Studying+for+SBI3U

toc =Studying for SBI 3U Biology=

Materials needed to study
Use the classroom notes as a foundation, and read from the textbook to better understand the topic. If you like to use a computer or an iPod to help you study get the //Biology 11// digital textbook on CD from your teacher.

How you should study
Rote memorization is ineffective! Learn by comparing. For example, what are the differences between mitosis and meiosis? What is the difference in the order of events and the cells produced?

Connecting information is thinking – when you study, ask yourselves how does the information that you read about connects with other information that you've learned.

In this way, you won't just retain disparate bits of information--memorization--but you’ll gain a thorough understanding of the whole picture. When you get to a test or an exam it will be much easier to produce a performance that you'll be proud of.

Study techniques
Study by making diagrams or by comparing information in columns. E.g., the structure of the root versus that of the stem; the structure of monocots versus ‘dicots’.

Biology is very visual. The structures and chemicals we have talked about are real, not abstractions and understanding comes from seeing. Look at the images in your notes and in your textbook. Try to label the component parts and ask yourselves questions such as: “What is this meristem cell doing?” or "How does this cell fit into the whole plant?".

Use your time wisely
Studying the night before a test or an exam is a **great** way to feel tired the next day and to do poorly. It does very little to improve your success, and, especially your long-term retention of the material to be studied.

Start studying one week before the test.

Day 1. Spend 30 minutes on the first day of studying looking over your notes and preparing an OUTLINE of the material to be studied. Make that outline //**even if**// your teacher gave you a detailed outline!

Determine whether you are missing notes or activities and get those missing notes or activities from your study buddy. Remember that you got the contact information for at least one other classmate at the beginning of the year--**use it**!

Day 2. Get those missing notes or activities. If your study buddy cannot provide them to you, check the website or ask ask your teacher for them. That night spend 20 minutes reviewing the first few notes. Annotate (i.e. make comments in the margins, clarify points, etc.) your notes.

Day 3 & 4. Spend 20 minutes each evening reviewing the remainder of your notes and start reading the text book. Pick some easy practice questions and do them.

Day 5 & 6. Continue reviewing. Do tougher practice questions and approach the teacher or your classmates with any problems you encounter. Good strategies to try are to create your own questions and answer them, or, to explain challenging concepts to other students (or even your parents). Teaching someone something is the best way to learn it yourself!

Day 7. Get a good night's sleep the night before the test!

In future...
Take five minutes after EVERY class to review your notes.

Read them over. Ask yourself the question: "Do my notes make sense?" If they don't, figure out why! Is it that you didn't understand the concept, you didn't take full notes, the teacher didn't give you the notes you needed, or the teacher expects you to do further reading?

If you do this after every class you'll have taken care of concepts that confused you by the time you start studying. This approach will **//take a lot of the stress out of studying//**.


 * Inspired by:** Costa, Mihai. 2010. BI 266 Life on Earth: Plants. Wilfrid Laurier University. 2010-12-21 http://www.wlu.ca/page.php?grp_id=1451&p=15329.