THE PQRST STUDY METHOD

THE PQRST METHOD. THIS FIVE STEP PROCESS HELPS YOU SYNTHESIZE READING MATERIALS AND PREPARE FOR A TEST. THIS IS A GOOD TO DO WITH STUDY PARTNER OR GROUP, BUT YOU COULD DO IT ON YOUR OWN. BEGIN THIS PROCESS SEVERAL DAYS BEFORE THE EXAM.

1. PREVIEW: LOOK OVER THE COURSE SYLLABUS, YOUR WRITTEN NOTES, AND THE HEADINGS AND SUBHEADINGS OF THE ASSIGNED READING. THIS PROVIDES AN OVERVIEW OF THE CONTENT AND CONCEPT YOU WILL BE STUDYING.
2. QUESTION: DEVELOP A LIST OF QUESTIONS, INCLUDING THOSE

• CREATED FROM THE HEADINGS AND SUBHEADINGS IN THE READING
• FROM YOUR WRITTEN NOTES
• DISCUSSED IN CLASS
• PROVIDED AT THE ENDS OF CHAPTERS
• GIVEN ON THE STUDY GUIDE (IF ONE IS PROVIDED)
• THAT YOU HAVE ABOUT THE TOPIC

*FOR EXAMPLE, IF A MAJOR HEADING OR SUBHEADING IS "PHASE OF THE MOON" THEN ASKED YOURSELF/ WHAT ARE THE PHASES OF THE MOON

   3. READ: READ THE ASSIGNED READING AND YOUR WRITTEN NOTES AND LOOK FOR ANSWERS TO YOUR STUDY QUESTIONS. HEADINGS AND SUBHEADINGS SHOULD HELP GUIDE YOUR SEARCH. KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR OTHER INFORMATION TO ADD TO YOUR LIST OF QUESTIONS. REFLECT ON WHAT YOU READ, AND CONNECT NEW MATERIAL TO WHAT YOU ALREADY KNOW.

   4. STATE: IN YOUR OWN WORDS, SAY ALOUD AND/OR WRITE DOWN THE ANSWERS TO STUDY QUESTIONS, USE MNEMONIC DEVICES, CONCEPT DIAGRAMS, ANALOGIES, AND/OR OTHER STUDY STRATEGIES IS PROVIDED ON HANDOUT 3.10.3, WHICH YOU WILL BE RECEIVING SHORTLY.

   5. TEST: ANSWER YOUR STUDY QUESTIONS WITHOUT LOOKING AT YOUR NOTES OR READING, AND THEN CHECK TO SEE IF YOUR ANSWERS WERE CORRECT AND COMPLETE, YOUR BRAIN NEEDS TO ABSORB AND APPLY NEW INFORMATION, SO TEST AND RE-TEST OVER SEVERAL STUDY SESSIONS.

7 TIPS FOR TAKING TEST

TRY THE FOLLOWING 7 TEST-TAKING TIPS ON YOUR NEXT QUIZ OR TEST:

1. SKIM OVER THE TEST, AND ESTIMATE THE AMOUNT OF TIME YOU WILL SPEND ON EACH SECTION.
2. READ THE DIRECTIONS CAREFULLY. WHAT ARE YOU BEING ASKED TO?
3. FOR MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS, READ EACH ANSWER CHOICE BEFORE MAKING YOUR ANSWER.
4. IF YOU ARE NOT SURE OF THE ANSWER, READ THE CHOICES AGAIN. IF YOU ARE STILL NOT SURE, MOVE ON TO THE NEXT QUESTION. AFTER ANSWERING THE QUESTIONS YOU ARE SURE OF, GO BACK TO ANY YOU SKIPPED.
5. ELIMINATE THE ANSWER CHOICES THAT YOU KNOW ARE WRONG. THEN CHOOSE YOUR ANSWER FROM THE ONES THAT REMAIN.
6. WHEN YOU ASKED TO FILL IN BLANKS, SUBSTITUTE ONE OF THE CHOICES INTO THE BLANK AT A TIME, AND READ THE RESULTING SENTENCE(S). WHICH CHOICE SOUNDS RIGHT?
7. FOR YOUR ESSAY QUESTION, FIRST JOT DOWN THE MAIN POINTS YOU WANT TO MAKE, AND USE THESE AS AN OUTLINE FOR YOUR ESSAY. AFTERWARDS, READ IT THROUGH. DOES YOUR ANSWER MAKE SENSE, AND IT IS REASONABLY COMPLETE?