Learning Strategies

Undergraduate Students

BEFORE: Preparing for the Test/Exam

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Self Reflection Questions:

Am I usually prepared for my tests and exams?
How often do I end up cramming when I don't want to?
Do I have the necessary skills and strategies to help me prepare well?
Do I know how to prepare a study plan? i.e.
- select the central information?
- organize my time?
How good are my memory strategies?
Do my memory strategies facilitate long term memory and recall?

Issues

If you are prepared for a test, you will do better than if you aren't prepared*. Really "knowing your stuff" means that you have learned your material, i.e., you can apply and use it in a meaningful way.
there are exceptions such as severe test anxiety brought on by non-academic factors.

It's also important to recognize that different courses require different kinds of learning. The 3 most common types of learning used in university are:

Memorizing
Understanding concepts
Problem-solving

For information on 3 types of learning, go to the TOOL:

Different Kinds of Learning (29 KB)

Strategies

The strategies in this section include how to:

be informed about the exam
select and organize central information
organize a study schedule and follow it
put regular review and self-testing into your study routine
deal with cramming
improve your memory strategies

Preparing for different test types such as multiple choice, short answer, and essay exams will be covered in the next section.

Steps in Preparing for a Test or Exam

Step 1: Be informed about the exam
Step 2: Be strategic
Step 3: Select and organize key information
Step 4: Review

Step 1: Be informed about the exam

What do I know already?
Do a "data dump". Write down everything you know about the course. The goal is to jump-start your brain and get you thinking about the subject matter.

What does the professor expect me to know?
Look at the course objectives on your course outline or syllabus.
Are any topics or sections given more emphasis? For example, a topic that has been covered for a number of weeks needs to be prioritized.
Does my professor have any special interests that might influence the topics, format, etc.?

What are the ‘logistics' of this test?

format: test types; breakdown of questions e.g. 50 multiple choice, 5 short answer
weighting: What percentage of the final mark is the exam worth?
topics to be covered
emphasis on material not yet tested compared to previously tested materials

What can past assignments and tests tell me about this test?
Look at old exams, assignments, and tests for questions types, topics, and key concepts.

What do I still need to complete?

compiling lecture notes
completing assigned readings (textbooks, articles)
For math & science: having solutions to problems; finishing labs

What other study aids do I need?

past exams, study guides
T.A. or prof., study group

Step 2: Be Strategic

Set targets: What content is to be reviewed by what date?
Begin with most difficult content.
Order the content: this depends on your professor's instructions and your learning goals.
Evaluate the quality of your review. If you don't have time to study everything, focus on a selection of material and learn it really well.

Step 3: Select and Organize Key Information

Here are four steps to help you select the right information to study.

Identify the key information (concepts, ideas, issues, sections)
Understand the key information
Organize the key ideas with their supporting information
Remember key course information

i. Identify the key ideas

Prepare a summary sheet for each major topic covered in the course.

Preparing Summary Sheets for Studying (36 KB)

ii. Understand the key information

Research shows that students who generate their own test questions perform better than students who answer prepared questions or just read. Generating and answering your own questions helps you to elaborate on the key ideas, going beyond surface reading and rote memorization.

For details of the research study go to:

How Students Can Best Prepare for Tests & Exams (57 KB)For more information on elaborating go to:

Understanding Key Information: Elaboration Helps (22 KB)

iii. Organize the key ideas with their supporting information

How do the key concepts interrelate?
What supporting information do I need to help me understand the main idea?

Use a Cornell note and/or a concept or mind-map to connect and distinguish key ideas from supporting points. For information on how to make and use a mind map or Cornell notes as a study tool, go to our online READING & NOTE-MAKING module.

iv. Remember key course information: To remember and recall the material on the exam, you will need to review, review, review and then self test. Continue to Step 4 for more information.

Step 4: Reviewing & Self-Testing

To facilitate understanding and learning, regular and systematic review during the term is necessary. Although students know the value of reviewing, due to such things as poor time management and procrastination, many students leave reviewing till just days before a test. Self-testing should also be applied during your review of materials so that you can gage the extent of your learning. Keeping up with readings, and regular review also greatly reduce stress!

What is Review?
Review is a two-way process of information gathering and information using.

Information Gathering ↔ Information Using

During the review process you switch back and forth between these two functions.

Information Gathering
Read through all the sources of information: lecture notes, books and articles, labs, old exams, handouts, workbooks, study guides, etc.

Information Using
Test your understanding of the information. Use a variety of strategies while you review. The strategies you choose will depend on the nature of the material, and your learning style.

Some popular review strategies:

summary notes: tables, mind maps, headings with bullet points
cue cards
analyze types of questions and answer questions on old exams
practice problems
do a mock exam
make up your own multiple choice questions
use memory strategies e.g. make up mnemonics or visual stories to link words/ideas together
rewrite
recite out loud
generate new examples to illustrate concepts
apply a concept to your own life experience
teach a friend

Adapted from: Fleet, J. et al (1990). Learning for Success: Skills and Strategies for Canadian Students. Toronto, ON: Harcourt Brace Janovich.

This Material Will Be On the Test! Ways to predict test questions (16 KB)
Self Testing: Don't Wait Till Just Before the Test (14 KB)

Organizing a Study Schedule

With a well conceived and realistic study schedule, it is very possible for a student to prepare for many exams at the same time and have time to take care of their other important needs, i.e. sleeping, eating well, and exercising. The TOOLS below will assist you in this task. Good luck!

Rules for Organizing a Study Schedule (21 KB)
The "5 Day" Study Plan (28 KB)
Studying for Multiple Exams...Expanding the 5-day Study Plan (28 KB)

Interactive Weekly Schedule

Cramming sucks but I still need to do it...sometimes!

Reasons students cram may include: a preference for doing things at the last minute; can't seem to get organized in advance; an unreasonable course load; or an extenuating circumstance has arisen. Students who cram are risk-takers with their academic success. Why?

Dire consequences of cramming include:

not having enough time to associate and integrate new information to prior learning
not having time to recite and elaborate means you might not see important connections
if you fail the exam or course or wish to continue in this field of study, you will have to study the same information again. And, that takes more time...
if you're very stressed, information can elude you during the test
you're probably exhausted from not sleeping enough, right? Lack of sleep causes cognitive impairment. In other words, you're NOT THINKING CLEARLY.

Ok, but let's get real. Most students have to cram sometimes. With this in mind, go to the TOOL mentioned below for helpful hints to maximize your learning when cramming.

But What if I Have to Cram? (16 KB)

Memory Strategies

With the large volume of information university students must learn, there is no avoiding memorization. Students with good memory strategies find retaining and recalling information much easier. Memorization is a SKILL, not a talent, so you need to have good strategies and practise them regularly.

Memory Strategies for Exam Prep (86 KB)

For more excellent memory strategies, go to the TOOLS section of our online READING AND NOTE-MAKING module.