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Lots of students take history exams every year. In 2020, more than 300,000 students took world history exams. For a lot of them, history exams can be quite a challenging task to master successfully. They proved to be a tall order due to poor and ineffective preparations.
To make sure that you don’t flunk it when push comes to shove, take a look at my 5 tips on how to prepare for your history board exams in the most efficient and productive way.
1. Plan and never procrastinate
Make it a hard and fast rule to do things on time. Never let things build up lest you want to come up with an unmanageable backlog. If you can do things today, don’t count on tomorrow. Get things out of your way and move to the next priority.
Don’t get me wrong. I don’t intend to say that you need to bite off more than you can chew. It is never a good idea to burn yourself out. It’s a matter of good planning, priority setting, and time management to have a clear and time-bound work plan. Do all it takes to stick to it.
If you are getting overloaded and start wondering, ‘who can type my essay for me?’ don’t hesitate to seek professional assistance. Find a reliable and trustworthy online writing service. Save time to focus on other important tasks.
2. Dates, events, and milestones
Some people like to associate history with key dates, events, and turning points. Indeed, you need to memorize many of them. Lots of students dread the thought of forgetting the key dates when it matters most.
First of all, you don’t need to panic. There are several effective ways to memorize the most important pieces of data. One such tool is a flashcard. To make flashcards, go through the coursework material to identify all the keywords, main dates, occurrences, and people. Put them in chronological order and make time to go through them quickly once in a while.
Alternatively, you can deliberately mess up the order and pick flashcards at random to test your knowledge. This looks like a tricky exercise, but it trains your brain to memorize information that is or is not attained in sequential order.
3. Remember context, not a fact
This is an effective learning method that works great across all subjects. It has been found to be even more effective for history and language students because there is a lot of factual data (e.g., dates or new words and phrases) to be taken in.
The point is to think about the context in which an event took place or the time span a historical figure lived in. Try to think of a continuum rather than an isolated fact or event. By doing so, you prompt your brain to devise a mind map with all key components creating a whole. It becomes easier for it to find the needed piece of information because contextual pieces act as cursors leading or pointing to the data you are looking for.
4. Have fun with your learning process
It is common knowledge that humans learn best through games and playing. Turn your learning exercise into a game. It is important to have fun while learning. If your studies become a strenuous, draining exercise, you are unlikely to absorb and digest much learning. It’s tough to be an effective learner when you hate the subject and the process you master it.
You can play games with your friends and fellow students to make the most of your history classes. You can also make use of numerous online quizzes to gain or reinforce your knowledge.
5. Practice makes perfect
Practice a lot and even more. Read texts out loud. Identify areas of weakness and focus on them. It is incumbent on you to find out everything related to the exam, whether it be the format, duration, or content. Prepare as best as you can to make your learning count.
There is no point in learning if you are not able to draw on it when it matters most. You can practice on your own as well as in a group. It really depends on your learning style. Group exercises have been found to be more effective, so encourage your friends and fellow students to do things together.
Key Takeaways
History exams are demanding, and they take a lot of effort on the part of students to be well-prepared. It all starts with proper planning. You should come up with a realistic and time-bound plan for your preparations. Don’t let yourself miss the deadlines.
Be creative with your learning methods. Make it a fun experience, and encourage your fellow students to learn together, challenge one another, and provide feedback on each other’s performance.
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Diane Sherron is a popular writer and an experienced student coach. She has helped thousands of students prepare for their exams and tests. Diane enjoys sharing her insights into best practices online to let lots of college students worldwide benefit from her wealth of experience.