A structured approach to cramming
- Preview material to be covered
- Be selective: skim chapters for main points
- Concentrate on the main points
Begin with 5 sheets of paper:
- Identify 5 key concepts or topics that will be covered on
the test
Enter one at the top of each page
Use only key words or short phrases
- In your own words, write an explanation, definition, answer,
etc
of several lines or so for the key concept
Do NOT use the text or your notes
- Compare your response of (2)
with the course source information (text and lecture notes)
- Edit or re-write your understanding
of each topic
considering this course information
- Sequence and number each page of your topics
1 - 5 in order of importance; 1 = most important
- Follow the above process for two additional concepts
if you have time
- Place them in the 1 - 5 sequence and change numbering to
1 - 7
- Follow the above process for one or two more concepts
for
a total of nine.
Follow your comfort level; add topics only as necessary
- Try not to exceed nine concepts;
focus on the most important
- Review the day of the test,
but try to relax just before
see
10 tips on terrific test taking
Derived from
Miller,
George A., The Magical Number Seven, Plus or Minus Two: Some Limits on our
Capacity for Processing Information, (1956) Harvard
University First published in Psychological Review, 63, pp. 81-97 as seen in
Green, Christopher D. Green, Classics in the History of Psychology, York
University, Toronto, Ontario, http://www.yorku.ca/dept/psych/classics/Miller/
(10/13/1999).
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