Your actions and inactions towards an exam day can determine whether you will pass or fail. Whatever you do during this period has its repercussions. In athletics, a marathon runner wouldn’t begin his/her training just a day to the main event. So you should also prepare in advance for a test and get LearnSmart answers online to have enough time with your books and other reading materials to avoid putting pressure on the brain. Here are some strategies you can employ to ensure effective learning as you get closer to examination.

Preparation period

As you prepare for exams, several things must be considered and your attitude must reflect the seriousness you attach to it. As such, you need to:

• Get ready for your first test immediately after you receive your reading materials and syllabus for the semester. Adopt a specific learning strategy you are comfortable with and plan to execute it.
• Give yourself enough time through the learning process.
• Plan your studying schedules to include break times
• Don’t stress yourself with long hours of studies. Break materials into pieces and consume little by little
• Create your own learning style

Strategies for Pre-Reading, Reading, and Post-Reading

• Learn to create pre-reading questions on assigned topics, and before you start reading the chapters, test your knowledge on it.
• Don’t just go straight into reading chapters/sections of the assigned topic, instead accustom yourself with them with a quick scan through the headings, main points, and illustrations.
• When you come across new/strange words, find the meaning according to their usage in the chapter.
• Create a vocabulary dictionary for new words
• Make sure you create your own notes using the main points. It should be simpler, easy to read and understand, compared to the main learning material.
• It is highly possible to come across things you don’t understand as you read. In such cases, note them down, and seek further explanation from your teacher or classmates.
• If you need further clarification on a topic, visit your school library or any available facility related to what you are seeking.
• Prepare study questions throughout your studies.

Preparing for lecture and note-taking

• Before attending a lecture, read through the day’s topic to have background knowledge on it. Through that, you can also prepare a list of questions to ask your teacher.
• You should always take note during lessons by writing down the main points and highlights.
• If your lecturer speaks faster than you can comprehend, seek permission to do an audio recording of the lecture.
• Another way of matching the pace of your lecturer is by taking notes in shorthand and using abbreviations.
• In case the lecturer referred to several pages or sections in the learning material, write the pages or sections numbers down. If he/she also mentioned an external source, write it down for future studies.
• After class, review your notes by comparing them with others. You can then prepare personal notes using the recorded audio or points you wrote.

After-lecture activities

• Read through your study materials
• Learn in groups made up of competent and serious students and be highly involved with it
• Test your ability by setting yourself some questions
• Make use of flashcards to improve your memory
• Explore other reading and learning materials related to your topic

Tips on Studying Physics Effectively

• Understand the overview of physics as a program or subject. It always proves crucial to recognize physics as a discipline that primarily deals with problem-solving. As much as your instructor will stress aspects such as principles and themes, you will have to apply them to solve problems. Therefore, an overview of physics can prove instrumental in organizing your efforts besides increasing your efficiency. You will have to comprehend and retain formulas and data. Additionally, the connecting themes and underlying principles should also prove visible from your position to generate formulas whenever you forget one. 
• Effective class participation. Physics as a program requires effective class participation, and for this reason, it becomes crucial to prepare beforehand to integrate the materials while in class fully.  Therefore, check your reading assignment or course outline to understand what your instructor will cover in class. Do homework carefully to be ready for the next lesson. Besides this, it also becomes essential to preview textbook sections that become pivotal to whatever subjects you will cover in class, enhancing your capacity to understand concepts. So read and understand the summary and introduction sections of the chapters and pay attention to the headings. You can then formulate potential questions concerning the subjects you will cover to understand the material better.
  It also becomes crucial to attend classes and stay attentive to the end. Here, you will get valuable hints from your instructor, which you can note down to help you understand and recap everything later in your study sessions.
• Read your physics textbook. You will always find the process of reading texts and solving assignment problems proving cyclical. Answers can lead to questions that can ultimately lead to answers again. Additionally, it becomes crucial to look for associations between topics. Here, you might notice specific problems getting analyzed first before the problem’s generalization is set into abstract results.  In such instances, it becomes crucial to refer to the previously cited case and ensure that you comprehend the application of the general theory to a particular problem.

Problem Solving

Physics, as earlier mentioned, entails plenty of problem-solving, and by this point, you might prove a novice in problem-solving. To become an expert, you have to become efficient in solving physics problems. So how can you go about it? You must first consider the background of the problem before going ahead and pondering what you have to find by solving the problem. Additionally, consider aspects such as the information you have to use and the principles that will apply. Similarly, aspects such as your knowledge of similar situations and how you can solve the problem through applying the information you have can prove pivotal. 

Effective Preparation for Tests

You have to have an elaborate study strategy to give yourself an easier time to prepare for exams. Plenty, if not all, physics exams entail problem-solving. Therefore actively studying will enable you to apply physics principles to solve problems presented in the exams. To do this efficiently, consider doing the following.

• Review your course notes a week before the test and recheck what the outline of the course says. It will help you prepare by equipping you with what you can anticipate in your exams.
• You have to read your assignment problem solutions afresh to remind yourself of the underlying laws and principles of physics besides their application to ensure you prepare adequately in applying the same to solve test problems.
• Review the chapters assigned. Here, your goal entails preparing for your exam by ensuring that you become conversant with the exam topics.
• Finally, review actively.

Conclusion

Physics can become a fun and easy subject so long as you develop an effective study routine. For you to ace physics in college, consider the guidelines provided. 

1. Exercise

Exercising has been proven to improve cognition and memory.  According to a research, a 20 minutes exercise before an exam can better your performance. With walking being a type of exercise, you can decide to take a walk to school during exams.

2. Read loudly when learning

Aside from Mathematics and subjects that involve calculations, reading loudly when studying can improve your memory. This may sound weird, but it really works, so give it a try. However, you can only do loud reading when studying alone, and not in a crowded area like the library.

3. Have a rest/break

A tired and stressed mind cannot absorb any relevant information. Therefore, studying for very long hours without taking a break down your absorption ability. When you notice exhaustion, while learning, take a break, have a walk or nap to refresh your brain. You can have a 15 minutes break after 2 hours of learning.  

4. Play games

One of the fun ways to improve your memory is by playing games. Games like puzzles, chess, and Sudoku, among others develops your brain, make you smart, and improves your memory. Whenever you have free time, engage in some educative games and you wouldn’t regret doing that.

5. Practices make perfect

One of the best ways of remembering what you’ve learned is by teaching others. Teaching others is a fine opportunity to test your understanding of the topic matter. It makes you go back to relearn or gain confidence that you are on top of the subject. In case you have no one to teach, stand in front of a mirror and give a presentation.

6. Have adequate sleep

Sleep deprivation is one of the most visible causes of forgetfulness. After a long and tiring day, you need to have a good sleep, at least 6 hours as an adult. Having enough sleep resuscitates the brain and keeps it fresh for the next day. Failure to do so stresses your brain and makes absorption and retrieval of information difficult. On the other hand, a fresh brain easily retrieves whatever it stores.

7. Practice makes perfect

There are people who naturally easily forget. They learn today, and the next day, whatever they learned is gone. If you are such a person, the best remedy is to practice until it sticks.  If you need to go over a topic for 10 tens before grabbing it, just do it.

8. Find new ways to learn

As a student, you must try different ways of learning to find one that suits you. Some prefer studying in a quiet and serene environment, while others prefer listening to music. Some students also like using video tutorials for learning, including watching YouTube videos or TED Talks on a subject. It is therefore better to identify a learning method that makes memorizing easier for you. 

9. Group studies

Having a group study creates a perfect image you can reflect on when having difficulty in memorizing. So, in case you forget about an answer during exams, you can recollect what a colleague said about it during a study discussion. This kind of memory is vivid and one of the best you can have.

10. Meditation

Meditation is one of the surest ways to stay focused and relax the brain. It eases stress, depression, and improves creativity.  As such, it can help students to concentrate while learning to improve retention. If you are new to meditation, you can learn more about it online.

Preparing for class

Studying biology in college is a no joke; hence, you should prepare adequately for each class or lab session. A night before the next class, ensure that you’re done with all assigned readings or writing assignments. Biology textbooks are full of pictures, diagrams, and illustrations; as you study pay critical attention to such items. That aside, in case your tutor post any information or note online, give it the needed attention when you do the homework. It may be a clue for your next exams or topic. Spending quality time with your materials before class helps you to make a meaningful contribution.

Note-taking

In class, don’t be a passive student but an active one. Take notes as the lecture progresses. It shouldn’t be a word-to-word thing, but write down the important things your lecturer says or write on the board. Also, write down all the page numbers or sources your lecturer references, not forgetting things he refers to as important. If in doubt, ask a question or seek the repetition of an important point or information you missed. If possible, do an audio recording of the lecture after seeking permission from the instructor.

Prepare your own note

Knowledge reinforcement is an important part of learning and preparing your own note contributes to that effect. It promotes information retention and gives you a deeper understanding. After class, go through the points you wrote and prepare a note for the day’s lesson. Create the note in your own words to make memorizing easier. But that shouldn’t be the end of it, you need to go through it as you tackle homework and any other time when it is needed.  

Preparing for test

Preparing for your biology test must start the first day you were handed course materials. Some students wait until a few days for exams before they start learning. This is very wrong as it put pressure on the brain and causes stress. Instead, build up your knowledge from the beginning of the biology course but studying every day. As you learn every day and effectively all you will need is to just revise your notes when exams are getting close. After revision, try explaining what you learned to a friend to see how well it went. If there is no one around, stand in front of a mirror and make a presentation.

With biology being an experimental topic, you may also have to practice at the lab to sharpen your practical skills. Also, pay attention to pictures and illustrations as you study because you may surely meet them in your exams.

Make use of the internet

When you have a problem with a topic or assignment, try to find a solution online. There are numerous academic works on biology topics and homework help services to explore on the internet.