Study Smarter, Not Harder

Getting ready for final exams

Your Jump Start Plan

The first step is deciding that studying is an important part of achieving success, and being motivated to do what it takes to reach your end goal. There are four fundamentals of effective studying

Your Jump Start Plan

Belief in Yourself

Your Jump Start Plan

Preparation

Preparing a place to study

Find a study place; a place that is ideally only for studying

Not your bed Not in the living room Not in the cafeteria or coffee shop The best place is a desk in your bedroom, or in the basement, or anywhere you can find that is relatively free of distractions.

Your Jump Start Plan

Discipline

Making a Study Plan

Look at everything you need to cover during the exam period Look at the dates of your exams and see how much time you will have before the exam to prepare Divide up you study sessions appropriately Once you have a plan, STICK TO IT!

Your Jump Start Plan

Activity

Myth Busters:
Myths that can Destroy your Success #1: I study better with music on!

Goes along with other distractions including TV, texting, messaging, talking on the phone, generally thinking you are a great multi-tasker (there is no such thing) With all of these distractions while studying, you are making your brain work HARDER, not SMARTER

Myth Busters:
Myths that can Destroy your Success TURN THEM OFF!

No iPod, radio, computer, TV, phone or video games 20 minutes really isnt that long. If you do not create this quiet environment for your brain to engage in learning, it will not matter what other study skills you put into practice.

Myth Busters:
Myths that can Destroy your Success #2: I work better under pressure!

No one learns effectively during cramming sessions for final exams. If you leave things to the last minute, there are only two outcomes:
Abandoning all hope and giving up Giving it your best shot in the short time left

The pressure might make you focus, but your brain needs more time to absorb.

Myth Busters:
Myths that can Destroy your Success #3: I remember better if I just listen!

You need to have a record of what your teacher says in class to help you study How are you going to study without notes? Writing notes forces you to think about what you are learning and remember it. Writing engages your other senses. You are sitting in class anyways, why waste time? A little effort now saves stress later.

Myth Busters:
Myths that can Destroy your Success #4: Cheating isnt a big deal!

You wont learn anything this does mean something in the long run Eventually, everyone gets caught Character is mostly about what a person does when they think no one is watching

So what are the FACTS?

So what are the facts?

Short, 20 minute study sessions are the most effective

More beginnings and ends Retention from repetition Gives you short breaks (about 10 minutes) often, which may help keep you motivated to continue

So what are the facts?

Reading is not enough!

It has been proven that you only have a 25% retention rate when you only read your notes/textbooks Everything else you do increases that retention rate substantially

So what are the facts?

DIVERSIFY! Passively looking at the words on a page is what most people do and never go beyond. You must be active by Reading aloud to yourself or a partner Teaching the material to someone Making up a rhyme Rewriting key ideas in your own words Drawing a picture/diagram

So what are the facts?

Recopy your class notes/copy from texts/make cue cards/etc. Ask yourself pertinent questions Make connections and associations Make it weird? All these activities require your mind to work with the material, reorganize it, and, in the process, make it part of you. As long as you are a passive studier, the information will always be someone else's.

So what are the facts?

The Repetition Effect

The more you repeat what you want to embed in your long-term memory, the better you will remember it. Associations, weirdness, specificity, and activity mean nothing if you do not drill yourself in the things you want to remember. Ex: How do you remember a song?

So what are the facts?

CHUNK MATERIAL! Try to organize the material so common elements are reviewed together. It is easier to memorize five headings with five items each than to try and cram 25 seemingly unrelated pieces of data into your long-term memory. There wont always be a pattern, but the act of analyzing the lists in search of patterns will help you memorize

So what are the facts?

Summarizing
This is one of the most important tools in effective studying When you summarize, not only are you going over the information again (repetition), but you are forced to determine which information is MOST important for your exam

So what are the facts?

Summarizing
This also allows you to make it personal by putting it in your own words and making it more meaningful to you Excellent way to summarize key info? Make yourself a mock test or exam.

Overcoming Test Anxiety

Do

you get overly stressed before and during test or exam situations?

Overcoming Test Anxiety

Everyone experiences a certain level of stress when placed in these kinds of situations there is a healthy, productive level of stress. When the stress reaches too high a level, it is counter-productive it causes your brain to essentially shut down (applies to studying and exams)

Overcoming Test Anxiety

If this describes you, you are not alone. Many students suffer from anxiety, but there are strategies and tools you can use to help feel more at ease during these times

Overcoming Test Anxiety

BE IN A POSITIVE STATE OF MIND

I can do it! Picture yourself being successful Avoid talking with peers who feel they are under prepared, express negativity about the test or exam, etc. Try to remain calm and focused on the task that is coming up

Overcoming Test Anxiety

BE PREPARED AND DISCIPLINED!

Going into an exam feeling confident about your knowledge of the material is essential to your success Arrive early (by at least 10 minutes) in case there are any issues that arise Come with all of the materials you will need (pencils, eraser, calculator, dictionary, geometry set, water, etc.)

Overcoming Test Anxiety

GET YOUR BODY READY!

Get a good nights sleep Eat breakfast in the morning Bring snacks for throughout the day If you are already inclined to feel anxiety, your body requires these basic needs to keep you balanced and focused

No matter what your present level of learning ability and achievement may be YOU CAN ALWAYS IMPROVE!

NEED HELP?
See teachers at lunch for help Login to www.learnquebec.ca Get help from a tutor See Mr. Rosseel or Ms. Barnes in the Guidance Office (Room 123) for anything that you need

Remember Thomas Edisons words

Many of lifes failures are those people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up

YOUR EXAMS
Make sure you have a copy of the exam schedule GET OUT YOUR AGENDAS Highlight/circle the exams you need to write Check for conflicts Write it in your agendas

Good Luck on your EXAMS!