This post was moved from an older website hosted on a college server. These have been unedited and contain many mistakes, good examples of poor writing, lack of structure, and perhaps even thought. Nevertheless, they do chronicle what I was up to in college.
*You may have been redirected to this webpage because there exists no study guide for the subject/class that you are looking for. These general study tips are applicable to all classes and are further divided into classes that are more specific.
My AP European History teacher once gave me a sheet of paper with the phrase “Mastery Through Discipline” written at the top. I was at first unsure if this was an ancient martial arts paper or if it was a study sheet. As I proceeded to read on, I noticed a couple of simple studying tips that may help you study. They may work differently for each different person, but you should try out each one:
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Visit your professors. You should at least visit your professors once a month to check up on your progress or to ask them questions on topics/issues that you do not understand. It’s about communication. As long as your professor knows you’re serious about your studies, you will always be in a positive light when you’re riding the difference between a B+ or A-, etc.
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Do not listen to music that will distract you from work. Although you may have listened to music throughout your teen years, you need to focus on the quality and depth of your work. When reading, eliminate all distractions. It is fine to use music that promotes reflection, but vocal music is mostly distracting. Studies have shown that listening to Mozart before taking tests may improve your test score, but listening to music during the test will distract you. The same is applicable to your studying habits.
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Be disciplined. The mark of a great person is to be disciplined in their work and in their play. It’s important for students to work efficiently and effectively. Think of the time when you were able to achieve something great in a short amount of time. That incident doesn’t happen by accident. If you’re working to the best of your ability, you can definitely get a lot done, and still have time to party on the weekends.
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Actively study. Be engaged in the material that you are studying. To retain information, you have to relate somehow to it. Ever read a passage and then not know what you just read? It’s important to actively study and be focused on the topic at hand.
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Sleep is important. The younger you are in development, the more REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep you will need. As you grow older, you can sleep less and will have less REM sleep. Studies have shown that REM sleep is critical for memory retention, bodily health, and rejuvenation of metabolic processes. Although you can function on four hours of sleep, it doesn’t mean that you’re functioning to your full capacity. It’s important that you make sure to get enough sleep to allow your body enough rest for the next day. PULL ALL-NIGHTERS FOR TESTS AT YOUR OWN RISK! For many students, pulling all-nighters may give you the answer to question 12 at the expense of losing the answer to question 5 on your exam. It’s comparatively better to sleep the nights before a test, and review in the morning.
Math or Math-Related Topics
- Practice, practice, practice. Math is mainly procedural. Practice the procedure and your chances of success will increase.
- Always show your work. You don’t need me to explain this do you? Alright, if you miss a question, the instructor will look to see if you had the right process and might award you half credit. There is no cost to showing your work, but there is if you don’t.
- Use the silly acronyms to remember how math works. It’s okay. You don’t learn how to drive a car by knowing exactly how a car works. You test it out and remember the tricks of how to drive. You can learn its intricacies later.
Language Related Topics
- Use mnemonic devices. I know you probably used them as a kid and you think that you are far above the use of mnemonic devices, but they work. Make note cards with translations on them or write out vocabulary words/phrases repeatedly. Remember to review almost daily.
- Make quick study sheets. Take a sheet of paper and fold it into fours lengthwise (you should have four columns). Fold it so that the first column is on the left side and the fourth column is facing the first on the right side. Write your English translation on one side, and the second language translation on the other. Once you open the paper, you can proceed to fill in the translation for both in the blank center two columns.
Reading-Based Classes
- In most of your classes, you will write essays. Visit the Writing Center. No matter if you are working on Senior thesis or a freshman writing your first Li10 or Civ10 paper, they are always a great guide to writing. You can go over your writing with the writing center staff and, in doing so, understand your weaknesses and your strengths.
- For quick study, use Sparknotes, Monkey Notes, Cliffs Notes,ClassicNotes, and the Claremont Colleges Library Database. In particular, for your Civ10 classes, the final is about trying to remembering much of what you had previously read. By reading through these notes, your mind should recall the characters and the plot of many of the texts.
- Create study guides. Many of the study guides found on this website did not come from third-party sources. Most of them originated from the classes themselves and from the students who took those classes. The process of making study guides is both educational and very useful. You can do it in a group or by yourself. The only problem is that when you work in a group, you have varying levels of experience with making study guides. The best way to prepare is to make a study guide for the reading assigned for your class, e.g. you will come prepared with a study guide for next Tuesday’s reading on Plato. When the midterm or finals rolls around, you only need to cut and paste relevant information for the test.