How to Review for Tests

The tests seem to come rushing in like bamboo shoots after the rain? One test that was past has come to another test. Mastering those tests is like playing a game of rat swatting – gradually 9’s and 10’s will come to you.

Table of Contents

Have effective study habits

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Make a study timetable . Time management skills play a key role in the exam preparation process. When you have time to schedule, you will be less up-to-date. You also won’t have to stay up until 3 a.m. on a Sunday night to “cram in.” Plan your entire week before the test to make the most of your time.

Determine what you have to learn and calculate the amount of knowledge you need to review each day/week to complete. You can quickly calculate how long it takes to learn a page and calculate the total time it takes to learn them all.
Study evenly throughout the week instead of an evening. Regularly re-reading information moves it from short-term memory (a form of memory that disappears almost immediately) to long-term memory so you can use it later. ^{[1] X Research Resources} Ideally, spend some time studying each day.

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Start studying as soon as possible. When you’re in control of the situation, you’ll never have to worry about keeping up with what you’ve learned. Read textbook assignments, do homework, and attend class regularly. From there, the self-study process will become a lot easier.

Set aside one notebook and one booklet for each subject. Store relevant documents for easy retrieval when needed a few months later. Available outline to grasp the basic content of the subject. Don’t forget to study daily, don’t let the water reach your feet to jump!

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Ask your teachers what they want you to practice. Remember that any small detail of the test can turn into a question!

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Get enough sleep . We’ve already explained why you should sleep instead of changing your daily routine to get up early to study, because it disrupts your REM (rapid eye movement) sleep cycle. ^{[2] X Research Source} Make sure to get as close to 8 hours of sleep as possible. Your grades (and your parents) will be grateful to you.

Review the most difficult content right before going to bed. When you fall asleep, your brain will have hours to “absorb” knowledge. Simple content can be processed in the middle of the afternoon – difficult content should be “soaked” overnight for optimal memorization. ^{[2] X Research Source}

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Make time for breakfast. Many studies show that students who eat breakfast before the test often do better on the test. However, you should also only snack and eat healthy foods – it won’t help if you are distracted by the egg, cold meat or cheese in your stomach. Eat fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy products.

In fact, studies have also shown that the diet in the week before the test is also important! Students whose diets were high in fat and high in carbs performed worse on exams than those who ate more fruits, vegetables, and complex carb whole grains. Eat right to keep your body and mind healthy. Eating right will provide the body with the necessary nutrients, helping you to retain knowledge more effectively. ^{[2] X Research Source}

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Avoid “water to the feet to jump”. Studying for the exam right before the test day will only make things more difficult – you’ll be sleep deprived, moody, and your brain unable to function properly. You shouldn’t review a large amount of knowledge overnight; You can’t absorb that much information in just one review. ^{[3] X Research Resources} Frankly speaking, you will only do worse on your test.

Even if you find this illogical, trust the science. Many studies show that people who stay up late to cram only score average. ^{[4] X Research Source} If you want to get 5-6 points, do it. But if you want higher scores, you need to stay away from cramming.

Effective learning

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Group study gathering. According to a study by Duke University (USA), the most effective study group will have 3-4 people. One person is considered the team leader or representative – they will keep the group focused. Bring some snacks, some good music, and agree on the content of the review before you start. To communicate about review content, you have to read, watch, listen, and talk about it – a great way to help you remember. ^{[7] X Research Sources}

You should spend the first part of your group study clarifying concepts. These are often overlooked. Discuss concepts from that week’s study material or key points that will be on the test. When discussing a piece of content, it becomes more interesting (and more memorable). The next step is to deal with specific problems. Once the concept is clear, the problems will often become clear. ^{[8] X Research Sources}

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Choose from several different study locations. A recent study shows that your memory will improve when receiving information in many different environments. Scientists aren’t sure about the reason for this result, but it has to do with information enrichment and association with multiple stimuli (deeper information encoding). ^{[9] X Research Resources} At home, to the library, all is well!

Study at the test site if possible. You’ll know this if you’ve ever heard of environment-dependent memory. The brain will remember information better in the environment in which the brain receives that information. ^{[10] X Research Resources} Organize study groups in the classroom if possible!
Avoid distractions and use background noise to block out distracting noises.

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Take breaks during study time. Whether you study at home or at school, schedule breaks. Drink a glass of water, go for a walk or have a snack. However, you should make sure the break lasts only a few minutes, about 5-10 minutes. Don’t rest too long, or you’ll get distracted and won’t study!

Remember that you’re just taking a break so your brain can take in the information you just received. Your concentration and memory will be greatly improved. Taking a break doesn’t mean stagnation – you’re learning in a way that’s best for your brain. ^{[11] X Research Source}
Get up for a walk during breaks. Going out to the street to breathe fresh air, the brain needs oxygen to function most effectively.

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Choose energizing foods. A recent study shows that cocoa beans are especially beneficial for the brain. Dark chocolate has the same effect, but make sure it contains more than 70% cocoa. Don’t hesitate to enjoy a cup of cocoa or a chocolate bar! ^{[12] X Research Source}

Coffee or tea – that is, a little bit of caffeine – is not harmful either. ^{[7] X Research Sources} An energetic body is an important factor for you to absorb information. Just don’t use them too much to “fall” in a few hours!
Fish, nuts and piu oil (which are rich in Omega-3s) are also foods that are particularly beneficial for the brain. Before the test, eat a large meal of the above – your brain will be ready for battle. ^{[7] X Research Sources}

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Learning the game. Write information on sticky notes and decorate them. Pay attention not to write a long paragraph on the memo, otherwise you will not be able to decipher the information on it. You can quiz yourself and others, review information on flashcards while waiting for the bus, walking to class or when you want to pass the time.

You will also find it easier to remember information when you connect it with a crazy story. ^{[13] X Research Source} For example, are you trying to remember that the only war that lasted only within one U.S. presidency was World War I (WWI) during the presidency of the United States. President Woodrow Wilson? The initials of Woodrow Wilson’s name are WW, imagine him standing on top of the world in a giant foam cheering glove. You can also imagine a giant Wilson volleyball, painted in the shape of the Earth, bouncing back and forth between the US and Germany. It’s up to you.
Graphs and images are much easier to remember than long, boring sentences. Make the information interactive and eye-catching if possible. That method will be highly effective.
Use memory aids! Your brain can only remember a certain number of things (seems like the magic number is 7), so you can optimize your memory by encapsulating a large amount of information in a single word (eg. For example, Roy G. Biv is an acronym for the colors of the rainbow in English). ^{[7] X Research Sources}

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Break up content into sections. The easiest way to break up content is to use your handy memo pad. Use yellow pens to mark words, pink to mark dates, blue to mark numbers, etc. When studying, take the time to re-mark different information so that your brain is not saturated by your children. numbers, dates, or other “difficult” information. You can’t practice basketball just by working on it all day, can you?

In this way, when studying, you will easily see the big concepts in comparison with the specific details. When skimming through information, focus on the big stuff. Until you really study more deeply, focus on the details.
Learning a variety of content in one session often leaves a deeper, more lasting impression on the brain. This is also why musicians often practice both the scale, composition, and rhythm of music, while athletes practice strength, speed, and technique. Therefore, review all the content highlighted by different colors! ^{[9] X Research Source}

Reduce exam stress

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Auditions. This is useful because: A) you’ll be less stressed when you take the real test (the real test can seriously affect your score) and B) you’ll do better on the test. A recent study by the University of California – Berkeley showed that students who took a test on newly learned content performed better than those who were asked to take notes on what they had learned. ^{[14] X Research Source}

So take a mock test and ask your friends to do the same! Then two people can grade each other’s work and benefit from it. If you can get the whole study group to take a mock test, even better. The more realistic the mock test, the more confident you will be, and will be confident when the test day comes.

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Review on test day morning – if this calms you down. The effect of this is similar to the step above. You want to be as calm and relaxed as possible, and studying before the test can help you get there. Moreover, information will also be better retained (remember how we mentioned earlier that the brain is more alert right after waking up?). On your way to class, take a last look at the sticky notes you’ve prepared.

Review only simple content (simple concepts only). Trying to understand big and “difficult” concepts in a 10-minute walk to school won’t help. You will mess up yourself – the opposite of what you want! You just need to prepare your brain basically.

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Concentrate before the test. Some people even meditate before the exam. Yoga can help you too! Any exercise that helps you relax your breathing and focus will help. What will help you get in shape?

Consider listening to classical music. While it doesn’t make you smarter as many people believe, classical music can improve your memory. If you want to be even more specific, listen to music with a tempo of 60 BPM. That music will bring the greatest effect. ^{[15] X Research Source}
Software that creates background sounds from nature – the sound of rain, wind, running water or crackling fire – can have the same effect and help you focus.

Advice

Read aloud what you are studying.
Record the date in your notebook. You will save time when you can find information from last Tuesday’s lecture.
When you’ve done enough review each night, reward yourself. You can play a game or eat a special dish.
Review each concept in turn, starting with the most confusing one, then test it yourself. Ask questions that are more difficult than those on the exam.
Get enough sleep the night before the test. If you have time, take a shower, listen to music, or reread the memo. If you don’t have a notepad, review the contents of your notebook. Drink water and don’t eat foods high in sugar, otherwise you will have too much energy and won’t be able to sit still at the start of the test.
Look for soothing classical music that can be used as background music as you study. This way helps you reduce stress and your brain will also process information better.
Drink plenty of water, eat plenty of food, and get plenty of sleep to have enough energy for the test. The rumbling in your stomach can distract you.
Have someone else ask you questions based on the information in your notebook. This method helps you to know your weaknesses, as well as the parts you are not good at or are not confident about.
Answer the teacher’s questions in class. When a group of people listen to you, the pressure also increases. If you know the answer, you will remember it longer; but even if your answer is wrong, the teacher will explain it to you.
Don’t tire your brain. Take a short break if needed.

Warning

You will feel less confident about the test when you are nervous. Try not to stress; it was just a test.
Don’t “jump until your feet are in the water”. Studying in the evening just before the test can make your brain tired, you will forget all the information you have learned during the study.

Steps

Have effective study habits

Effective learning

Reduce exam stress

Advice

Warning

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