Time & Organization
This is the single most important document to review first, as it contains the final's weighting and scope.
What is the Syllabus (or Study Guide)?
It outlines the scope, format, and weighting of the final, ensuring you study the right material in the right way.
Checking social media during study breaks.
What is a bad idea? :)
Because it is passive mental activity, it doesn't allow the brain to truly rest or process the info you've been working on. It often leads to a distracted mind when you get back to studying.
Effective breaks should be active (walking, stretching) or restorative (napping).
This is a highly effective study method that involves trying to recall information without looking at your notes.
What is Active Recall?
This is when the brain processes and stores temporary, short-term memories as long-term memories.
What is sleep (or memory consolidation)?
Memory consolidation occurs during periods of rest, most commonly sleep and most importantly REM sleep, but even shorter breaks for physical activity help.
The most crucial element to practice for an essay-based final.
What are thesis statements? (or outlines)
The time management strategy where you work in 25-minute intervals followed by a 5-minute break.
What is the Pomodoro Technique?
Short, structured breaks prevent mental fatigue and allow your brain to process the information.
Avoid procrastination.
What is a way to minimize stress?
The study technique that involves trying to explain a concept in simple, basic terms, as if to a child.
What is the Feynman Technique?
The best nutritional choice for sustained focus and improved memory and cognition: water and a snack containing this macronutrient plus fiber.
What is protein?
The best method for a biology final that requires learning the steps of a process (like the Krebs Cycle).
What is drawing a diagram or flowchart?
The highly effective, but often difficult, principle of studying the material you struggle with first.
What is Triage (or Prioritization)?
Focusing on weak areas yields the highest return on study time investment.
A common study hazard that is a result of trying to focus too long without a break.
What is cognitive fatigue (or diminished returns)?
Your attention span and retention rates drop sharply after about 45-90 minutes of continuous focus.
The best learning activity for a final involving procedural mastery, unlike merely reviewing solved examples.
What is re-working problems independently?
Understanding a solution is passive; successfully re-working it proves active mastery and procedural memory.
The most productive thing to do if you get stuck on a difficult question during the exam.
What is skip it and come back later?
Something useful to create and practice problems with for a physics, math or chemistry final.
What is a formula sheet (or note card)?
The formulas you expect to need should be automatic and require no thinking at all. It can even help if you memorize these formulas and jot them on the side of your exam paper at the beginning of the text period. That way you are not wasting mental space and capacity trying to find that basic info -- you can simply check over your formula list for the ones you need.
Of course, you still have to know how to employ them to solve the problems!
You should do this to every problem you missed on a previous test or quiz before reviewing any other material.
What is re-work (or re-solve) the problem?
Identifying and correcting past errors is the best predictor of future success on similar exam questions.
Setting realistic goals, establishing a routine, and planning your time well.
What are ways to avoid academic burnout?
A study session that is just re-reading your textbook or notes without any testing or active practice.
What is passive studying?
Simple sugars and caffeine.
What should you limit your consumption of (avoid)?
They can cause burnout or an energy crash.
An active study practice that is especially good for learning definitions and dates.
What is using flashcards?
Flashcards enable spaced repetition and testing, which improves long-term recall. Even when studying by yourself, using flashcards can make you actively produce the information either by speaking or writing it.
The critical first step in organization: consolidating notes from all your sources into a single, cohesive document.
What is synthesizing (or outlining) your notes?
This is an active learning technique that moves beyond simple recall to deeper understanding by combining information from different sources. This active process helps you identify patterns, connect concepts, and build a more comprehensive and lasting knowledge base, which is crucial for exams and for problem solving and critical thinking. By integrating information from lectures, readings, and discussions, you create new connections and insights that are retained in long-term memory.
Performing random actions like rapidly moving your head, jumping around, or doing a quick dance.
What can immediately lower your stress hormones?
These activate the parasympathetic nervous system immediately, without requiring any real thought or mind control. Doing so reduces stress hormones in your body. This is useful when you are studying, before sleeping, or during an exam -- or before a job interview, when you are going to give a presentation, etc.
The specific memory function that benefits most from using physical or digital flashcards repeatedly over several days.
What is spaced repetition (or long-term recall)?
The 3 key basic self-care items you should take care of before any exam
What are eat, go to the bathroom, and get a good night's sleep?
If you are physically uncomfortable during an exam -- including your eyes falling shut or
The term for breaking comprehensive material into smaller, manageable, related sections to reduce feeling overwhelmed.
What is chunking?
It reduces the feeling of being overwhelmed and allows you to celebrate small, consistent victories.