Study tips for exams

Suggestions by students who made the highest grades about how to study for the virology exams.

1. Know and understand all information on the outline for the chapter.
   
2. Know "study guide" information. Supplement with related chapter information.
   
3. Take detailed notes and study notes.
   
4. Review notes in advance of exam to allow time to ask any questions you may have.

1. The most effective way that I have found to study is to write index cards on the lectures.
   
2. I also make up questions from the lecture notes.
   
3. I try to start studying early to insure enough time to thoroughly cover the lectures.
   
4. I try to read the book after studying the lectures.
   
5. I make sure that I am always in lecture.

1. Attend every class.
   
2. Start studying at least 5 days before by reading through the material several times (I did this mostly in spare time, for instance during breaks on campus)
   
3. About 3 days before the exams I would start to study by topic (the individual viruses or diagnostics, biotechnology, etc.). I would start to memorize the material by covering up all the information but the slide title and then I would try to recite the information back to myself. I wouldn't move to the next topic until I felt comfortable with the current one. Once I got through all the exam material, I would start over again and if I got to a topic that I was having problems remembering I would go give it more studying time.
   
4. About 1 - 2 days before the exam I would start to go over the practice exams on the CDs. If I was scoring 70s and 80s I obviously knew that I needed to go over the material again. By the time I would get 90s and 100s, I would know that I knew the material enough for the exam.
   

   I think that's about all. It doesn't seem like too much, but I guess I managed to make it work. Also, like I was telling you in your office, if students start complaining about having molecular genetic exams and your virology exams on the same day, I feel that they just need to know how to allocate their time better. I hope this helps some of you future students. And again, thanks for an enjoyable, informative class!

1. In my opinion, the best method of studying for the virology course is to start by attending all the lectures and taking good notes.
2. I follow up the class lectures by watching the video lectures on the course CD.
3. Around a week before the exam, I begin to go over my notes and re-write them into my own words.
4. When this process is complete, I read through my written notes while looking at all diagrams from the CD that I could not reproduce in my written notes.
5. I attempt to go over the notes at least four times, and I write down on a "review sheet" in order to solidify the ideas I found most difficult.
6. Finally, I take the practice questions on the course CD in order to test my knowledge of the subject.
   
   ***KEY POINT: While re-writing the notes make sure to not leave anything out, because EVERY DETAIL is applicable material for a test question.