Content

• Steps

Study guides can help you to easily and quickly review important pre-test or pre-exam study material. There are many different formats of basic learning guides, and each is designed to help you gather information in a way that's easy to understand and receptive. Different topics may be suitable for certain formats of study, but the quality of the study guide depends on the information you have gathered. Make sure you gather material from a reputable source when incorporating them into your study guide and focus on organizing the material in a format that makes it easy to understand.

Steps

Part 1 of 3: Choose a format

1. 

   Create a concept map. Concept maps or branch diagrams are a method of mapping ideas so you can easily follow information from general to specific. Concept maps are great for visual learners, allowing them to make connections between any topic.
   • An example of a concept map is to place the title of a chapter in the center of the map, where the lines will link to each of the main topics covered in that chapter. Each topic can contain lines that link to supporting evidence, thereby creating a simple visual map of the content in the chapter.
   • This type of learning instruction is similar to a progress chart and involves using the overarching idea combining many branches associated with the sub idea.
   • Concept maps allow you to organize information spatially, like in an extended web page, instead of the line format like most other study guides.
   • Start with a main topic in the center, then draw multiple branches from that topic with each supporting information.

2. 

   
   
   Create a comparison chart. A comparison chart is a simple way to organize information to be compared. This method often works best if trying to establish similarities and differences between facts, theory, or topics.
   • Comparison charts help to see the relationship between a particular trait or category.
   • The comparison chart is especially useful in science class, helping to recognize the relationships between multiple organs.
   • For example, a good way to use comparison charts is to recognize the similarities and differences between the American and French revolutions or something including coincidence and difference.
   • Create a table with multiple topics listed in one column and the next with multiple columns of different or related information.

3. 

   
   
   Remember concept card. A concept card is an organized flash card. These cards are made from a table of contents cards about 8 to 15 cm wide or larger. Concept cards are very useful to help you remember material and ask yourself questions about subjects like Math, Science, or History.
   • Write down the key idea or concept on the front of the tag, along with the category (if there is only one tag) and the source you use to gather the information.
   • Make a note of the most important content related to the idea or concept on the back of the card.
   • Summarize information to help you check back while studying.

4. 

   
   
   Create summary sheet. One of the simplest and most popular forms of study guides is the summary table. Just start by summarizing the important parts of your notes. The summary sheet is perfect for those who do well by reading through the material. They are especially useful in History and Literature lessons with few memory requirements.
   • Use titles for important paragraphs to help you better understand a concept.
   • This is one of the most comprehensive forms of study guide and a great way to synthesize large amounts of material.
   • This method is not a time saver because you have to gather all the documents you don't need.
   advertisement

Part 2 of 3: Prepare study guides

1. 

   Gather all necessary resources. You will be putting together information from multiple sources, so start collecting them. The better you prepare to start, the easier it will be to write a study guide.
   • Gathering a study guide is easier when you have all the necessary resources available.
   • All the assignments and class material can help when combined in the study guide.
   • Gather past quizzes to find the range that still finds it difficult.

2. 

   Use textbooks as a source of information. Most classes come with one or more textbooks, and this is an invaluable source of knowledge when creating study guides. Textbooks can help you categorize subjects, organize materials, and find definitions of important terms.
   • Review what you learned in class or assignments and find a key concept.
   • Bold or italicize words when taking notes as they may be important to the subject or cover the information you need to understand for the exam.

3. 

   Get information from notes. Taking careful class notes not only helps you remember the information being taught, but they are also an important part of the study guide. Taking notes can help you organize your material and also see which parts your teacher thinks is most important.
   • Review your notes and highlight or underline important information.
   • Focus on concepts or key parts that you think are particularly important, based on the lecture, and need to gather enough information in the study guide.
   • Determine the extent to which you are still ambiguous through notes. Research for answers to what you are still skeptical about in your textbook and need to include that content in your study guide.
   • Classroom materials are also a valuable resource as they show what teachers consider important.

4. 

   Use homework to guide yourself. Homework can show you what the teacher thinks is the focus as well as provide an idea of ​​what types of questions might appear on the exam.
   • Focus more on mistakes in homework. Begin by adding this section to your study guide.
   • Homework can also be beneficial as a way of reminding all of the homework you've learned over the long term. Use it to structure the tutorial.

5. 

   Use past tests for orientation. The tests you took during the semester are often designed to test your understanding of the subject, so they can be a great review tool.
   • Subjects covered in the past exam are likely to reappear in the final exam.
   • Even if the new test has nothing to do with the old test, they can help you figure out what type of question the teacher will ask and what kind of answers they want answers to.
   advertisement

Part 3 of 3: Arrangement of study guides

1. 

   Categorize information by subject. Now, you have all the materials you need to compile the study guide, and it's time to rearrange it. Organize study guides in a way that is easy to understand and follow.
   • If the test has a section in the textbook, divide the material by the chapter that appears in the textbook. For example, arrange study instruction by chapter with supporting information or broad concepts such as country for world history or body area for anatomy.
   • Once you have identified information corresponding to a broad topic, use that information to start outlining the study guide.
   • When taking the time to study the sections of the study guide and identify areas in which you are less confident, focus on these areas when studying.

2. 

   Try using the following examples to organize a learning guide. Breaking information down into easy-to-follow sections is important for a helpful learning guide. Here are some examples of breaking information from multiple disciplines into more manageable chunks.
   • The American Revolution can be phased in abstracts such as “1750s, 1760s and 1770-81” or by events like the Stamp and Sugar Act, the Boston Tea Party, and the Declaration of Independence, including Support information for each category.
   • The periodic table can be divided into flash cards to help you memorize the abbreviations for each element.
   • The method of educational psychology can be divided into concept maps. Begin with a circle centered on "psychological method" with many branches derived from it according to the dynamic, humanistic and social methodology.
   • Viruses or some other biological concept can be easily arranged in the form of a comparison chart. If you are studying viruses, list them in the left column, then create columns related to some other aspects of the virus such as infection patterns, symptoms and treatment.

3. 

   Don't try to cram a lot of information into the study guide. This tutorial should help you understand complex subjects, so simplify them in a way that is easy to understand and follow and need to remove the unnecessary.
   • The information included in the study guide should be carefully reviewed to avoid frustration in its use.
   • You don't have to include a subject that you are extremely interested in with details. Instead, focus on areas you're not confident in.
   • Whatever format you use, it is a good idea to incorporate information from each source into a separate section regardless of subject matter. For example, if the test involves the American Revolution, combine all relevant points from notes, textbooks, homework, and the Alexander Hamilton test into one part of the study guide.
4. Presents simple study guide. You can consult easy and frequent study guides, so make them as easy to read and understand as possible. Use whitespace, underline, and highlight the differences between topics and to find out what you need is easy.
   • Use clean, concise handwriting so you can read everything written in the study guide.
   • Choose the right type of study guide for each document so you can easily find the information you're looking for.
   • Fix a format used to classify or divide revision sections to easily determine when to finish a topic and to start reviewing new topics.
   advertisement