History Is Not Just a Bunch of Isolated Facts That You Need to Memorize to Pass a Test

Study Tips

History is not just a bunch of isolated facts that you need to memorize to pass a test. It is a story . . . your story as an American . . . with main concepts and details that explain them.

The tips:

ü  Take control. Break your workload down into manageable chunks. Prioritize! Schedule your time realistically.

ü  Indentify and focus on the most important topics emphasized in class (Key Questions!) and also areas you do not understand yet.

ü  Arouse your interest in the material . . . even if you have to fake it. Keep an open mind and a positive attitude. Personalize the material and make meaningful connections. . . you will remember it better.

ü  The #1 secret to learning is repetition! The #1 secret to learning is repetition! You need to "practice" your history. Study until you have mastered the material and study some more! Over learn the material. You will also remember the material better if you study it in the same order each time, especially since history is a story.

ü  Reinforce learning and remembering. Take notes. Highlight the main points in your notes. Create images in your mind or even draw your own pictures related to the material. Explain the material out loud to yourself. Get a study group to discuss the material and ask each other questions.

ü  Distribute learning. Because of fatigue, distributed practice is better than massed practice to remember the material. For example, study three nights for twenty minutes each instead of one night for one hour. Also take study breaks!

ü  Review, review, review. Forgetting occurs faster at first and then slows over time. Ideal situation . . . actively review your notes everyday for a few minutes. And also review your notes one last time right before you take the test.

ü  Quiz yourself. Make sure you find out if you really know the material before you take the test. Just looking over your notes or re-reading the textbook is not enough. For this class, you can use your study guide as a "test" before the real test. If you can't answer the questions on the study guide, you are not going to do your best on the actual test. If there is an essay question on the test, figure out what you are going to write before you take the test.

ü  SEE YOUR TEACHER IF YOU EVER NEED EXTRA HELP UNDERSTANDING THE MATERIAL!