what seems to work best while studying......

alliestar · Oct 30, 2007

I make tons and tons of flash cards.

The process of making the flash cards is half the part of studying.

Plus you can take them anywhere with you.

alliestar

catzy5 · Oct 30, 2007

i was just wondering what works best for you while studying.
what methods work best for you ?
thanks alot.

highlighting and writing, i don't seem to be able to absorb information unless i have highlighted it, and when it's very difficult i have to rewrite (usually in the form of flash cards). then i will be like ah ha! now i get it lol.

cardiacRN2006, ADN, RN · Oct 30, 2007

Flash cards worked for me.

Instead of putting raw data on the cards, I would try to phrase it into questions like I saw on previous tests.

Also, I would highlight topics in the book that corresponed with what the teacher said in class.

If the teacher said something twice, then it got a star, and I would know that it ended up on a test...

RNDreamer · Oct 31, 2007

Depending on the course, and whether it is tough or not. I usually study section by section or topic by topic. Let's say 1 chapter has 3 topics. I study the 1st topic, then take maybe a 30 minutes break to let the info absorb, first looking at the lecture notes, then going through the book...then repeat with the next two topics. If there are questions at the back of the chapter, I try to answer them w/o looking at the chapter or my notes

intuition · Nov 1, 2007

I highlight, and then I write out an outline of the chapter. Writing it down seems to really make it stick in my head. Then I just keep re-reading the outline and go over any illustrations or graphs in the books before the test.

nurz2be · Nov 2, 2007

i was just wondering what works best for you while studying.
what methods work best for you ?
thanks alot.

i am what i call a repetitive learner. i cannot not matter how many times i only read something, recall much of it. so, i must type, rewrite the material, make flashcards. i take notes in class. anything the instructor says with any type of emphasis, writes on the board, has on a powerpoint (i always as the instructor if i can have a copy of the ppt material most always say yes). i then go home and make flashcards and most of the time retype my notes and clean them up. then if i am still having trouble recalling anything from the flashcards i will handwrite that information and usually do well recalling it.

i also find that with especially the science classes, if i can find a picture to look at or a video of a particular body function, it helps it stick even better. so i look those up online if they are not in our class materials.

one thing i can say after being in school for 8 months now is never study tired. even if i have to take a 30 minute power nap to refresh, i don't study tired because the information become muddled and i only confuse myself.

my methods work for me, i am a 4.0 student, knock on wood.

good luck with your studies. let us know if you find something that works for you it may help someone else.

SparklyGirl · Nov 2, 2007

By far, by far the most helpful things are:

1. Getting out of the house to study at a place with no distractions (library or cafe)

2. Writing things over and over and over. Sometimes if I couldn't remember a term, I would just write it like 20 times and then I would know it.

3. Re-writing my notes. Typing my notes up.

4. Making flash cards.

I do these things and I've gotten straight As in Anatomy, Micro, Physiology, Nutrition, Logic, etc. etc. :)

Blove86 · Nov 3, 2007

Study methods for me depend on the class. For math classes, I took notes in the class. Then kept asking questions until everything made sense, then went home and did prac. problems until I understood the formula and concept. For math/science classes (Chemistry) I take the required notes, for my classe we dont need to know the definitions or theories just the problems and formula, so I go to SI sessions and I do all the prac. problems, and I interact with the professor ALOT!!

juli44 · Nov 4, 2007

I love the practice Qs in the back of the book or any work book that comes with the text. I study with flash cards and then work the Qs the night before and I haven't missed an A so far.

AtomicWoman · Nov 4, 2007

i was just wondering what works best for you while studying.
what methods work best for you ?
thanks alot.

1. for a&p: making tons of flash cards with images, concepts and potential questions. and then toting those flash cards everywhere so i can review when i have a few minutes! also, i go to the on-line activities of my textbook and do all of the activities and practice questions. finally, i have a list of good biology/a&p sites, and i go to them and take *their* online quizzes.

one other thing i've found essential for doing well in a&p: i photocopy the important illustrations in my textbook. then i black out the labels on the copy, and make 6 to 10 copies of *that* copy. then i practice filling in the labels myself, over and over. usually by about the 4th go-round, no matter how tough the illustration is, i've just about got it down. if it's very complicated drawing, i will label it a minimum of 6 times, the last time right before the test so it is very fresh. there's something about writing those words over and over and seeing where they fit in an illustration that helps embed them in my mind.

2. for chemistry: doing every single assigned problem in the textbook. then doing a few more. :) then going to the on-line activities section of my textbook and doing every single activity and quiz/test question. then if i still have questions, i go to one of my favorite on-line chemistry sites and do some more problems. finally, if i still have questions, i email my prof. or ask the question in class.

3. for me, being able to devote large chunks of time in a single sitting is important. i know not everyone is able to do that, though.

4. having fellow students i met in a&p class as "lifeline" buddies is great. before a test, we call each other and compare notes and ask each other questions.

rnmomtobe2010 · Nov 4, 2007

I thought I was being silly for re-writing everything. I see that I am not the only one who does that. Highlighting and re-writing works best for me. Like the previous poster stated, I can read and read all day long and I cannot retain the info but when I highlight and re-write, I am good to go. I just figured out that technique and the semester is almost over. But, by doing this, I have pulled up some c averages to b's so far. Whatever works best for you, do it!!