Showing posts with label Good Grades/Marks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Good Grades/Marks. Show all posts

Thursday, May 29, 2008

How To-12: How to Get Better Grades This Year Than You Did Last Year


from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

If you want this to be your best academic year yet, you should try and learn from your past mistakes.

Steps

  1. Re-read and think about past work. What were you good at? What weren't you good at? What can be improved? If you're stuck, or don't know why you got a bad mark, ask your teacher for help.
  2. If you have access to grading criteria (i.e. those lists that say "An A grade answer will have done X, Y and Z"), look them up. Look at the difference between the grade you got and the grade that is above yours. How can you achieve the criteria in the next grade?
  3. If you have the opportunity to pick topics, pick them wisely! Think about what you are good at and, most importantly, what kind of subjects you enjoy. If you have never studied an optional subject before but you think it looks interesting, ask the teacher who teaches it what kind of skills are required and what kind of subjects it is similar to.
  4. Collect some revision books over the summer holidays and start reading through them. This is particularly important if you are studying a topic you have never studied before. By doing this, you will get some background knowledge on the subject, which will make lessons easier for you during term time. You can just read the books or take notes as you go along- it's up to you.
  5. Make sure you have all your pencils, pens and the like together for the start of the next school term in order to get the best start. Also, make sure your study area at home is tidy and organized.
  6. Let parents and friends know that you are trying to improve your grades. They can offer you extra help. If you don't understand something, ask! It doesn't matter how long you spend on something if you don't understand it.
  7. Get to know the teacher - if the teacher knows that you want to learn by getting extra help, he or she will give you a point maybe if you are on a border line grade.
  8. Think about your note taking technique. How good is it? Does it need improving? How could you improve it? You could practice taking notes on the lyrics of a song or some script from part of a film if you need some practice at home. This step is particularly important if your course has lectures. Part of taking good notes involves writing down whatever the teacher writes on the board unless they say otherwise. Also, if the teacher emphasizes any point, write that down as well.
  9. Take the time to compare your progress to your progress last year. If you are still going at the same pace, it's time to try something different.
  10. Do not procrastinate. Start your assignments at a routine time every day (when you get home, or right after dinner, for example). Don't leave things until tomorrow. Don't be afraid to take your time. Studying is not a race, and you will understand and retain better if you move at an even pace, rather than hurrying to get through things.

Tips

  • Looking after your body is important if you want a healthy mind. Eat a good diet and get as much sleep as you need.
  • Grading criterias can be found on most university, college or school websites. If you have taken external examinations, you can also find grading criterias on the exam boards website.
  • If your course involves assessment of handwritten work, you may want to think about improving your handwriting if it isn't good. Answers that can't be read get few or no marks, regardless of how excellent the content is!
  • Get and use a monthly planner - many schools give these for free. Write down not only what day you have a big test or assignment due, but also days on which you will devote a block of study time to preparation for the test or the the assignment.
  • Keep all of your supplies ready, so that you can add notes to your wrong answers, highlight important facts, and color in certain diagrams. All of these techniques will help.
  • Write neatly because they may not be able to read sloppy handwriting, and if they can’t read it, it’s a zero.

Warnings

  • Although some people find that working in front of the TV actually allows them to learn more, the majority find it to be a distraction. If you studied a lot in front of the TV last year, turn it off this year!
  • Computers and the Internet can be a huge distraction when it comes to studying. If you don't need it, turn it off.
  • Don't panic if one particular method of study doesn't seem to work for you. Everybody is different. Some people can absorb lots of knowledge just by reading, whilst others learn better by doing mock exams. It's all a matter of discovering what works for you.
  • Easier said than done but avoid stressing out. Stress often has an adverse effect on your grades and will do your health no good either. If you are feeling the pressure, talk to a friend about it.

Related wikiHows

Sources and Citations

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Get Better Grades This Year Than You Did Last Year. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

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How To-6: How to Get Good Grades


How to Get Good Grades


from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

This is easier than you think! You do have to work at it though. It doesn't matter what your normal grades are (unless you're already an A student) you can improve through these simple steps.

Steps

  1. The most important advise to get good grades is very simple; do well on tests and quizzes to get yourself a B or B-. Do your homework and do what your teacher says, and the chances are fairly good that you'll get an A+. Don't stress yourself. Act cool and calm. (Sometimes its good to be stressful but not always when its not necessary)
  2. Remember that the material being introduced to you is only one part of the school experience. The rest is about learning how to learn!
  3. Write good legible notes. Colored pens are fun to write with if you want to get more creative with your notes, but use them only for sections of your notes that you feel will be on a test or that are important. It makes them stand out. Making your notes fun to read will make you actually want to read them.
  4. Watch to determine how your teachers teach, use the same method to learn the information. If they write on the blackboard, take notes; if they lecture, listen hard or record the lecture to listen to multiple times. This sounds simple, but many will find it hard to stay focused for an entire class period. Here is where the hard work comes in - staying focused.
  5. It has been said that different people learn different ways - some are note takers, some are homework doers. Don't buy in to this - it is nothing more than an excuse. You can and do learn from every method of input. Have you ever noticed how some students don't seem to work at all until test time when they get A's and B's? these are the students who have learned to learn from all forms of teaching. You can do this too!
  6. Try to do your homework immediately after school. Time management is essential. If you're given an assignment that's due next week, don't procrastinate; get started the same day you get the assignment (See more about this in Tips).
  7. Teachers want you to give them back what they gave you. So give it to them! By now you have learned how the teacher is giving you the information and you have had plenty of time to sink it in. Give it back to the teacher. Do this by using the knowledge they've taught you and apply it to your homework, tests, and projects.
  8. Always do your homework. If you have trouble remembering it, use a notebook to write it down everyday, right after the teacher assigns it. Homework counts for a large portion of your grade. If your teacher has any extra credit assignments, do them! It won't hurt if you try it out. Even if you get some wrong, I'm sure your teachers will still give you some points back.
  9. Stay organized. A lot of people say this but it really does help. Organizing your locker helps you remember to bring your supplies to class and to your house to do your homework or studying.
  10. Take notes (dated) of the big topics to help you remember what happened that day.
  11. Review your notes every night. So when the big test comes, remembering what you learned is a snap.

Tips

  • Organize your work area. Make sure everything is neat and you can find it easily. As any college student will tell you, working in an untidy environment will only lead to distraction. Make sure you have all of the supplies you need for class.
  • Don't be ashamed of being smart or needing a tutor. Tons of smart kids get picked on but being smart always pays off in the end. Also, don't be afraid to get a tutor because it doesn't mean you aren't smart. It just means you need a little help and that you are learning at a right pace for you, which is perfectly ok.
  • It's not about how long you study, its about how well you study. Skimming a book for five hours doesn't help as much as reading your notes and the book for two hours.
  • Stay focused on the goal.
  • When taking tests, you have to relax. Easier said than done? Remember - you have all of the answers in your head already! The only challenge is getting them out! Your first instinct is nearly always correct. Don't go back and change answers. If you are really not sure, skip it and come back later.
  • Use your time wisely. If you are given an hour to complete a 120 question test, thats 30 seconds per question. 30 seconds can be made into a lot of time. Many of the questions will take far less than 30 seconds, so apply the balance to a tougher question.
  • If you have any questions, don't be afraid to ask the teacher! You have the right to learn. Plus, they'll be happy to help you.
  • Do not procrastinate. Don't do a project the night before or on the morning of. If it seems like a huge project, then break it into little steps and do a couple per day. Or, find a partner to work with, if your teacher allows it, and split the work between you two.
  • Don't cram right before a test. Study well in advance. This will allow you the luxury of breaks between study sessions and to study with friends once in awhile.
  • Study with a friend as much as possible. Plan a weekend study session, or weekday sessions and help each other. This tends to work best when you are in the same class and not just with the same teacher - one class can be further ahead than the other.
  • Look to the future, and make sure you see what the benefits of actually studying are.
  • Sometimes it helps if you reward yourself. if you've gotten good grades, take a day off of studying. Just don't slacken too much.
  • Having small goals also helps. Your goals should climb to improvement: a C+ to a B-, a B- to a B+, a B+ to an A-, and finally an A. Aiming for an A right away leaves you feeling unrewarded and makes your goal seem unreachable.
  • Read from the text book (if you have one). There are sometimes things in there that the teacher didn't mention or you didn't hear.
  • Always follow instructions on assignments, tests, math problems, etc.! It may not seem neccessary sometimes, but reading the instructions beforehand is crucial.
  • Set a study schedule. May seem overrated but it actually works. Give yourself 15-20 minutes to wind if you feel stressed from school, unless you can stay in *school mode* right after you get home. Do not save your homework for 9 p.m.
  • Remove all distractions. Although it may be okay to listen to music or leave the TV on while doing simple work, it is best to be in a quiet enviroment, preferably alone. Make sure you have plenty of space and good lighting.
  • Be proud of high marks!
  • Try as hard as possible.

Warnings

  • You may have to cut down on social habits and partying in order to succeed. The best students know how to say, "No I can't hang out because I have to study." Some friends might tease you, but your real friends will understand.
  • Do not compromise your future with any one. There will always come a time in your life where your face should I or shouldn't I.
  • Try to avoid using "rote memorization." That is where you repeat something over and over again until it finally sticks in your brain after the 100th time. It is the worst and most inefficient method of memorization. Instead, search for and read about memory tricks such as The Link Memory System, Method of Loci, or acrostics.

Things You'll Need

  • Books and Supplies
  • Agenda book
  • A Study Buddy
  • Pencils and Pens
  • Highlighters
  • A Bookbag(Carrying tons of books gets kind of tiring)
  • Computer with internet connection

Related wikiHows

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Get Good Grades. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

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