Create an Exam Study Guide

Exam Study Guide Template (MS Word)

Steps

1. Compile all your notes for one course.  This may include lecture notes, notes from textbooks, notes from the online learning management system used in your class and the course syllabus. The course syllabus is an excellent tool to assist with what is expected in the course.

2. Identify topics to study by looking at weekly topics in the course syllabus, lecture slide titles, or textbook chapter titles.

3. Identify concepts to focus on by considering what you don’t understand well yet and what your professor has repeated or emphasized in lecture. It is likely that you will need to spend more time studying concepts that you find difficult.

   To check your understanding, practice explaining the topic to someone else. If you cannot do this concisely, you may need more time on this topic.

4. Identify the importance of each topic by considering how long your “focus on” list is and considering which topics the professor has spent the most time on.

   You can also ask the professor which topics will be weighted more. The amount of time you spend studying may need to include extra time devoted to topics that will be worth more marks.

5. Once completed, review this with your professor or TA for feedback. You can attend office hours with your study guide, with vocabulary/terms and concepts linked to your chapters on the guide.  Preparing in advance will provide you an opportunity to identify what questions you still have about the topics and will focus your discussion with the professor or TA.

6. Focus on studying the most important topics first and crossing off concepts as you become more confident.

7. Make lists and cue cards of the topics, form a study group or check if your class as has facilitated study group as a way to practice explaining topics and ideas. You may also want to prepare a presentation and practice it as a way to support your memory of the material.

Example Study Guide

Adapted from UBC Learning Commons