Studying for Tests: Reviewing for a Test

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Why go to all the bother of learning about the test itself? Because doing so helps you know how to review and prepare for the test. You want to make the most effective use of your time and focus on the most important information. And you can best do this by gathering as much information as possible for the test. Armed with a good idea of what you can expect, you can start to review.

This section focuses on how to best review the information that will be covered on a particular test.

Reviewing Readings

If your test will cover readings (for example, from a textbook or novel), you want first to complete the readings when they’re assigned. Second, take notes on the reading. Then you should be prepared to study.

When reviewing what you’ve read, consider the following suggestions:

• Read through your reading notes and quiz yourself. What do you remember without too much effort? What facts or elements stand out?
• Ask yourself the six main journalism questions and see whether you can answer them about the topic. The questions include: what? who? when? where? why? how?
• Look at the review questions (if any) in the book to get an idea of what the textbook author thought was important. See whether you can easily answer these. Flag any questions you don’t know.
• If you’re able to highlight in your book, read through the highlighted parts to get the main ideas. Think about how you may be tested on these ideas.
• Imagine that you’re the instructor. What questions would you ask? What facts would you stress?
• Rather than review material and try to memorize it, take a more active approach. Experience the concept; imagine an idea’s consequences; apply the learning. The “Final Tips on Studying for Your Test” section in this chapter covers tips on studying more actively (versus passively trying to memorize and recite back what you’ve read).
• Think about what you don’t know about the subject. Are there any gaps in your information? Do you have any questions? If you start studying early and notice a gap, you have time to ask the instructor for clarification in class. If, on the other hand, you start studying the night before a test, you may want to look up the information yourself — in your textbook, in another resource, online, and so on. Take special care to do this if you’ve missed class(es) or feel there are key points you don’t understand.

Reviewing Lecture Notes

In addition to your reading notes, also review your lecture notes (if the lectures are covered on the test). Good notes equal good test preparation.

Read through your lecture notes and, like reviewing your reading notes, anticipate the types of ideas and concepts that are likely to be covered on the test. Try to remember what the instructor stressed. What did she write on the board? What did he talk about more than once?

Practicing

For some types of test, you won’t be memorizing and reviewing information you’ve read, but will instead be solving problems (math) or giving a recital (music). In this case, the best way to prepare is to practice. Practicing is also a good way to study for essay answers.

For math, for example, practice solving problems, especially those you got wrong on homework assignments. You’re likely to find extra problems (similar to those you did on homework or in class) in your textbook or workbook. The Cliffs Study Solver series (Wiley) presents subject-area content review plus loads of practice questions and answers on a wide variety of subject areas. Your instructor may also give you worksheets. Some math courses provide practice problems on a special disc or Internet download. You can work out the solutions, and then check your work using the software and files provided on the coursework. The available materials vary, depending on your school, the course, and other factors, such as whether you have access to computers.