Preparing for biology exams is different from studying English or history classes. Strategies and processes that work well in other subjects may not necessarily work well here. Biology requires a lot of memorizing and practical applications as it is a visual subject. Pick a few of these strategies that you may find helpful and integrate them with other ways that are already working out for you. The results can be amazing.
Flesh out lessons
After your biology classes, rewrite or add to your notes. In other words, flesh them out while the scribbles make sense. The information you have in your mind is still fresh, and you need to fill up your notes with explanations of those bullet points. This is very important because otherwise, it is easy to forget them as you learn new phrases and terms.
Fleshing out notes should be done regularly as a formal schedule until it becomes a habit. Use full sentences, add labels to diagrams, and organize biological concepts into groups to show the connections. Fill up all the missing gaps using your text. Avoid making the mistake of waiting until the nick of the exam time, as it might be too late.
Understand the concepts
Learn the biology concepts individually before integrating them all. You must understand and learn the content before you go to a higher level of understanding. Then you integrate them coherently. This is the reason to attend classes so you can take down notes of important facts and pull them out when you need them.
Take your time to understand the biology concepts so that when it is time to submit your essays or research paper, you know how to piece together the content. As a college student, you can get help with examples from the biology essay writing service online. You may want to provide them with the concepts to be included so that they can do the rest. That is why it is important to get a full grasp of the biology concepts first.
Daily study routine
Way before the test, study a subset of the material as if the biology exam was tomorrow and repeat it until the previous night of the exam. Use shorter periods over several days or weeks to repeat your studies. Make this an everyday routine.
Test both your short-term and long-term memory by leaving enough time between learning and self-testing. Study to grasp the concepts and not to memorize phrases and sentences, which is akin to rote learning. This can only serve your short-term memory. Repeat it until you are confident that you can always get them right always.
Familiarize yourself actively
Your biology professor focuses on those materials that are most likely to be tested on exams and quizzes. Therefore, learn the things taught during the lectures and give importance to the assigned readings. Also, prioritize the text, PowerPoints, and notes. This is known as active familiarization of the study materials.
Sometimes, exam questions pose new situations that require you to analyze them practically. That is why you need to actively apply the biological concepts taught in the classrooms in practical ways. Try to explain the concept to yourself or a group of friends, if it is a study group, in practical terms. This is also another way to move beyond passive familiarization to active familiarization.
Use online resources
Several online resources can make your studying process easier. For example, online videos explain in detail every biology concept, making it manageable to understand. They connect to the visuospatial areas of the brain directly. Therefore, making sense of these visual concepts will help you memorize and score high grades.
Online resources also contain diagrams on complex biology subjects. They help in connecting the dots. You can also access previous question papers to understand the pattern of exam questioning. By studying more of these past questions, you become familiar with them and can quickly identify them in the exam.
Healthy study habits
Eat nutritious food to keep your body functioning correctly. Nutrient-filled foods such as almonds, blueberries, pumpkin seeds, and broccoli help improve memory. They also help you stay focused for a long time. Practice meditation every day to improve your concentration and performance.
Exams are stressful and can cloud your mind. Taking breaks can destress you and help you memorize quickly. Stay away from electronic gadgets while you are studying because they can be a distraction and can drag you down. Also, take enough breaks in between, as studying for exams can take a huge chunk of your waking hours.
Conclusion
Do not let the biology exam stress overpower your planning and preparations. Follow these tips and build upon them to help your longer-term memorization. And as mentioned in the last tip, do not forget to balance it out with healthy living. Whatever your exam outcomes are, even if it is a failure, consider it as a learning process.