Study Tips

This is a general study guide to help you prepare to do three things: (1) be efficient and effective in your study time, (2) construct robust answers for essay exams, and (3) prepare solid papers. If you have questions about the suggestions listed below, feel free to ask me about them. If you don't ask, I can't help. If you have your own suggestions to add, send me an e-mail note and I'll include them.

(1) Study Tips

1.     Rewrite class notes.

• By hand or with a word processor.
• Helps you to:
  • Organize information
  • Understand information
  • Assimilate information
• Students who do actually rewrite their notes do much better on exams.

2.     Read the book chapters in different orders.

• Don't just read them in the order they occur (1, 2, 3, ...8).
• Read them in random orders (7, 3, 5, 2 ...).
• This practice helps you understand information better.

3.     Outline the main chapter ideas.

• If you have an outline sheet on hand review the major points in the book, and compare those to your lecture notes.
• When these coincide, there is a good probability that some sort of question dealing with the book concepts and lecture concepts will appear on an exam.

4.     Answer the review questions in the textbook.

• These questions are intended to help you understand the concepts covered.

5.     Find a study partner or partners.

• Compare your notes with notes of other people.
• You will see if you have missed something that another person noticed and wrote down.
•  If you do decide to study with someone else, be sure to stay on task.

(2) Essay Exam Tips 

• Good answers to essay questions depend upon a clear understanding of the meanings of the important directive words.
  • Explain, compare, contrast, and justify, which indicate the way in which the material is to be presented.
• Background knowledge of the subject matter is needed
  • If you are asked to compare the marketing strategies of Coke and Pepsi, you will get little or no credit if you merely describe them.
  • If you are asked to compare the marketing strategies of Coke and Pepsi, you will get little or no credit if you merely describe them.
• An essay answer is satisfactory only if it directly answers the question.

The words that follow are frequently used in essay examinations:

1. summarize - sum up; give the main points briefly.

2. evaluate - give the good points and the bad ones; appraise; give an opinion regarding the value of; talk over the advantages and limitations.

3. contrast - bring out the points of difference.

4. explain - make clear; interpret; make plain; tell "how" to do; tell the meaning of.

5. describe - give an account of; tell about; give a word picture of.

6. define - give the meaning of a word or concept; place it in the class to which it belongs and set it off from other items in the same class.

7. compare - bring out points of similarity and points of difference.

8. discuss - talk over; consider from various points of view; present the different sides of.

9. criticize - state your opinion of the correctness or merits of an item or issue; criticism may approve or disapprove.

10. justify - show good reasons for; give your evidence; present facts to support your position.

11. illustrate - use a word picture, a diagram, or a concrete example to clarify a point.

1The preceding discussion is a modification of discussion by Andrew Moss and Carol Holder (1988) on pages 17_18 in Improving Student Writing: A Guidebook for Faculty in All Disciplines, published by Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company, Dubuque, Iowa.

1.     Read the entire test before you start writing.

• Budget your time, saving five or ten minutes for proofreading at the end of the exam period.
• It is better to write something on all questions than to omit a question because you have devoted too much time to other parts of the test.

2.     Follow directions carefully.

• Underlining key words in the instructions.
• Not reading directions carefully is one of the major causes of poor performance on exams.

3.     Plan before you write.

• Your discussion should start with a thesis (or topic) sentence that answers the question directly, that shows the conclusion you have come to after thinking about the question.
• Jot down (on the examination or other scratch paper) a brief outline of the major points you will use to support your thesis.

4.     Write out your answers in clear complete sentences.

• Be sure your ideas make sense and are relevant to the question being asked.
• Write so that the instructor can read your handwriting.
• Giving a list of terms isn't enough.  Demonstrate that you understand the terms by using them in sentences.
• Apply that information in a meaningful way.

5.     Write the essay, following your outline.

• The essay should be factual (not just opinions and generalizations).
• There is not enough time to write all the details you know, be selective.
• Choose those facts, details, examples, or other points that will best support your thesis.

6.     Keep your thesis (or main point) in mind as you write.

• Time is short so don't allow yourself to be distracted by a side issue.
• Everything you include should be pertinent to answering the question and supporting your thesis.

7.     Check the time occasionally.

• Conclude your essay and go on to the next question when the time you have budgeted has passed.
• Leave some space to write more in case you have time later to go back to a question that you couldn't finish.

8.     Use the entire class period to your advantage.

• Normally you have two hours to work on the essay exams that I give.
• Don't just breeze through the exam.
• Take your time and think your answers through.
• If you do nothing else, go back and check to see that you have answered all parts of each of the questions that need to be answered.

9.     Proofread your essays at the end of the exam period.

• It's easy to misspell even simple words, to omit letters or words, or to transpose numbers when you are writing under pressure.
• Make any corrections or additions neatly.
• Although unity, organization, and development are most important to clear communication in an essay examination, correct as many errors in spelling, punctuation, and grammar as you can before you turn in your test.

2The preceding discussion is a modification of discussion by Andrew Moss and Carol Holder (1988) on page 21 in Improving Student Writing: A guidebook for Faculty in All Disciplines, published by Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company, Dubuque, Iowa.

(3) A General Guideline Used in Evaluating Student Papers

For most papers/projects that are to be completed outside of class, I use the following guidelines to some degree.3 Thus, generally speaking, you can expect me to be looking for and evaluating these elements of your paper.

1. Substance

A. Assignment should show comprehension of the subject matter.
B. Response should demonstrate an awareness of the significance of issues or problems posed by the assignment.
C. Response should include development of important implications of the assignment.
D. Treatment should be comprehensive, developing all parts of the assignment.

2. Focus

A. Answers should address the questions or problems posed.
B. Superfluous materials should be avoided.

3. Evidence

A. Information should be accurate.
B. Opinions should be adequately supported; theory should be backed by specific and relevant examples or illustrations.
C. Sources used should be properly identified and documented.
D. Evidence should lead to conclusions.

4. Organization

A. Papers should have a recognizable pattern of organization.
B. Each paragraph should be coherent.
C. Important points should be emphasized.
D. Transitions should be clear.

5. Style

A. Treatment should be appropriate to subject and audience.
B. Language should be accurate and precise.
C. Sentences should be clear and effective.
D. Sentence structure should be varied.
E. Tone should be consistent.

6. Mechanics

A. Sentences should be complete.
B. Pronoun reference should be clear.
C. Verb forms should be correct.
D. Punctuation should be accurate.
E. Spelling should be correct.
F. Documentation should follow a prescribed style manual.

This list was developed by faculty members at California State College, San Bernardino, in September, 1978.