SELF-TESTING: Discovering what has been learned before an exam is taken, not after.

STEPS FOR SELF-TESTING USING NOTECARDS

Step 1  Formulate test questions using lecture notes and textbook readings.

Step 2  Separate answers from questions by placing questions on one side of a notecard and answers on the other.

Step 3  Recite . In this step, read the question aloud, recite answers containing related details or write answers from memory.

Step 4  Check your answers for completeness and accuracy. Separating the learned from not yet learned ideas, showing where to focus study time and energy.
a.     If answered correctly from memory on the 1st try, place that notecard in the "learned" pile.
b.     If answered incorrectly, research the correct answer and place notecard in the "not yet learned" pile.
Note: This procedure may have to be repeated several times until the question is finally answered correctly. This is where much learning takes place.

Step 5  Review by reciting/writing answers as often as it takes until you can recall all answers correctly, by memory
Watch out for Fading! It is normal for fading (forgetting) to begin immediately after a human being hears or reads something. That means the regular reviews of the notecards that have been learned is a good idea to combat the normal process of forgetting.

Adapted from Dennis Congos, University of Central Florida