Time Management: A Way to Better Grades - Part 2
As a follow-up to the study method discussed in the first part of this series, this is a simple method of handling class material. It is an easy to learn and effective approach. The method addresses two factors that are critical for good grades:
1. time
2. anxiety / angst
It is critical to use time well. It is the most precious resource, especially right before a test or an exam. I found that most people spend time reviewing and studying what they already know. I don’t think that is productive. In fact, it is wasting time and an exercise in self delusion. If you know it, then don’t study it. Trust yourself and preserve your time.
With this method, attention will be focused on what you do not know. For this approach, you need three highlight pens of different colors. I would suggest green, yellow and red. These are culturally significant and tend to be reassuring.
When you are reading your notes or text book, I would want you to highlight. However, I would like you to highlight in this manner:
green = important things that you are confident that you know
yellow = important things that you are still doubtful that you have mastered at the present time
red = important things that thoroughly confuse you.
Therefore, you have classified your material. When you work at your studies, your job is to change the yellow to green. Once you have mastered the yellow concept, place a green line underneath it. That means you have changed a doubtful concept to a certainty. It will be very reinforcing to do this. You can see your progress.
The harder work is to change the red underline to yellow and then, ultimately, to green. You must change all red concepts to yellow and then to green. This is where you should focus your time. You must learn what you don’t know, instead of spending precious time on what you do know.
Ideally, as exam time rolls around, all the important things will be underlined in green. This will increase your confidence in that you have worked the material and you have mastered the concepts. However, this also helps you to study. When you review, focus on the material that was initially in red. This was the difficult material. Refresh it in your mind. You have worked on it, so now the concepts will not be difficult. Afterwards, look at the material that was initially marked as yellow. You have worked on that too. Finally, look at the green underlined material. This will be quick and it will add to your confidence that you do know this material.
And, if you do indeed do it this way, you will have an exceptional grasp of the concepts.
Also, do this in your notes. Do NOT recopy. Just write on the right hand page. (Yes, I know you have a laptop and want to take notes on that. However, try this method…) Leave the left hand page, as a blank page. After each class, use your pens and classify your material, in the same manner that you use with the text books. This is the first review. Underline! Then, on the left hand page, add material, notes, references, photocopying, whatever is needed …to change all concepts so that, ultimately, they will be underlined in green.
In summary, classify and then work at changing the classification of the material. You cannot imagine the sense of confidence that is generated by knowing that you have mastered all the concepts. You have not wasted your time. You simply know the stuff.
Let me add a coda here. Do not worry about neatness. Be concerned, instead, on changing the underlined status of the concepts. Studies have shown that if something is not neat and stands out, it will even be remembered more efficiently. Remember that what you are focused on doing is protecting your time and lowering your anxiety.
Submitted by Catherine Forsythe
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Tags: anxiety, colour code, exam preparation, notes, pens, studying, time management
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