study tips for test part 2

1. Assemble a study group. According to Duke University, the most effective study groups have 3 or 4 people. One of them should be deemed the leader, or delegator -- they'll keep the group on track. Bring some snacks, some music, and agree on content beforehand. Talking about the content makes you read it, see it, hear it, and speak it -- way better for memory.

• It's a good idea to spend the first part of your session working on concepts. These often get ignored. Have a discussion on the concepts of that week's material or the major points on the test. When you have a discussion about it, it'll be that much more interesting (and memorable). Then, work on specific problems. When you've covered the concepts, the problems will be more likely to fall into place.

2.  Choose a few different places to study. Recent research has shown that your memory improves if you take in information in multiple environments. Scientists aren't exactly sure why, but it has something to do with enriching the information and making associations with multiple sets of stimuli (encoding the information deeper).At home, at the library, it's all good!

• If you can study where you take the test, do so. If you've heard of context-dependent memory, you know what this is about. Your brain is more likely to remember information in the environment it learned it in. So if you can bring your study group into the classroom, do it!

3. Take breaks during your study time. Whether your study period is at home or at school, make sure you take some time off of your notes. Grab a snack or go on Facebook, Twitter or play Tetris or go outside for some fresh air. But be sure your break is only a few minutes, about 5-15. Don't make it too long, or you'll set off task and won't study!

4. Go for power foods. Recent research has shown that cocoa is superfood for the brain. Dark chocolate has a similar effect, but make sure it's over 70% cocoa. So grab that cuppa or that bar and feel guilt-free!

• Coffee and tea -- a little bit of caffeine -- doesn't hurt either. Staying energized is a big part of absorbing information. Just don't go overboard and crash a few hours later!
• Fish, nuts, and olive oil (all things high in Omega-3s) are also brain super foods. Have the meal before your test high in these and your brain will be ready and raring to go.

5. Make it fun. Write the information on notecards and then decorate them. Make sure the cards do not have a whole essay of information or they'll be impossible to decipher. You can quiz yourself, others, and work with them as you're waiting for the bus, walking to class, or just killing time.

• You're also more likely to remember something if you associate it with a crazy story.Trying to remember that the only war that took place during one president's term was WWI and it was Woodrow Wilson? Well, Woody's initials are WW, so imagine him on top of the world with one of those giant foam fingers. Or one giant Wilson volleyball, painted to look like the Earth, bouncing between the US and Germany. You know, whichever.
• Graphs and pictures are much easier to remember than boring, drawn-out sentences. If you can make it more interactive and visually pleasing, do so. It'll pay off.

6. Separate the content into parts. The easiest way to do this will be with your handy highlighters. Use yellow for vocab terms, pink for dates, blue for stats, etc. When you're studying, take time to hit all the different types of information, so you brain doesn't saturate with numbers, dates, or hard-to-process information. You wouldn't practice basketball by shooting lay-ups all day, would you?

• That way, when you study, it should be fairly easy to see the larger concepts versus the finer details. When you're scanning, just focus on the big stuff. When you're really getting into it, delve into the details.
• Studying different types of material in one session has shown to leave deeper, longer-lasting impression on the brain. It's the same reason musicians do scales, pieces, and rhythmic work and athletes do strength, speed, and skill drills. So in one afternoon, attack all those colors!