Emergency test preparation

The secret of getting ahead 
is getting started. 
The secret of getting started 
is breaking your complex overwhelming tasks 
into small manageable tasks, 
and then starting on the first one.
Mark Twain, American

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:

1. 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 
   
2. 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
   
3. Compare your response of (2)
   with the course source information (text and lecture notes)
   
4. Edit or re-write your understanding of each topic
   considering this course information
   
5. Sequence and number each page of your topics
   1 - 5 in order of importance;  1 = most important
   
6. Follow the above process for two additional concepts
   if you have time
   
7. Place them in the 1 - 5 sequence and change numbering to 1 - 7
   
8. Follow the above process for one or two more concepts
   for a total of nine. 
   Follow your comfort level; add topics only as necessary
   
9. Try not to exceed nine concepts;
   focus on the most important
   
10. 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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The Study Guides and Strategies web site was created and is maintained by Joe Landsberger,
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