Different Ways to Study
There are many different study methods that you can use, depending on what best suits your learning style.
Over my impact project I will be trialing 5 different study methods. These are flashcards, mindmaps, written notes, working through past exam papers and the Cornell Method.
Flashcards
I found flashcards helpful when learning definitions, but they were time consuming to make. However there are some sites for NCEA flashacrds which reduced the time, these are websites such as this biology one found here.
Flashcards simplify ideas and information and therefore are good for a basic understanding, but other study methods would need to be used in conjunction with this to gain depth of knowledge.
Mindmaps
There are many different mindmaps that you can use. These could include ones that link ideas, trigger your memory, online mindmap creators or picture based mind maps. You can customise mindmaps depending on what best works for you. If you are a visual learner then you should use pictures, or you might like to write down key ideas, or have a complex mindmap linking one part of your information to other part.
This link shows an online mindmap that I created.
Below is another paper based mindmap which shows key ideas leading to more detailed explanations of them.
Written Notes
Written notes show all the in depth information needed.
Ways to make written notes more exciting or visual can include diagrams, use of different colours or heading and sub headings.
As seen through these notes for an english essay, I have put brief points in a different colour per paragraph which allows me to remember the information more easily and the essay question at the top which allows me to refer back to it easily.
Past Exam Papers
One benefit that I have found from using past exam papers as a study method is finding out what aspects of the topic come up regularly.
Past exam papers also gives you practise on interpreting questions while assesment schedules can show you which ways you should be answering questions for the grade you are aiming for.
For NCEA standards past exam papers can be found on this site by searching the standard number.
Cornell Method
This method provides an organised method for condensing notes. This uses tables such as cues in the left hand column, note taking in the right hand column and a summary box at the end such as seen below:
