Hello everyone:

So, you have committed to study for good grades, but how do you prepare for an exam? It starts back with pre-reading the assignments before the lecture.

You have organized your academic calendar at the beginning of the semester. You have faithfully read your assignments ahead of time, but there are some steps you need to take as soon as you get home.

First, organize your lecture notes. Is there anything unclear or muddy? Plan on asking the professor about it at the next lecture, AFTER you have re-read the reading for that day. You may be able to clear things up by looking at the material again. Does this mean that you are reading the material twice? Yes, but that is just the start.

Next, make up study notes for anything the professor seemed particularly focused on. Sometimes professors will spend a lot of time on one area. It is good to ask him or her if there is a reason for this extended time. It may be because the concepts being described are building blocks that you need for future information or it may be that this information will be on your next exam. There is usually a good reason for us to take extra time with something. Don’t just blow it off or disregard our comments.

On a weekly basis, go back over your notes and remind yourself about what you have learned. Take this information and use it to shore up your knowledge about the topic at hand. Do not wait until the night before an exam to start studying. That is a good way to flunk even the simplest of tests. The idea here is to put yourself in a perpetual mode of preparing for the exam. Guess what will happen? You will actually be ready for the exam and will not be cramming information into your brain at the last minute.

I see this blog is getting a bit long-winded, so I will put your next steps on the next blog, which I write later this week. If you have any questions or comments, please use my name in your reply, so that I will know that you are not a robot.  I would be happy to address topics that concern you.

Best,

Dr. Sheri