How do you Tackle Chapter Reading Assignments and Make them Stick?

Nurse Kyles, BSN, RN · Feb 3, 2011

Does your instructor provide power points? My teachers usually provide us with power points highlighting the key topics we should understand. I will use that as a guide of what to study/read from the chapters.

tokidokifantasy · Feb 3, 2011

power point and study guides are more important than the book. The book goes into way too much and you just need to focus on what the teacher wants you to know. If you have the study guide, just look at the objectives and read those sections in the book. flash cards are good! if you are visual learner, you can use a concept map, that works for me. It is a lot of information, you don't know what the teacher will test you, so it's better to overstudy then don't study at all. Also, you will have a lot of critical thinking questions and select all that apply questions, just answer them best to your knowledge. I like the process of elimination. Good Luck!

metricalpound · Feb 3, 2011

1. Before lecture, I usually skim over the chapter before class so I am prepared for what I am about to hear - I'm primed for the material.

2. The day or a few days after class, I go over the chapter again with a highlighter highlighting any material that I think is pertinent or the lecturer seemed to dwell upon.

3. My book came with a study guide - so after a day or a couple, I do the study guide questions and use the text book if I need to.

4. A couple of days before the exam, I make sure to go over all the material - read highlighted material over again, go over the study guide and do the appropriate NCLEX questions that are in NCLEX books; keeping a keen eye on rationales.

Gluck!

CuriousMe · Feb 3, 2011

power point and study guides are more important than the book. The book goes into way too much and you just need to focus on what the teacher wants you to know. If you have the study guide, just look at the objectives and read those sections in the book. flash cards are good! if you are visual learner, you can use a concept map, that works for me. It is a lot of information, you don't know what the teacher will test you, so it's better to overstudy then don't study at all. Also, you will have a lot of critical thinking questions and select all that apply questions, just answer them best to your knowledge. I like the process of elimination. Good Luck!

I think this depends on the instructor. We were tested on our book's level of detail.

in2ICU · Feb 8, 2011

I look at the teacher's PPT to see what topics are covered. Then I go to the book and look at those topics specifically. The key is to understand those specific topics inside and out in relation to the general content in a chapter - even if you have to look in other books, dictionaries, wikipedia... whatever. Just make sure you "get it" and that's half the battle.

Ultimately I highlighted a lot. I would skim a section to see what the big picture was, then I'd go back and read it carefully (that's when I highlighted), and then I copied the important passages into my notebook. After doing all that, I usually remembered the information pretty well. Then I'd just skim over it the day of the exam. I left nursing school with a 4.0 GPA.

The best shortcut advice I could ever give you is that there aren't any shortcuts. If only I could take back all the time I looked for a better, quicker way to study. Just do the work; if you truly understand a topic then you don't have to memorize it and you'll be able to build on that in later classes. Good luck!

PS - caffeine (like a soda) helps with brainpower... I always drank mine 1/2 hour before the exams

Despareux · Feb 8, 2011

Up to this point, I have read every chapter 2-3 times, draw out concepts, and take notes; although I'm passing with this method, I think I could be doing much better. I'm a very slow reader, which leaves no time for other studying techniques.

Our instructors use powerpoints; I print them off, but I have never used them to study. The students in my class, who are getting the better grades, use the powerpoints almost exclusively. I think I may try that method and if there is any concept I have trouble with, I will simply review it in my book. I'll let you know how it's working out for me.

CrnaDae · Feb 9, 2011

What I read the other day from a student that stuck with me was you need to differentiate the NEED to know from the GOOD to know. I highlight so much its distracting so now I am focusing on rationales, signs and symptoms versus the whole summary. Im in my first few weeks and process of ilimination on exams seem to work its the concept I need to get down but I got my first 87 in pharm today which brought my spirits back up... Flash cards are great to memorize charts or definitions... also whiteout peices of charts make a few compies and fill in the blanks that helps me ex abdominal and learning whats in each quadrant

GOOD LUCK

skimpstah · Feb 9, 2011

I went to a study skills worksop and it was suggested not to over do it with the highlighting. I'd say record lectures if it's permitted. Then listen to them within a day or so and write down important topics covered.

mangopeach · Feb 9, 2011

I look at the teacher's PPT to see what topics are covered. Then I go to the book and look at those topics specifically. The key is to understand those specific topics inside and out in relation to the general content in a chapter - even if you have to look in other books, dictionaries, wikipedia... whatever. Just make sure you "get it" and that's half the battle.
Ultimately I highlighted a lot. I would skim a section to see what the big picture was, then I'd go back and read it carefully (that's when I highlighted), and then I copied the important passages into my notebook. After doing all that, I usually remembered the information pretty well. Then I'd just skim over it the day of the exam. I left nursing school with a 4.0 GPA.
The best shortcut advice I could ever give you is that there aren't any shortcuts. If only I could take back all the time I looked for a better, quicker way to study. Just do the work; if you truly understand a topic then you don't have to memorize it and you'll be able to build on that in later classes. Good luck!
PS - caffeine (like a soda) helps with brainpower... I always drank mine 1/2 hour before the exams

This is pretty much what I've been doing. Right down to the the caffeine! 6:00 am is my power hour! LOL! I wake up and have my coffee and start studying. I feel like this is my most productive study time. Interesting because I've never been a morning person. I use the powerpoints as my study guide. Then I go to the textbook and read those sections in more detail. I feel like I'm not always getting the big picture with just the powerpoints.

Its time consuming and tedious. Geez Louise sometimes I really wish there was an easier way for ME to do this, but after scoring well on my first 2 exams, it ain't broke so I'm not gonna try to fix it.

ImThatGuy, BSN, RN · Feb 10, 2011

Your first test is kind of a litmus that'll show you if you should pay more credence to the book or the lecture. I listen to the lectures, read the slides while they're up on the wall, read the good chapters, and skim the others. The more you read the more you'll get out of it (retain & comprehend) over time.