07-20-2009, 04:45 PM
I start by reading my guides(s) and taking handwritten notes. The handwritten notes are a pain, but it forces me to pay attention to everything. I have a high typing speed, so it is too easy for me to ignore the material and just type my notes.
Once I have gotten my handwritten notes done, I type them up.
Next I make flashcards out of them. I like using Flashcards: The world's largest library of printable flash cards
Then I study the flashcards until I identify which areas I am having problems with.
Once I know what is just not sticking, I make associations. I start by making the most simple associations and work up from there. For example, while studying for American Lit, I paired the authour names with something in their works. Bret Harte wrote about the wild west, so I thought, "Cowboys have a lot of heart" (are brave).
For things that I cannot make a word or sound association for, I turn to tables. Again, using American Lit, I took any titles that I just could not remember and wrote them down in a table. Then I wrote down their works. I memorized WHERE the titles were and where the authours were. Then when I was trying to remember, I could visualize the page, remember where I had written the title and remember what section of the table the authour was in to connect the two.
Finally, anything that I still cannot get together, I just keep writing out and reading out loud over and over and over until it sticks.
Once I have gotten my handwritten notes done, I type them up.
Next I make flashcards out of them. I like using Flashcards: The world's largest library of printable flash cards
Then I study the flashcards until I identify which areas I am having problems with.
Once I know what is just not sticking, I make associations. I start by making the most simple associations and work up from there. For example, while studying for American Lit, I paired the authour names with something in their works. Bret Harte wrote about the wild west, so I thought, "Cowboys have a lot of heart" (are brave).
For things that I cannot make a word or sound association for, I turn to tables. Again, using American Lit, I took any titles that I just could not remember and wrote them down in a table. Then I wrote down their works. I memorized WHERE the titles were and where the authours were. Then when I was trying to remember, I could visualize the page, remember where I had written the title and remember what section of the table the authour was in to connect the two.
Finally, anything that I still cannot get together, I just keep writing out and reading out loud over and over and over until it sticks.
PROGRESS: Last semester and accepted into a PhD program!
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