- Write your own notes. Even if you get someone else's copy them over--that will help commit the material to memory.
- Make note cards up summarzing your notes in outline form or covering specific definitions you need to know and carry them around with you and study them when you have a spare minute during the day.
- Number the pages of your notes--that will make lots of things easier to find and refer to as you are studying. Put the page number on your note card so you can find the material the note card was made from.
- Tap sections of your notes that you need to refer to often for quick reference.
- POWER TIP--Make acronyms of your key points or a specific detailed section you need to remember numerous things about. The acronyms don't have to be exact words and can just be a string of letters where each letter relates to a key point. Write the acronyms down from memory each day and say what each letter stands for. Add new acronyms each day which cover key sections. At the beginning of the test write the acronyms down in the margins or on a scratch sheet then if you want and have time you can write a key word to the side of each letter. This way you can condense large sections of material down to a few acronyms. If you have a half a page of acronyms you will have many pages of notes memorized behind those key words or phrases represented by the acronyms.
- Make stories up that summarize your key points. Some people can remember stories better than facts so make up a ridiculous story the more outlandish the easier it will be to remember with each event in the story relating to a key point you need to memorize then to recall the material you just replay the movie in your mind telling the story.
- Use a yellow highlighter to mark key points.
- Create study groups with classmates.
- Study, add to, or review the material everyday.
- Look for the main ideas in the material, the headers, central themes then look for what describes them.
- Get in the habit of studying in the same place everyday where you are not facing distractions.
- Compare notes with others to make sure you are not missing things.
- Remember to stay well rested and take short breaks from studying.
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