Studying and test-taking tips for my classes

Taking notes

• Do not just copy down everything word-for-word, and do not take pictures of the slides. The aim of note-taking is for you to process the information so you'll understand it. This means translating the meaning of the information into the words you write down.
• Taking notes by hand has been shown to be better than taking notes on a computer. This is mainly because on a computer you do tend to just type things in word-for-word. Students tend to think more when they have to write by hand, and this leads to better notes.
• My slides are available on the web. You should print out the slides so you don't need to copy the information from them during class. As I just said, merely copying this information is not useful, so you might as well print it out. That way you can use your time toward note-taking that will actually help you.
• If you feel you absolutely must copy things down or take a photo of slides, please do so on your own before or after class, not during class. You should be using class time to listen to what I am saying and write down those details.
• On that note, keep in mind that the slides usually contain just a bare-bones outline of what I cover. Writing down the substance is up to you.

WHAT to study

• On exams, I focus mainly on things covered in the lectures. This WILL include material that is not in the textbook. I also will ask questions using the same sorts of phrases that I use in class. And remember that the slides only contain a brief outline of the material, not the depth of information that you will be tested on. So make sure you are in class!
• Use the study guides. But understand that the study guide items are not the same as exam questions. They are meant to give you an idea of the material you will need to know. If you just write a one or two sentence "answer" for each item, you probably will not know enough to do well on the exam.

WHEN to study

• Review your material as soon as you can after EVERY lecture. This helps you solidify the information and realize right away what you don't understand.
• Review the week's material again at the end of EVERY week.
• Study a lot on each of the few days leading up to the exam.
• If you are at all concerned, arrange to meet with me and/or your TA regularly to make sure you are understanding the material. You may feel like you understand something, but often students have trouble translating their understanding into a clear explanation. Reviewing the material with me or your TA will help you guage whether you can explain the concepts clearly enough.

HOW to study

• Study so that you could teach the material to someone else. Practice teaching it to a friend, family member, pet, stuffed animal, etc.
• Always try to come up with your own examples of terms and concepts. Do not just memorize definitions. Always ask yourself "Do I understand what I'm writing? Could I explain it to a friend?" Being able to copy the right words from the slides or textbook is NOT the same as understanding the material!
• Test yourself. Don't just study the material by re-reading it - try to actively retrieve it from your memory. Research shows that you will remember it better this way.
• Making "flashcards" is helpful for memorizing the basics and for testing yourself. But if you are using flashcards, you need to make sure you go beyond just memorization, and make sure you really understand the concepts. The test is not simply a matter of you memorizing answers to predetermined questions.
• Try creating your own test questions (and correct answers), as if you are the professor writing the exam for the students.
• DO NOT just study old tests (for cumulative finals or retake exams). Each test only covers a sample of the material and of the ways of testing that material. If you only study from old tests, you are only memorizing answers to specific questions, rather than learn the entire range of concepts. You will miss A LOT of information and you will not do well on the final.

Taking the tests

• Write neatly. If I can't read your writing then I can't give you the credit.
• Make sure you read the question carefully and answer what I'm asking. For example, if the question asks you to explain WHY a particular phenomenon occurs, don't waste time telling me WHAT the phenomenon is. That won't get you any credit. I'm asking you for a reason, not a definition in this case. If I ask you to tell me what a particular TASK is, don't write about the mental process it is measuring. I just want you to tell me what the stimulus is and what participants have to do in response to it. Don't make things harder than they are!
• Resist the urge to write everything you know about a topic. Each question is designed to determine whether you understand a particular aspect of a concept. Telling me everything you know about that concept does not demonstrate that you understand the particular aspect I am asking about.
• Think carefully about your answers before writing anything down. Knowing the material is one thing, but on a test you must be able to COMMUNICATE your understanding in order to get credit. I can only grade you on what you write, not on what you "mean."
• If you are not sure what I'm asking in a question, ASK ME! I am not intentionally trying to trick you or make things hard to understand. I'll do my best to clarify any test questions. It never hurts to ask--the worst that will happen is that I'll say "I can't tell you that."
• Precision in language is important. If your wording is sloppy or is missing important details, you will not get full credit. An answer that is "generally correct" will not earn full points - your answer has to be COMPLETELY correct to get complete credit. If you want to be an "A" student, you need to get the details right; "generally correct" students will get "generally ok" grades.