How to Best Recall Information for a Quiz

It's the day of the quiz for your class and you panic. What if you can't recall something? What if you studied the wrong information? The "what if" list can be endless. To reduce panic on quiz day, take these steps and you'll be able to recall all the information your teacher expected you to learn and maybe even a little unexpected information, as well.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Textbook
• Handouts from class
• Previous quizzes
• Index cards or paper

1. Avoid cramming for a quiz the night before. Complete work as it is assigned, freeing up the night before the quiz for review. Trying to learn several days or weeks worth of material the night before will only allow small amounts to be retained in your memory, especially since you will be in a panic mode and not in the correct frame of mind to learn. Additionally, information needs to be reviewed several times to move it from your short term memory to your long term memory.
2. Combine all resources provided by the teacher to determine the big ideas and key vocabulary you will be expected to know. Resources may include notes, textbook readings and handouts. If your teacher went to the trouble to copy something for the entire class, it is probably important to know.
3. Use the big ideas to write sample questions. If you have taken quizzes from this instructor before, look at the old quizzes to get an idea of the types of questions to expect. Use your resources to answer these questions.
4. Create flashcards of key vocabulary terms using index cards or pieces of paper. Another option is to take a piece of paper, fold it in half vertically, and then write the term on one half and the answer on the other half. By folding the paper to cover either the term or the answer, you can test yourself to make sure you can identify terms given the definitions or the definitions given the terms.
5. Make up an acronym for long lists of information to memorize. Take the first letter of each word and rearrange them to form a word you can remember. An example: What are the names of the Great Lakes? HOMES (Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, Superior).
6. Write an acrostic to remember information. An acrostic is a made up sentence that will provide a cue for the information you wanted to remember. An example: Every good boy deserves fudge = musical notes E, G, B, D, F.
7. Rest well the night before the quiz and eat a good breakfast the day of the quiz. Your mind will not be fully functional if your body's needs aren't met. Try to relax knowing you've studied and are prepared for the quiz.