Taking a test is one of the most challenging events of your student life. Whether you are a K-12 student or are working on your college degree, it can always be a nerve-wracking experience to study for an important exam. You’re not alone: students of all ages find themselves struggling with proper studying techniques.
There are many effective ways to study; below you will learn about proper listening and note-taking techniques, how to manage your time more efficiently, and how to prepare for an upcoming test or quiz. As always, learning to manage stress, getting adequate sleep, and taking care of your physical and mental health are all integral parts of being a student.
Time Management Techniques
- Effective time management relies on three important skills: prioritizing, scheduling, and execution.
- Learn to prioritize your time. There will always be something that’s the most pressing.
- Common Time Management Mistakes
- Time Management: 10 Strategies for Better Time Management
- Time Management Techniques
- Don’t take on too much at a time. Setting boundaries and knowing your limits is important. Commit to what you absolutely know can be done.
- Focus is key. Don’t let yourself be distracted by other people or your surroundings. If possible, find a quiet place to study and get your work done where all distractions can be avoided.
- Time Management Strategies: Tips for Balancing College and Life
- Principles of Effective Time Management for Balance, Well-being, and Success
- Time management & organizing techniques for project managers
- Don’t stress yourself. Spending time panicking and worrying is counter-productive.
- Effective Time Management
- Building Time Management Skills
- Time Management Techniques (pdf)
- Time Management Tips for Busy Students
- Effective Time Management (pdf)
Effective Listening
- The listening process is composed of four stages: Receiving, understanding, evaluating, and responding. (Some people consider remembering to be the 5th stage of listening!)
- 4.4 Stages of Listening
- The Four Stages of the Listening Process
- Be attentive! Concentrate on what the speaker is saying. Direct all of your attention on the speaker and train your mind to not wander elsewhere.
- Don’t make evaluations or form opinions about what the speaker is saying before they’re even done. Let the speaker finish and then form opinions about the whole lecture.
- Listening Effectively
- Effective Listening Skills
- Identify the main ideas. Stop trying to focus on every detail, and start identifying the major talking points of the lecture.
- Effective Listening
- Listening Effectively (pdf)
- Classroom listening skills
- Effecting Listening in School
- Strategies for effective listening and communication
- Characteristics of Effective Listening
Note Taking
- There are 5 Rs to Note Taking: record, reduce, recite, reflect, and review.
- Be prepared when taking notes: Make sure you’re equipped with paper, pens, pencils, and a notebook. If you’re taking notes electronically, make sure you have your laptop charger and are sitting near an outlet!
- Effective note taking relies on effective listening (see above!) Learn to listen effectively and pick out the most valuable material in a lecture. Identify the main ideas; don’t write down every little thing!
- Notetaking
- Effective Note-Taking in Class
- The Five Rs of Note-Taking
- Note-Taking: Tips & Methods to Improve Your Notes (pdf)
- Cornell Note Taking Method
- Always leave space and organize your notes into sections. Not only does this make notes easier to read, but you have additional space in case you need to add more information later. Separating notes into sections allows you to categorize important topics and not jumble everything together.
- Using subtitles and category headings in your notes helps you identify new topics and important ideas. This will help you stay organized.
- Note-Taking Skills: 20 Tips (pdf)
- Note Taking Techniques (pdf)
- Note Taking Strategies
- Note Taking in School
- Maximizing Listening and Note-Taking Skills
- Taking Effective Notes
Test Taking
- Don’t study right before the test begins; instead, focus on being calm and mentally reviewing the information you have already studied.
- Focus only on the test and block out any distractions. Distractions can take away valuable answering time!
- Mastering Skills in Test-Taking (pdf)
- Test-Taking Strategies (pdf)
- How to Improve Your Students’ Test-Taking Skills
- General test-taking strategies (pdf)
- Testk Taking Tips (pdf)
- Do the easiest problems first. By answering the questions you a
- re sure about, you save valuable time and don’t get hung up on the question’s you’re not sure about. You want to make sure you complete the test!
- Planning a Better Study Schedule (pdf)
- Studying 101: Study Smarter Not Harder
- Test Taking Tips
- Test Taking Tips
- Strengthening Test Taking Skills
- Pace yourself. Rushing through a test and finishing in time doesn’t help you if you make mistakes and answer the questions incorrectly.
Learning Strategies and Study Skills
- Academic Skills Center Learning Strategies
- Active Learning Strategies
- Successful Learning Strategies
- Study Skills for Students
- Study Skills
- Building Literacy Skills for All Learners
- Study Skills Videos
- Cognitive Learning Strategies
- Active Learning: Teaching Guide
- Study Skills and Test Anxiety
- Additional Resources for Study Skills
- Learning Strategies
- Dartmouth Academic Skills Center
- Instructional Strategies
Additional Student Resources
- Tips For Managing Stress In Your Life
- Student Guide to Mental Health Treatment
- Promoting Student Mental Health (pdf)
- The College Student’s Guide to Depression
- Talk About Mental Health: For Educators
- Coping with the Stress of a Pandemic: A Mental Health Guide for Students
- The Top Mental Health Challenges Facing Students (pdf)