How to Study for Finals

Start Early Do not put off studying until the last minute. Cramming will only create more stress, without retaining much knowledge. Be organized and be sure to plan.

PLAN AND ORGANIZE Be aware of the school finals’ schedule. Prioritize which subjects need the most attention and which subjects do not need much review. Although prioritizing is necessary, do NOT “blow off” any subjects. Study for them all. Create a schedule starting several weeks in advance, having a one or two subject focus for each day.

Manage Your Time Do not spend hours on a subject. Study for an hour, then take a break. Review in different places- try the library, different rooms, etc. Create responsible study groups. Help your peers understand a concept, and they will help you. Don’t get distracted- turn off the TV and Ipod. Do you work well under pressure?

Organization Organization is key! Keep track of all semester reviews, worksheets, etc. Make a calendar and remind yourself of what to study and when. Some teachers may guide you with which parts of the final are the toughest- listen to them! Clip together or separate into folders all worksheets, notes, etc. per UNIT!

Study Guides For the subjects that give out study guides: Highlight or underline the terms/concepts that are “fuzzy” The study guides often ARE the final, written as bullets instead of questions. Consider the way social studies may take several concepts and merge the ideas into one question. Do not just memorize. Create your own flashcards or study tools from the study guide to help study.

Classes without Study Guides: Create your own study guide! If provided with a textbook, skim the textbook and write down all terms/concepts/chapters to make your own “study guide” If not provided with a textbook, collect all worksheets and notes from the beginning of the semester to create your “study guide” Again, use note cards or other study tools to study. Copy and white-out important worksheets and re-do them to regain the concept knowledge.

Other Issues How much time should be spent studying for each final? Set a grade goal—something to strive for Ask questions: friends, family, online, resource, teacher Come up with your own annotation coding

Other Tips Study hard subjects first Find a quiet place to study—go to the library or into a room at home that is not distracting. Read texts actively—this is KEY! Engage in class discussion and PROCESS information Do your homework, review your old homework and assignments

Writing Tips Vonnegut, Kurt (1982), "How to Write with Style" Abstract: Find a subject you care about. Do not ramble. Keep it simple. Have the guts to cut. Sound like yourself. Say what you mean to say. Pity the readers.

Study Tools Note cards- a great way to study for social studies, science, and foreign language terms and important figures. Rewrite definitions or concepts in your own words. Textbook Reviews- especially helpful in order to study for math. Write a fact and explain the significance- helpful for understanding concepts in social studies. Search other school’s (Waubonsie or Metea) blackboard websites. Sometimes they have similar useful worksheets/guides. For English In-Class Essays, review all annotations from previous books, study relevant grammar and usage notes, and predict possible questions based on themes from the semester.

Types of Learners Visual: diagrams, mind maps, graphic organizers Auditory: read aloud, podcasts, discuss with study group Kinesthetic: engage with flash cards, computer notes, brain breaks http://www.collegeathome.com/blog/2008/06/10/100-helpful- web-tools-for-every-kind-of-learner/ How to Learn Anything Quickly: An Accelerated Program for Rapid Learning

Resources At NVHS, the resource centers have teachers in resource rooms for students to come and ask questions. Bring a list of concepts or questions you do not understand and get help from the specific subject’s resource center. Many websites are helpful, creating flashcards for you, creating self quizzes, etc. www.studyblue.com Some teachers offer a chance to meet with them and review old tests and quizzes. This is extremely helpful-as much of the final contains questions from previous tests.

Don’t Stress! Adding extra stress and worry will only hurt your final exam performance. Get enough sleep. Take a break. Do not study for hours upon hours at a time. Relax! Finals are meant to review the concepts you learn. No concepts will be new or unheard of. Listen to your parents. They may not understand you, but they understand what you’re going through!

sources http://www.cse.buffalo.edu/~rapaport/howtostudy.ht ml Ms. Schneider’s sophomore English students Special thanks to Erin Kelly for helping with the PowerPoint Purdue’s OWL website Dictionary.com