Check the learning objectives and exam material
Before you open your textbook, it’s a good idea to first look at the course’s learning objectives. You can usually find them somewhere on Canvas or in the syllabus. The learning objectives show exactly what you’ll need to know and be able to do. By keeping these in mind whilst studying, you can prepare much more efficiently! Besides, the syllabus sometimes explicitly specifies what is considered exam material. Much better to find out that you can skip chapter one beforehand, rather than after you’ve read it all the way through 😉.
Make a to-do list and study planning
Next, make a clear to-do list of all the chapters, lectures, self-study materials and articles you need to cover for the exam. Then try to estimate how difficult each part is and how much time it will take you. A topic you were already able to apply confidently during a tutorial will probably require less attention than a lecture where you lost track halfway through. Based on this, divide everything across the time you have left until the exam. Don’t forget to leave enough time at the end to revise and do practice exams, and you’ll have the basis for a good study planning!
And well, you’ve probably heard it a hundred times already, but again: start on time. You really don’t have to cram every evening for weeks in advance. But spending half an hour after a lecture to go over your notes and fill in anything you missed can save you a lot of time and stress during exam week!
Focus on understanding
With twenty lectures and eight chapters you need to revise, it might feel efficient to quickly skim through the material. However, reading something properly once is often more effective than rushing through it three times. While you’re studying, ask yourself: why does this work like this? How does this relate to the previous lecture? And how does this differ from the rest? Once you understand why something works the way it does, it often sticks in your mind much better. Moreover, exams often focus on understanding and applying knowledge. You likely won’t be asked to give a definition of something, but rather to apply a principle. Therefore, try not to just cram, but to focus on understanding.
Studying with a fellow student can help with this. Explain the material to each other and ask critical questions. This way, you can help each other understand the material more deeply, and you’ll quickly realise which topics still need a bit more attention.
Start with the lectures and your notes
If the exam material covers many different chapters, lectures and extra material, it can sometimes be difficult to decide where to start. Personally, I always find it best to go through the lecture slides and my notes first. This gives you insight into the most important topics and provides you with a clear explanation straight away. You can then use books, articles and other sources for further explanation or to explore the subject in greater depth. Because you already know what’s important, it’s much easier to filter the information: you probably don’t need to know the minor details from the book, whereas a paragraph on that one topic which was covered in detail during the lecture is definitely worth reading.
Filter through your books and articles
Depending on the amount of material, you probably won’t be able to read all the required books and articles from start to finish. Fortunately, that’s often not necessary either. In an academic article, the abstract, introduction and conclusion will usually give you the main points. After that, you can take a look at the tables and figures and try to interpret them. Still have time left? The discussion section often contains useful explanations and interpretations of the results.
In textbooks, there’s often a summary and bullet points at the end of a chapter, which provide a clear overview. Here too, it’s worth reading the figures and their captions carefully. Furthermore, subheadings and words in bold in the body text can help you quickly identify the main argument. Are you struggling to understand a topic from a lecture? That’s probably a sign that you should read the relevant section of the textbook properly.
Optional: make a summary
You might expect that this would be tip number one for studying for an exam. And yes, a summary can certainly help, but it also takes a lot of time to write. Besides, in technical and practical courses, practising is often more useful than summarising theory. And as mentioned: try to understand what you’re learning, rather than just cramming everything!
However, that doesn’t mean that writing a summary is pointless. If it helps you organise and understand the material, you should definitely do it. Personally, when I’m studying, I mainly write down things I can’t remember straight away, such as formulas, definitions and standard values. I keep adding to that list as I study, for example, with mistakes I make during practice exams. Go through this overview a few more times before your exam, and there’s little chance you’ll forget it!
Practise, practise, practise
For almost every course, practising is the best way to prepare. So, whilst studying, try plenty of practice questions, and mark which ones you’re struggling with. This way, you’ll quickly find out which practice exercises to focus on. Of course, also make sure you write a practice exam if one is available. Sometimes the teacher posts it on Canvas; sometimes you can find practice exams online or on your study association’s website. Take a close look at the questions asked as well; often, the practice exam gives a good idea of what will be expected of you later on.
Ask questions
You might think that at university, you have to figure things out for yourself, and you can no longer simply approach your lecturer with a question. But you absolutely can! Ask your questions during the lecture, send them by email, visit your teacher in their office, or use the discussion forum on Canvas, if one is available. Make use of your fellow students, too. There’s always someone who understands a particular topic well and can explain it to you!
Learn from your mistakes
Studying for exams takes some getting used to at first. Not every method works equally well for everyone, and you’ll discover what works for you as you go along. And yes, at some point you might fail an exam. That doesn’t automatically mean you should have studied more, though. Sometimes a different way of studying might actually work better. So, make sure you review your exam afterwards and try to understand what went wrong. Did you skip an important chapter, did you interpret the questions differently, or did you simply need more practice? This way, you’ll naturally learn which study method works best for you.
