There is a SLIGHT chance that panic is starting to set in for student who haven't started studying yet.  Cramming is one of the most ineffective study methods, but there are some tips to make it more effective if this is where you find yourself.

• Don't panic! This will hurt your ability to concentrate and plan your critical study session. Take a few deep breaths and then dig in.

• Plan what you need to learn. Knowing what you need to know for the exam is essential. Review the text, your notes, and the teacher’s test notes/guide.

• Plan when you can study. Don’t waste a single moment, but make sure you set aside time to eat and sleep.  You need to recharge.

• Plan where you will study. Since your time is limited, you need to maximize your ability to learn. Eliminate distractions. Find a quiet, comfortable, well-lit location that will support your complete concentration on what you are trying to learn.

• Plan how you will study: What do you need and what techniques will you use?

Techniques?  What are you talking about?

Use Your Notes

A few ways to use your notes to your advantage:

• Look through the notes and try to find things that have been underlined or highlighted in some other way. This information is probably important.

• Scan the notes and look for key information that you can highlight or flag with Post-it notes for easy reference later on.

• Rewrite key information from your notes. This will help you memorize and comprehend important points.

Use the textbook (if you have one)

Concentrate on the summaries that appear at the beginning and end of each chapter.  A few other techniques to try include:

• Looking for bolded words. Words in a bold or italicized font are probably important. Take note of these words by writing them down, highlighting them or flagging them in some other way.

• Using the table of contents, the glossary and other overlooked parts of the textbook to get an overview of key information.

• Reading introductions and conclusions. These parts of the text always include important points.

Use other study materials

• Find your past assignments, quizzes and tests.  Look them over.

Memorization techniques

• Repeating information over and over again. (Do this until you can easily repeat something ten minutes later).

• Rewriting information that you want to retain. (Rewrite at least three times for maximum retention).

• Making rhymes and songs out of important dates and facts. (Who can forget that in 1492 Columbus sailed the ocean blue?)

• Using acronyms to remember facts. (SIM translates to Sedimentary, Igneous and Metamorphic - the three basic rock types).

• Using acrostics to remember words in a specific order. (My Dear Aunt Sally = Multiply and Divide before you Add and Subtract)

Quiz yourself and then...

• Use index cards that have questions written on one side and answers on the other.

• Use questions from past quizzes, tests or assignments.

• Ask someone else to quiz you.

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