<p>In addition to that "how do you make As?" thread, I want to know how you study. A lot of you said "study effectively" but don't really explain what that is. An effective study plan is different for everyone. Post how you think you study best and most effeciently.</p>
<p>I don't. :D</p>
<p>For me, the best way to study is to study the material before it is taught by a teacher, so I am generally ahead of the class by a day or two (three months in chem, haha). But yeah, I found it easier to understand material better when I knew the basics of the material before it is taught to me. Later on, like a before an exam, i go over it again.</p>
<p>For example, I read a chapter of biology that i will be lectured on for the next two days. I read it, understand the major concepts, main ideas, and the basics. Then during lectures, i focus on specifics and more difficult material, and ask any questions then on more difficult material. Then i review before a test. I do this instead of trying to understand and asking questions on basics during lecture, then later that night realize i don't understand more difficult stuff... Some people think I am crazy for doing this, but it helps me. I get really lost in some subjects if I don't...</p>
<p>There are also good study habits. Don't study near any distractions... That means TVs, radios, phones, computers, or anything, ANYTHING, that may catch your attention. I read somewhere that it take 15-20 minutes to fall into a state of deep concentration and a single distraction will destroy... My suggestion is to find a barren wall, put a desk or table against it, clear the desk/table of anything except for stuff for the subject you are going to study and start studying. Also, if you're house or wherever you study tends to get loud, leave. Go to the library or to school.</p>
<p>Read the text book. Weird concept, but a lot of people don't do it. If you are lectured on something AND read the textbook in addition to notes you will be well off. And while you are reading your textbook, do extra math problems...</p>
<p>My most important lesson... Never study on your bed or any other comfortable place. Every time I do i fall asleep within minutes...</p>
<p>quitejaded is right, though. Good study plans are different for everybody, and you just have to experiment around to find a plan that works for you.</p>
<p>For a subject like math, I just do the homework and know the material almost intuitively.</p>
<p>For a subject like Chemistry, I read the textbook ahead of time and make my own notes. During the lecture, I correct my homework problems and if I don't have anything, I read ahead and continue to take notes. Rarely I listen to the teacher...</p>
<p>After school, I will find a quiet room and glance over my notes. Then I will take practice exams and attempt to polish my mistakes.</p>
<p>You guys have really good study habits.
My parents, and my grandparents both stress the benefit of reading the textbook before the teacher teaches the lesson. My grandpa is a lawyer and he has been teaching this method to his own children for years. And when you do read before the teacher teaches, you honestly have a much easier time in school. Finding a quiet place is really important too, because just like Beware said, you will lose your concentration with any little distraction.
Reading notes after you read to reinforce what you read helps too when you want to review. </p>
<p>It sorta depends on what class you're studying for too. For some classes, listening and attending class, doing the labs, reading the book, and maybe reviewing the worksheets and notes is all you have to do.
For other classes, you have to do problems and re-read the text and maybe even ask for extra help from the teacher.
For other classes, you may not do anything and still get A++ on all the tests.</p>
<p>This is just for school though. Studying for standardized tests is much more different. Take many practice tests, read the review sections, and define words you do not know that you come across in those practice tests. If you're still not doing well, look over key concepts that may be stumping you, and do more and more practice questions. After you learn how to do the questions, then work on speed. This is the key to any perfect score, and it's not very hard. The only problem I have is that I feel I have no time and there are too many distractions around me. So again, studying in a quiet room is important.</p>
<p>This is how I study for major exams...smaller ones I mostly just don't study for.</p>
<p>For math, I flip through the chapter and write down all the formulas and rules and definitions that I don't know. Then everything I need to learn is condensed onto one sheet, and I can just read it through a couple times.</p>
<p>For Latin (this is for reading literature, not learning grammar), I force myself to read the entire section, and only use my translation/vocab sheet when I get stuck.</p>
<p>Science is hopeless. I just fail anyway.</p>
<p>I can never find a good way to study anything for English....I'm not sure there is one. I guess just read the book.</p>
<p>In most classes, I just take detailed notes and later organize them into a Word document. This really doesn't take much time at all if you make it a point to do it after every couple of classes. If I have any questions about a concept in my notes, I check the book to clarify it and modify the notes accordingly. If the book doesn't clarify it, I get ahold of the teacher and ask questions until the concept is crystal clear and again clarify it in my notes. Generally, once I've done this, I'll have the broader concepts committed to memory in a difficult class and can start focusing on the details a couple of days before the test. In an easier class, I'll know it just from transcribing and organizing my notes and won't have to do much before the test except maybe read over them a couple of times. My worst-case scenario is a lazy teacher who tests from material he/she didn't cover in class. When I get one of those, I first do an outline of the chapters in the book and other assigned reading and then make a Voodoo doll of the teacher. ;) In math oriented classes, I did the homework problems and any other problems I could find in the book until I'd mastered the concepts. If I didn't feel like that was enough, I'd run down more problems online and work them until I was comfortable. Also keep in mind that I'm an incurable perfectionist and always study with making 100% as the goal. I don't always make it, but I usually get pretty close. One thing that can be a problem, though, is that slackers are always after my notes! On the upside, I've received lots of favors for sharing them. LOL @ having the majority of my academic career saved in a series of Word documents that can be had for a price! :D</p>
<p>Get enough sleep. Rid yourself of ANY distractions. Don't procrastinate. <-- Best three tips that you'll need.</p>
<p>Write it down. It works every time.</p>
<p>Note - this shouldn't be a blind copying exercise. Study it, understand it, then write it down. As many times as you need to. You'll have a tough time forgetting it.</p>
<p>It's annoying, and I hate writing stuff down but it really does work. Writing is generally better than typing. Typing is a kind of discrete process and breaks the continuity of my thoughts - also I end up concentrating more on typing correctly than learning. So I think writing is better.</p>
<p>And yeah, effective study starts with good class notes. Acquire this skill ASAP. I did really well in the Mechanics section of my Physics paper because my notes were good. I sycked at modern Physics because the notes sucked - written on loose sheets of paper several of which I lost, messy and illegible in large sections.</p>
<p>Don't stick with one thing for too long - chances are youll be idly reading the page over and over again without absorbing anything. The minute you find you've read a line five times without understanding it, its time to stop. </p>
<p>Read the textbook like others have suggested. Keep your classnotes near you when you do this and compare as you f=go along, recalling what was taught in class. it really helps. Underline or highlight key concepts so that you won't spend too long searching for them when you need to revise a topic.</p>
<p>No distractions of course. Specially not food. This creates major breaks in concentration. Music I can deal with, but increasingly I find I'd rather not.</p>
<p>I usually call my girlfriend and we talk about what each of us has learned in school that day......it's helpful</p>
<p>I read the textbook after my teachers lecture. While reading, I take notes on a separate piece of paper; if I write something down, I remember it better. If there are chapter reviews or essays or other questions, I try to do those without looking back at the chapter and double check the ones I got wrong.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Writing is generally better than typing. Typing is a kind of discrete process and breaks the continuity of my thoughts - also I end up concentrating more on typing correctly than learning. So I think writing is better.
[/quote]
Interesting. Maybe it's a difference in learning styles, but I'm better able to concentrate while typing. I'm much faster typing than handwriting, too. Might be because I've been doing it so long. Whatever works ... :)</p>
<p>I'll read a textbook till I get bored. which doesn't take long.......</p>
<p>The posts on here are basically how I study. But to sum it all up I do review the material before a class and after a class. I find it harder to learn something new from a confusing teacher in a limited time limit. This is usually my key but since my teachers are really varied in how they test there are different things you can do. Always take notes, always do homework, correct you work, review material every two weeks so you won't forget when exam time comes. For tests you should collect all your material for one subject and sit down and review it all. It takes time(at least for me), to discipline myself to focus without letting my mind wander. At the same time- don't put too much work on yourself because it is ineffective, dull, overwhelming and stressful. You can also study differently for classes- usually for math: practice new problems until you can do then efficiently and accurate, english: flashcards, keep up with your reading, all other "major" subjects: it is really a matter of knowing your material so just review that weekly. The most important thing is time management. These are things that help me, but they are different for everyone.</p>
<p>my strategy is to take very good notes - as has been said, writing it down helps a lot, and I can look over the notes and study a bit when my teachers are being stupid and not teching (which happens often) - and cram before tests. I do so much better when I review like crazy right before, as in the day of if possible. Everyone's suggestions are very good, I should follow them.</p>
<p>Hey, I specifically didn't put notes in my post because I hate them and they don't help. I suppose I'm one of the few here. I hate writing and taking notes still takes too much time for me, even when just writing key words and arrows and stuff ... it still doesn't work. They only work when I'm drawing diagrams from memory OR testing myself. That's something I forgot to bring up, making your own questions on what you read or learned in class. Wait a while, and then answer them. I like the questions method because anyone can test me, anytime or anywhere. And I can cover up the answers if I'm alone and it's a great study tool. If you can make up questions and answer them, then you probably know the material well.</p>
<p>One tip for future APers... especially in subjects where you have to memorize (ie, APUSH, Bio,) after every test, write probably the top "ten" facts-the main idea after each unit. This will SAVE you when final exams come. I learned this the hard way. On my first final, i tried to re-read the whole textbook and only got through 1/4 of it... you can only imagine my grade. However, this year, I've learned to go over major concepts and ideas.
Calling up a friend or meeting with a few people help A LOT. I ask my friends questions that I have, and they are usually really deep and thought-provoking.
Also, knowing what is going to be on the test and studying the right material is essential.
For math, physics, chemistry-pick five random problems, set a timer for whatever time and see if you can finish and get 100%</p>
<p>i sleep with the textbook of the class for which i have a test on the next day underneath my pillow...</p>
<p>straight A's since 4th grade, thank you</p>
<p>Oh I once recorded a tape of my Bio notes and put it on before I went to sleep hoping it would seep into my subconscious mind. Dunno whether it helped but I did pretty well in that exam or maybe it was because I was already reasonably well prepared. The tape was a kind of psychological prop, and a pretty good one too</p>
<p>When reading a textbook, I look up every couple paragraphs and say whatever I've read in my own words, like I would if I were explaining the material to someone else. One of my math teachers did some research on learning/retaining info, and she said saying information out loud makes us remember something like 70%, writing the info had the next highest percentage, then reading, then listening. Or something close to that, I don't really remember, haha. </p>
<p>Mnemonics (sp?) are helpful and fun, I make them all the time in French.</p>