Study Tips
When we take a test or exam we want to feel prepared! There are many things we can do to maximize our study time so that we feel confident enough to ace any question our teacher puts in front of us. Here are our study tips:
- Pay attention in class & take good notes
Good studying starts in the classroom. If you stay alert you can learn material right when the teacher is teaching. Be sure to ask questions when you don’t understand and also to answer when the teacher throws a question out to the class. Don’t be afraid to get the answer wrong, it’s all a part of learning and your teacher will be impressed that you gave it a try!
Also having good notes makes it easier to study. Writing down the facts that the teacher writes on the board or puts in the presentation is good because these are the things that the teacher thinks are important and they might just show up on your test!
Click here if you need more information on how to take good notes.
- Do your homework
Homework is a way of studying throughout the year and cementing what you’ve learned in class. Therefore, always be sure to do your best on your homework. You can even ask your parents or guardians to help you review your answers before you submit the assignment. They may not have all the answers but that’s ok! At least show them that you have done your homework, they will be proud.
Before a test, review the corrected homework you have received, making note of the questions you may have gotten wrong so that you don’t make that mistake again. You can also use old homework questions to make your own practice tests.
To help you with your homework keep a homework book so that you are organized and stay on top of your assignments and test dates. You can also use this book to write down your to-do list for when you are studying.
- Plan ahead
Don’t wait until Thursday night to start studying for a test on Friday. It is likely that you will be anxious and you won’t retain what you are studying. Instead, plan ahead and begin studying ahead of time.
For big exams such as PEP, you can create a study schedule. In your study schedule you can write out the days of the week and commit certain days and times to specific subjects. For example:
- Mondays: 1 hours Language Arts & Social Studies (4PM to 5PM)
- Tuesdays: 1 hour of Science & Mathematics (4PM to 5PM) etc.
- Use mnemonics and flashcards
Two study tools I like to use are mnemonics and flashcards.
Mnemonics (pronounced new-mon-iks) are devices that help you remember what you need to know. If you have to remember a long list of things try to make up a phrase that uses the first letter of each. For example, if you want to remember the names of all the planets you can use the saying My Very Excellent Mother Just Served Us Nachos to remember Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.
Flashcards will help you remember short facts like definitions or formulas. You can write the word or principle on one side of the flashcard and the meaning or formula on the other. Keep showing yourself one side of the flashcard and trying to recall the answer. Show yourself the other side to check to see if you got it right. Continue this process over and over and you’ll be surprised how quickly some of the facts stick. (Pro tip: put aside those hard flashcards that you keep getting incorrect and only go through those until you also remember those facts).
- Ask for help
Your teachers might have a lot of other study techniques that you can start implementing. They would love to help you make the best of your study time. You can also ask your parent/guardian for advice on how to manage your time. Perhaps they can help you draw up your study schedule and give you advice on how you can balance your study time with extra curricular activities, chores and free time.
Remember studying doesn’t have to be stressful. If you follow these tips you’re sure to boost your grades! If you want FREE practice on PEP subjects you can do so right here on this website! Click the link below:
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