How do YOU study for a test/quiz?

[Perfect Cell]

Studying is one of those things that everyone does a little differently compared to everyone else. Some people re-write their notes until they've got it down. Others use flash cards and have other people test them on questions. Some like to read their notes outloud.

Personally, I like to put all my notes into one big "super note" and read it out until I've got it all down. For me, this especially works well if the teacher gives us a notice on what's going to be on the test, that way I can put all the relevant information onto the note and only study over for that information. I read the note for 45 minutes, take a 15 minute break, then read it again for 30 minutes. Repeat for 2-3 days.

So, the question is, what method do you use to study? How long do you study on average?

Post away!

 

[newtonja]

Sit down with tests in front of me, realize I have my phone, and get distracted.
In all seriousness all I do a quick scan in the text book. Honestly I barely study if I do the homework.

 

[Spy]

All I really do is read my notes a million times over in my head, until I can state everything I need to in my head without looking at my notes. Gotten me straight As so far :P

 

[The Avalanches]

I usually test myself with questions and read over my notes.

 

[Kingpoleon]

I don't study.

 

[MoxieInfinite]

#freeadv

 

[whistle]

go through my lecture notes, any notes I took on papers, and any posted class material. read through everything and rewrite anything I think will be useful on the test. usually takes a decent chunk of a day and maybe 5-10 sheets of notebook paper (depends if text or figure heavy and number of lectures covered). for me, reading over notes without writing anything down is pretty much useless.

 

[colours]

I don't study.

Pretty much this. I'm not even joking either, I learn best with lectures and powerpoints, because they are so helpful that it is unbelievable. Throughout my entire school life, I've never really once look at the notes that I've taken because I get bored of mindlessly reading some words on a notebook. I learn better when the material is straight from the instructor's mouth, and I do my absolute best to kind of memorize the gist of what they're saying so that I could (so to speak) regurgitate (I hate this word but I couldn't think of a better substitute) any information I've gained into any test or quiz that I'm given.

Sadly, this doesn't really work as I had hoped to in college...at least not for math class. ~__~ Trying to stuff a bunch of concepts and formulas into your head is just mental suicide.

 

[billymills]

Figure out what I need to learn (terms, formulae, processes).
Find out where I can learn it (Wikipedia, online notes, textbooks).
Read it over 1-2 times so it sticks.

Takes about an hour if I paid attention the first time. Up to about 10 hours if I'm learning it for the first time.

 

[BenTheDemon]

I have never studied a day in my life for a quiz, test, or anything like that. I still made straight A's.
I study for my own amusement of learning new things, though. I don't think that repeating answers for questions is really learning much.

 

[Kingpoleon]

Pretty much this. I'm not even joking either, I learn best with lectures and powerpoints, because they are so helpful that it is unbelievable. Throughout my entire school life, I've never really once look at the notes that I've taken because I get bored of mindlessly reading some words on a notebook. I learn better when the material is straight from the instructor's mouth, and I do my absolute best to kind of memorize the gist of what they're saying so that I could (so to speak) regurgitate (I hate this word but I couldn't think of a better substitute) any information I've gained into any test or quiz that I'm given.

Sadly, this doesn't really work as I had hoped to in college...at least not for math class. ~__~ Trying to stuff a bunch of concepts and formulas into your head is just mental suicide.

How? Reading books about theories is more interesting, formulas are easy. Just say that(if Pokemon is an important part of your life) bulbasaur>squirtle when squirtle is ~>.03(-17*3/.5)|=c<s when s is ~54.9-*7(3/94). I do what you do, but I am naturally algebraic along with "Memory Test Disease(or whatever you want to call it)". I used a study guide in 6th grade was the last time, iirc. Don't look over the notes or book except maybe like 5 minutes before the quiz/test, and even then only if it feels like there's something I'm not remembering that is important.

 

[Leafshield]

I'm with a few other people here in that I don't really "study". I absorb much more information from lectures, writing down notes in class as the instructor is introducing them, and examining visual notes such as powerpoints and the like rather than sitting down and studying. If anything, the best way for me to study were those review games teachers would do when you were in middle school, since as I remembered the activity, I better remembered the material. I've only ever studied for reciting pieces for public speaking or English (excerpts from plays), and for that I just repeat it with different tones and emphasize different words on each read-through so I can familiarize myself with the words.

 

[Taehl]

I usually read it once and then make a resume.

 

[michael]

past exams all the way. i really do find they're the best way to prepare. like novae i don't learn well from notes i take so a combination of going to each and every lecture + doing past exam papers as preparation does it best for me.

ps: molecular model kits are literally jesus if you do any formal symmetry or vibrational mode stuff holy shit

 

[Pidge]

If I need to remember something exactly, like a chemical pathway or series of molecules and their structures, I start with a blank piece of paper and write/draw the first few items. I check with a key and see if what I wrote/drew is correct and make a mental note of what I need to fix. Then I try to write/draw it again and see if I get it perfectly or still need to make fixes. Once I get the first few items down to memory, I add more items and repeat the process. I am finished when I can replicate every item 2-3 times in a row without making a single mistake, or else I have to start the 'streak' over. Then I try to replicate everything again a few hours later to see if I truly remember. To be honest, doing this is kind of fun to me. I treat it like a challenge or game, and I prefer it over flash cards. Also, I don't do this all without distraction. I might take a minute or two to browse the Internet every time I do something correct, but not when I do something incorrect. Memorizing this way may be a little overboard because I always start with nothing while practicing. But on the actual exam, I may have to draw the structure of an amino acid based on its name, or name an amino acid based on its structure; rarely do I have to come up with both items based on nothing.

Unfortunately (or fortunately for others), not all courses require you to memorize an exact list of things. When studying broader concepts, I am more lazy and read through notes and may make a new note page for things I especially need to know. I add more notes to the original note pages if something is unclear. I try doing this 5-7 days in advance of an exam, and do a chapter or section a day, while the last day I go over everything. If there is an in-depth study guide, I might just go through those instead of my notes.

There are also the classes where I only skim my notes the night before, like I would normally in high school.

 

[PttP]

I usually just admit to defeat and take the D of shame (both literally and figuratively.)

 

[Lazybeef]

Open textbook in front of me as I browse the internet.

Last minute panic always solves it for me anyways.

 

[jumpluff]

Rewrite my notes to cover information I believe is going to be relevant and to make them more concise. Writing stuff (or typing it, rather) helps me commit things to memory, and the act of rephrasing it + selectively writing down information forces me to mentally parse what I'm reading. I am presently in the process of typing up a topic-divided set of notes for my bio test synthesised from all my lecture notes. I then like to have a few readthroughs over the days before to make things more familiar.

 

[Relados]

I go on Smogon and Showdown and forget that I have studying.

 

[Lolk]

For classes that I need, I just use a lot of repetition whether doing extra problems or just reading over notes a lot. For classes I don't care about/need, I just make really stupid acronyms and connections to funny things so that I can memorize the answers for the next day. Of course, I don't remember much from those classes now lol.

 

[comatthew6]

Grind problems/old exams until the methods get stuck in my brain. Only way I can study.

 

[Nabbit]

I usually re-write things I need to know over and over again in order to study. Flashcards I use sometimes.

Although I only really study for an hour for my harder classes. After that one hour I just say, "Fuck it, I either know it or I don't," and do something else.

I do not learn by cramming everything in one night, to say the least.

 

[Minwu]

I've come to find my life is awful because I never had to study much until I was finishing up my associate's basically... Writing this puts a pit in my stomach. :/ The next two weeks should be a good opportunity to catch up for me though with spring break and unavoidable business for several of my teachers, so there's that

i'm pretty much too stubborn and defiant and sensitive to get much done at home because my father pathologically attacks my work ethic any time my problems come up.

behind me is a stack of about 100 pages of handouts from this academic year i made a note last monday to go through.

calling a classmate and just working together after lunch and brief words sometimes helps me feel better and work for a few hours but i don't know? does that sound like a bad habit or should i reach out more often if it works, i really value the friendships i've formed around being in college and beind a college student

thanks for making it this far, literally any words would help

 

[Cresselia~~]

highlight and read.
Highlight things that I don't remember from the last revision.
Then in the 3rd revision, highlight stuff I don't remember with another color.
Eventually, I know what I really need to read more.

 

[Fuzznip]

I study off of the solutions from past quiz and midterm/final exams. I also do a lot of problems from the textbook with the solutions to them by my side and work with it. I don't particularly enjoy reading lecture notes or rewriting notes because I often find that it doesn't help due to how shit and pointless they usually are. It's a complete waste of my time. The more problems you do, the more you will understand the material. If you don't understand a concept even with the solution, that's when you can use lecture notes or, my personal favourite, the textbook for additional reference. There's only so many ways a test can ask you to solve something, so chances are, you'll get a question you're familiar with and know how to do. That's the way I think about it, anyway, and it's been getting the job done.

Oh, and this is for math and science courses. I don't take any literature/history/etc courses.