Evaluating Semester Grades

The fall semester is over and by now you have received your grades.  Here are some things to consider:

1.    If you think you have been assigned an incorrect grade, you should respectfully ask your professor for an explanation of your grade.   Some will give you the explanation by email.  With others you will have to wait until the beginning of the next semester.   Regardless, you want to understand what happened.  There could have been a mathematical error, your professor could have not recorded a score (I did that once!), or you could have done poorly on the final.    There are specific guidelines to follow at each institution in case you have a dispute that you cannot settle on your own.

 2.   This is a good time to reflect on the previous semester and examine what you did well that you want to continue for the next semester.  What study strategies did you like, what worked well?  What aspects of your time management worked well for you?

3.   In the same vein, what changes do you need to make in your study habits, time management, sleep habits, etc. that will enable you to earn better grades in the next semester.

You want to build on the successes of the previous semester and mold your skills and strategies so that you have even more success in the future.

Have a Happy New Year!  Best wishes for continued success!

How to Study for a Final Exam

Finals are approaching.  Here are some tips for preparing for a major exam:

First – You need to know the following:

• What information will the exam cover?
• What is the format?   Multiple Choice? Long or short essay?  On-line or on paper?
• Do you have all of the class notes and materials that you need to study?
• Are there any things that you do not understand that will be on the exam?

Next – organize the material you need to learn:

• What are the major topics?  How many are there?  Write down these topics either in a list or make a review chart with the topics across the top of the page.
• Go through your material and write down the sub-topics within each major topic.

Finally – Begin to learn each topic. 

• Do one topic a day.  The first day work with one topic. 
• The next day focus on the second topic and review the first.
• The third day, focus on the third topic and review and first and second.
• Continue on until you have covered all of the topics.  Hopefully you still have a few days left before the exam.  Continue to review all of the topics; paying close attention to the one you know the least well each day.
• As you are doing this, be sure to combine information from your textbook and lecture notes.

Here are some specific strategies to use while learning the information:

• Recitation – after reviewing the information, cover it over and restate it in your own words from memory.
• Organize the material into study guides, review charts, time lines, flow charts – whatever format suits the information you need to know.
• Predict exam questions and then answer them.
• Form a study group and either quiz each other or divide up the material and teach each other.
• If quizzes are available on-line or in the textbook, be sure to take those.

Finally – get a good night’s sleep the night before.   Your brain will not function properly if you are tired.

Good luck – but “good study” is better!