Spring-clean Your Notes

By Elizabeth Cunningham, Vassar College

You know those kids who have the nerve to walk around campus looking well-rested during finals week? They’re the ones who rarely seem stressed and can be overheard referring to finals as “not that big a deal.” Ever wonder how they have it so totally together? They have their notes in order.

You too can be one of these mythical creatures with these transformative steps from Karen Getter, an academic coach in the Vassar College Learning, Teaching and Research Center.

Sort
Go through your notes, readings, homework, tests and papers, and identify which material will be part of the final, says Getter. Even if your professor hasn't discussed the final in class yet, chances are you can identify the key concepts and materials -- or at least, you can tell what's not so key.

“I usually go over my notes and put aside those extra unnecessary articles professors give out in class,” says Vassar College senior Giselle Del Carmen. “Any tedious and long articles that aren't crucial will only slow you down while studying or writing a paper.”

Prepare
Make a “things to prepare” list, advises Getter. This checklist should include everything you need to review, read, write or memorize for the final, such as:

• Readings
• PowerPoints or other lecture aids provided by the professor;
• Lecture notes;
• Homework assignments;
• Tests;
• Papers;
• Study questions;
• Key concepts;
• Formulas; and
• Flash cards, outlines or other study aids you’ve used to prepare for previous tests.

Identify
Getter suggests identifying the cognitive skills you expect to use in a given subject’s evaluation. Different cognitive skills require different methods of preparation, so this should help you decide how to study for each component.

Problem solving Prepare by practicing study questions that mimic the format of potential test questions.

Memorization Flash cards are most helpful when it comes to memorizing facts. University of Southern California junior Chelsea Robinson says, “I always make flash cards as we go along in the semester to help me remember and stay on top of the material. I write it out and then quiz myself out loud or with a friend because it helps me to verbalize the answers in my own words.”

Comprehension Summary notes are best for understanding principles because they let you synthesize the material in your own words and clarify your own processing of hierarchies of ideas and connections between concepts, lectures and texts.

Critical Thinking This requires strong analytical skills, so a practice essay or outline is most productive.

Organize
“Use sticky notes and color coding to highlight important test information,” says Getter. Visual cues will keep a long list from becoming overwhelming, and ensure that you can always find the key concepts you've identified.

“I rewrite and organize all of my notes into a study guide,” says Vassar College senior Alyssa Roush. “If I don't fully understand something, I put a Post-it on the page with my question and then write the answer down on it so I know where I had trouble. Once I have done this, I go over my problem sets or any sort of homework I had. If I had trouble on something in the homework, I put another Post-it about it in the section of my study guide that covers that material.” The colorful sticky notes make it easy to return to sections you need to spend extra time on.

Schedule
Time management is crucial for making sure you're prepared for each final, and staggering your studying is the best way to fit everything in. “Conduct short daily review sessions eight days prior to exams,” Getter advises. “Study three hours in the mornings and three in the evenings to avoid mental fatigue.” When you create your schedule, try to incorporate variety in each day. When you're sick of one topic, you'll be more productive if you work on another topic for a while and come back to it later.

“I try to mentally organize my finals timing,” says Del Carmen. “I set myself deadlines: Get one paper done by this day, while prepping for the next one due two days later. Study three chapters every day until the day of the exam and hopefully cover all the material.”