Studying for Tests: Putting in the Extra 30 Minutes

When students think they are "done" studying for a test, they often could benefit from putting in what I like to call the "Extra Thirty Minutes" to make sure that the knowledge is firmly grasped. In adult terms, this is like going over the important presentation or key points before a big meeting one more time.

Motivation is Key

Of course, when you as an adult are going over the agenda for a meeting or your presentation, you are motivated to do well in those activities, so you put in the extra work. Some students are not always as motivated to do well in their studies. If this is the case with your student, you will want to address that, and I will post a separate article about that this week. For those students who are motivated, they may just need to hear the connection between the extra thirty minutes and their test grade explained to them.

Why It Works

The extra thirty minutes works because it gives the student a chance to go back over the material and make sure all the troubled spots have been successfully solved. It also gives the student that last boost of confidence. "I really know this stuff, and I just proved it to myself!" This confidence will help them the next day on the exam.

Why Students Resist

Students often resist because of their attention span. They convince themselves they really know the information so that they can start doing something else. Students who lose attention need a strategy to get back to it. They may take a break and come back to it, or just have a method of re-focusing back on the task at hand so that they can be done with it.

What the Extra Time Does

The extra time allows the student to go past the surface knowledge and into deeper understanding. Take math as an example. Many students stop studying when they know they can do all the homework problems. The problem with this method is that sometimes teachers alter the type of problem that shows up on the test, because they are testing to see if the student has mastered the concept enough to manipulate the information. Our tutors often hear, "She does well on the homework and classwork, and even some of the quizzes, but she doesn't do well on the tests." This is a tell-tale sign that the student is not taking the time (and may not have the strategies) to master the material. Once the student is nervous, and sees problems that don't immediately look the same as the ones on the homework, confidence can shrivel up quickly and cause the student to make careless mistakes.

So, when your students thinks he is done studying, encourage them to put in that extra thirty minutes. It could make a big difference in the results on the test.