Why it Matters?

When preparing for exams, re-reading your notes is not the most effective way to retain information in your long-term memory. By organizing content and actively testing yourself, you can make meaningful connections that enhance understanding and solidify the material in your mind. The mental work you do to test yourself is key to committing information to memory and understanding how ideas are structured.

 

How Can I Create a Study Guide for Better Learning and Memory?

Here are three steps for creating a study guide:

Step 1: Prepare – Plan What to Study

Find out which lectures and readings will be covered on the test and ask if there’s information about how much of the test will come from lectures vs. readings. Next, determine the format of the test: Multiple choice? Essays? Short answer? Lastly, review past tests, if possible, to understand the types of questions asked—are they factual, conceptual, or analytical (see below for definitions)?

Step 2: Write the Study Guide – Create and Organize Questions

Go through your notes and readings and write questions in three levels of complexity:

1. Low-Level (Factual Recall): Focus on specific facts like dates, definitions, and names. If the answer can be found directly in your materials and is a simple fact, it's a low-level question. An example question: “What year did World War II begin?” This question is factual and requires basic recall from your textbook or lecture notes.
2. Mid-Level (Conceptual Understanding): Think about how or why certain things are connected. Look for cause-and-effect relationships or ask how one event influenced another. If the question asks you to explain a connection or relationship rather than just recall a fact, it’s a mid-level question. An example question: “How did the Treaty of Versailles contribute to the start of World War II?” This question requires you to explain how the treaty’s terms set the stage for the conflict.
3. High-Level (Critical Thinking and Synthesis): Ask questions that require you to think more broadly. Focus on reasons, motives, or implications. You might need to combine multiple pieces of information. If the question challenges you to form an argument, analyze causes, or think about long-term effects, it’s high-level. An example question is, “Why were the geopolitical consequences of World War II significant in shaping the modern world order?” This question requires a deeper analysis of global impacts and relationships beyond just the events of the war.

Step 3: Commit to Memory – Actively Test Yourself

1. Test without looking at the answers: Try answering the questions first before checking the answer.
2. Say answers out loud: Speaking helps reinforce memory.
3. Review answers immediately: Look at the correct answer right after answering to reinforce learning. 
4. Teach someone else: Explain the concepts to a friend or family member.

 

When Should I Apply These Strategies?

Use this framework throughout your study sessions leading up to the exam. It helps you connect facts and understand ideas on a deeper level, ensuring long-term retention. Focus on the mental work—actively testing and organizing content—for better results and begin this process early; do not wait until a few days before an exam. 

Action: Select one lecture topic, and for each key point, write a question at each level (factual, conceptual, and critical thinking). Test yourself without looking at the answers, review what you missed, and try again. Repeat this process for each major topic you expect to see on the exam. Aim to go through your entire study guide twice before the test.