How to Improve Study Habits and Get Better Grades

& Exam-Taking Tips

&Example Questions

Motivation & Organization

► MOTIVATION► Focus on the

Goals► Study Groups► Self-Rewards► Creating Routines

EXCEPT--no reading the text in bed!!

► ORGANIZATION► buy the books► prepare a timetable--

work, sleep, & play► set a specific time for

studying each course► benefits of distributed

practice versus massed practice

► physical activity as part of routine

In Class

►80% of success in life is “showing up”►Confused???

Ask - 10 other people will thank you

►Asking Questions►Taking Notes

record concepts and key terms► not verbatim notes--LISTEN to Learn

Before/After Class

►Read the text--systematically & actively including the headings, tables, focus issues

►Take notes--avoid the highlighter►Review your lecture notes►Check for the overlap between text

notes and lecture notes--hint, hint, hint►Read the text--again.

Memory Tips

►Encoding understand first, then easier to remember Focus - reduce distractions ask questions (either your own, or from Study

Guide)

use mnemonic devices chunking use different encoding techniques

►self-referencing

Aids for Improving Retrieval

►Number your points►Visualize the material►Use other information to jog retrieval►Free-associate►Link to the things you do know►State-Dependent Learning

Exam-Taking Tips(In part based on: Pfeifer & Ogloff, 1991)

►Study/Come with the tools needed.►Have a strategy.

look at the weight of the different sections--apportion time appropriately.

read any essay questions early, the rest of the test might have retrieval cues.

skip questions when you are unsure of the answer, later questions might have retrieval cues.

Test-Taking StrategiesTest-Taking StrategiesMultiple-Choice QuestionsMultiple-Choice Questions

►try to answer question without looking try to answer question without looking at the alternativesat the alternatives but, be sure to read but, be sure to read all all alternativesalternatives

►contrary to popular belief, research contrary to popular belief, research suggests that changing answers to suggests that changing answers to ‘mc’ questions more often results in a ‘mc’ questions more often results in a change from incorrect to correctchange from incorrect to correct

Test-Taking StrategiesTest-Taking StrategiesMultiple-Choice QuestionsMultiple-Choice Questions

►remember, you are trying to select the remember, you are trying to select the best best possible answerpossible answer

► look for alternatives that are look for alternatives that are clearlyclearly incorrect – discard (cross out)incorrect – discard (cross out)

►relatedly, if a question has an relatedly, if a question has an alternative like “all of the above” and alternative like “all of the above” and at least one alternative is wrong, at least one alternative is wrong, eliminate that answer eliminate that answer

Example Multiple-Choice QuestionsExample Multiple-Choice Questions

Dr. Smith is a psychologist who is interested in studying aggression in sports. For her research, she attends high school basketball games and records the number of aggressive acts which she observes. Dr. Smith's research is best viewed as meeting the ____ goal of psychology?

(a) understanding(b) description(c) prediction(d) control

Ans: Description

Example Multiple-Choice QuestionsExample Multiple-Choice Questions

To study the population of superheroes, Superman chooses to study Batman, Robin, Aquaman, and Spiderman. Thus, Batman, Robin, Aquaman, and Spiderman make up Superman's ____ in this case.

(a) sample(b) random sample(c) representative sample(d) population

Ans: Sample

Recall Questions - Essays

►Use an OUTLINE to organize your thoughts.►Answer the question being asked.

(Read the question carefully, answer all aspects/parts of the question.)

►Do not provide information not requested. (Do not waste time and space repeating the question or “padding.”)

►Resist the temptation to “guess.” (Including your confusing material will likely confuse your “marker!”)

►Complete Complete allall components of the question. components of the question.►Keep track of time.

Essay-Style Question - Marking

►Correct Content--All relevant points.►Correct use of terms and concepts.►Relevant examples.►Integration with related content.►Clear and concise writing--grammatical!

Essay-Style Question AEssay-Style Question A

►Design a simple experiment to investigate the effects of television violence on children’s aggressive behavior, being sure to identify the independent and dependent variables, and the experimental and control groups.

Essay-Style Question BEssay-Style Question B

►What are the relative weaknesses and What are the relative weaknesses and strengths of non-experimental/ strengths of non-experimental/ correlational research methods as correlational research methods as opposed to experimental research opposed to experimental research methods? Under what conditions methods? Under what conditions would a psychologist choose one would a psychologist choose one method as opposed to the other?method as opposed to the other?

Exam-taking TipsExam-taking Tips

►Have a plan check that you have all the pages put your name on everything! read all instructions--CAREFULLY

►Plan your time (allocate by value of questions).

Multiple Choice Answer SheetsMultiple Choice Answer Sheets(need to use a pencil)(need to use a pencil)

Fill in circles completely

Complete Personal Information

Fill in special code

Completely erase changes3 3 3 3

Short-Answer EssayShort-Answer Essay► Use Outline Use Outline

(if you have time)(if you have time)► Limit essay to space providedLimit essay to space provided► Circle the question you’ve chosen to Circle the question you’ve chosen to

answeranswer► Write your name, ID # and your TA’s name Write your name, ID # and your TA’s name

on the top of the essay pageon the top of the essay page

Bob the TA

Jane Student 399999999