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i usually study a few days before the exam. the real important learning is done throughout the term, and that will be the most influential factor in how well you do. i read the stuff over and over until i can remember the info on cue, then i practice writing down the answers with only the question in front of me. it's important that the environment you study in is as similar as possible as it can be to the environment in which you take the exam. everything from clothing, lighting, chair, etc. most of all remember to relax, and breathe.
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I recently read the book "Moonwalking with Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering Everything" which, as the title already indicates, is about how to remember stuff on a very efficient way.
Foer writes about the 'Memory Palace' technique and how it benefits your memory. Its kinda long to explain so i suggest you to read that book. I've been practicing this technique myself aswell and I can remember up to 50 differnt numbers in order under 5 minutes! (I only practiced wiht how to remember numbers, but u can also remember other stuff such as poems ofc).
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I go through my notes... Read the titles in my notes, then make up a summary of it off the top of my head. After I make that summary, I read through my notes while I compare it to my summary (What I know, what mistakes I made, etc) and after that I write a summary of my notes that I didn't understand properly. This helps me force it into my brain. I usually start this process a week before the exam, going one subject at a time.
On January 16 2012 09:30 ScrubS wrote:Foer writes about the 'Memory Palace' technique and how it benefits your memory.
Isn't that basically where you build a house or so to speak in your brain and then assign each number to a room? (Like, 4 is in the kitchen, 7 lives across in the living room and so forth?) That's how I've been explained it on a really basic level, don't remember where I learned that though.
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I go through all the notes and over the book and make a comprehensive study guide in Word of all the stuff I think could be on the test the day before, it works really well and you can memorize most of it by just putting the guide together.
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On January 16 2012 09:32 2WeaK wrote:Show nested quote +On January 16 2012 09:30 ScrubS wrote:Foer writes about the 'Memory Palace' technique and how it benefits your memory. Isn't that basically where you build a house or so to speak in your brain and then assign each number to a room? (Like, 4 is in the kitchen, 7 lives across in the living room and so forth?) That's how I've been explained it on a really basic level, don't remember where I learned that though.
Yes it is. But if you want to improve it on a basic level, you should place multiple objects in each room. If you practice alot it you will become alot quicker at doing that and you'll be able to remember stuff really really fast. For example, there are people who can remember the order of a full deck of cards under 30 seconds or people who can remember 150+ names and faces in only 15 minutes.
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In class I take notes on my notebook, I then transfer those notes onto notecards, I then put those notecards onto Anki on my computer, going through them every few days. About a week before the exam I study hard by doing lots of sample problems (for classes like math and physics)and take breaks every 50 minutes, in the case of classes like history where its just memorization, I just grind through index cards and make connections wherever necessary
Some may feel going from notebook to notecard to Anki is redundant, but exposing myself to the information multiple times like this really helps me, and ensures that information from lecture isn't lost easily.
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I do the normal reading through notes before and after class, but as far as actual studying goes, I try and put myself in the teacher's shoes and "teach" to people. Basically I talk through lectures and concepts that I might have trouble understanding and I always do it outloud. Usually that helps a lot for me.
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What about that method, I think it was called "Studycraft".
It involved you laddering, not cheesing and the rules were.
If you win, play another game.
If you lose, study for 2x the game length before playing another match.
Seems legit.
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I rarely take notes at classes nowadays, as I kind of figured out it will be pointless in the long end. Why? Because I want to study through the designated/recommended literature. In 5-6 years, when I'll want to learn something I won't be going to classes and I won't be taking notes, I'll find some literature and practice material and go through it. Sure, there is bad literature and good literature, but you have to be able to get through it, no matter how it is written, through other sources/google/asking peple etc. I still attend and pay attention at like 98% of the classes though.
What yields best results for me:
for theoretical stuff: taking my own notes while going through the literature.
for practical stuff: going through all the exercises (even the ones I consider very easy, it helps with the muscle memory for the harder ones), referencing theory when I need it (can't solve the harder exercise after a while, don't quite understand the question etc)
There is no "secret" to studying, imho. I have failed one university already (basically threw away 7 years of my life) and it wasn't because I was stupid and I didn't know how to study - it was because I was lazy, didn't study at all and was generally pretty uninterested in the material (mechanical engineering). Now I'm studying CS at a harder university, and I'm in the top 20% in most classes I care about (which is pretty good for a failure like me ^^), but i'm working my ass off during the semester and taking it easy and as stresless as possible during the exams. Works for me ^^.
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When studying for exams like yourself, I prioritize and separate it all, and when just studying heavily with no major time deadline I spread it through the day.
A typical 4 hour session of "cramming" would involve the following
1 hour studying the broad spectrum of information given on study guides/syllabus outlines of the main/most concerning course at the time
15 minutes reviewing for an important but non-focus course (such as a later test date class OR something you've already focused on)
30 minutes throughly reviewing anything you don't understand at all from main courses' study guide (extended)
15 minutes per item on study guide you don't know like the back of your hand, but are comfy with main ideas.
repeat.
Works best with others particularly, as it is very open for discussion (you may not know what your partner knows and vice versa) so you can discuss it. It also gives your mind a slight break from massive cramming every hour and reinforces another subject. I try and link either very similar subjects or very opposite subjects together (IE Math/Physics or Computer Science and Art but NOT Computer Science and physics or Music and Art). It either supplements the learning with a slight change in mindset or completely digs you out of study rut in one area so you can come back fresh.
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For classes that require me to actually regurgitate a fair bit of information and/or write in-class essays, I try to ... pay attention in class, take notes, and do all the necessary reading (and then some) so I don't have to cram when I have exams. A day or two before the exam, I usually will sit down and read through my notes, skim through the readings again, and try to pick up what I think is important to know. Go to any study sessions, study with a group of ppl (usually grad students, because they're much better to study with, IMO), then ace the test.
For mathy/technical classes, I cram and redo problems, try to prove the equations (or at least understand how they work) over memorization, though sometimes time is running down and I can't do anything but memorize.
For my language classes: modern languages -- four hours of study maximum; ancient languages -- six hours of study minimum, commonly running up to 12 hours right before the day of the exam. Studying for ancient language exams after you actually learn the language (so I'm talking about when you get to text translation classes) is so fucking time-consuming. And even if you study 12 hours, you still have to be a little lucky with what the professor chooses to test you on, because you'll either know the passage and get a really high grade, or you won't and you'll bomb the exam really badly. Very little middle ground.
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Well Im an engineering student, so I'm not sure that applies (and my exam timings are completely different ie I don't have one big exam), but my approach is very starcraft-esque: just _practice_ a decent, not too long, amount of time, with constancy. By practice, I mean getting over each chunk of the subject for some time, reviewing intensively troublesome parts of the subject and, most importantly, marking exercises some way.
Cheers and GL European guys I guess, who have this sort of exam timing.
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I study by paying attention in class the first time around, taking notes, doing my assignments, and paying attention in recitation/group sessions. That way I only have to study a little bit before the exam. Maybe 2 sessions of about 1 hour each. I re-read source material and go over my notes.
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1:Read Textbook.
2:Remember stuff.
Works for me, but that's just high school. Am taking college courses that this works for, though. I kinda pay attention in class.
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I look at all the material I need to know. I look away from it. Anything I can't remember I look at again. Repeat until I know everything.
Sometimes if I don't remember something I really should know, I'll write it out a lot. Sometimes I'll write it out as part of the initial process of remembering something. It depends on the subject.
What you say about the humanities and the exact sciences is a little silly. You're right, the exact sciences will require a lot more memorization because they are largely route learning (the above process I've mentioned). But to do well in serious literature courses (I have no idea what level you're taking) the critical thinking aspect takes a lot of practice and experience. Which is why lit courses that are serious are usually mostly rated on your essays, not your ability to memorise information. Critical thinking is a skill A LOT of people don't really have tho when they haven't received this kind of education.
Only other secrets is to make sure you are eating well, have gotten good sleep, haven't been drinking alcohol... etc. Give yourself the maximum fitness possible for studying.
Practice exams etc are just ways of performing the above technique, which is testing yourself before the actual test so that you're A: confident you know everything and B: have everything on the tip of your tongue so when the exam comes you can do things quickly.
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Ugh, it's not the studying that I have a problem with (usually just cram the night before/morning of, and do fine), it's getting the motivation to work on papers....I always tell myself I'm gonna start early, and I always end up doing them at the last minute and needing to stay up suuuper late....
(I write this, of course, as I have 2 ~10pg papers to write by tuesday afternoon...)
Perhaps that "studycraft" suggestion would help : P
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On January 16 2012 13:57 jubil wrote:
Ugh, it's not the studying that I have a problem with (usually just cram the night before/morning of, and do fine), it's getting the motivation to work on papers....I always tell myself I'm gonna start early, and I always end up doing them at the last minute and needing to stay up suuuper late....
(I write this, of course, as I have 2 ~10pg papers to write by tuesday afternoon...)
Perhaps that "studycraft" suggestion would help : P
not to demotivate you or anything but how the heck are you gonna write 20 pages in 2 days??
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One thing to note is being rested. I just took a 30 minute nap and holy shit do I feel so much better about doing my hoilday homework.
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I sit down and I study. Works fine until I am denied porn for some time, then it gets hard to focus.
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The 6 weeks drunk and 2 weeks cramming strategy works just well for me in computer science.
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i try not to procrastinate, but it doesn't really work :s
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On January 16 2012 14:51 Roe wrote:Show nested quote +On January 16 2012 13:57 jubil wrote:
Ugh, it's not the studying that I have a problem with (usually just cram the night before/morning of, and do fine), it's getting the motivation to work on papers....I always tell myself I'm gonna start early, and I always end up doing them at the last minute and needing to stay up suuuper late....
(I write this, of course, as I have 2 ~10pg papers to write by tuesday afternoon...)
Perhaps that "studycraft" suggestion would help : P not to demotivate you or anything but how the heck are you gonna write 20 pages in 2 days??
For someone who is experienced at writing essays (I don't know if he is or not), about a page every 20 minutes is not hard to manage. As long as he doesn't give up he can do it.
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Past exams papers are the way to go for me.
They ensure you are not surprised come exam time, you understand how the questions are expected to be answered and you have a pretty good idea of where you need to focus your review.
It's quite simple really, if you can't answer the questions sufficiently, go over your notes until you can. If exams are meant to test whether you have learnt the required skills/knowledge, well they are the best source of how that test will take place.
Sure there will be curve ball questions you have not encountered but from experience something like 75% of the paper will be repitition in some form of previous exams. More than enough to pass, that gives you confidence heading in.
Anyway, that is how I go about facing exams.
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@Probulous: Doesn't work 100% tough, I foresee you raging. "I know a guy" (  ) who made like 10 years past exams successfully (and that was all the studying tbh) just to get a very different kind of exam and rage like hell.
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EPT![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/UibP6.jpg)
