How do you study from books? I want to use some new study tactics

[moonredlife]

Just wondering because I just finished my first semester and realize that I have not used any of my study workbooks or nclex prep or ati books or anything like that. I was wondering going through them, how helpful have they been to you who use them? Also, when you all use them do you highlight the answers in the book or just look them up after you guess?

[DolceVita, ADN, BSN, RN]

Really helpful because my instructors have pulled questions from them.

[Nurse Kyles, BSN, RN]

The study guides are very helpful. My instructors have also pulled questions form them. They are nice because they help you apply what you are learning, and also include the rationale for the questions. I find the rationale especially helpful, because sometimes I am looking at the question from the wrong angle. I also find the NCLEX 4000 computer program (included with my tuition) very helpful. It is customizable to the subject that I'm working on studying, and can be used in study mode which gives immediate feedback with rationale. The website of the textbooks (mine is evolve) is also helpful. There are additional study tools and for some of the books quizzes. I have had instructors take questions from those quizzes on the evolve website too.

How I used the Study Guide:

I took out perforated answer portion in the back out of the book and 3 ring punched it, and put it in the binder with all of my other class materials. This way when I looked up the answers I could leave the book open & not have to flip back and forth. I would go through and highlight the numbers that my instructor listed in her learning plan as pertinent for us to do. I would go through one by one and answer and check. ( I do this just to make sure I have the right answer clear in my head & do not confuse myself) Then I usually jot down brief rationale behind the choices. This makes it easy to study before the exam, and writing also helps me solidify it in my memory.

[CrazierThanYou]

Using the study guide might be helpful IF the instructor pulls questions from it. Ours did not. All our tests are NCLEX style and the study guide we had for our fundamentals class was like a standard memorization type thing. Like A&P or something. So, ours was only helpful for what would NOT be on the test.

Here's how I studied. I read the chapters. Every word. As I was reading, I used my highlighter to mark stuff I thought might be important. Then, when I was finished reading, I went back and took notes on what I had marked. Its worked well for me. I didn't bother with flash cards or anything else. Also, I didn't study the notes I took. Just writing them in the first place helped me to learn the material.

Good luck!

[ImThatGuy, BSN, RN]

I read chapters in the book and listen in class to the best of my ability. To be completely truthful, I mostly read only chapters that pertain to subjects that interest me. The psychosocial ones don't for example so I routinely omit them. I do not write notes nor do I (nor will I) write in the books or highlight. I make more A's than anything else so it's working for me (and did in H.S. as well as with my first bachelor's degree and graduate courses) so I"m sticking with it.

[anon695]

How to study from books? I buy the NCLEX books with all the practice questions and the "success series" books with practice questions. I do the practice questions that correspond to what I'm learning in class and read the rationale for each answer, whether I got the question wrong or right.