Weird question=Study by reading textbook..... and something more to retain info?

My adviser told me something that really helped during my first semester: If it will help save someone's life, know it. If not... it's nice to know, but don't kill yourself over it. I don't even begin to try and read everything. I skim the chapter and keep an eye out for anything that looks important and make sure to focus on that. I also use the end of chapter questions to help pinpoint what I need to focus on. I'm not going to lie, those techniques only netted me a B+ in Fundamentals. I'm fine with that. I'm not sure if you are.

This is my method....

Before lecture I read/skim (a combo of both.....try to pick out the most important things to read well...and skim the things that seem less important). I also take notes while I read about what I feel like is important...

then after we have gone through the info in lecture I will go back and reread the info that the instructors emphasized and take notes/highlight what is important. I also LOVE lined post it notes.....any info that the instructor emphasized but may not be in the book (or maybe I made a connection between this info and something else, or whatever)...I write on a lined post it note and stick it in my book with the info it coordinated with so that when I go back to study that info is there readily available with the other info I highlighted in the book.

I retain more info if I actually write things down instead of just reading...so thats what I do

I think it depends on the class and the instructor. My fundamentals instructor tested straight out of the book. She even said the book wins. So, if she said something in class, but the book had a differing opinion the book was what she tested on. I read every word in every chapter, plus highlighting for fundamentals. She even took test questions word for word from the end of chapters. Pharmacology was a different story. Instructor taught the material and tested from what he taught. Hardly read anything in pharm book once I figured out he was testing straight from his lectures. In regards to your question: I skim the chapter first, then read it, then re-read and highlight the important stuff. This works for me.

It does depend on the instructor. However, during my 1st semester I read less than 25% of the material in my book. I spent time looking at the power points, answering the end of chapter questions, answering my test review questions, and finally and most importantly looking at my Saunders NCLEX book. It may seem like the material doesn't match what you are studying, but you have to look and sometimes it is labeled differently. There is an outline before the practice questions which sums up what you really need to know as a nurse, and then you do the practice questions.

I also Googled practice questions online for the material we were covering. I made A's the first semester!