JENNIFER A. JOY-GABA

 

 

1. Use flashcards. Write the term on one side of the card and the definition on the other. To be effective, rephrase the definition in your own words. If you are unable to do this, you do not understand the term and will need to review your notes. Studies show that when students generate their own examples, they retain the information much better than students who use the instructor or book examples (see here for a review).
    

2. Study aloud. Many students review material silently. By reviewing material aloud you can quickly see how well you know the material. If you have trouble articulating yourself, you'll want to go back and review the material.
    

3. Practice. In addition to flashcards, test yourself with example questions. You can do this by using the in-class exercises or by making up your own practice questions.
    

4. Study over time. Research has shown that students perform better when they study a little bit over time compared to cramming the night before.
    

5. Get some sleep. If you are able to get a full nights rest, research shows that you will be better able to remember the information for later.
    

6. Use mnemonics.  Use acronyms to help you retain the information. For example, NOIR (the French word for the color black) refers to the four types of scales in order: Nominal, Ordinal, Interval, and Ratio.
    

7. Take notes by hand. It turns out that students are more successful on exams when they take notes by hand than when they do by computer (click here for a review).
    

8. Be mindful of pre-made study guides. There are a few websites that offer pre-made study guides from current/former students. If you choose this route, make sure you check the information carefully. You are assuming the person who wrote the guide understood the material correctly.