Understand material in a deeper way. In most classes at U-M, students are expected to apply their knowledge to new situations or problems rather than simply memorize facts. When students work in groups, they have the opportunity to explain concepts, discuss ideas, disagree with one another and reason through why one person’s answer is different…
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Office Hours and How to Use Them
Professors value the chance to have the one-on-one conversations with students that are impossible, say, in a large lecture. These conversations allow faculty to see how you’re doing, answer questions, and perhaps even learn about the student response to the course’s big ideas and methods. The basics. Mind your manners. Arrive to your appointment…
Overcoming Test Anxiety
What Is Test Anxiety? Every student experiences some anxiety preparing for and taking exams. It is a normal response to any performance-related activity. If anxiety is hindering your performance on exams, there are steps you can take to help alleviate your difficulties. Stress is normal, but it can also become limiting. Stressful situations such as…
Taking the Exam
On the Day of the Exam Eat healthy meals. Eat healthy foods that will not leave you with a sugar crash in the middle of the test. Eat something you find comforting to relax, and eat it in moderation. Do something to relax before the exam. Listen to music, go for a walk, play a video game,…
Final Preparation for the Exam
Get ready to study. Set a study schedule. Schedule adequate time to prepare for this exam. If you developed a schedule for your semester, you should have these sessions already scheduled. Do not hesitate to modify your schedule if you feel that you did not give yourself enough time. Establish an objective for each study…
Prepare for Exams Continuously throughout the Semester
The most effective strategy for preparing for exams is sustained and cumulative review throughout the semester. Each week, actively review new material in short study sessions. After you are confident that you understand the new material, set it aside and go on to something else. The next day, test yourself to see how much you…
Strategies to Use After Reading
Employ organizational strategies. Connect material to your prior knowledge and aid you in seeing the connections between different ideas and materials, after you have read. Concept Maps This technique enables you to see the relationships between ideas and facts and should reflect how you think about the subject. Start by listing the key ideas, concepts,…
Strategies to Use While You Are Reading
Use active reading strategies to connect new information with prior knowledge. Elaborate on the material to connect it to your prior knowledge and lead to further inquiry into the topic. Mark up the text while you read. This involves much more than highlighting or underlining passages that you think are significant. You should write notes…
Strategies to Use Before You Read
Start by setting goals every time you read. Your goal should be to comprehend the important ideas and significant material in the reading. Begin with a goal for your reading session. Things to think about when setting your goals: What is the purpose of the assignment? Understanding the purpose for an assignment is key to…
Effectively Using Your Notes
Now that you have the notes, what do you do with them? The key to remembering new material is to actively interact with it and manipulate it. It should be an ongoing effort starting as soon as you leave class and continuing until the end of the course. When and how to review your…