Study Toolbox: Studying for Exams and Tests

Set pictured above available for purchase from Flash Cards and Stationery

Flash cards are two-sided study aids that have a term, question or concept on one side and the answer on the other side.  Studying with flash cards helps to retain knowledge.  They force you to think about the material, link information together and develop active recall. To make flash cards:

• Review your course material and notes identifying any questions you think could be asked in the exam.  Also, write down any terms, concepts or formulas that you need to learn.
• Write each question, term, concept or formula on a separate flash card.
• Write the answer or explanation on the other side of the card, using your own words whenever possible.

From there, shuffle the cards then pick the top card and try to answer the question or explain the term.  If you know it, put the card at the bottom of the pile.  If not, look at the answer and insert the card a few cards down in the pile so that it will come up again soon. Keep working through the flash cards until you know all the answers.

You can carry your flash cards wherever you go so you can take advantage of any spare time you have like waiting in a queue or on a bus.  You could also use your flash cards with fellow students to test each other’s knowledge.  To make it fun you could make it a competition keeping score of every correct answer.

Reading aloud may sound like a strange idea but it has been proven to increase memory retention.  By moving your lips and speaking it out loud you are retaining more information and making it easier to recall it at a later date. 

Example of a summary table:

This method is a great way of sorting and summarising information.  It combines notes from your lectures, readings and other study sources. 

This method has three columns.  The first is for headings and main points, the second is for a summary of your notes and the third is for adding extra details, examples and ideas that you find in readings or your notes.

Creating the table will help you better understand, organise and retain information.

Example of a sentence mnemonic:

My Very Educated Mum Just Served Us Nachos

Mercury

Venus

Earth

Mars

Jupiter

Saturn

Uranus

Neptune

Example of a word mnemonic:

RICE

Rest the injured area

Ice the sprain

Compress with a wrap or bandage

Elevate the injured area

Mnemonics is a memory aid that is amongst the easiest methods for test/exam preparation. 

They are silly songs, sayings or words that remind you of important information and the order of information. 

You can create your own mnemonics to help you remember information for your exams.

A good way to review and remember important facts or key words is post-it notes.  

Stick them in places where you won’t miss them e.g. on the fridge, next to the coffee/tea containers or on the toilet door and every time you see a post-it, review the information. 

So that you don’t become used to seeing the same post-it notes in the same places and start to ignore them, move them around. 

Use post-it notes that are different sizes and colours, write in different colours and use images and symbols.  You might even like to colour code them by topic.  Variation in your post-it notes will help you notice them and remember the information you are revising. 

Working with a fellow student or study group is a great way to study.  It provides the opportunity to bounce ideas off one another, get help with difficult concepts and it helps motivate you to study.  When working with others some ways to study are:

• Each person creates a list of questions to ask someone else.  To make it fun keep score and see who is the most knowledgeable.
• Create mind maps together for complicated concepts.
• Teach each other.  Not only is it a good way to learn, it also helps you practice explaining a topic in your own words.

If you don’t have anyone to study with, talk about your studies with a family member or friend.  By talking about a topic it clarifies your thinking and reveals any gaps in your knowledge.