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Study Skills - Test Taking
Study Tools
Any time you can actively do
something with the information you are learning instead of just
reading and re-reading it you will learn the information better.
Here are some ideas of study tools to try. Any way of using the
information can be beneficial, so be creative!
Flash cards
Write up flash cards with vocabulary words on the front and the
definitions on the back, or with questions on the front that are
answered on the back. The act of writing up the flash cards will
help you learn and remember the material, plus self-testing is also
a very effective way of increasing memory.
Summary sheets
This involves condensing large amounts of information (like a
chapter of notes or text) into about a page or two. This not only
puts the information into an easily referenced format; it also
forces you to go through the information you are studying and
actively pick out the important points.
Mindmaps & detail trees
If you are a visual learner this can be a great way to increase your
understanding and memory of the information you are studying. The
process of making a detail tree or mindmap helps you mentally
organize the information, leading to greater clarity and
understanding. It also gives you another way of remembering and
recalling the information. Both the mindmap and the detail tree
organize the information from general information branching out to
the more specific. Draw pictures for ideas that remind you of
something you know, connect main ideas with lines and arrows.
Time lines
For classes that deal with time-order, a time line can be a great
way to organize information. Time lines will give you a picture in
your head of the information you are learning, making it easier to
recall when tested. This is a good way to put isolated events in
context and see the progression of events or ideas. Be creative, use
color and pictures!
Charts
These work well for organizing many types of information. Try using
charts for information with many categories or subtypes. Charts can
be used for language classes too!
Color
Visual learners might benefit from color-coding topics
within a class. This can be used in conjunction with any of the
above methods.
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