Exams and tests are never easy. There are so many questions, and you are alone. And you have to learn everything by X day: you never know what you’re going to get. Memorize and keep in mind a lot of information – it’s not just physically difficult, but also mentally. What if you get confused, and all the answers fly out of your head? Do not despair. A time-tested method comes to the rescue – cheat sheets. Most teachers feel good about writing cheat sheets, but not about using them. Here are five reasons why teachers recommend it.
- REPEAT
Don’t panic. You went through all this in class. Some of it was easier and some of it was harder, but in general, you are not required to learn something completely new for the exam. Even if you use essay help while studying, preparing cheat sheets is a great way to remember everything you’ve managed to forget, as well as catch up on what you’ve missed.
- HIGHLIGHTING
You can’t fit a lot of information on a cheat sheet, so you have to sacrifice some. Don’t write what you already know. It is better to save space for facts, dates, and formulas that do not fit in your head. By shortening the material, you highlight only the essentials – and therefore get to the heart of the matter better.
- ORGANIZING AND STRUCTURING
It sounds complicated, but it’s not a big deal. Distribute the information in order of importance. Start with definitions, terms, and formulas, then go into the heart of the question, give examples, and supplement your answer with known facts.
Depending on the subject you are preparing for, the structure of your answer may vary. For algebra, for example, one question may have only a few formulas, while an analysis of a literary work will require a brief biography of the author, a historical summary, and a stylistic analysis with references to the text to support your conclusions.
- DILIGENCE
Preparing cheat sheets is a time-consuming process, it requires considerable mental and physical effort. When preparing, you have to think even more than when simply rote memorizing the material.
- KEEP CALM
Having cheat sheets written in your hand gives you confidence and reduces stress because you know you’ve done everything and even more to prepare.
Important: It is not enough to just make cheat sheets and forget about them. When you have everything ready, “run” the questions around a few times. Answer from memory, preferably out loud, and peek at the cheat sheets if you have problems. Already on the second or third time, the answers will become more confident, and recourse to cheating sheets significantly reduced. The same principle is applied to memorization cards.
How to memorize large amounts of information quickly
Writing cribs manually will have an even better effect on your memory. There is a big difference between typing on the keyboard and writing by hand. During these processes, our brains work differently: when you write, you absorb more information. So you shouldn’t neglect the extra memory points.
The format of the cheat sheets can be of any kind. Place them all in one place on a large piece of cotton or hang small stickers around the house, make them into cards and read in the subway, make a good old “accordion” or a book. Here it all depends on your creativity and imagination.
Finally, we advise you to forget the cribs at home. Coming to the exam with them, you will only be more fidgety and worried that you will not get caught. With such a mindset, it is difficult to gather your thoughts and remember even the simplest answers.
The right cheat sheet is not only a kind of “sedative”, but also an excellent memory stimulator. Even if you find a particularly difficult topic in the question, you will remember most of the information already when preparing the material, reducing and arranging it.