When it comes time to prepare for an exam, it is important to understand that the assessment will not only test your memorization skills, but it will also test your critical thinking skills. Your instructor will ask you to apply the information you’ve learned in the course to new problems and different situations. In order to pass the exam, you will need to be able to use the information you’ve learned in this course to solve different problems.
Here are a few suggestions about how to use the provided course study guide:
Take Course Notes. During each lesson, take notes. To learn more about different note-taking techniques, click here. Organize your notes in the order in which they were taken. When studying for an exam, mark important information on your study guide from the notes you’ve taken.
Take notes using your study guide. The course study guide is provided in the “Documents” section of the Course Home Page. Since you have access to your study guide from the start of each course, it is helpful to use your study guide as a review for each module. On your copy of the study guide, jot down information about the topics listed. This information can include the lessons/modules where the information is located in the course, examples, reminders, or where information is located in the Lesson Toolbox. It may also be helpful to color-code your study guide notes to help keep them organized.
Use the study guide as a quiz. On a copy of the study guide without your additional notes, quiz yourself. Answer as many questions as you can without referring back to your notes or to the course information. The questions answered incorrectly, or the questions you skipped should be prioritized in your review.
Create your own study guide or add information to the existing study guide. A study guide is just that, a guide. It will not include all of the information that will be on the exam. The purpose of the study guide is to do just that, guide your studying. It may be helpful to add additional notes to the end of the study guide list or to the end of each module. Creating a new study guide based on your readings can also be helpful. Before the exam, compare your study guide to the study guide provided in the course. Information that was repeated on both study guides, is probably important information to know and to be able to use.
Ask someone at home to quiz you using the study guide. One of the best ways to ensure you understand the material is by explaining it in simple terms to someone else. Hand your study guide to a parent/guardian/friend/relative and ask them to quiz you. They can create problems based on your notes or simply ask the questions listed on the study guide. By verbally explaining the answer, you are solidifying your own understanding of the course material.