REVIEW TIPS

Source: Last Minute Study Tips Author: Ron Fry
Publisher: Advantage Quest Publications Copyright: 1996

I. Effective Time Management

    A.  Keys to long term time management success

         1. Enter time and schedule-related information in your planner.
         2. Take your planner everywhere you go.
         3. Give your planner attention every day and update it regularly.

II. Ten Commandments to Time Management

    A.  Find a place to study where you won’t be uninterrupted.

    B.  Reward yourself when you’re done.

    C.  Be disciplined-but flexible-and learn to adjust as you go along

    D.  Don’t disengage immediately when presented with an unignorable distraction.

    E.  Don’t skip around; first things first

    F.  If something in your personal study routine doesn’t work for you, toss it and try something new.

    G. Monitor your progress toward important goals.

    H.  Write everything down.

    I.  Bear in mind the complexity of the assignment when you allocate time slots.

   J.  Take care of the equipment.

III. Essential Memory Skills

   A.   Acronyms

         1. Assign meanings to each of the initial letters of the text.
         2. Make use of real, meaningful words.
         3. Associate words with key concepts you are studying.

   B.  Replacement / Exaggeration

          Replacement – simply the process of substituting a boring word or phrase with a more interesting one and using the
             second word to remind you of the first.

          Exaggeration – process whereby you connect the two ideas with something outlandish or oversized.

   C.  Numerical Sounds

         1.    “0” – for letters “S” and “Z”
         2.    “1” – for letters “D” and “T”
         3.    “2” – for letter “N”
         4.    “3” – for letter “M”
         5.    “4” – for letter “R”
         6.    “5” – for letter “L”
         7.    “6” – for letter “J” and sounds of “SH” and “CH”
         8.    “7” – for letters “K”, hard “C”, and hard “G”
         9.    “8” - - for letters “V”, “F”, and “PH”
         10.  “9” – for letter “P”
         11.  “H” and “W” – no sound
         12.  Vowels – not part in numerical sounds

From text to numbers:
“William Shakespeare died in 1616.”

1616: “touchy-touchy”

From numbers to text:
03995121571143091041251

“Some (03) people (995) don’t (121) like (57) to (1) eat (1) worms (430) – but (91) I (no numbers since there are no consonants in the word ‘I’) certainly (04125) do (1).”

IV. Skimming

   A.  Study Technique

         1. Survey
         2. Question
         3. Read
         4. Recite
         5. Review

   B.  Use of markers

         1. Highlight the most essential, most fundamental ideas.
             a. Concept
             b. Name
             c. Formula
             d. Date

V. Memorizing Key Points

   A.  Develop an acronym appropriate to the material you are studying.

   B.  Form a memory chain from each word in your acronym.

   C.  Connect one or more critical introductory ideas of your acronym itself.

VI. Preparations before a test

   A.  6 to 9 days before a test

         1. Prioritize
         2. Make a Daily Plan
         3. Execute your plan
         4. During the test – budget your time sensibly

   B.  2 to 5 days before a test

         1. Don’t panic
         2. Set up your battle plan
             a. Day 5: Skim your review materials
             b. Day 4 and part of Day 3: Go over your own notes and develop a set of condensed notes
             c. Remainder of Day 3: Spend time with study group using a copy of an old exam as basis for discussion
             d. Day 2 and Day 1: Memorize key concepts and study points you have identified over the past few days
         3. During the test – assess each exam component, prioritize component with bigger percentage on your final grade

VII. Preparations before writing a term paper

    A.  10 to 15 days before deadline

         1. Days 12 and 11: Determine the topic and “angle” of your paper.
         2. Day 10: Develop a list of references.
         3. Days 9 to 6: Read your reference materials; take notes; compose your detailed outline; write your first draft.
         4. Days 5 to 3: Do additional research as necessary; develop the second draft and edit the paper;
            prepare your bibliography/list of sources.
         5. Days 2 to 1: Proofread the paper; print or type the final copy.

   B.  6 to 9 days before deadline

         1. Day 8: Determine the topic and “angle” of your paper.
         2. Day 7: Develop a list of references.
         3. Days 6 to 4: Read your reference materials; take notes; compose your detailed outline; write your first draft.
         4. Days 3 to 2: Do additional research if necessary; develop the second draft and edit the paper;
             prepare your bibliography/list of sources.
         5. Day before deadline: Proofread the paper; print or type the final copy.

   C.  2 to 5 days before deadline

         1. Day 5: Determine the topic and “angle” of your paper.
         2. Part of Day 4: Develop a list of references.
         3. Part of Day 4, all of Day 3: Read your reference materials; take notes; compose your detailed outline; write your first draft.
         4. Day 2 and 1: Do additional research if necessary; develop the second draft and edit the paper;
            prepare your bibliography/list of sources.
         5. Day before paper is due: Proofread the paper; print or type the final copy.

   D.  If deadline is tomorrow

         1. Try to stick with what you know with the topic of your paper.
         2. Pick a central thesis that touches strongly on something you have an emotional connection to.
         3. Have two or three reliable research sources that are familiar and are accessible to you.
         4. Don’t work all night – better to pass a short, clean, and organized term paper than a term paper with many pages
             but with many typographical or grammatical errors.
         5. Ask someone to read your work and check for errors before you submit.

VIII. Answering Essay Questions in an Exam

   A.  Use a blank sheet of paper to briefly jot down facts, ideas, and theories that you think you have a place
         in your answer to the essay question.

   B.  Number your ideas according to how you will write them in your essay.

   C.  Write your first paragraph – First paragraphs are where superior essay answers are made or unmade.

   D.  Write the rest of your essay – succeeding paragraphs must support your first paragraph

   E.  Reread the essay, make appropriate corrections and additions if you have to.

IX. Preparing and delivering an oral report

   A.  Don’t read your presentation word for word.

   B.  Stick with 3 x 5 cards and develop a detailed outline.

   C.  Keep your topic very specific.

   D.  Practice – say your material out loud.

   E.  Use a brief, humorous, pertinent anecdote or quote early on in the presentation.

   F.  Go easy on the statistics.

   G. Pick one person in the group to talk to.

X. Writing a Report

   A.  Establish a reward for yourself – get that reward when you finish

   B.  Imagine you’re writing a letter to a good friend and persuading him of the reasons you believe your
        thesis is correct.

   C.  For your first draft, just get your word on paper. Worry about editing or revising later.

   D.  Use simple language first.

   E.  If you find yourself up against a roadblock, keep going with some other part of your work.