ples in essays and short answers."
Subject Matter
信告
Keep in mind the subject that you're studying for. Sounds simple, but it's easy to make note cards for every subject regardless of the material. Different subjects warrant varying approaches. Your brain is tested differently for a history exam versus a math exam. "The best way to do well in a math class is to not fall behind," professor of mathematics, Judith Roitman says. "When you're studying for the exam, be sure to work problems similar to the homework problems," she says. "Just reading the text and going over notes without working through problems doesn't really teach you the material."
Think back on what's been emphasized so far in the class and the format in which it was taught. This will give you an idea of what's important to know. If your history professor seems obsessed with dates (big shocker), expect to see some on the exam.
TEST
It's test day. You have your pencil in hand and your heart is racing. Did you cover all of the information? Did you get enough sleep and eat a solid breakfast? Before you even read the exam questions, you already have a million things running through your mind. Stop doubting yourself. It's down to the wire, but these last minute hints are sure to help slow down your racing mind and heart and prepare you so your test worries will soon turn to celebration.
What I talk to freshman about concerning their work load is about learning how to budget their time. I recommend that they make a schedule, remembering to schedule in fun as well as work."
—Cima Katz, art professor.
Turn Off
Put an end to negative self-talk. Don't psych yourself out and blow your chance to do well. Instead, assure yourself and build your confidence. As the old expression goes, "Ninety percent of life is just showing up." So, do it - show up. Show what you know. Give yourself a pep talk to help boast your self-esteem and push toward getting through the exam.
Multiple Choices
Exercise your right to choose. Turn
multiple guesses back into multiple choice with a revised approach. Try restating the question in your own words when you hit a road block. "On multiple choice it really is true that the first answer is more likely to be the correct one," says Diana Bartelli Carlin, dean of international programs. She also says to read carefully and look out for tricky wording, like 'not' in test questions. Additional words such as this can change a questions meaning. Don't overlook multiple parts of a question, she says.
No Rush Hour
Take a breather - literally. Calm down and catch your breath if you begin to get too overwhelmed. Realize that stress will only intensify if you let it. You don't have control of what will be on the test but you do determine your performance, so make sure you are answering attentively. Even though you're timed, isn't it worth your while to slow down and cool down if it means you're getting more questions right?
POST-TEST
Your worries are behind you. Well, maybe not, but at least the anxiety of taking the test is over and you know you won't have to study again for a short while. So how about a little celebration? Indulge yourself a little so you have immediate positive results until you get that A test back.
8 a.m. to midnight, Mon. Thu 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Fri. 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m. to
midnight, Sun.
Kansas Univ.
4th floor lobby open until 11 p.m.
Hero Harris computer lab (4th hour)
6 a.m. to 11 p.m., Mon-Sat, noon to 11
p.m., Sun.
Jeva Break
17 E  Sevouth St
Daun 24 hours
Borders Books and Music Cafe
703 New Hampshire St
9 a.m. to 10 p.m., Sun-Thu 9 a.m. to 11
p.m., Fr-Sat
- Monarch Bakery
  3225 Iowa St. in the Milnerest shopping center
  open 24 hours
Purple
1711 W. 23rd St.
column 24 hatch
South Park 11th and Massachusetts streets jump to sundown
TO READ OR NOT TO READ
A note to the reader: read the entire literary work. These notes are not intended and have not been prepared to serve as a substitute for the text itself," or so says the first page of Cliff's Notes, that popular brand of study guides, which too often replaces actual novels for college students. Cliff's Notes and its competitors, such as internet-based SparkNotes and PinkMonkey.com, offer synopses and critical evaluations of novels popular with college and high school English teachers.
While the average English professor probably won't notice you haven't actually read the book, slackers won't get everything out of a study guide they'd get from a novel, says Michael Valk, English Department lecturer. He adds that reading a book is an experience with language and its use, not just knowing facts. "The point is to give the student a vision of human experience. You're simply not going to get that from Cliff's Notes," he says.
But the road to slacking is paved with
good intentions, and sometimes even the best student needs a study guide. Valk recommended the guides as a review for a test or essay. With that in mind,
JayPlay set out to find which study guide provides the best insight into the classic novel The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne. The results for Cliff's Notes, SparkNotes, and Pink Monkey are below.
The granddaddy of study notes has some nice features, such as a glossary of terms for each chapter. Pretty handy if you've ever wondered what 'escutcheon' or 'triple ruff' meant. Valk also liked how Cliff's addressed the major
Cliff's Notes
themes of the book. As with all the study guides we looked at, the plot summary was
accurate
and somewhat detailed. Commentary on the novel made valid arguments with a basis in the historical criticism of the book. However, Valk thought the commentary could have used more quotations as evidence and to provide students with an example of how Hawthorne used language.
SparkNotes
SparkNotes started out playing second fiddle to quizzes about death and sex on thespark.com, a college humor Web site. Now,
although still linked through thespark.com, it's owned and maintained by Barnes & Noble. Valk seemed surprised with SparkNotes and said it was the best written
of all the guides. "Clearly the author has read the work and some of the good criticism of professional hands," he said. "The author is probably a professional writer." Valk also noted that the commentary was backed up with ample amounts of quotations.
Pink Monkey
PinkMonkey.com is less well known than the other two brands, and probably for good reason. "This seems to be written far more simply and in such a way as to be especially accessible to someone who hasn't read the novel," Valk said.
Although he called the summary and criticism accurate, Valk worried the language had been dumbed down too much to give a good approximation of the actual novel. "The language isn't true to the text," he said. "And you get nothing of the text so you get nothing of Hawthorne."
The Final Victor: SparkNotes.com
—Maggie Koerth
thursday, September 18, 2003
jayplay
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