Go!

Now you're ready to study! Remember, the key is finding out what you DON'T know or understand. Reading the text over and over isn't going to help you. Find a FOCUS and really try to understand what that is, in your own words. Here are some things that might help you out, as you're on your way to academic success!

* FLASHCARDS: I make these colour coded by topic and put a question on the front and the answer on the back. Coursepacks are great for these; write down each end in view as a separate card, then go through and find the answer and write it on the back! A lot of exams are based on the ends in view, so this can be extremely helpful :) Here is a link that allows you to create free virtual flash cards (I use this all the time and you can make them open so your study group can all contribute to the stack to share workload) it's great if you type faster than you write: Free Virtual Flash Cards

* HIGHLIGHTING: Don't overdo it! Many people get confused with this one. They feel that all of the information is important, so they highlight everything. That's not going to be effective because there's no way you'll be able to remember everything! Identifying KEY WORDS or sentences is the goal. I usually use this in conjunction with the flash cards, so I know what my focus is. If you have a mission (something you want to define) highlight words that will help you explain it on the exam or remember key elements.

* COVER AND QUESTION: While reading the text, cover the page with a piece of paper and see if you can explain the content in your own words (Yes, do it OUT LOUD). Start by saying "okay so this just explained..." and fill in the blanks. You will quickly see what content you're missing when you get stuck putting it into your own words.

* POST-ITS: Once you have the focus and the information just isn't sticking, be creative! I like to stick questions all over my apartment to help me recall the information. Bathroom mirrors are a good place for these, if you can remember the answer first thing in the morning, while you're hair is sticking out and your eyes are puffy, you've got it!

* SONGS AND ACRONYMS: This is a GREAT way to study! Make it fun! If you can't remember something, turn it into a joke or a funny story that makes you giggle. I had a song for the role of skin, it was a play on the YMCA song "Gonna make me some Vitaaamin D, the skin will make me some viiitaaamin D-e-e" and it was completely silly, but everyone I taught it to aced that part of the exam! It looked super funny when we were all busting out the hand actions to remember it, but it worked! Acronyms are good too, an example is the acronym ROYGBIV for the colours in the spectrum (Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet). Try it! you'll be surprised with the fun things you come up with!

* ASSOCIATION: Link the material to something fun! If your cellular biology is getting you down, picture the cell components as people with different jobs. Actually see the Golgi Complex as someone packaging boxes (think of Doug from the show "King of Queens" or Newman from "Seinfeld"). This method of associating the material with something you like is great for the memory! It doesn't have to be related to the material, as long as it helps you understand what you're learning! This is how you can really make studying fun.

* REALITY CHECKER: Does the content make sense? I mean really? Memorization is one thing, but it won't help you if the exam asks for variations of the ends in view, requiring you to "critically think." Make sure that you can explain it out loud, I explain it to my friends (you have to have some really patient friends for this one). I'd explain it to them and then ask them to explain it back to me or ask me questions about whatever they didn't understand. When you can teach a sheetmetal worker the ins-and-outs of polar molecules, you've got it down! It's a great and fun way to review and include your significant other, if they feel left out or want to help.

* SHOW ME THE PROOF: I always get all of my papers or assignments proof-read. Try to pick a proof-reader who is also taking classes. I have found that proof-reading other people's papers has made me a lot better at catching my own mistakes. Look for things like spelling mistakes, typos and anything that really stands out on the first read. Then go over it one more time and see if the ideas flow together and you can identify the purpose or topic for each paragraph. Use a red pen to circle anything that you don't understand and write comments that explain what you would like clarified. Ensure that whoever is editing your paper understands what you're looking for (flow, content, spelling, etc.) and give them an idea of where to start or what you think you might be having problems with. Be sure that you don't get them to change your words for you, or re-write sections of the essay either, because that could be considered plagiarism and you don't want that! Here is the Douglas College Policy on Academic Honesty. It's good to take a read through this if you're uncertain about what needs to be referenced and what is considered to be plagiarism. Remember, you can take pieces of information from the internet, but they must be referenced! You can never cut and paste from a website unless it is directly quoted! If you're writing APA or MLA style, you should pick up the guides for citations. These guides are extremely helpful and will only make your job easier!

<--- This is the APA manual, you can get it in the bookstore :)

* USE YOUR RESOURCES: Resources are there to help you! As I said before, it's super important to pick up the writing guide for the style you're using. If you aren't sure what I mean by style, ask your teacher and he or she should be able to tell you. The Douglas College Learning Centre is a great place to get help! This is a free service offered by the college, where you can receive tutoring face-to-face with a tutor or online via email. They also have a truckload of awesome handouts on everything from how to write a multiple choice exam to how to compile an essay. The Douglas College Library is also an awesome place to get help! Aside from getting the materials and research you need for your work, they offer workshops and the website offers tutorials and style guides. Always make sure that your information comes from a reliable source.

I sincerely hope that this information makes the road ahead easier for you! If you have any other ideas or tips, feel free to post them as an online comment. I'd love to hear about them and start some discussion to help others figure out what works or could work for them :) Good luck and happy studying! Remember to smile because you're always on your way to SOMETHING BIGGER!