*Tips for Surviving Ans 214*
*Tips for Surviving AnS 214*
During Class:
- Go to class! There is no better place to learn the material. Nothing will be covered on exams that was not discussed in lecture.
- Print off notes beforehand. Do not come in with a notebook and pen and expect to write down every word Dr. Selsby says. This will leave you scrambling to write down irrelevant information, make you miss important points, and give you carpal tunnel.
- Jot down confusing points and be sure to fill in blanks. Circle slides with points that you find confusing. Often, students give up on entire concepts when they do not understand one small concept. Don’t forget to fill in blanks on the slides. There is a reason those spots were selected. Pay attention.
- Ask questions.Either in class, or in SI. Be sure to understand major concepts/pathways/mechanisms. Several concepts build on themselves. It is better to understand them sooner rather than later. Don’t forget about the questions folder if we run out of class time for questions or you don’t want to ask in front of the whole class.
Over the Weekends:
- Review notes. As hard as it is to work up the motivation, simply re-reading old material aids in committing information to memory, and reduces pre-exam study stress.
- Review SI worksheets for that week. Worksheets are written to force you to review key concepts.
- Skim the book. The book has great diagrams, tables, and pictures to help explain big concepts. By skimming through the chapters you will be able to pick up main points and solidify your knowledge of them.
- Review the book’s online material and CD. Your book has many online resources that can help you review information in a different way. The CD has games to help you review as well, although not all of the information is necessary to you.
- Do the homework. This is a great place to review the information presented in class and the book.
Before Quizzes:
- DO NOT spend 12 hours trying to prepare for a 5 minute quiz. It’s a waste of your nerves and your time.
- If you have time, read the book. The book has the most comprehensive overview of material to be covered.
- More than likely, you will not have time, so read chapter summaries. At the end of each chapter, your book contains a condensed version of reviewed information. Most of your quiz questions are “big ticket items” which are covered in this outline. If notes are posted, go through and fill in the blanks using your textbook. This is the best way to prepare, but do not rely on notes to be posted before every lecture.
- Quizzes most frequently cover the following: functional unit of system (ie: nephron in renal system), main types of tissues/organs in system, names of mechanisms (ie: salutatory conduction in nervous system), main diseases associated with system.
Prior to Exams- Timeline:
1 Week Before
- Read/skim the assigned chapters, including the chapter summaries
- Re-read the notes at least 4-5 times. This is the best way to review all of the material presented. Committing material to visual memory can help you recall unexpected details on the exams.
- Review SI worksheets. Be sure that you can answer most of the questions without referencing your notes. Particularly pay attention to worksheets that discuss diagrams.
- Review the online material and book CD.
48 Hours Before
- Read your notes (yes, again). All of the exam questions come from your notes. This means that it is the single best place to study from.
- Focus on diagrams. These are prominently in essays and their concepts pop up in multiple choice questions as well.
- Briefly look over SI worksheets and go to the Exam Review!
12 Hours Before
- Do not start your studying now! There is no way that you can learn all of the material to do remotely well on the exam. Cramming does not coincide with a passing grade in this class.
- If you’ve been studying as you should, eat a good dinner, watch a movie and get plenty of sleep. The less you stress now, the better off you will be.