<p>when people say that they study for like so many hours per classes per week or w/e...how do you study for that long?</p>
<p>I think I have ADD, so I haven't even conceptualized the thought of studying for more than like 30 mins-1 hr for one test</p>
<p>how do you study for long periods of time...like what are you doing, memorizing?</p>
<p>I have no clue</p>
<p>aid me on quest to become a better test taker!</p>
<p>thanks :-D</p>
<p>bump this up</p>
<p>yeah seriously helppp</p>
<p>Depends on what your major is. In math/science/engineering type majors, you'd spend your time deriving formulas, memorizing formulas, working problems, etc. For liberal arts type majors, you'd spend your time going over notes, memorizing important terms, paraphrasing notes, creating study guides (which making one is pretty effective studying). Then come exam time, you go over the study guides you made. Another thing I did is that professors gave out sample essay questions, and I would outline a response. I spent two years in engineering, now I'm psychology (although I did do well in engineering, so don't judge me too soon), so I have experience in both areas.</p>
<p>english is what I'd probably major in</p>
<p>Generally, my game-plan for tests is very simple and runs thus: (1) Preparing well for all lectures by DOING THE ASSIGNED READINGS, marking them up with a pen or highlighter along the way (absolutely essential for me); (2) MAKING GOOD, DETAILED NOTES during all lectures (writing my butt off); and (3) Studying hard at least one solid hour per day by READING OVER MY NOTES, over and over and over and over and over and over again, for at least one full week before the test. Come test time I know the material like the back of my hand.</p>
<p>For mid-terms and exams, I basically do the same thing, except that, since I am a philosophy specialist and my mid-terms and exams are always multiple essays, I actually write out the essays beforehand (usually guess-work is involved, but I'm good at that) and study those -- again, reading them over and over and over, ad nauseum -- about 2-3 hours per day for at least two full weeks before the exam. Come mid-term/exam time, I can usually write out the essays in full, practically word-for-word, straight from memory.</p>
<p>I got straight A's last year, my freshman year, by sticking to this system. Outside of the one week period before tests and two week period before mid-terms and exams, I don't study at all. I just focus on preparing well for my lectures by doing the readings and "performing" well during my lectures by making top-notch notes. Takes up enough of my time and energy every day.</p>
<p>Fides pretty much has it down. I'm a biochem major so I need to study a little more than the one before tests and two before exams...but not a lot. maybe a half hour to an hour each day...and then crack down the week before tests. A lot of this 'studying' is reading and re-reading the assigned readings</p>
<p>If you're going into engineering, the general plan for studying is a little different. Besides going over notes and reviewing homeworks, one of the best ways to prepare for an engineering exam is to work new problems on topics you've been covering. This method is a bit more accommodating to people with ADD, because you can work a problem in about 10 minutes and then take a break. You're constantly jumping from place to place in the book, so it's a bit more interactive.</p>
<p>I read the textbook before the lectures. But I never take notes, because I find that I get more from just listening to the professor. if i try to write notes I missing important things. It is like if you go to a funny movie and there is a funny part and everyone is laughing and then you miss the next line in the movie. i don't know many other people this works for but I do keep a notebook to write important points that I know are not in the book. </p>
<p>Being prepared is always important and I have never pulled an all nighter, I think without my beauty sleep I would suck on an exam.</p>
<p>as for the concentration part, i think that is directly linked to how interesting you find the subject you are studying. i spent basically all of june doing 10-14 hours of physics a day in preparation for a contest (occasionally even forgetting to eat!), and i didn't even notice the hours flying by. in contrast, i never was able to grind through some boring history book for more than an hour or so.</p>
<p>Where do you guys study? </p>
<p>I want to go to the library every day for studying and stuff. If I stay in my dorm, I'm guaranteed to get distracted by IM, Facebook, YouTube..or something. </p>
<p>Is it the same for you guys?</p>
<p>I can study in my room but the laptop definitely doesn't stay on my desk when I'm there unless I absolutely need it to type or look stuff up.</p>
<p>I do the great bulk of my studying at home, laying on my bed. I need to be really comfortable and undistracted when I study (I have no TV, stereo, computer, etc., in my room). Most important, I am ALONE. I've never been able to study effectively with others.</p>
<p>Here is my system. It doesn't work for everybody, but its gotten me straight A's for two years in college. Also, for the record, I'm a social sciences/languages major. </p>
<p>I usually spend around 2 hours a day doing readings for class. I never take notes on the readings and I skim them when they are longish. I do take notes in class, but they are mostly just to keep me paying attention; I don't usually look at them outside of class. About a week before a test is when I start reviewing. I section the week before the test up so I cover roughly equal chunks of the material each night. I skim the readings for each 'chunk,' and then come up with imaginary questions and answer them in my head. I also memorize any critical words. The night before the test, I go over everything I have one more time just to be sure. </p>
<p>Its pretty rare that I work for more than 2-3 hours a day (unless I have a huge paper due or something). I just make sure to put in my time every day, even weekends.</p>
<p>how do you know what's important?</p>
<p>Most often in a lecture, the prof. will emphasize something if they think it's important. It can be just an emphasis when speaking, but often they'll make a note of it. If they rarely write things on the board, but they write this down, well then it's probably important. If they do powerpoint or something, then they may have the term bolded or italicized or underlined. If you're reading out of the textbook, important words/phrases are usually bolded (like terms, places, etc).</p>