gist of what I read? Jot down notes of the most important parts of what they read, such as the main idea and some supporting details.
8. Take notes in your own words. Reflect on what you have read. Look over your highlights, the pictures and headings in the text again. Take notes in class that are in your own words.
   • Writing notes in your own words is very important, both for comprehension and to avoid plagiarism in on the test.
9. Make flash cards. For memorizing vocabulary definitions, math formulas, or important dates, make some flash cards with index cards or pieces of paper. You can quickly look at them for review, and simply making them will also help you to remember the important points.
10. Make up rhymes, songs, or mnemonics. A good memorization technique is to use one of these devices for the answers of your review questions. Musically inclined students may find it helpful to make up a rhyme or song to memorize information.
    • A mnemonic device is any memory association tool you use to help yourself remember something; the most common kind is a name mnemonic such as ROY G BIV for the colors of the rainbow (Red Orange Yellow Green Blue Indigo Violet)

Studying with a Friend

1. Choose a friend you trust. Sometimes studying with a large group can be more distracting than it is helpful. But, talking about test material out loud is a very helpful way to remember information. If you hear information and talk about it, you’re more likely to remember it.
   • Make sure you choose one friend who is motivated to study, who hopefully understands the material, and who you feel comfortable talking with about the test material.
2. Talk about the material and exchange notes. Have conversations with your friend about what each of you remembers from studying on your own, and try to “teach” each other what you each remember. Doing this will help you to better recall what you studied while you’re taking the test. Also, your friend may remember some things that you had forgotten about before talking with them.
3. Ask questions and pay attention. If you’re not sure about what something your friend said means, ask about it. Keep asking questions until you understand it. Relate what you know already to what your friend is saying, and have a conversation about the test material. Figuring out what to stay focused on together will be helpful for the both of you.
4. Quiz each other. Take turns asking each other questions from the study guide, flash cards, or your notes. The person answering the questions should try to answer without looking at their own notes. This can be a great way to review, and you’ll each be glad you spent the time on this after you get your good scores back!

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