Q&A for How to Prepare for a History Exam

Read chapters of your textbook out loud to yourself. Repeat each section a few times, then put down your textbook and say it out loud as if explaining to someone.

During the exam, take a few deep breaths, clear your mind, and remain calm, secure in the knowledge that you have adequately prepared. The more you worry about forgetting the answers, the more likely you will.

Divide the answer into points. Numbering the points will help you by not letting you forget any point. If possible, ask help memorizing the answers.

Study one chapter, revise, and give yourself a test. Then take a little break and do the same with the second chapter. When you break the information down into smaller sections, it will appear more manageable.

Reward yourself with small, frequent breaks. Drink water, wash your face, and do some light exercise such as running in place to stimulate your senses and keep your blood flowing. After you feel refreshed, start studying again.

Go trough the most important topics. Read the bolded words and memorize dates. Review your notes, homework, classwork, and quizzes. If you have extra time, try making and using flashcards.

Just read the chapter as many times you can and revise notes. Address your tiredness by getting sufficient sleep and eating good, nutritious food.

Make up little sentences or phrases that you can remember about the name and what they did. It is usually helpful if they rhyme or have an acronym you can easily remember.

Whatever works for you. You should study when you are best able to concentrate.

Just get stuck into it instead of asking questions here. The sooner you focus, the sooner you will be cramming away. Use class notes to bring you up to speed, learn key concepts and quickly read How to Cram for a Test for some ideas on fast revision.

You can give yourself rewards to help motivate your studying habits.

Highlight all the points you feel are tough, such as definitions, names, places, dates etc. Learn those points thoroughly.

You could make it into a song, so when you hear the question you can think of the beat of the song and remember it.

Relate your points to the source-based points and divided points. Cover all of your bases! Try to use as many of your sources as possible, as often as possible.

Rereading it will probably give you the best chances of memorising, but you could always just skim.

Yes, it can be a good idea. Essays help you understand the concepts better and form your own connections between events.

Make flashcards or write them in bullet points. You also might relate the dates to something in daily life, such as festivals or birthdays, to help you remember them.

Take it a little at a time, don't overload yourself. Choose a section of material, and work on studying it. Reward yourself with short breaks after certain set milestones, such as an hour of study. Drink lots of water, and get up and stretch frequently; this will help you stay alert. Avoid distractions such as electronic devices.

Try and associate facts, dates, etc. with things that you're interested in. If you're into music, make a song/rap with all the relevant information in it. It makes it easier to remember, and it feels like less of a bother to actually study for tests.

You should inform your parents about this and consult a doctor who specializes in treating people like you (if you haven't already). It's still possible for you to be prepared for your exams -- you may just have to find the study strategies that work for you and put more time and effort into preparing than other people in your class.

Create a schedule and give yourself the most time for the most difficult subjects.

Just try to relax when you sit down to take the test. Try to get sleep and eat well just before the test. That way, your brain will be in the best possible shape. Don't think about failing - focus on your goal and on succeeding. If you consistently have trouble taking tests, you could talk to a guidance counselor or your teacher about distraction-free test taking options.

Use the textbook as your guide - search its glossary, see if it has bold terms that you should use for flashcards, and make sure you understand the books theses thoroughly. Outline book chapters, check its references for other sources, and look for scholarly work on given topics. You could even watch historical movies that deal with your Civics topics!

You can always watch YouTube after you finish studying. Use it as a reward system. Study for 45 minutes, then watch videos for 15 minutes, then get back to work. Everyone would rather be watching YouTube rather than taking care of their responsibilities, but school work is important, and you need to buckle down and get it done.

Take notes when you are studying. Writing information down helps cement it in your brain.

Study 3 chapters each day for the first 2 days, then use the third day to review all 6 chapters.

You can divide it into 10 chapters per day, and then further divide to 1 chapter per hour. Make sure that you take breaks in between so that you do not get burnt out.

If you feel sleepy and can't concentrate, take power naps during the day and eat some healthy food and wash your face with cold ice water as soon as you feel sleepy, or take short breaks.

First, edit the short notes to get rid of any unnecessary information; they should just be a brief overview of the information. Then, edit your longer notes to make them clear, concise, and accurate.

Flash cards are a good way to study for an exam. You can carry them around and test yourself, or you can even have a friend or family member quiz you. If flashcards do not work for you, you could try to color code your notes based on key facts that your teacher really emphasized in class, or what you think might be on your test.