Finals Week 101

Start Early: The Five Day Study Plan

Research shows that spaced studying leads to stronger retention of information than last-minute cramming. Spaced studying means spreading exam review out over multiple study sessions. Our Five Day Study Plan was created with this in mind. 

Before you begin, identify study blocks for the week and divide material into manageable chunks organized by topic or chapter. Start with the concepts you learned earliest in the semester first because this content needs the most refreshing. 

• Day 1: Dedicate your session to preparing material for your oldest “chunk”. This means using study strategies that work best for you, like creating study sheets, making flashcards, outlining key ideas from notes and assigned readings, or making concept maps.
• Day 2-4: Each day, prepare material for a new chunk of information and review the previous chunks. This repetition helps make information stick
• Day 5: Review all material and self-test yourself. On day five, you won’t be learning anything new but confirming what you already know. 

Be flexible. Some courses or exams take more time to study than others. Adapt the Five Day Study Plan to fit your needs. 

Preparation Strategies

When you study new material, your goal is to identify, condense, organize, and write what you need to learn. Some effective preparation strategies include: 

• Creating study sheets and outlines.
• Developing concept maps to visualize relationships between ideas.
• Making flashcards
• Predicting discussion questions or essay prompts from the course material
• Writing out a list of steps in a process for technical or procedural content
• Creating practice tests and quizzes

Review Strategies

Once you finish preparing your material, it is important to review it by actively rehearsing, extending and self-testing, not just re-reading. Tips include: 

• Reciting or rewriting study sheets from memory.
• Replicating concept maps from memory.
• Reciting key concepts and main points out loud.
• Taking practice tests or completing practice essay prompts.
• Practicing formulas and problem-solving

Preparation and review are different. During the preparation phase, you should recognize information. The review stage helps you retain that information. 

Create the Right Environment

Before you dive into studying, set yourself up in an environment for success. Where and how you study matters. 

Minimize distractions: Put your phone on silent and close out of social media. Some people find website blockers helpful. Brief notifications can interrupt focus for minutes at a time. 

Physical Space: Lighting, noise level, and comfort can impact studying. A cluttered space can be mentally draining. Remember to bring notes, highlights, your computer, and everything else you need to your study space. Make a quick checklist of the items that are important to bring. 

Keep sessions short but focused: Rather than scheduling a marathon session, plan shorter blocks for studying that have a clear start and end time. Build in time for breaks. This will help to keep your energy up and help you to feel less depleted. 

Use Resources

Professor's Office Hours: Even a 15-minute conversation with a professor can be helpful. Bring specific questions with you. 

The Writing Center: The writing center can support you in essay writing, help to clarify your main ideas and support you in molding your arguments.

Research Librarians: The Research Librarians can help you find sources and support you in writing citations. 

Peer Tutors: Receive support from students who have mastered the material. 

Peer Academic Coaches

References:

Cornell University The Learning Strategies Center (n.d.). 5 day study plan. 

Roediger, H. L., & Karpicke, J. D. (2006). Test-enhanced learning: Taking memory tests improves long-term retention. Psychological Science, 17(3), 249–255. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9280.2006.01693.x (Supporting evidence for self-testing and retrieval practice as study strategies.)