I. Early in the course find out:
A. The type of exams (ie: essay or short answer v. multiple choice)
B. The date of the exams
C. The scope of the exams (ie: For what information are you responsible? formulas?
dates? derivations?)
D. From where does the exam material come? (ie: How much from the readings and
how much from the lecture?)
II. Pay special attention to:
A. Things the professor says are on the test (or hints at being important)
B. Material that is not in the book
C. Terms, diagrams, etc. that were put on the board
III. Schedule intermediate reviews for yourself
A. Recite from your lecture notes
B. Take notes from the text and recite from these notes
Note: This prevents a marathon review and strengthens memory
IV. Use old test as study aids (if available)
A. Examine old midterms and finals from the previous semesters
1. these may be on file at the library, the department office, or fraternities
2. find someone who has had the course before and ask about the exams
3. analyze the instructor's style (ie: Does he/she make creativity or memorization,
main points or details?)
4. make up practice test questions
B. Use your earlier tests
1. analyze your mistakes
a. did misread the question?
b. did you fail to get something important in your notes?
c. did you misinterpret something in the course?
d. did you forget something?
2. note the grader’s comments
3. analyze the instructor's testing style
|
