Preparing and Planning for Tests

Study Skill 10.1 Preparing and Planning for Tests

Introduction

“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” ― Benjamin Franklin

When do you start preparing for a test? What do you take into consideration as you start to think about this process? How does it make you feel? There are short, medium and long term activities that can be done.

• Long term: Skill #2 looked at schedules and calendars. With your calendar in hand, take a look to find out when your next exams are. How much time before the exam should you schedule your preparation?
• Medium term: Watch the College Info Geek Video below and put his KEY CONCEPTS, listed below, into practice.
• Short term: Watch the TED-Ed video below and sleep well!

Watch

• Thomas Frank “Exam Tips: How to Study for Finals - College Info Geek” (YT 6:03)

• Shai Marcu “The Benefits of a Good Night's Sleep” (TedEd 5:45)

Visit

• Top Universities “Exam Preparation: Ten Study Tips” https://bit.ly/2zV2L1M Links to an external site.
• Study Hack “Remember Better: Active Recall” https://bit.ly/2A3voJV Links to an external site.

Key Ideas

• Make a detailed plan.
• Break study projects into actionable steps.
• Know the format of your test and how to use active recall to your advantage.
• Review old material while studying (quizzes, practice tests & mock exams).
• Anticipate your possible weaknesses in advance.

Apply

• Think about how you can use active recall to make your learning more efficient. How can you work with your classmates on this? Could you create an online flashcard set (e.g. Quizlet, Anki or StudyBlue)?
• Visit the Canvas course page for your next test. Look at the Exam Practice Review and Quizzes. What topics do the questions relate to?
• Visit SMU’s 5-Day Test Prep Plan https://bit.ly/3gTxRap. Links to an external site. Make a detailed exam plan based on the key concepts.