How to AVOID CRAMMING for Tests

Academic Skills Center, Dartmouth College 2001

Basic Principles about Review

I. ORIGINAL LEARNING must take place. You have to learn the material be ore !ou can revie" it. II. EARLY REVIEW is most e icient, most productive. A. #e ore !ou attempt to learn ne" material in class or through reading$ %lance over previous chapters or notes. &un through !our mind "hat !ou kno" alread!. Since memori'ation o ne" material is most e ective "hen it is associated "ith the material alread! kno"n, this process brings all available mental (hooks( to the sur ace. B. )mmediatel! a ter learning$ &e"ork !our notes, adding material that comes to mind. *Don+t recop!, this is "aste ul. .rder and organi'e "hat "as learned. *Star, use arro"s, additional comments, etc. )ntegrate ne" material "ith "hat !ou alread! kno". /orgetting is most rapid right a ter learning. &evie" helps combat this. &elearning is easier i it is done 0uickl!. Don+t "ait until it+s all gone. III. Space initial earl! revie"s to support original learning. Several brie periods spread over 1 or 10 da!s is usuall! enough to ensure good recall or intermediate revie". IV. Inter e!iate review is important "hen "ork is spread out over several months or longer. /or e2ample, "hen the inal is 3 months a"a!, ollo" this schedule$ original learning immediate revie" o limited material same da! *1410 minutes intermediate revie" o material covered so ar, a ter 2 months inal revie", be ore e2am )ntermediate and inal revie"s should stress understanding and organi'ation o material. V. "inal review is a REVIEW# not (cramming( o unlearned material. 5o ne" learning takes place e2cept to dra" together the inal main currents o thought. #e brie . &evie" entire semester+s "ork in 243 hours. *Set a limit and stick to it. .utline and organi'e rom memor!. Don+t bother cop!ing. &ecite *in "riting or out loud to a riend or sel VI. $SE SPA%E& REVIEW rather than 'ASSE& PRA%(I%E. 60 minutes used in 7 groups o 20 minutes each is more e ective than 60 minutes used all at the same time. break up learning period or an! one sub8ect

avoid atigue revie" and strengthen previous learning increased motivation, better concentration