How to Study in Physical Geography
Genius is 1 percent inspiration and 99 percent perspiration.
--Thomas A. Edison
Here are some hints on how to study in a Physical Geography class (and probably most other classes as well):
- Attend every class. That's every class, from start to finish. The reason there is a class at all is because for most people, it's easier to have a subject introduced by a teacher. Not too many people can learn it all just by reading on their own. Also, there may be material covered in class that is not in the textbook. Most instructors do not stand in front of the class and read the textbook aloud to you; they add other material, or approach it differently from the way the text approaches it..
- Take notes. Take your own notes. Except in an emergency (like missing class because of emergency brain surgery), don't use notes taken by your roommate, spouse, mother, great-aunt, or the nice stranger who sits behind you. And don't rely on your memory, either. Taking notes is part of the learning process. The more you work with the material, the better chance you have of learning it.
- Take the graphics seriously. Geography is a visual subject. If the instructor draws a diagram on the board, it is important. Draw the diagram yourself, and study it.
- Review the notes as soon as possible after class. Review them several times. Psychologists tell us that if we do not review something we have learned within 24 hours of learning it, we will forget 50% to 80% of it. Then, when you study for the test, you will have to start all over again, as if you had never seen the material before. This is the difference between short-term memory and long-term memory. For instance, do you remember the phone number for the pizza place you dialed the other day? Probably not, but you do remember phone numbers you use frequently.
- Read the appropriate chapter in the textbook with your notes at hand, and
compare the two.
The textbook author may present the material differently than the instructor. One
way may be easier for you to understand than the other, and in any case, comparing the two
will be a useful way for you to sort the material out in your own mind. - Go over the material several times, using several different approaches. You have to find the method or methods that work best for you. Vocabulary flashcards may help. Rewriting your notes and reorganizing them might work for you. Make up a poem about how the summer solstice works. Draw a picture about how the summer solstice works. Sing a song about how the summer solstice works. Make a dance about the summer solstice... Make the material familiar to you. Make it yours.
- Study with someone else. Of course, this only works if you are both serious about studying. But it helps to ask each other questions, and take turns trying to explain concepts to each other.
- Schedule time for studying. Studying takes time. You know you have to set aside a place in your schedule to go to class. At the same time, set aside a place in your schedule to study for that class. Set aside a block of time every week, not just the few days before the exam. A good rule of thumb is to study 2 or 3 hours outside of class for every hour you spend in class. (Did I say this was going to be easy?) Stick with your schedule.
- Try taking some Practice Quizzes. This will help you to see how you're doing.
- Do not wait until the last minute to study for an exam. You can't cram it all into your head at the last minute.
There are many other resources for learning how to study. Many colleges have classes on how to study. Here are some web resources on how to study, take tests, etc.:
Some Brief Tips on Test Anxiety
Lots of links to sites about studying and taking tests
Instructions on How to Flunk Out (from Doc Whiz)
Last Revised
August 22, 2006