How to Get Better Grades – Part 3 of 5

The Final’s Coming Up! Top 9 Ways to Study the Right Thing and Remember it:

9. Ask the teacher what to focus on in studying for the test. I like this wording: “Any suggestions as to the wisest approach to studying for the exam?”

8. Ever read something for ten minutes and then realize you don’t remember a single thing you read? Here's a sure-fire preventative. Read only one paragraph, then turn away and recite what you remember. If you've left out something important, say it aloud and, in the margin, bracket that part so you can reread it just before the test.

7. Even easier, when you feel yourself spacing out, read the important stuff aloud. It’s hard to space out while reading aloud. Also you’ll remember it better because reading aloud makes you go slowly and because it enables you to hear your voice at the same time as you’re seeing the words.

6. If you don’t understand a section, reread it only once. If you still don’t understand it, just mark it with a question mark and go on. Staying stuck is frustrating. When you’ve finished reading, call a friend (poll the audience, or 50/50) or ask the teacher about your question marks.

5. Pace the floor while studying hard stuff. Walking increases circulation to the brain.

4. Use different highlighters for different stuff. Try bright orange for the material most likely to be on the exam and yellow for other stuff worth highlighting. Not only does this keep you awake, the color is a memory jogger. Rule of Thumb: Never highlight more than 1/3 of the material. A totally yellow book isn’t going to help you.

3. For memorization tests, make flash cards. So, for example, if you’ll need to memorize the symbols in the Periodic Table of the Elements, write, for example, gold, on one side of the card and AU (the symbol), on the back. Just in making the flashcards, you’ll be learning the stuff.

2. Meet with one, two or three study partners. Take turns asking your partner(s) questions you think could be on the test. But choose your study partners carefully. I remember a study group in which we spent most of the time fooling around or helping the girl who didn’t prepare for the study group.

1. Create a pretend crib sheet. Imagine that the teacher allowed you to bring one sheet of paper of notes into the exam. What would you write? (small handwriting permitted.) Right before the exam, study just that sheet.

TIP: Sometimes, location matters. Can't study in that madhouse you call your home? How about the library? A cafe? Your friend's house - yeah, right.

TIP: Music on or off? Shania Twain can, for some kids, be an excellent study buddy. For other kids, Shania will get you groovin' but not on Algebra 2. How about you?

TIP: Need a loving taskmaster? Sometimes, knowing you have to check in daily with your tough-love Aunt Edna can help you toe the line.

TIP: don’t get stuck on playing online games or checking your social network sites. That will all be there tomorrow. It can be a huge distraction that can cause you to sit down at the computer and not realize that 3 or 4 hours just went by.