How to get good at accounting!

BEGIN THE FIRST DAY OF CLASS. Know what's expected of you Take notes
from the first day even if it's routine stuff you think you already know.

MAKE BEST USE OF CLASS TIME. Classes are rarely interesting unless you
take part. Be prepared before class.

DO NOT HESITATE TO ASK QUESTIONS. If you know everything, you

wouldn’t need the class. Students who make failing grades also fail to
participate, fail to have their homework completed, and fail to ask the
instructor for help. Stay out of these ruts. If there is something you do not
understand, prepare specific questions to ask the instructor. PINPOINT THE
CONCEPT THAT YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND.
TAKE AND REVIEW NOTES. Write down the important points. Because time
in class in limited, write down the important points. As soon as possible after
class, you can add more, number, underline and make them more complete.
If your study period is before the lecture class, be sure you have read all the
assignments and made notes on what you don't understand. If the study
period is after the lecture class, review the notes you took during class while
the information is still fresh.

ESTABLISH A ROUTINE TIME TO STUDY FOR EACH CLASS. For every hour you
spend in class, you will probably need to study two hours outside class.
Studying for each subject should be at the same time, same place, if
possible. Study includes more than just doing your homework. You will need
to go over your notes from by class, labeling, editing, and making sure you
understand them. Study your syllabus daily to see where you are going and
where you have been. Be sure to do reading assignments. Read ahead
whenever possible. Prepare for each class as if there will be a pop quiz.
ESTABLISH A PLACE TO STUDY. Your place should have a desk, comfortable
chair, good lighting, and all the supplies you need. Your study place should
be as free of distractions as possible.

DO AS MUCH OF YOUR STUDYING IN THE DAYTIME AS YOU CAN. The

problem of when to study is critical. A good rule of thumb is that studying
should be carried out only when you are rested, alert, and have planned for
it. Last minute studying just before a class is usually a waste of time.

SCHEDULE BREAKS. Take a ten minute break after every hour of study. If
possible, avoid long blocks of time for studying. Spread out several short
study sessions during the day.
MAKE USE OF STUDY RESOURCES ON CAMPUS. Find out about and use
labs, tutors, videos, computer programs, and alternate texts. Sign up for an
orientation session in the campus library and computer facilities. Get to
know your professors and advisors. Ask questions. "I didn't know," or "I
didn't understand" is never an excuse.

FIND AT LEAST ONE OR TWO STUDENTS IN EACH CLASS WITH WHOM TO

STUDY. Studies show that students who study with someone routinely make
better grades. You will probably find yourself more motivated if you know
someone else cares about what you are doing in the class. Teaching a
concept or new idea to someone else is a sure way for you to understand it.

STUDY THE HARDEST SUBJECT FIRST. Work on your hardest subjects at a

time when you are fresh. Putting them off until you're tired compounds the
problem.
BE GOOD TO YOURSELF. Studying on four hours of sleep and an empty
stomach or junk-food diet is a waste of time. You will lose more in thinking
efficiency than you will gain by cramming more details into your mind
(details you may not be able to remember due to reduced thinking
efficiency). If you have kept up, you will still need to study just before the
exam, but you won’t need to do extensive last minute cramming. Avoid food
and drink containing caffeine just before or just after studying.

TAKE AND REVIEW NOTES. Write down the important points. Because time
in class in limited, write down the important points. As soon as possible after
class, you can add more, number, underline and make them more complete.
If your study period is before the lecture class, be sure you have read all the
assignments and made notes on what you don't understand. If the study
period is after the lecture class, review the notes you took during class while
the information is still fresh.
READING THE TEXTBOOK. Assignments often build on previous assignments.
If you do half-hearted work in Chapter 2, you may have difficulty in Chapter,
and be lost in Chapter 3.

STRIVE TO BE ABLE TO SAY, “I understand why it is done that way.” If you

understand “why” in accounting, there is very little to memorize.

TRY TO EXPLAIN EACH NEW TOPIC IN YOUR OWN WORDS. Getting the new
ideas into your own words is better than being able to quote the book. Ask
your instructor for the reason behind accounting methods that you do not
understand.
PREPARING FOR EXAMS.
•Be specific in your study
•Concentrate on the things that seem to be important
•Note items that the instructor emphasizes.
•Determine the topics from which most of the problems are were
assigned.
•Do not stop with just “getting the idea”
•Every exam has an element of speed. Have your how’s and why’s right at
your fingertips. If you are slow, you probably need to study more.
•On a good exam, you should be expected to give back something more than
was in the textbook. A good exam should test your ability to reason and
understand even more than your ability to memorize
•Many points may be lost because you do not READ AND UNDERSTAND THE
PROBLEM, are not neat and orderly, or do not show calculations
How to study Accounting

How to Solve Accounting Problems

College Accounting Working Papers and Study Guide

Houghton Mifflin Company