Tips on Making a Study Guide

A study guide is a framework that summarizes the information that will likely appear on your next exam. A study guide can help you prepare for exams and master your subject. A good guide takes into account your style of learning and provides the information in a well-organized and clear way. Here are some tips from writers-house.com that will help you create an effective study guide.

Find Clues

Quite often, instructors give students clues about the most important information. We recommend that you pay attention to the topics emphasized by your professor in class. If your professor considers a certain topic especially important, the chances are that it will appear on the exam. Another thing that can help you identify the most important sections for your study guide is the class syllabus. You can also talk to your instructor about exams and ask what kinds of questions will likely be included. For example, true or false and multiple-choice questions require you to know the definitions and specifics of your subject. In contrast, essay questions require you to write about broad topics and explain connections between ideas. Make sure to adjust your study guide to a particular test style.

Review Your Materials

Your textbooks, class notes, and other study materials can also help you make a study guide. For example, the key ideas in your class notes can become the main points of your study guide. Read your textbooks and determine whether some subheadings or questions should be included in your study guide outline. Diagrams and charts will also help you identify the most important information.

Write an Outline

Use the main points from your class materials as a framework for your study guide. Write your outline based on the main sections of your study materials. Consider the main concepts and break them down into smaller sections or categorize them. When writing about some historical events, you may include causes, the main facts, and consequences. Create subtopics for each category to provide more details. Make sure to include all the information that you consider important.

Customize Your Guide

The outline will serve as your general study guide. However, you can make it better if you customize it and tailor it to your study style. Add main points to each subsection or turn the main points into questions. Visual learners may benefit from making a study guide in the form of a concept map. Write the main concept in the center of this map and draw branches to the subtopics. You may also connect the subtopics to remember how they relate to each other. You can also add graphs charts or images.

Leave a Reply

Be the First to Comment!

Notify of
avatar

wpDiscuz