Students who miss a lot of class are statistically less likely to perform well in that class. [2] X Research source If you absolutely must miss class due to an emergency, make sure you borrow someone’s notes and go over everything you missed. You can also ask the teacher what you missed the next day. If you’re frequently absent or tardy, your teacher/instructor will notice. You might lose points or even fail the class if you receive too many missed classes or late entries. In addition, showing up to class on time every time shows your instructor that you’re serious. If you’re struggling and you come to class every day, your instructor may be more willing to help you work through whatever you’re not understanding.
Read the material that will be covered before attending class. Take notes as you read, too. Focus your note-taking efforts on any material that you’re not familiar with or that you find confusing. Ask questions if you’re unclear about anything in the material or anything from the previous night’s homework.
Cover up the answer at home and rewrite the problem on a blank sheet of scrap paper. Try to solve the problem without checking the solution until you’ve answered it. If you’re having a hard time with the sample problems from class, you’ll probably struggle with the homework and tests. Talk to your instructor about what you’re doing wrong, and bring your papers to show how you attempted to solve it at home so he or she can tell where you went wrong.
Definitions Theorems Formulas Derivatives Any other information that you’ll need to remember in order to solve a given equation
Ask your instructor if you can meet after class. If not, you may have to schedule office hours. You can also try emailing your instructor to let him/her know that you need some help and would like to set up a meeting. Keep your emails professional and polite and your professor will almost certainly make time for you.
Some experts recommend spending three hours studying for every one hour of class time. This is a very effective way to reinforce the material that you learned in class. If you study the day you had class, the information will be fresher in your mind. You’ll also be able to stay on top of the work more easily. Remember that there is only so much your instructor can help you with. It is ultimately your responsibility to learn the material, test yourself, and ensure that you understand it. [10] X Research source
Go through the chapter summaries (if your textbook has them) at the end of each section. You should understand the material well enough that you could write a few sentences about each concept without checking your notes or the book. If you cannot do that yet, go back and review any material that you’re still struggling with.
If the practice problems are part of an assigned chapter, there’s a chance that those problems could appear on a test or quiz. If nothing else, you’ll get a chance to review the material you’ve learned as you complete the practice questions.
Never write out the answer without showing your work, unless you write a separate solution sheet and attach it to the paper that shows your work. Your instructor won’t need to know every single addition and subtraction, for example. But you’ll need to prove to your instructor that you can solve the equations and get the correct solution. When in doubt about how much of your work to show, imagine that you were writing out your work for another student in the class. Your professor obviously knows the material, but another student would need to see how some of the steps are done.
Read ahead if you know the next section your instructor will be covering. Try your hand at some problems from that section. Take notes on any part you find confusing/unclear. During your next class, you can ask your instructor about the problems that were confusing for you. You can also ask about any other part of the material that was unclear.
The material covered on your homework and quizzes is likely based on the material that will be on the test. Make sure you understand how to solve the equations from your previous assignments forward and backward. This should be a large part of your exam preparation.
Keep your group small so that you can all stay focused. One to three other students is plenty. Make sure the students you choose for your study group are similarly dedicated to doing well in the class. Don’t just choose your friends; go with students who can help you work through difficult equations.
Start memorizing everything you’ll need to know for the test (definitions, formulas, etc. ) at least a few days, but ideally a week, before the actual test. You can use flash cards to memorize definitions, formulas, and theorems, then quiz yourself. Study in a place that is free of distractions. You’ll need to be able to get through your work uninterrupted, so a library or coffee shop might be better than your dorm room or bedroom.
Make two separate lists of hard problems and easy problems. The easy problems should be reviewed, but they won’t require as much time as the hard problems. Take a practice test, if you have one. Set a timer for however long you’ll have for the real test, and see if you can complete the test and do well on it within that timed period. Any problems you get wrong or that you don’t finish before the time is up should be added to your list of hard problems.
Make sure you get a good night’s sleep the night before a test. You’ll want to be well-rested and refreshed before the exam. Don’t bother trying to review your material the morning of the test, as this will only stress you out more. Go into class knowing that you’ve spent many days preparing and you’re ready to take the exam. Try to avoid caffeine and refined sugar before the test, if at all possible. Both can make you “crash,” and caffeine can make you anxious. Eat a well-balanced breakfast the morning of the exam. Try going for a walk, run, or bike ride shortly before the exam, as this can help relieve stress and anxiety. Just make sure you’ll have enough time to change and get to class.
Try to catch yourself when negative self-statements arise in your mind. Common negative self-statements include thoughts like, “I don’t understand this” or “I wish I had spent more time studying. " Instead, try to force yourself to think positive self-statements. Positive self-statements include thoughts like, “I am calm and confident. I know I can do this. " Focus on taking the test in the here and now. Try to drown out any thoughts about what you could have done differently in the past or how things may or may not turn out in the future.
Prioritize the questions on your test. Make sure you get through the problems that are worth the most points first. If you’re having a hard time with a problem, skip it and return to it later. Keep your eye on the clock and know how much time you have remaining. [22] X Research source Write out some work on every problem, even if you can’t solve for the solution. You may at least get partial credit for showing some of your work. If you have time remaining after you finish, review your work. Make sure all answers make sense and that you didn’t leave any questions blank or incomplete before turning in your test. Leaving a question blank has a 0% chance of getting it right. However, if you provide an answer, you at least have a chance of getting the question right.
