# How do you study for tests on subjects with 20+ chapters?



## IfUSeekAmy (Oct 5, 2011)

In the beginning of April my final exams are going to begin, and I haven't studied a tiny bit. All I've done is procrastinate and surf the web (including going on SAS). I do want to get good marks, but it seems that I study just for the sake of studying, not that I'm passionate to get good marks. The scary thing about my final exams are that Biology, Chemistry and Physics are all on the same week. I'm not worried about the other subjects though. I just really suck at those 3. I am extremely nervous, which is why I'm going to start studying tomorrow. But how? All of those 3 subjects have like 20 plus chapters EACH! If I start studying early, I'll start forgetting everything I've learned in the next few days nearing the exams. But at the same time if I study at the last minute I'm going to have too much pressure! How do you guys study? The way I usually study for those 3 subjects is to memorize the hell out of everything. But people say it's time wasting and it doesn't always work.

EDIT: I also have very poor time management skills.


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## cavemanslaststand (Jan 6, 2011)

Draw up plans (check-lists) for the week and a half.

Review midterms and old homework especially. In the military, we were very methodical about having to study certain things exteremely quickly, and we started with midterms and homework and grinded them to a pulp for finals.

For physics and chemistry, do problems and read sparingly. Read snippets when stuck or go get clarification on a topic quickly (maybe even ask questions on this forum?). Be mercenary about it.

For biology, also do problems but read clarifying concepts less sparingly.

Good luck! IMHO these topics are the best in school so try to take them seriously. If the general vibes are that good marks are uncool, they do somewhat decide your future choices so hope you keep the grades up.


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## IfUSeekAmy (Oct 5, 2011)

cavemanslaststand said:


> Draw up plans (check-lists) for the week and a half.


Give me an example of this "plan" you're talking about.


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## cavemanslaststand (Jan 6, 2011)

Day, Review Item, Check-off Complete?
3/23, Physics HW 1,2,3
3/24, Physics HW 4,5
3/25, Physics Midterm 1
3/26, Physics HW 6,7
3/27, Physics Midterm 2,3
3/28, Physics HW 8, 9

Ditto for bio and chem. Bundle the later stuff toward later days.


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## odd_one_out (Aug 22, 2006)

Get hold of a copy of the course syllabus. That'll include only items you will be examined on and you can narrow your revision down to that. Also get hold of recent past exam papers and practise doing them. That is after all what they're testing you on - ability to pass these exam papers.


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## EmergencyChocolate (Aug 12, 2011)

I am a college student studying nursing, so I have to take a lot of biology and chemistry classes. This is how I study for those classes:

- Know the definitions of key words. This is the first step. You could make flashcards by hand or use an online flash card maker website.
- Study the key concepts in the most basic way. You can do this by either skimming the chapter or looking at the chapter overviews and the end of each chapter. For example, if you were to study cell division, learn what all the steps are first (interphase, prophase, metaphase, etc...). Once you have that down, study what happens at each of those steps.
- The last thing I do is read the book! I save this for last because textbooks tend to go into A LOT of detail and it's overwhelming to read the chapter first if you have no idea what's going on. If you know all the terminology and have a basic idea of the concepts in the chapters first, reading the chapter is a lot less stressful. I use it as a way to fill up any gaps or to clear up any questions I have about the material.

For studying physics/chemistry, most of it is just doing the problems over and over again. Once you know how to do the problems, refer back to the book and go over the concepts. See how the concepts and problems go together, if that makes sense.

Hope that helps, good luck!


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## quietmusicman (Feb 3, 2012)

highlight the sentences with bold printed words and also the side bar excerpts of stuff they say on the side of the text book page. and most importantly it does help to ask for help when needed


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## Samtrix (Aug 22, 2011)

Don't worry about starting to study too early. I used to wait until the last minute to study, until a prof explained that you retain more information if you get plenty of sleep after studying. So, study, go over assignments and past exams, get plenty of sleep, then when it gets closer to exam time, you can do a bit of review to refresh your memory.


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## Zil (Feb 5, 2011)

IfUSeekAmy said:


> All I've done is procrastinate and surf the web (including going on SAS)


Well for starters, try doing stuff when you get it. Otherwise you might find yourself in a position where you can't save yourself.

As for what you could do, I call them brain-**** marathons. I started Uni 6 months ago and this technique saved me a few times. So basically, get an average sleep time of 4 hours, rest of the day read and do exercises, try to pin point anything the teacher focused on that might be subject to evaluation. When you feel like procrastinating go jog 15 minutes outside with some epic metal music. Finally, every 3 hours take a caffeinated power-nap(ie drink coffee and take 30min nap, put alarm on).

If you adhere to this for the whole week before your exam you will be a master in your field. The day before the exam, slowly go back to your normal pace and try getting 9 hours of sleep, since you will probably already be burnt it's easy.


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## quietmusicman (Feb 3, 2012)

study in bits and pieces. like 30 mins on, 1 hour break


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## gorbulas (Feb 13, 2004)

you should be studying everyday. you retain the information better if you don't wait until the last minute. if there are any definitions or important terms, maybe make flashcards and do those everyday. i am not going to tell you how to study specifically other than that because its different for everyone. i hate how people try to teach others how to study. some learn better in group studying, some are more audio listeners, or visual learners. o and like others said, take a break every now and then.


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## IfUSeekAmy (Oct 5, 2011)

Guess what guys! I'm done with my chem exam! There were 3 parts, there was a multiple choice, open ended theory paper, and a practical test. I guess I didn't do too poorly on the first two. But I really screwed up in the practical. Working with chemicals and stuff. Oh well, I'll be aiming for at least a C+ (there were many times where I got lower).

On Monday I'll have physics(****) and Tuesday Bio(which is easy I'll just have to memorize the **** out of every chapter, its just very time wasting). What I'm scared of is physics. In 9th grade it was really easy but 10th grade physics is really hard since electricity and magnetism was included. I SUCK at physics coz I don't know how to think logically. All I can do is just memorize. 

Oh, before I study can someone please explain me Fleming's Left Hand and Right Hand rule. All I know is that the thumb's for Force, the forefinger's for Magnetic Field and the middle finger for current. I don't have any sense of direction AT ALL, I don't know what direction is clockwise and what is anticlockwise. Please guise help me.


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## IfUSeekAmy (Oct 5, 2011)

I'm gonna try to pull an all nighter for the bio test. I mean its 26 chapters!


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## IfUSeekAmy (Oct 5, 2011)

UPDATE: My exams (I just found out that it wasn't the real exam, it was just mock) are finally over! I got 2 A+'s, 4A-'s and 3 B's and NO C's!! So happy haha!
but the REAL exams will start in may but i think this is a good head start...


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