Getting Adequate Sleep Before Exams

March 1st, 2012

Getting enough sleep is a big factor when you want to ace your exams. Students who cram and study the night before the exam usually stay up late trying to memorize and absorb all the information. This article will show you why you should have adequate sleeping time before your exams.

Studies have been conducted and it was proven that people who have enough sleep have sharper memory and they can recall information much better than people who are sleep-deprived. Our brain continues to work and assimilate information even as we sleep. If our brain decides that this piece of information is important, then it is filed and saved for future reference. If you want to have a brain that can retain information faster, you can simply sleep for six to eight hours.

We also know that if you are well rested in the morning and you don’t feel drowsy on your way to the exam, it is far easier to recall all the things you have studied. A tired and stressed-out mind will have a hard time recalling all the bits of information that was stored the night before the exam.

The best thing to do is to study a week before the exam to prevent cramming. Study smart, prepare for your exam and get enough rest so that you can do well on your exam.

Tips on Multiple Choice Exams

February 29th, 2012

Not all students are fond of multiple choice exams. This is because the possible answers can sometimes be confusing and it can be hard to point out the right answer among the choices. Here are some strategies or techniques on how you can answer multiple choice type of exam.

To get a high grade in multiple choice exams, you should have a good grasp of your lessons and topics. The topics you have studied may be reworded in many different ways. You have to be prepared that the topics will be shuffled and it won’t be presented in a predictable order.

Each question can be treated as a short question. This means that you have to answer the question first before looking at the possible answers. The idea behind this is to prevent you from doubting your answer when you see other plausible answers in the choices. You can cover the multiple choice answers when you are trying to answer the question.

If you are not sure about the answer, the first thing that you should do is to disregard or eliminate the answers that you think are false answers. Eliminating the ones that you think are nonsense answers improves your chances of getting the right one. Sometimes the teachers include nonsense answers in the multiple choice to increase the chance of the students to get it right and to humor the students also.

A good tip when you really do not know the answer is to stop wasting your time on it. Proceed to the other questions where you may find clues or hints that can help you answer the question you skipped. If you still have time at the end of the exam, you can come back to the difficult questions and review your answer.

Never conclude that your the exam has a pattern. The order for the correct answers were made at random and if there is a pattern showing up, it must be coincidental.

Some multiple choice exams are right-minus wrong type of exam or penalty marking which means that you get a minus point for every incorrect answer. If this is the case, it might be too risky to guess the answers. You might just want to leave it blank if you do not really know the answer. However, if more points are given for a correct answer and only one point deduction for a wrong answer, you might want to risk it and guess for the answer.

If you really want to do well in multiple choice exams, you can practice at home during your study sessions. You can even put a time limit to your practice exam to make it look real.

Ways on How You Can Develop Professional Writing Skill

February 28th, 2012

Writing is a talent that comes naturally to some students. However, writing can also be learned and harnessed even if the student does not have the natural talent to write. If you want to fully develop your writing skill, you can follow these basic tips that we will show on this article.

The way a person writes actually comes from what he or she reads. So if you are a voracious reader, you can have many writing styles. You can read books that holds your interest. Take note of the way the sentences are structured in these books or articles that you read. You will learn a lot on how to formulate sentences when you always read. If you do not like to read novels and long articles, you can just go for short stories or short articles in magazines. By constantly reading, you can polish and harness your writing skill.

The old adage “practice makes perfect” works very well when you are developing your professional writing skill. You can practice your writing skill by having a daily diary, blog or journals. If you constantly update your blog or journals, you can easily develop your skill in writing. Write essays on topics that you really know. You can form your own question and then write an essay that answers your question. You cannot move to the next stage of your skill development if you do not start writing.

How would you know that your writing is okay? You got to have feedback or comments. You have to show your writings to others and find out what they think or feel about your writing. This is one good way to know that you are improving on your writing skill. Other people can point out your mistakes and tell you what areas you need to improve. You can also ask them for suggestions on how you can make your writings better.

There is no short cut to develop writing skill. You have to constantly read and write so that you can develop this talent. Remember that the more you write, the more you learn.

Reading Journal Articles

February 26th, 2012

When you are doing your research for your school paper, sometimes you would have to look for information on journal articles. These journal articles can give you lots of information on the field of your research. Here are some basic tips on how you can simplify reading your journal articles.

Look for the abstract at the top of the article and read it before reading the main body. The abstract is the summary of the journal article and it also consists of the background of the writer and the findings or conclusion of the article.

The next part that you should read is the literature review section. You need to read this so that you can comprehend any past studies related to the article. You can find lots of citations and sources on this section that can be helpful to you and your research.

The methods section of the journal should be reviewed. You have to know what methods are used by the author to come up with his or her conclusions and findings. Look at the methods and see if the conclusion is really credible.

After looking at the three sections, you have to review the conclusion. This section summarizes and embodies the whole piece of the journal article.

If you are not used to reading a journal article, you have to jot down notes while reading it. You can highlight the important terms and the conclusions that were made throughout the article.

You can reread the entire article again so that you can remember all the important information.

You can also look at the other works of the author to see his viewpoint and understand how he or she comes up with the conclusions. Journals always have a list of the other works of the author at the end of the article.

Finding Information for Your Research

February 24th, 2012

Completing a research paper involves a lot of work and one of these is getting credible sources of information. If your information sources are not reliable, your research will surely suffer. Here are some ways on how you can find credible and reliable information for your research paper.

Even in our era of the internet, books are still one of the most reliable source of information for a research paper. You can find books in the public library and in your school library. Choose books that have recently been published like three to five years ago. The problem with older books is that the information may be already outdated, especially if your topic is based on latest scientific discoveries, gadgets, machines and so on.

Magazines and journals is also a great source of information. The best way to choose a magazine is to select those that are written as professional publications. Magazines that were only recently published are much better. You can be sure that these magazines are reliable sources of information.

Another great source of information is the internet where you can find reliable information. However, the internet also has lots of websites that are not credible so you have to be careful when browsing for information. Always try to find out who wrote the articles and if it is being updated. A good website for credible information are the ones associated with professional organizations or universities. Blogs and personal websites are not really a good information source so avoid them.

Try to use an academic search engine when searching for information on the internet. Ask your library or school if they have a subscription for an academically based search engine. Using popular search engines like Google and Yahoo will yield different kinds of results and some of them are not credible or reliable.

 

 

Taking Advantage of Free Campus Services

February 21st, 2012

Some students may not be aware of this but there are several campus services that you can benefit from if you want to save money. This is important especially for students who have part time jobs and they are trying to spend their money wisely.

The free services that your campus can offer include using campus computers instead of buying a desktop or a laptop. Your campus library offers DVDs that you can borrow instead spending on DVD rental stores. You can research or ask for other free campus services that are being offered.

For recreation, you can use the gym for your work out or you can play sports like basketball, soccer, volleyball and so on. You can join clubs and other organizations without spending any money.

When you are going out, you can take advantage of your student status by carrying your school ID. Some retail shops, bowling alleys, movies, restaurants and other venues and places give discounts to students. You just have to show your school ID for those much needed discounts.

Planning Your Essay

February 18th, 2012

In order to deliver and write a good essay, proper planning is needed. When you plan your essay, you can save a lot of time and effort in structuring and making sure your writing has a good flow to it.

The proper way to start and plan your essay is to read and understand your topic. If you do not understand the topic, do not hesitate to ask your teacher for clarifications. You cannot write an effective essay if you are not sure about your topic.

You can write down a list or plan paragraph by paragraph. You can also use a diagram to create a good plan. This is very effective if you are a visual learner. These lists or diagrams have to be clear and concise so that you can follow it when you are writing down your essay.

Choose your quotations and resources first before writing down your essay. It is not a good idea to stop during your essay writing just to look for your material resources.

A good introduction is crucial in an essay so it is always recommended to plan the first paragraph of your essay. Having an effective introduction is not complete without a compelling conclusion. Try to use a template to guide you through the different parts of your essay which is the introduction, body and conclusion.

Always check if you need additional research and reading regarding your topic. Lack of details in your essay may not give you that high grade you are expecting. It is better to find out that you still need more resources and information during the planning stage rather than in the actual essay writing.

 

Tips on How to Paraphrase

February 17th, 2012

Paraphrasing means just restating a sentence or statement made by other writers and using your own words. Writers often use this technique to avoid plagiarism. Paraphrasing can also show your teachers that you really understand the original writing. Here are some tips on how you can effectively paraphrase statements.

You have to read and fully understand your material because this is the best way to paraphrase an original writing. If you think you understand the article or the writing, go over it once again.

After fully understanding the original writing, you can try writing an explanation to what you have just read. Then try to compare what you just wrote with the original writing. The important thing about paraphrasing is that you are conveying the message that the original text was trying to show. You have to make sure that your wordings do not fully resemble the original writing.

If you are writing an academic writing, you still have to correctly attribute the original text. This means that you have to note the bibliographic detail and the page number of your source.

 

Skimming Your Textbook

February 16th, 2012

Some students may not have the time to read through the textbooks from cover to cover, that’s why it is important that students learn to skim through the textbook. Here are some tips on how you can skim effectively your textbooks.

The first thing you should look at is the preface, table of contents and the introduction of your textbook. You should know what the textbook is all about. Skimming the table of contents is important so that you would know the content and the structure of each of the chapters of the textbook.

Each chapter of your textbook always have an overview and a summary. By reading the overview and the summary, you will get the main idea of what each chapter is all about. The most important keywords and points are given on the overview and summary.

When skimming the contents of each chapter, you should always be on the lookout for emphasized or highlighted words or phrases. This means that these words or phrases are important and should be noted. Usually the things that are highlighted include terms, people, definitions, charts and events.

Skimming may often mean doing short cuts but you still have to take a look at the points in your textbook that are hard to understand or comprehend. If you have a better understanding of the explanatory sentences in the textbook, you can have a good overview of the whole chapter or the main topics within the chapter.

Benefits of Learning English in School

February 10th, 2012

There is no doubt that the English language is used as a primary communication all over the world. Students who learn English in school can use this skill when they graduate and find jobs.

English as being the most spoken official language in the world can give the students a good head start when they are looking for jobs or when they are entering colleges. Higher institutes for advanced education or colleges often use English. Students who have learned the English language can pass entrance examinations and other admission tests for higher learning.

Students who have learned to speak English fluently can interact socially and positively with other students. These students can participate in inter-state competitions and student exchange programs.

Remember that interviews and employment opportunities after graduation are often conducted in the English language. Even career counselors and career guides use the English language as the official mode of interaction.

These are just some of the major advantages and benefits that students have when learning the English language in school.