How to Study to be a Contestant on Jeopardy!

Ken Jennings set the bar for quiz show contestants everywhere when he won a record 74 straight games on Jeopardy! in 2004. Pegged as brilliant and gifted, Jennings also had another important asset: he studied. With the right guidance, any driven person can make a small fortune by learning to phrase answers in the form of questions.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Computer with Internet access
• Television
• Barrons Educational Books study guides
• World map

1. Watch past episodes. Writers often recycle topics or use slightly different formats to utilize the same material.
2. Write down any answers you got incorrect and commit them to memory.
3. Visit SparkNotes (www.sparknotes.com) and brush up on popular literature. Be sure to know titles, plots and the names of prominent authors.
4. Use study aids such as Barrons Educational Books (www.barronseduc.com) to further your knowledge of math and science.
5. Watch the news. Current events play a prominent role in Jeopardy! clues.
6. Study a world map. Know where major countries, cities and bodies of water are located. You don’t need to know a lot about a little; rather, you need to know a little about a lot. Make sure you have at least a basic knowledge of all major literature, math, science and entertainment areas.

Tips & Warnings

• Studying can get overwhelming. Learn what you can and hope to make an educated guess on what you don’t know.
• Losing on Jeopardy! says little about your intellectual skills. Many smart people compete and it is often takes a combination of skill and luck to name a winner.