Studying

The following refers to studying for a test as well as studying/re-reading or reviewing material for class discussion or work.

-Study in a variety of settings.  Research  shows you will be more attentive and have better retention of material if you study in more than one location.

-Study multiple (3-4) different concepts or skills or subjects in a single sitting, rather than one subject over a prolonged period.

-Pace your studying or reviewing over several days or over the whole unit so that you are not cramming at the end before the test.  Cramming results in short-term memory retention; habitual review garners longer term memory.

-The more challenging a subject or concept is for you to learn or understand, the more embedded the material becomes when you finally learn it.

-If you are reading or re-reading something with the intention of remembering what you have read, take notes.  The practice of writing will increase the likelihood of retention of material.

 Notetaking

-Don’t try to write down every word a teacher says during a lecture or a narrator says in a video; nor should you copy from a text.  Develop a system of abbreviations for shorthand.

-Listen to the whole sentence that is spoken before you try to write down what is said.

-Organize your notes with a clear context for each entry (time, class, etc.).  Provide the subject you are studying in addition to the date at the top of each page, for example: The Progressive Era, 10/12/2010.  Even if your teacher is having you do short-writes rather than lecturing you, provide a context for your writing.

-Use a highlighter and the margins to annotate your own notes so that you see what is most useful.