Do You Outline Chapters?

[missjennmb]

So share your secrets!

Do you outline? If so, how do you do it? Do you get every bit of information out of the chapter or just the main highlights? How many pages do you end up with having outlined?

I really want to try outlining my chapters as part of my study routine this semester, but so far, its taking me days and days to get one chapter done (and a TON of pages) and I realize that once classes start up again (monday) that will be quite difficult to do. (I'm taking 3 classes plus clinicals plus working this semester)

The problem that I have, is that every time I have studied in the past, I have ALWAYS studied the wrong thing. Its always some small detail that I did not think would possibly be on the test that ends up on the test, lol. I had thought that I would read the chapter and record that, then go back and outline it, do the end of chapter and workbook questions, and then copy the outline onto notecards to study for the tests.

So share your hints, tips, ect! I need input. My brain does not retain nearly as well as it did 10-15 years ago and it feels like I can never suck in enough information. There are only 2 or 3 students getting an A in our class, and the one that I asked, said that she always outlines her chapters and thats why she does so well, so I am hoping that will help me.

[Jules A, MSN]

Rather than reading the entire chapter first I skimmed through it and would make my note cards at that time. There simply was not enough time to read the chapter, forget most of it, and then go back to take notes. I tend to test pretty well so my notes were not bad but I'll be darned if I could ever really figure out what questions they were likely to ask. Good luck.

[missjennmb]

I guess the issue I'm having is that last semester I ALWAYS studied the wrong information and I'm trying to figure out a way to do better. I got a "B" but I really feel that there was no way that I could do better with the way that I studied. I never even touched on some of the information, other than reading the chapter the first time.

I would study the etiology and the lab values and the test would be on an obscure detail of a case study. The comment about the side notes is good though because some of the things i missed were in tables ect. I'll try to pay more attention to those.

I spent hours and hours and HOURS studying last semester and I can honestly say if my questions had not been multiple choice, I would have failed the class. I'm just trying to find a way to get more out of my study time. I don't mind spending the time, but spending so much time studying only to find that I didnt even cover half the test has been incredibly discouraging.

[truern]

Do you have classmates that you share notes with?? That always helped me and friends. Everybody studies differently and everybody thinks something else is "most important" to know. I found that a consolidation of materials helped me immensely. Also, we had a student that would make up a mock test of the material using the text and NCLEX guides. Darn if he wasn't usually right on the money!!

Personally, I found that listening intently during lecture helped me the most. Even a slight change in inflection signaled a test question...as did repeating any information. There's just waaaay too much material in the textbooks to study so you have to figure out some way to narrow things down into manageable portions! I very seldom READ my textbooks...just skimmed.

[chuckz, BSN, RN]

You know, I used to do that and found out that I wasted valuable time. My secret is "Read to learn." Anybody can read and skim through stuff to just get done, but when you read to learn...really take the time to concentrate on what the author is saying, it usually stays with me. I had to learn this the hard way.

When reading pharm or assessment, others would be done with the material way before me. I just used to putz through the material, took my time and got better grades for it.

Try it for one chapter and see what happens.

[missjennmb]

You know, I used to do that and found out that I wasted valuable time. My secret is "Read to learn." Anybody can read and skim through stuff to just get done, but when you read to learn...really take the time to concentrate on what the author is saying, it usually stays with me. I had to learn this the hard way.

When reading pharm or assessment, others would be done with the material way before me. I just used to putz through the material, took my time and got better grades for it.

Try it for one chapter and see what happens.

Thats what I did first semester. I read the chapter, and if I didn't understand a section, I would re-read it. Then the weekend before the test, I would read through it again. I didn't do bad (I got a B), it was just the little details that I sometimes had trouble remembering. I would understand the concepts but not some of the specifics.