Study Tips: How to Score Better on Exams and Homework

There are 5 healthy habits that will help anyone on the path to better grades and more efficient studying.
1) Avoid Pain in Your Hands and Neck
2) Get the Sleep You Need
3) Improve Your Eating Habits
4) Fight the Urge to Procrastinate
5) Improve Your Memory

How to Flunk A Class
(Do not do these things!)

1. Don't keep an assignment diary or scheduler.
2. Don't bother taking notes.
3. Fall asleep in class.
4. Wait until the last minute to begin working on a research paper.
5. Ignore all directions.
6. Don't study for a test until the night before.

Some Ways to Improve Bad Grades

1. Gather all your work assignments to determine exactly how and why you earned the low grades.
2. Visit the teacher and ask her to go over your assignments with you.
3. Ask what can you do for extra credit.
4. Ask for advice from the teacher.
5. Put all your energy into the final test or project.
6. Join a study group.

Study Tips
1. Set aside a specific time to study or do homework everyday.
2. Have a place where you can study that is always available and quiet.
3. Ask questions if you don't understand something.
4. Take notes that are neat and that you can understand so you can refer to them later.

More Tips from darhmouth.edu:
- Study in chunks: 20-50 minute time periods followed by a brief break (5-10 minutes) is the most effective way to study
- Use daylight hours: an hour of studying during the day is worth two at night! Do the work that requires the most concentration (typically reading) earliest in the day.
- Rank your classes and be sure to spend time on your most challenging class everyday and early in the day.
- Study actively: ask yourself questions, review your notes regularly, discuss key concepts with peers and course professor
- Set individual academic and personal goals.
- Know and use resources.
- Manage your time well.
- Develop strong listening and note-taking skills.
- Develop and improve your writing and speaking skills.
- Get involved in co-curricular activities; learn skills and
gain experience.

Something I find very helpful for studying and also as a reference later down the road, are SparkCharts.
SparkCharts are created by SparkNotes, which are also great. SparkCharts are nice and organized and have 3 holes so you can put them in a binder. They are available for nearly every topic such as:
Accounting I, Accounting II, Finance

Management

Marketing

Public Speaking

Resumes & Cover Letters
Macroeconomics, Microeconomics
Literary Terms

Mythology
Composition & Rhetoric

English Composition
, English Grammar
African-American History

US History 1492-1865, US History 1865-2004

European History

US Constitution, US Government, US History Documents

Western Civilization

World History
Art History

Film Studies

Music Theory & History
German Vocabulary, Italian Vocabulary, Latin Grammar, Spanish Grammar
Business Law, Criminal Law
Algebra I
, Algebra II

Calculus Reference

Geometry

Math Basics

Precalculus

Statistics

Trigonometry

Weights & Measures
Anatomy, Nutrition
Nursing
Psychology
Astronomy

Biology, Microbiology

Chemistry, Physics
Sociology