Best way to study from PowerPoints??

[Jen51685]

Hi y'all,

I'm taking BIO225 right now and the lecture teacher uses lots of power points (which I don't mind because it saves us money from not having to buy a text book).

My problem is that I know I learn best by writing the information down then going back over my notes and possibly writing again. It helps me to better organize the information as well. The only problem with this method is that it's very time consuming.

So I'm trying to find an efficient way to study with power points because I know that many more classes are going to use them.

How do y'all study from PP when you know that writing the information is what really helps you retain it???

[Jen51685]

While I am unfamiliar with what class BIO225 is, I can definitely give you some advice on what I do when I study from classes that provide this awesome resource.

1. Before I take any course, I ask other students who've taken the course what exactly they did to succeed in the said course. Did they use the text? Were the tests based off of the reading or PowerPoints? Did the professor give any tips on how to succeed in the class? You get the idea.

2. Ask the professor what you can do and meet with him or her often (or as often as needed). This shows right from the beginning that you truly care about your success in the class and are willing to put in the work. This also gives you the opportunity to have your professor get to know you better. If you need a letter of recommendation down the line, this is someone you can go back to.

3. Actively pay attention during lecture. Scan over the contents of what you are going to be learning ahead of time, ask questions as you go, and add your own little notes in. For me personally, this alone has helped me save a lot of study time. At times, I do not even need to study much before a test because I held onto the knowledge and made connections between different things.

4. Review what you learned within 24 hours. Admittedly, I do not always do this because it may not always be necessary. Do not waste time going over things you already know. Reviewing allows your brain to hold onto that knowledge better. By this time you have seen the material as you previewed it, in class, and now from reviewing it.

5. When it comes down to test time, I try to have been looking back over the material each day so I do not need to cram. I have a whiteboard and I will draw, write (it is a quick scribble or key points to elaborate on), and talk things out to myself. Think of it as "teaching" the class. If you can find a study buddy or a study group that works for you then this can also be effective. You can take turns "teaching" each other and giving each other feedback. Just make sure you and your group members come prepared to maximize efficiency. Sometimes it is nice teaching someone who did not pay attention during lecture because it shows that you really know the material (you have to know the material of course), but it can also be time consuming and frustrating having one or more people hold a group back.

6. Get plenty of rest and eat a good meal. Your brain works better with food and sleep. You do not want to worry about falling asleep during the exam (I have heard stories) or having your stomach make noises. I also love wearing comfortable clothes and shoes.

7. Relax.

I personally have a mixture of the different learning styles and just adapt each class as I go. I try to study in 30 minute chunks before giving myself a ten minute break. There are apps for this! I would really recommend trying a writing/talking approach, but if writing really only works for you then figure out abbreviations you can use. I hope my tips helped! Best of luck!

Thank you very much for these long thought out tips!!

[xxstarrynitesxx]

Thank you very much for these long thought out tips!!

You're very welcome! I hope they help you as much as they have helped me!