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Studying Tips
Sources of Help Utilize whatever resources you can. Try to network with others. Seek answers from coworkers.
Mechanics of Note taking You want to take notes as you read through the material so that you will know specific areas you want to focus more on. 1. Write on only the right 3/4 of the page. Use the left 1/4 of the page for your own questions, summaries, comments, notes from additional readings, etc. When reviewing the notes, cover the right portion of the page and try to recall the covered information using the cue words on the left. 2. Try to take notes in your own words (rephrasing it). Use abbreviations where appropriate, but do not abbreviate so much that you are unable to "decode" your notes later. 3. If you find a topic that you know you will be reading additional material to help you understand it better, skip some space and continue with the reading section. You will have room to add additional notes from the other references. 4. Read materials to improve your background in topic areas (other than the core curriculum). Especially topics that you have limited experience/knowledge about. 5. Develop a list of possible questions. You can also purchase the practice exams from ABPANC 6. Immediately after studying review your notes; add or clarify information while it is still fresh.
Time Management Tips Time which is unplanned tends to be frittered away on nonessential or low priority tasks which could better be postponed or even completely ignored and forgotten. 1. Schedule your study times in twenty to fifty minute blocks followed by 5 to 10 minute breaks. 2. Have all the study material available when you start. 3. Be ready to study when you start, don’t realize after you begin studying that you need to go to the bathroom, or are hungry, or that you need …. 4. Avoid too much detail and over-planning. 5. Adjust your schedule when necessary - BE FLEXIBLE. Your schedule is meant to allow you to control your own time, not to let time control you. 6. If you deviate from your schedule or if you don't follow it for several days or even weeks, don't be discouraged! Get back to your schedule or revise it if it is unrealistic. 7. Learn to say "No!" to those who would interrupt your study periods. Plan your social time so you don’t feel guilty about saying no at that time. 8. Make notes on easily portable cards or cassette tapes. 9. Use waiting time to study notes, read your text, etc. 10. If you have been putting something off, decide to work on it for five minutes at a time. 1
Self-talk that Interferes with Studying When confronted with the decision to study or not to study, you engage in a little talk with yourself. In the list below you will find some of the statements you make to convince yourself not to study. These statements lead to the conclusion "I will not study now." However, the statements are not always true, rational or realistic ways to describe your situation. By learning to identify your self-defeating self-talk you may be able to talk to yourself in more helpful ways, thus leading to more self motivation, less procrastination, and better study attitudes. Some of the more common negative self-talk is listed below. When you hear yourself talking or thinking these thoughts, recognize that you are giving yourself permission not to study. Although you may enjoy not studying at the moment, the long-range outcome is often one that you do not enjoy (for example, cramming, or feeling guilty). Check this list to see how many negative self-statements you are using; try to eliminate as many as you can.
I.
__ I don't feel like studying...
II.
__ This material is too difficult..
III.
__ I don't need to study now...
IV.
__ This is too much material to cover...
V.
__ I can't concentrate...
VI.
__ I can't study now; I'll miss... Preparing/study for multiple choice exams
– the level or type of thinking required of you (recognition, synthesis, analysis, application); – the degree of difference between incorrect and correct alternatives.
Improving Concentration · It is often a good idea to "park" ideas that are bothersome and tend to distract. This idea involves setting a time when you will deal with a particular problem or concern and leaving it behind temporarily while you focus on other things. · Try to determine a clear goal for what you want to accomplish for the learning session. This may assist you in focusing your attention on the specific tasks at hand, one by one, and provide you with important feedback about your progress. · Learn to recognize when a distracter is more important than the task you're presently doing. Deal directly with the cause of that distracter whenever possible. Sometimes by removing the cause of a major distracter, it is possible to save time that would be wasted worrying later on. · Try to maintain a regular place for study which is free of your bigger distractions, such as the TV, the fridge, and so on. · Try to work for a set period of time so that you know an end point is in sight. Restlessness sometimes gets worse when it seems that the work you are doing has no end in sight. · Try to have all your books, notes and working tools available. Needing to get up to search for lost or misplaced items can add to distractions. · To reduce anxiety associated with the time following a study session, you might take a physical break to help you reduce the symptoms of stress and to peak your alertness and energy. You might also want to end each study session with an overview of a section to boost your sense of completion and confidence. · Identify your areas of concern in text material. Often those who feel uneasy about exams are those who have discovered that they have gaps (large or small, few or many) in their understanding. By examining areas or concepts which are unclear or unfamiliar (e.g. if you don’t care for trauma patients you will want to focus and learn more in that area), you reduce these gaps and build your confidence along with the knowledge of the material. · Discuss the study material with others (coworkers, study group). By discussing the material and ideas related to the material, you are likely to determine some fairly common ground regarding the important aspects of the text to be tested. This may also give you an ideal chance to discover other points of view about the material. Group study is an excellent way to work actively to study. · Notes that you make from the text should reflect the organization of the ideas presented in the text. Consider using the Cornell style of notes which includes a margin for questions, comments, and key words which are used to trigger larger chunks of information. · In general, test and exam anxiety is often marked by a generally negative point of view. As you are working, try to repeat positive affirmations. Remind yourself of the positive experiences you may have encountered thus far and tell yourself that your hard work will pay off. Tell yourself you can do it. You might find it helpful to remind yourself of the elements that you do know; focusing on what you are not sure of only raises your anxiety. |