STUDYING BEGINS IN THE CLASSROOM…..NOT AT HOME!

Study Tips

1. Read the assigned chapter to prepare for class. When reading be an “active reader”. Do this by using your pen or a highlighter to underline, circle, or box key words and concepts.
2. Copy notes given in class including drawings and diagrams. Do not try to copy everything down. Do this by starting to understand what is important so the major concepts are understood. Your teacher will guide you to develop this skill throughout the course. Often the teacher will signal what is important by summarizing then repeating the key concepts. However, when in doubt it
   is better to take too many notes than too few! Absent students are responsible to get all missed notes.
3. During note‐taking use different colored pens to emphasize key information. This could help you memorize and retain the information better.
4. Be alert during class to when the teacher says…this is important. You should mark a star or highlight these areas in your notes.
5. Avoid classroom distractions. Give the teacher 100% of your attention to the lesson and class work. If you are seated in an area that you feel is distracting you (e.g. an opened window), ask the teacher if your seat can be changed.
6. Each night take 10‐15 minutes to read your notes for review. Any information that you do not understand can be either written down on the last page of your notes for that day or mark your notes with a question mark (?) in your notes so you can ask the teacher for clarification the next day.
7. Partner up with a friend for at least 3‐4 sessions to review material before the exam. Do not try to study all the material the night before the exam.
8. Use alternative methods to shorten the information for better understanding. Some students create index cards, rewrite their notes, record their voices reading their notes and listening to it, or highlight their notes as they study.
9. Participate in the interactive review games given in class at the end of lessons. Students should copy down any questions and answers that were incorrect. Students can refer to their notes later on.
10. Complete all assignments for each lesson. Assignments are given to reinforce important information that will be assessed on exams. Absent students are responsible to makeup all missed assignments.
11. Have a sibling or parent(s) test your knowledge by using your notes and worksheets.
12. Attend any extra help sessions available.

Test‐Taking Tips

1. READ all the directions on the exam.
2. For multiple choice questions, underline the key words. Then read the key words a second time and look at the test choices. Try to decide which answer best relates to the key words you underlined.
3. Start to eliminate the incorrect answers. Usually, there are 2 choices that can easily be eliminated because they have no connection (not from the same chapter) to the exam question. For some questions, 3 out of the 4 choices have no connection to the question. This is rare, but can happen. Therefore, this would be considered an easier question and the answer should be obvious.
4. For the last 2 choices, read the entire question over. Again pay special attention to the key words that were underlined. Look at the wording for the last 2 answer choices. Here’s a hint: Do the choices use words like all, always, never, or only? If so, it is probably not the correct answer. Remember there can be exceptions!
5. Write down any key equations, diagrams, and information immediately receiving the exam.
6. Skip difficult questions and return to them later, if possible.
7. Look at other areas of the exam. Sometimes answers to other questions can be found.
8. Get a good night sleep.
9. Eat a good breakfast and/or lunch before taking the exam.
10. Mark your scantron answers lightly with a #2 pencil when first answering each question. When you have finished the exam and reviewed your answers go back over the scantron and darken all your answers with your #2 pencil. This will prevent correct answers from being marked wrong by the machine.