Dr.SubramonianChief Scientific OfficerDr.A.P.J.Abdul Kalam Research CentreCoimbatore 641006drs2323@gmail.com

TABLE OF CONTENTS Pages

Chapters

1.Table of contents. 1

2.Introduction - 2

3.How to study and make most of your

time. 3

4.Test taking. 11

5.Time Management Skills. 13

6.Preparing for examinations. 14

7.In the line of fire. 16

8.Coping with stress. 17

9.Survival of the fittest. 19

10.Interest is the key to remember. 20

11.Memory unlimited. 22

12.Primary principles for better

memory. 23

13.Secondary principles for better

memory. 25

14.Towards improving memory. 26

15.Test your mind type. 28

16.The chain method. 30

17.Quick exam tips. 32

INTRODUCTION

This book aims at helping all the student community who burn the midnight lamp for securing their future. I hope this book

will be of immense use and will guide any student towards the right path in the preparation of the examinations.

Students who are preparing for the +2 examinations will find this book as a boon at the right time granted by the almighty. It is not simple to prepare ,write an examination which is going to decide your future, therefore I have taken immense care in the writing, compiling of this book. It would be a great thing if the teachers and students who make use of this book send their

comments and feed back to me at my e mail address universaled6@yahoo.co.in

BEST OF LUCK

Dr.Subramonian,

Principal,

Dr.R.V.Arts and Science College,

Karamadai,

Coimbatore-641104.

CHAPTER - 1

How to Study and Make the Most of Your Time

No two people study the same way, and there is little doubt that what works for one person may not work for another. However, there are some general techniques that seem to produce good results. No one would argue that every subject that you have to take is going to be so interesting that studying it is not work but pleasure. We can only wish.

Everyone is different, and for some students, studying and being motivated to learn comes naturally. If you are reading this page, it's likely that you are not one of them, but don't despair, there is hope! Your success in high school and college is dependent on your ability to study effectively and efficiently. The results of poor study skills are wasted time, frustration, and low or failing grades. It's your life, your time, and your future. All I can say, upon reflection of many years as a teacher, is that time is precious and not to be squandered, no matter what you believe right now.

This guide is designed to help you develop effective study skills. It is not a magic formula for success in preparing for tests, or written or oral assignments. Studying any material requires work! However, by using the techniques described in this guide, and by applying yourself, you can gain a valuable edge in understanding material, preparing for tests, and, ultimately, learning. This guide contains some of the best and most effective techniques of successful students - students who typically have high grades in high school and college regardless of the courses they take. So read on, think about what you read, and prepare to become a successful student! If you have questions, comments or suggestions, please send to me.

Study skills are about doing more than understanding

Study skills must be practiced in order for you to improve. It is not enough to simply "think about" studying; you have to actually do it, and in the process use information from what you do to get better. This is the central idea of this page. All that follows depends on this single concept.

The value of a schedule

Before you even begin to think about the process of studying, you must develop a schedule. If you don't have a schedule or plan for studying, then you will not have any way of allocating your valuable time when the unexpected comes up. A good, well thought out schedule can be a lifesaver. It's up to you to learn how develop a schedule that meets your needs, revise it if necessary, and most important, follow it.

A schedule saves time

All schedules should be made with the idea that they can be revised. A good schedule keeps you from wandering off course. A good schedule, if properly managed, assigns time where time is needed, but you've got to want to do it!

Making every hour count

A schedule should take into account every class, laboratory, lecture, social event, and other work in which you engage. There are givens such as classes and so on that have to

be incorporated. You must focus on the other "free time" available and how you will use it. Make a weekly schedule and block off the 24 hour day in one hour increments. Indicate times for classes, labs, lectures, social, and work time. Also block off a period for sleeping each day. With what is left over, plan time for study. This gives you a rough road map of the time available. Of course, you can revise your schedule as circumstances warrant.

When to study

The problem of when to study is critical. A good rule of thumb is that studying should be carried out only when you are rested, alert, and have planned for it. Last minute studying just before a class is usually a waste of time.

Studying for lecture courses

If your study period is before the lecture class, be sure you have read all the assignments and made notes on what you don't understand. If the study period is after the lecture class, review the notes you took during class while the information is still fresh.

Studying for recitation courses

For classes that require recitation, such as foreign language, be sure to schedule a study period just before the class. Use the time to practice. Sometimes, practice with others can help sharpen your skills in a before-class study period.

Making and revising a schedule

Don't be afraid to revise your schedule. Schedules are really plans for how you intend to use your time. If your schedule doesn't work, revise it. You must understand that your schedule is to help you develop good study habits. Once you have developed them, schedule building becomes easier.

The Process of Study

How to use your time

Time is the most valuable resource a student has. It is also one of the most wasted of resources. The schedule you develop should guide you in how to allocate the available time in the most productive manner. Sticking to your schedule can be tough. Don't dribble away valuable time. Avoiding study is the easiest thing in the world. It's up to you to follow the schedule you prepared. A good deal of your success in high school or college depends on this simple truth.

Where to study

You can study anywhere. Obviously, some places are better than others. Libraries, study lounges or private rooms are best. Above all, the place you choose to study should not be distracting. Distractions can build up, and the first thing you know, you're out of time and out of luck. Make choosing a good physical environment a part of your study habits.

Strategies

Thinking skills

Everybody has thinking skills, but few use them effectively. Effective thinking skills cannot be studied, but must be built up over a period of time. Good thinkers see possibilities where others see only dead-ends. If you're not a good thinker, start now by developing habits that make you ask yourself questions as you read. Talk to other students who you feel are good thinkers. Ask them what it is they do when they think critically or creatively. Often times, you can pick up valuable insights to help you become a better thinker.

The SQ3R method

The SQ3R method has been a proven way to sharpen study skills. SQ3R stands for Survey, Question, Read, Recite, Review. Take a moment now and write SQ3R down. It is a good slogan to commit to memory to carry out an effective study strategy.

Survey - get the best overall picture of what you're going to study BEFORE you study it an any detail. It's like looking at a road map before going on a trip. If you don't know the territory, studying a map is the best way to begin.

Question - ask questions for learning. The important things to learn are usually answers to questions. Questions should lead to emphasis on the what, why, how, when, who and where of study content. Ask yourself questions as you read or study. As you answer them, you will help to make sense of the material and remember it more easily because the process will make an impression on you. Those things that make impressions are more meaningful, and therefore more easily remembered. Don't be afraid to write your questions in the margins of textbooks, on lecture notes, or wherever it makes sense.

Read - Reading is NOT running your eyes over a textbook. When you read, read actively. Read to answer questions you have asked yourself or questions the instructor or author has asked. Always be alert to bold or italicized print. The authors intend that this material receive special emphasis. Also, when you read, be sure to read everything, including tables, graphs and illustrations. Often times tables, graphs and illustrations can convey an idea more powerfully than written text.

Recite - When you recite, you stop reading periodically to recall what you have read. Try to recall main headings, important ideas of concepts presented in bold or italicized type, and what graphs charts or illustrations indicate. Try to develop an overall concept of what you have read in your own words and thoughts. Try to connect things you have just read to things you already know. When you do this periodically, the chances are you will remember much more and be able to recall material for papers, essays and objective tests.

Review - A review is a survey of what you have covered. It is a review of what you are supposed to accomplish, not what you are going to do. Rereading is an important part of the review process. Reread with the idea that you are measuring what you have gained from the process. During review, it's a good time to go over notes you have taken to help clarify points you may have missed or don't understand. The best time to review is when you have just finished studying something. Don't wait until just before an examination to begin the review process. Before an examination, do a final review. If you manage your time, the final review can thought of as a "fine-tuning" of your knowledge of the material. Thousands of high school and college students have followed the SQ3R steps to achieve higher grades with less stress.

Reading

A primary means by which you acquire information is through reading. In college you're expected to do much more reading than in high school. Don't assume just because you're "read" the assignments that is the end of it. You must learn to read with a purpose. In studying, you may read the same assignment three or four times, each time with a different purpose. You must know before you begin reading what your purpose is, and read accordingly.

Getting the Main Idea

Getting the main idea in reading is central to effective studying. You must learn what the author's central idea is, and understand it in your own way. Every paragraph contains a main idea. Main ideas are perfect for outlining textbooks. Make it a habit to find the main idea in each paragraph you read.

Extracting Important Details

Extracting important details mean that you locate in your reading the basis for main ideas. There is usually one important detail associated with every main idea. The more important details you can identify, the easier it will be to review for examinations because you have made a link between an idea and information that supports it. The more links you can make between details and ideas, as well as ideas themselves, the more powerful will be the efforts of your study.

Don't Read Aloud to Yourself

Generally, reading aloud to yourself does not help you study more effectively. If you move your lips while you read, you're not reading efficiently. If you read aloud or move your lips while you're reading, you are reading slowly, so stop moving your lips. Try putting a finger over your lips. Your finger will remind you not to move your lips. Make an effort to read faster and retain more - after a while, you'll be surprised how little effort it will take.

Taking Notes

Like reading, note-taking is a skill which must be learned and refined. Almost invariably, note taking, or the lack of it, is a constant deficiency in the study methods of many high school and college students. Learning the ingredients of good note taking is rather easy; applying them to your own situation depends on how serious you are in becoming a successful student.

Where to Keep Notes

You must learn to keep notes logically and legibly. Remember, if you can't read your own writing a few days after taking notes, they are of little use. By all accounts, the best place to keep notes is in a loose-leaf notebook. Use dividers to separate the different classes you take. Make it a habit of using your notebook to record ALL your notes. If you're caught without your notebook and need to take notes, always have a supply of loose-leaf paper with you. Insert your note papers into the notebook as soon as you can. Be sure to buy a good notebook, as it will get a lot of wear and tear.

Outlining Textbooks

First of all, don't underline. Use a highlighter. Experience has shown that text passages highlighted are more easily remembered than the same passages underlined. In outlining a text, don't just read along and highlight what seem to important words. That technique rarely works.

Taking Lecture Notes

Surveying, Questioning, Listening

Taking accurate and concise lecture notes is essential. Develop the habit of taking notes using appropriate methods described earlier in the SQ3R technique. For example, when you listen to a lecture, formulate questions as you listen. Your main job in taking lecture notes is to be a good listener. To be a good listener, you must learn to focus and concentrate on the main points of the lecture. Get them down, and then later reorganize them in your own words. Once you have done this, you have set the stage for successful reviewing and revising.

Reviewing and Revising

As you prepare for examinations, tests, or other assessments, you should spend time reviewing and revising your lecture notes. Begin the process by reviewing your notes right after a lecture. If you wait too long, you may discover that the notes just don't make sense. Don't hesitate to revise your notes based on the review process.

Research Notes

Any form of note-taking that requires compilation of information by categories, rather than in narrative form is best done using index cards. You can sort, edit and arrange index cards to suit your particular study needs. The most important point in using cards is to indicate the correct reference or topic at the top of the card. Use the cards for study, review, to help organize information for papers, reports, or projects. An even better idea, if you have a personal computer, is to organize your categorical information in a database. Once you set it up, finding, updating and adding new information is quite easy. If you have a printer, you can print out your notes in a variety of ways.

Taking Examinations

Objective Examinations

Surveying

Survey any objective examination to find out what types of questions are being asked. Surveying helps you to know what to expect.

Knowing the Ground Rules

Always read directions! Indicate your answers exactly the way the directions state. Make sure your answers are clear. Determine what the scoring rules for the test are and follow

them to your advantage. For example, if wrong answers are penalized, don't guess unless you can reduce the choices to two.

Answering Easy Questions First

Answering easy (to you) questions first is the best strategy. If you stumble over difficult questions for too long a time, you may not be able to complete the exam.

Picking out Key Words

Objective examination questions usually contain one or more key words. A key word or group of words are those on which the truth or falsity of a statement hinges. Learn to spot the key words in the statement that define the meaning. If a statement contains two clauses, one of which is false, the whole statement is false. Usually, two-statement true-false questions are either both true or both false.

Reading Multiple-Choice Questions

Multiple choice questions are essentially true-false questions arranged in groups. Usually, only one alternative is correct. Your job is to pick the alternative that is more nearly true than the others. Read multiple-choice questions the same way as for true-false. Eliminate obvious false choices.

Reading Other Types of Questions

The methods used to answer true-false and multiple choice questions apply to matching questions as well. Always scan the entire list of alternatives before matching any. As in the other types of questions, try to identify key words in each list and test them.Completion questions require you to provide a word or phrase. When you encounter completion questions, choose your words carefully. If you don't know the answer, give it your best guess, as often times such responses get at least partial credit.

Essay Examinations

Planning your time in answering essay questions is more important than in objective type tests. The general rule is not to get carried away on one or two questions to the extent that you cannot answer that other questions in the time allowed. Read through the entire examination first. Get a feel for the questions you are expected to answer. If the exam allows you to choose from a number of questions, be sure to number your answers exactly to match the questions.

When you follow directions for an essay exam, pay attention to the key words the instructor has included. Such words as "list," "describe," "compare and contrast," and "outline" have special meaning. Don't "write around" the question but answer it directly. If a question asks you to list something, don't write a narrative about it. Answering essay questions directly is always the best policy.

After scanning the list of questions to be answered, choose the ones you know most about. A good idea is to prepare an outline of your answers. The outline will help you remember important ideas and facts to be included in your response. Another technique is to do a "memory-dump." This technique is discussed in the last section of this guide, "Power Study Tips."

Good handwriting is an absolute essential. If your cursive writing is very hard to read, try printing instead. Most instructors value clear handwriting. Grammar, punctuation, and spelling also count. Well-written grammatically correct answers almost always receive higher grades than poorly written grammatically incorrect answers, even though the answers themselves are the same.

Writing Themes and Reports

Reviewing the Topic

Students usually have some freedom to choose the subject of themes or reports. When you make this choice, be sure that the topic is acceptable to the teacher, and is as interesting to you as possible. Another consideration is that of availability of resource material. Your task is made much easier when there is a good amount of reference and resource material available.

Using Correct Punctuation and Grammar

As in writing essays questions, good grammar and punctuation are a must. Most students use word processors to write papers. Be sure to use the spell checker that almost all word processors have built in. Many word processors also have some sort of grammar checker. Learn to use a grammar checker, as it can point out serious flaws in your writing and help you become a better writer. Most grammar checkers explain the grammar rules that apply to the suggested corrections to your writing.

Gathering Materials Before You Write

Before you begin writing, assemble the materials you will need. Use index cards, notes, bibliographies, summaries, reports and reviews as part of your preparation process. Using index cards for references is an excellent way to organize your materials. Computer database programs can also help you classify and organize reference materials.

Preparing an Outline and Writing the Paper

Once you have your topic, have gathered and organized your materials, it is time to outline your paper. Put your outline on paper! Don't make the mistake of trying to keep everything in your head. Make your outline in the form of main headings or ideas with sub-headings fleshing out the flow of the paper. Using the outline as a guide begin writing begin by asking yourself what the paper is going to say and what conclusions you want to reach. Doing this ahead of time will help keep you focused and prevent you from straying from the purpose of the paper. Making up the outline as you go along almost always results in a less than satisfactory product. Writing is important in high school and is a key to success in college and in many professions. Become a good writer by writing, revising, and reviewing your work. Don't be afraid to ask other students to critique your work. Try to write in your own natural style, be aware that most good writers go through many revisions, and be prepared to do the same. Writing and test- taking are the end results of developing good study skills. There is no magic formula for success. If you follow the suggestions in this guide, apply them and think about them, you'll have taken a giant step toward becoming a successful student.

Power Studying Tips for College Students

The following tips have proven to be extremely powerful guides for organizing, thinking, studying, and learning in college. They represent the best advice of successful college students. The can also work for high school students.

Study Space

Tip: Your study space should be as quiet and comfortable as possible. Avoid studying in noisy places such as cafeterias, recreation rooms, or lounges.

Tip: When studying, keep a waste basket handy.

Tip: Have a consistent place for everything, and above all, keep it there!

Tip: Have everything needed for study handy beforehand. Don't waste valuable time looking for books, notes, of other information. After you have assembled the items you need, put them where you can reach them easily.

Study Habits

Tip: Begin study no less than 30-90 minutes after a meal.

Tip: Never study within 30 minutes of going to sleep.

Tip: Prioritize! Make a list of what you intend to study, prioritize the list, and stick to it!

Tip: If possible, study no more than 30-40 minutes at a stretch. Many students retain more by studying for short periods with breaks in between. It all depends on what you're trying to study, but generally, after a period of study, take a break.

Tip: Take study breaks away from your desk or wherever you are studying. Let the break be a time to think about other things. Use some break time to reflect, not constantly review what you have just studied.

The Classroom

Tip: Distractions in the classroom are deadly. To help avoid distractions, sit near the front of the class. You're less likely to miss something important, and there are far less distractions at the front than any other location.

Tip: Think! Thinking is one of the most important things you can do in class. If you just sit there passively, and not think, class can be deadly. Think about what the teacher is saying BEFORE writing down anything. Writing down each word is a WASTE OF TIME.Reorganize in your mind what the teacher says, and then write it down. This way you will be connecting the teacher's words with HOW you think. If you do this, your notes will make a lot more sense later on.

Tip: Pay attention to the course outline or syllabus. Generally, important points and materials are referenced here and repeated. Don't be afraid to ask the teacher if there is something you don't understand. Most teachers will be glad to clarify for you.

Preparing for Class

Tip: Efficient students do not underline! Underlining is not a productive way to emphasize textbook material. It's best to use a highlighter.

Tip: Read the table of contents of your texts carefully. If the textbooks have chapter summaries, read them first! If you don't understand the material from the summaries, go back and highlight. Take notes on what you have highlighted and review your notes. Tip: Break study material into short segments of length dependent on its difficulty. Remember, concise notes are more powerful than copious notes. Think about the material! Then take notes on what you don't know or are not sure of.

Test Taking

Tip: For essay examinations, try the "memory dump" technique. If permitted, write down everything you've memorized - facts, names, dates, ideas, events, and so on BEFORE you do anything else. Sometimes reading through the essay questions can distract you from what you've studied. The "memory dump" technique requires that you write down everything possible BEFORE you begin writing essay answers. This way, you are less likely to forget something important.

A Final Word

The study skills presented here depend on one thing, and that is your willingness to WANT to improve and do well in school. If you really don't want to make the effort and sacrifice, no amount of suggestions, ideas, or outlines can help much. You are the one who is responsible for your education, and effective study skills can help you. To that end, one last word of advice -- work smart, not hard.

CHAPTER - 2Test Taking

Sure enough, the first set of mid-terms will hit you like a ten -ton truck, but it will get better after that. You’ve barely settled into your classes, hardly remember the names of all your professors, still recovering from a fresh week hangover, and the testing begins.

� Anticipate

It cannot be stressed enough to anticipate tests: start thinking about studying, or at least organizing your notes when the prof begins to mention the test in passing, and at the latest by the time she/he goes over the format in class. You should be prepared at this time to ask general (though somewhat more intelligent than "What’s on the test?") questions, as this is the class time the prof has set aside to discuss these things. Otherwise you will have to hunt her/him down in office hours, which is not the easiest thing sometimes.

� Routine

To take tests successfully, most students need to establish a routine - for the preparation and for the test writing.

� The preparation routine

To find this routine you need to decide what you do well and what you do not-so-well; what times of the day you are most productive, etc. Use your strengths to the max and identify weaknesses so as to work on them. Before even arriving at the test, assuming you have the format from the prof, you should budget your time: create a schedule of how much time you will spend on each question. Ensure you allow for time to got to the bathroom (for the particularly nervous type), take a few breaths and stretch, as well as time to correct your answers.

� The test routine

You’ve arrived at the test, you sit down, turn over the paper and:

• Write your name on the test paper and on your answer sheet.

• It goes without saying that you should read over the entire exam when you sit down. It may also be wise to jot down notes as you read - the first things that come to your mind, but these should be brief and quick. When reading, be sure that you understand each question.

• Circle the key words and decide how you must go about answering each question. Look for words like "compare", "contrast", "explain", and keep your eye out for double-negatives or words like "except", "including", etc, as they completely alter the meaning of the question.

• Seek clarification from the prof or invigilator, if necessary. • Do first what you know and can answer without difficulty, and then work

on the harder questions. You will gain some confidence and the questions you’re unsure of will have time to stew in your brain for a bit longer. Furthermore, you don’t want to finish an exam with an unanswered question you knew the answer to.

• Attack the difficult questions with smarts and determination. • Read multiple choice questions VERY VERY VERY VERY carefully. • Review and proofread all your answers.

• Different questions, different answers

Exams questions can vary in type so, of course, your answers should too. Your studying should allow for these differences. In objective exams, reading the question itself is part of the answer, or in other words, the test is about how well you read and directly solve the particular problem set out by the question. Be sure to guard against editing the question as you read, dropping or adding words and meanings. For an

essay question, ensure that all generalizations are supported by evidence; you should posit theories and back them up with names, places and dates. A short essay question should be answered with accurate explanations backed up by facts. Multiple choice tests are loaded with tricks (no matter how often your prof swears by all that’s Holy that it’s not), so be prepared to read over the questions and answers often enough to have a good grasp of the issue.

� Protect yourself

Overall, try to stay calm as you go in, as well as throughout the test. Remain detached from the panic-stricken hordes outside the room – they will only cause you to panic as well. Though some anxiety is normal, you don’t want to be too nervous as your mind will wander and you will end up wasting valuable time and energy.

CHAPTER - 3Time Management Skills

� Finding the time

Things you know: the day has 24 hours. You sleep for 8 (+/-) of them. That leaves 16 waking hours for classes, travelling time, other commitments, socializing, and studying. Out of these 16, you need to find 2 or 3 hours to sit and study (stop laughing). This time should become as automatic as possible, so as to avoid wasting time procrastinating. Set aside study time as part of your routine: before class, between classes, before or after dinner, before bed. Just like anything, it requires discipline at first, but you’ll find that it is easy to maintain, once you get going.

� Plan, Plan, Plan, and then Plan some more

Determine which hours of the day your are most productive and set them aside for schoolwork. Begin by strictly scheduling your days and weeks. Add in each commitment as you make it (including social ones). As you schedule each obligation, you are transferring it out of your mind and into a controlled spot on paper. Once you get accustomed to this routine, you can be less strict about it - the point is to establish habits whereby you use your free time instead of just sort of ending up in front of the WWF Wrestling, or passing hours on the phone. If you want to watch TV, that’s fine; just decide when and for how long, before you turn on the tube. Schedule all of your time – including time between classes, as those ten minutes can be useful for reviewing notes or running errands. Try to avoid marathon study sessions by using shorter lengths of time, and you might stay sane, while retaining more information. We know it sounds incredibly anal, but it’s the only way to do well in school, have a part-time job, be on the Volleyball team, help organize the school fashion show, pursue your photography hobby, take a ballroom dance class, see your friends, and party on the weekends. Sounds like a lot? You would be surprised as to how many people do it. You can too.

� The Big One

Treat a large assignment as you would a large chunk of time: divide it into smaller

pieces, separated by breaks and meals and other commitments. Estimate the time needed for each block and construct your schedule around these estimates. Just as a day must go on, the assignment must also. Therefore, do it as soon as possible - postponing it only makes it a more daunting task, and harder (and more depressing) to actually sit down and do.

� The smaller tasks

Life is full of little annoying things that must get done. You will need time to do them and once you optimize the time involved (pay all your bills at once); each task will be less annoying.

� Too much?

Are you doing too much? If you have a priority list a mile long, can never get to the things at the bottom of the list, and feel overwhelmed, you need to cut out some things. Set reachable goals for yourself; and be realistic: your CV will suffer less from one or two fewer activities than it will from poor grades and poor performance in other areas.

� The perfect spot

Your study environment must be right for you. The spot may change, or you may have more than one, but as long as you feel in control of it, you will be able to sit and work efficiently. It will need to be neat and spacious (a.k.a. uncluttered), positive, comfortable, happy, focused, etc. Decide if you need library quiet, loud Marilyn Manson, or just the hubbub of social conversation around you. From coffee shops to the library, from the cafeteria to your bedroom – anywhere is a legitimate place to take your books and study (except maybe the shower), as long as it works for you.

� Focus

Avoid interruptions. Learn how to close the door, to say "Get Lost" (but, politely.), to unplug the phone, or to ignore the doorbell. Keep the daydreaming about your unavoidable date with Brad Pitt or Uma Thurman down to a minimum.

Once again, do use outside sources to help you manage your time: see what your friends or classmates are doing with their time and pick one as a model to go by (make sure it’s a successful model first, though) . With a little bit of effort and organization, you will breeze through the 3, 4 or 12 years of school ahead of you.

CHAPTER - 4

Preparing For Exams

Exams are almost round the corner. To help you get organised for them here are a few tips:

Work According To Your Study StyleSome students prefer to work individually, others study better in a group. Match your study style to your personality.

Studying By Yourself: Proceed according to a plan. Start your preparations well in advance so that you don't panic in the end. Studying In A Group: Make sure that your study group has students genuinely interested in studying, else you'll spend all your time criticising the school or the latest Shah Rukh Khan flick. At least some of your peers should be at your level or better. Brainstorming on the possible questions is a good exercise.

Planning A CalendarStudying according to a calendar plan, is the most important and also the most difficult thing to do. Don't study more that two subjects in a day, so that you don't spend a lot of time switching between subjects. If you lose a day to an important cricket match or a cousin's wedding, just pick up the threads from the next day. Don't move your entire schedule forward. Remember to leave scope for such days in the first place!

Preparing From Old Test PapersJust reading from your text-books is never enough - very little of it actually sinks in. You need to sweat it out with pen and paper, trying to actually solve problems from your books and old test papers. Go over as many different problems as you can. We can help you here with the CBSE/ICSE/ISC solved papers.

Don't Give UpDon't leave a problem till you are convinced that you can solve it by yourself. Depending on the explanation given by your teacher / tutor / a reference book / a friend, is only a temporary solution. You need to solve the problem yourself to make sure that it doesn't leave you puzzled in the examination hall.

RecreationIf you feel yourself mentally tired, take a break. Taking a short walk in the

nieghbourhood park is the best idea. It refreshes the mind as well as the body. The TV is fine only in very small doses. Chatting to family or taking your pet out for a stroll are other healthy options. You can try a quick shower for that added zing.

The Phone And The FridgeThese are two gadgets that wreak havoc in the life of a student facing exams. Avoid long chats with friends over the phone. The craving for food, especially snacks, can really go up during exams. The fats and carbohydrates in the snacks lull your brain to sleep. Fruits are a smart option. And if you still feel munchy, there is always chewing gum!

CHAPTER - 5

In The Line Of Fire

Taking exams is like being in the range of fire. The trick is to play the game by its rules without getting too bothered by the anxiety of being in the spotlight. Most students feel that teachers are tough taskmasters. Well, they are sometimes, but you can turn the tables by making exams your allies rather than your enemies.

Did I hear somebody say scornfully "easier said than done"?

Not really. Like I said earlier, there are certain simple rules for Excel@Exams, the way most games have rules. Just follow them tenaciously and you'll be among the high-fliers. So, here's the Top 10 Secrets for coping with the final countdown, all free for our 'suffering students':

Reach The Exam Centre Well In TimeHaving had a decent night's sleep you won't find it difficult to wake up on time on the big day. Set an alarm, if you need to do so. You don't want to add to the general anxiety by running late. If you arrive at the centre half an hour before time, you can check out where you've been seated. This will enable you to feel in control and superior to the poor mite who rushes in 5 minutes late, sweating profusely, short of breath and dying of worry.

Don't Talk To 'Know-alls'Avoid talking to classmates who walk up to you and say: "Did you remember to revise part(e) of question 131 of chapter 21? It's sure to be asked in the exam." And you scamble for the textbook to do a last-minute cram. Stay cool and avoid such troublemakers before entering the exam hall.

Look At The Question PaperThere are only two things you can do with it – either you can read it through quickly, or dive in straight and start answering questions right away. Choose your own method, there are no rules here. But try to begin answering with a question you know well (first impressions count).

Do You Need To Answer The Questions In Order?Here again, you are free to choose for yourself. As far as possible, stick to the order in which the questions have been printed. Easier for you and the examiners! But in case you come across a question to which you have no clue feel free to skip it, and go back to it later.

Read The Question (And The Instruction) CarefullyThis is very important. Often students miss out on instructions such as 'Do any 5 out of 7' or 'Answer one of the following' or 'Make a suitable diagram'. They are too busy writing to 'waste' time reading the question. Don't get your instructions mixed up. Otherwise, you might just end up missing a question or wasting time answering an extra one (I don't know which will be worse!).

Write NeatlyOft-repeated but, important. A messy paper reveals lack of clarity in thinking. Besides this, who's got the time to search for pearls of wisdom between scratches and scribbles, examiners certainly don't. So, think as you write and don't go at breakneck speed. Avoid the typically student-like requests, such as, 'PTO', 'last part of ques. 2 on last page', 'ans 2 contd'!

Keep An Eye On The WatchTiming is of the essence here (and the hands of the clock move too fast!). Try to distribute time accurately, according to the marks a question carries. But if you do manage to run out of time on the last question, try to write it in points, in order to get some marks.

Spare Some Time For Revision In The EndTeachers never tire of saying that, and students keep scoffing at the suggestion. There is rarely enough time to re-read the entire paper, but do try to spare enough time in the end to check if you've answered all questions.

You Win Some, You Lose SomeNot all exams go off well. Whew! and thank God for that. Maybe you could do a post mortem later, when you are feeling better, to see what went wrong. Otherwise, just chuck it, there will always be more exams later (cold comfort, eh?).

So, all the best, face the guns with a smile! There are others to keep you company!

CHAPTER - 7Coping with Stress

Stress hits everyone at school. By the end of your first set of mid-terms, you will be used to bumping into people in the library or around campus who act like chickens with their heads cut-off, speaking a mile a minute about how stressed they are, as in: "You won’t believe how stressed I am. I’m sooooooo stressed. Did I tell you how stressed I am?" The innocent bystander is probably stressed too, but shows it differently, or maybe not at all, if they have learned to manage it.

� Know your opponent

Some of us look stressed and some don’t, but the thing itself is the same: stress is a reaction or response to any number of stimuli (environmental, social, physical, etc.) The variables of stress are two: the degree (the number or intensity of stimuli perhaps), and the way each person copes with the reactions or responses. Stress can cause short or long term effects - the short-term stuff will generally pass, but prolonged stress that finds no outlet, is obviously not a good thing. The term often used for this type of harmful stress is "distress", which can result in acute physical reactions like headaches, nausea, stomach

pain, back pain...the list goes on. If you fear you may be suffering from distress, you might want to seek the help of an outside party who can help you sort through the stress in your life, as well as address some of the physical symptoms, which are troubling you.

� Recognize and manage stress

The trick to staying on top of things seems to be self-awareness: a person who recognizes and manages stress will be able to use it positively to motivate and energize, to pull off a last minute paper with poise and focus, to train for a marathon, what have you. Pinpoint the things that cause you stress and channel their force into motivation and productivity.

� Prioritize

Stress forces you to be able to instantly prioritize your life and decide which things can safely be ignored for the moment and which cannot. Inevitably, some of your classes need to become less important than others, particularly in tight situations. Just ensure that you shuffle around the important and unimportant ratings so you don’t entirely ignore any single class. Also consider your extra-curricular activities - which and prioritize them as well. The same holds for your relationships and social life – which friends can you afford not to see 7 times a day, and which ones you think you have been unduly neglecting. Finally, you have to be able to prioritize the different areas of your life – what’s more important right now: friends, parties, school, work, etc? The important thing is to keep your priorities evolving as the need arises. Odds are, school will be most important during finals, and friends will be most important during frosh week. Just be reasonable and balanced.

� Make lists

Make lists when you feel overwhelmed, as everything on paper will look more do-able and organized, so that in writing the list itself you will deceive yourself into believing that you have already accomplished something. If lists scare you rather than set you to task, start each one off with something you have already done and can cross off triumphantly - breathe, get out of bed, eat. A major cause of stress is a feeling of being "swamped", and a sense of being "lost". Making lists help to organize your life, and can be as detailed as you see fit. You can also include deadlines in your list so that you can prioritize your activities and your schedule.

� Self-awareness

Don’t take on more than you can handle. If you know yourself to be a stress-case, you may want to fight the instinct to be an overachiever and learn to say no, at least in the crazy times that surround the middle and end of the semester. And of course, take care of yourself. This is part of the self-awareness package. Know your limits and respect them.

� Take care of yourself

Get enough sleep, eat well, stay away from drugs and alcohol (for real. These only aggravate stress, we’re not actually pushing a politically correct public service announcement on you), exercise (anything ... go for a walk to pick up something from a store far away, take the stairs instead of the elevator), take breaks, try to find a "happy place" to relax in, take up yoga, start dance classes, do something for other people, volunteer, cry if you need to, find a medium of self-expression, anything at all to give your mind a rest from processing life. All of this will make you a more rounded person and one who can focus on the things that need to get done when the time comes.

You will get better and better at managing stress; you will know yourself better, and you will be more equipped for the road ahead.

CHAPTER - 8

Survival Of The Fittest

Now that exams are here and staring you in the face, it's no use sweating. Of course, you do wish that you had studied during all those hours that you spent playing cricket or just chilling. Take it from me, that won't happen. Not now, not ever. Next year is going to be just the same, so just hang in there till the exams get over and it's party time all over again!

This advice comes from a person who's been there and done it all. Trust me when I say that this is not the end of the world! Never be afraid to fail… there is always a silver lining to each dark cloud, if only you are willing to open your eyes and look. There is always a dawn of hope and a brighter day… you just have to turn around and believe.

Here are a few tips to fight anxiety that'll help you heighten your awareness and can enhance your performance.

Take Time To RelaxCope with your excess tension before and between exams through rest, exercise and deep muscle relaxation. For example, long walks and bike rides are excellent ways to release nervous energy and maintain your stamina during exams.

Adopt A Positive ApproachTo avoid becoming too anxious, look at the exam as the application step of your study efforts, instead of a threatening new experience. Also, a good thing to do is engage is positive self-talk.

Anxiety Is ContagiousKeep away from people who are highly anxious before exams, because their nervousness may tend to increase your own.

Be A Good CriticSelf-critique is a good method of motivating yourself to improve. But don't over do it.

Peer PressureNow that is a tough one. At any given point of time there is someone or the other better than you in something or the other. So, the bottom line here is to concentrate on your strengths and goals. Tell me, are Board Exam results a ticket to fame? Or success? Or satisfaction?

Fight StressRemember that everything you feel cannot be explained and your feelings of fright are not permanent. You will not go crazy. Sit back and relax and practice slow breathing. It's a great way to fight stress!

If it gets real bad log on to http://learning.indiatimes.com and go to the Helpline section. There are brilliant guys sitting there to help you with your subject and of course those nasty anxiety attacks.

So just relax and do well. Wish you all the best!

CHAPTER - 9

Interest Is The Key To Remember

Honestly speaking, what percentage of the last year's course materialdo you remember now?

Sometimes, though, there are some subjects, which we remember very accurately. We remember not only the lesson but also the way in which it was presented, the voice of the teacher, his instructions and explanations, and often, even the answers given by the classmates.

This holds true for everyday life too. For instance, there might be a particular day that stands out clearly in our mind, while the rest do not register. There is one conversation of which we could remember every

word. On the other hand, there would be scores of other conversations that we do not remember at all.

Obviously, there is a reason for this. What is the key to our selective memory?

Auto SuggestionsYou must have come across numerous advertisements of capsules and tonics claiming they can improve memory. Sometime ago I conducted an experiment. I collected 10 people between the age group of 23 to 27 years and told them that I had a tonic which could double their memory if they took it daily for three months.

Before commencing, I took a memory test of these people. I gave five of them a popular tonic for memory retention and the other five were very conveniently given coloured water. I found that there was an increase in the level of recollection abilities of the people. But what was more interesting is that there was not much difference between the increase in the memory levels of both the groups. It was obvious that memory improvement in the two groups was purely due to psychological reasons. All the people who were involved in the experiment convinced themselves that they were taking something extra for their memory, and so the brain responded by getting better.

Thus, one effective method of developing the memory is to send a message to it saying it has the capacity to become better.

The Mechanics Of RememberingOur senses play an important role as the means of reception. We must distinguish between eye -minded, ear-minded and motor -minded people. For any kind of learning and memorising, it is of utmost importance to know the type to which one belongs.

A person is eye-minded if he can remember best the things that he sees. A person is ear-minded if he can remember the stimuli, which are conveyed to his brain cells by means of his ears. We call a person motor-minded if he remembers best the things which are connected with a certain motion. A motion which he carries out himself, like writing or playing an instrument, or even the sting of an insect.

An eye-minded person profits most by learning from books, because his memory retains printed words best. He is most likely to remember landscapes than the words spoken to him. In contrast, an ear-minded person benefits most by lectures than by words written in the book. Motor-mindedness refers to all remaining senses, which are touch, smell and taste.

A blind man can develop the other senses to a remarkable degree. This fact is important because it shows that every sense can be developed and improved. It should also be understood that not every person is 100% eye, ear or motor-minded. Three-quarters of all human beings are eye- minded and the rest are eye or motor-minded. Among the people who are preponderantly ear-minded, musicians are foremost, especially those who are able to repeat a composition, which they have heard.

Our way of learning and memorising any material depends to a large extent on the type to which we belong. There are very few people who know what type they belong to.

CHAPTER - 10Test Taking

Sure enough, the first set of mid-terms will hit you like a ten-ton truck, but it will get better after that. You’ve barely settled into your classes, hardly remember the names of all your professors, still recovering from a frosh week hangover, and the testing begins.

� Anticipate

It cannot be stressed enough to anticipate tests: start thinking about studying, or at least organizing your notes when the prof begins to mention the test in passing, and at the latest by the time she goes over the format in class. You should be prepared at this time to ask general (though somewhat more intelligent than "What’s on the test?") questions, as this is the class time the prof has set aside to discuss these things. Otherwise you will have to hunt her down in office hours, which is not the easiest thing sometimes.

� Routine

To take tests successfully, most students need to establish a routine - for the preparation and for the test writing.

� The preparation routine

To find this routine you need to decide what you do well and what you do not-so-well; what times of the day you are most productive, etc. Use your strengths to the max and identify weaknesses so as to work on them. Before even arriving at the test, assuming you have the format from the prof, you should budget your time: create a schedule of how

much time you will spend on each question. Ensure you allow for time to got to the bathroom (for the particularly nervous type), take a few breaths and stretch, as well as time to correct your answers.

� The test routine

You’ve arrived at the test, you sit down, turn over the paper and:

• Write your name on the test paper and on your answer sheet.

• It goes without saying that you should read over the entire exam when you sit down. It may also be wise to jot down notes as you read - the first things that come to your mind, but these should be brief and quick. When reading, be sure that you understand each question.

• Circle the key words and decide how you must go about answering each question. Look for words like "compare", "contrast", "explain", and keep your eye out for double-negatives or words like "except", "including", etc, as they completely alter the meaning of the question.

• Seek clarification from the prof or invigilator, if necessary. • Do first what you know and can answer without difficulty, and

then work on the harder questions. You will gain some confidence and the questions you’re unsure of will have time to stew in your brain for a bit longer. Furthermore, you don’t want to finish an exam with an unanswered question you knew the answer to.

• Attack the difficult questions with smarts and determination. • Read multiple choice questions VERY VERY VERY

VERY carefully. • Review and proofread all your answers.

• Different questions, different answers

Exams questions can vary in type so, of course, your answers should too. Your studying should allow for these differences. In objective exams, reading the question itself is part of the answer, or in other words, the test is about how well you read and directly solve the particular problem set out by the question. Be sure to guard against editing the question as you read, dropping or adding words and meanings. For an essay question, ensure that all generalizations are supported by evidence; you should posit theories and back them up with names, places and dates. A short essay question should be answered with accurate explanations backed up by facts. Multiple choice tests are loaded with tricks (no matter how often your prof swears by all that’s Holy that it’s not), so be prepared to read over the questions and answers often enough to have a good grasp of the issue.

� Protect yourself

Overall, try to stay calm as you go in, as well as throughout the test. Remain detached from the panic-stricken hordes outside the room – they will only cause you to panic as well. Though some anxiety is normal, you don’t want to be too nervous as your mind will wander

and you will end up wasting valuable time and energy.

CHAPTER - 11

Memory Unlimited

You will agree that to crack any competitive exam it is very important to have a good memory and its effective use. So let us test ourselves to see whether or not we have a good memory.

Memory Test

Close your eyes and imagine yourself in your room. Now, starting from the wall on the right, try to visualise everything on the walls. This is a test to see how much you remember from familiar surroundings. We all have a good memory but the only problem is that we often do not use it effectively.

Here are some important tips that would help you improve your memory:

Interval Drink Water Revision Plan Senses

Concentration Memory Tonic Memory Route Acronym

CHAPTER - 12

Primary Principles For Better Memory

Last time, we discovered the various types of memories. We now move on to learn the principles that are necessary to enhance ones memory. We will discuss the first five in this session. Look out for the rest of these invaluable principles in our session next week.

In order to remember well and to memories effectively and efficiently. We must follow the following five principles consciously.

AssociationWe all know what a line is if we put four lines of equal length together, end to end, we make squares together, the result will be a cube. That is simple, isn't it? But nobody could understand the meaning of a cube without knowing the meaning of line and square.

What is true in geometry is true in every aspect of life. We learn and remember everything that is new to us only by connecting it with something that we already know. There is no other way of acquiring knowledge.

You will immediately see the truth of this statement if you think of learning Sanskrit. In order to learn that water is jal in Sanskrit, we must form a connection between water and jal, and only if this connection or association is strong will it enable us to recall the Sanskrit word whenever we need it.

Once the path between water and jal is firmly established in our brain, will we recall the one or the other word without conscious effort, and even without our will.

Up to now, a person may not have formed such an association consciously. Frequently, we are not even aware of forming associations at all. We do it subconsciously - just as a child connects the word daddy with the person who is his father without knowing anything about connections and associations.

However, it is to our advantage to form our associations consciously, and to

form our connections in a way, which fits our type and requirements.

Have Faith In Your MemoryHave faith in your memory. Commit the following sentence firmly in your memory: "My brain is better than the best computer of this world." If you think you would not remember something well than the result would obviously be negative. You may have met many people making a remark, "Excuse me, my memory is poor." The repetition of this statement results in making the memory actually bad.

One of the best ways to improve confidence in your memory is by means of autosuggestion or repeating to yourself that "I remember better, I can remember better." Just think how can we expect our memory to give us good service when we continually abuse it and tell everyone that our memory is bad.

ConcentrationConcentration is nothing more than hard thought which is fixed upon one thing at a time. Erase everything else from your mind except that which you are seeing or hearing. Do not permit your thoughts to stray. Finally, see yourself physically depositing memory in your mental memory bank.

When you are able to do this, you are concentrating. We can compare concentration to making a donkey move. The more you push or pull, the more does it resist. Similar is case of our concentration: the more we try to concentrate, the more our thoughts stray. The trick involved in making a donkey to move is to dangle a vegetable in front of him and he will follow you wherever you want it to.

Thus, to concentrate on a particular subject, we concentrate on a particular subject, we must create an interest in that subject.

Power Of SensesYou must clearly see and hear before you can make a memory deposit that you will be able to withdraw later. Focus your sight on the object to be remembered and see it in your imagination. Hear it. Or perhaps, taste or feel it. Allow your senses to get into the act. When you permit your senses to become involved. The impression is always seen and not easily forgotten

Try to involve all the following six senses while memorising anything or learning anything:1) Sense of hearing 2) Sense of vision 3) Sense of smell 4) Sense of taste 5) Sense of tough 6) Sense of kinaesthesia (awareness of bodily position and movements).

ColourWe all dream and sometimes get involved in daydreaming as well. Occupationally, we try to analyse our dreams or discuss out dreams with friends. But have you ever given a thought regarding the colour of the dream; whether the particular dream was coloured or just black and white?

Try analysing whether your dream is coloured or black and white. If it is black and white try to see it again, consciously, in colour, then try to analyse whether a particular dream is very clear or faded. If it is faded, try to see it again in the screen of your imagination, and whenever possible, try to use full range of colours to make your picture, to make your thinking much more memorable.

CHAPTER - 13

Secondary Principles For Better Memory

We have already read about the first five principles for better memory. We continue with our feature for memory improvement and enumerate the remaining principles. An application of these is important for the way we remember things. These five principles that we would now learn would help us sharp our memory immensely.

1. ExaggerationAs all of us would agree, it is a quality of our brain to quickly remember things that are exaggerated. For example, we remember Jawahar Lal Nehru's long nose, Indira Gandhi's white patch of hair and I K Gujral's beard. The mind remembers these images because they were exaggerated manifestations of a natural quality.

Whenever possible, we should try to create a mental image in an intensified form of a natural thing. For example, it would not be difficult to forget a fat person if in our minds we visualise his belly.

2. PicturesAnother way of improving memory is to make a picture of what we want to remember. Form a mental image of the date, theory or anything else that you would want to remember as this would make your memorising process fast. If we can make an image of the motion in our minds, the process would become faster and simpler. To give an example, if we have an

appointment with a person, we should try to create an image of what it would be like to meet him; how he walks, the way he would shake your hand, etc. These are pictures to help you remember.

3. OdditiesLet's say you are a student and one day your teacher delivers his lecture wearing a helmet. You will agree that you will never forget the incident. This is an oddity.

Our brain accepts silly and odd things quickly and also retains it for alonger duration. we should use this quality for memorising things effectively. Most incidents in life are not so dull or serious that they can't be made into something that is fun to remember. Recollection becomes easy when something is humourous. For instance, when you meet a person for the first time, it is important that you note some oddity in the way he talks an dresses up. These things would help you remember the person for a longer time.

4. ThoughtsIt is very difficult to convert abstract thoughts. Therefore, it is helpful to visualise an image or mental picture that immediately recalls to mind the abstract idea that you want to remember.

We cannot deposit anything in our mind unless and until we reduce it to something that we totally understand, see or picturise. Only then would it become possible for us to to remember it. Once we understand these principles and also the ones previously mentioned, we could start using them in our every daylife.

By a careful and judicious mix of one or the other, we can create some images in our mind that help us to remember a person, thing or idea. In articles to come, we shall see as to how can one effectively use these principles.

CHAPTER - 14

Towards Improving Memory

Can you remember a series of 10 words, which are not inter-connected? Do you have trouble recalling answers during exams? Here is some advice to give your memory a boost.

No progress in civilization or culture could have been possible without memory. This is because every new invention rests on knowledge previously gained or remembered. For instance, the Wright brothers would never have been able to invent the aeroplane without remembering the law of gravity, the manner in which engines operate and a thousand other things. The invention took a great deal of imagination and will power – these are in fact so closely related to memory that it is almost impossible to train memory without training imagination and will power at the same time.

Our brain is a huge library where everything that we see or hear is stored permanently in various neat shelves. But the possibility of not being able to recall a certain event or thing is always there. People tend to term this problem as forgetfulness. This is not entirely true. What does happen is that because we do not have a mental catalogue to refer to, our brain finds it difficult to locate the relevant shelves for the sought memory. Therefore, this means that we need to develop a mental catalogue for ready reference, which would make the process of recalling effective and efficient.

Let us first learn about the brain and its functions:

The Left Part Of The The Right Part OfBrain The Brain

Analysis ImaginationCalculation CreativityLogic DreamsVerbalisation Fantasy

The left part is used by teachers, mechanics, engineers, accountants and other professionals who use logic, calculation and analysis in their daily chores. On the other hand, the right part of the brain is responsible for visualisation and other things related to creativity, imagination and fantasy. Unfortunately, there are very few schools and colleges that help a child to develop both parts efficiently.

Here are few questions that only a few would be able to answer in the positive:

• can you remember names and faces? • can you remember the phone numbers of all your friends? • can you remember all errands and appointments which are

not related to your daily business? • can you remember the name of the director of the movie you

enjoyed so much last month? • can you remember the cards played in a card game, such as

bridge or rummy? • can you remember events which took place 10 years ago as well

as you do events that took place last month?

If you replied in the affirmative to more than two of the above, you are in a different league from 99% of the human populace, and do not really need to read this.

For the rest of common humanity, I will help you develop skills to recollect instances in a trained manner. It is very necessary that the brain is able to recollect and send you the data that is required at that particular moment of need.

CHAPTER - 15

Test Your Mind Type

Last week we saw that every person has a unique way of remembering information. We also narrowed the categories down to three types – the ear-minded, eye-minded and the motor - minded. These, as we said earlier, are the keys to improve one's memory.

To do well at any kind of a learning task, it is important to know which category we belong to. There are two ways of doing so. The first works better if you wish to test yourself. The other works better if you wish to test somebody else.

Personal TestSelect two paragraphs of equal length from a book. Each of them should be about half a page in length.

1. Read the first of these paragraphs silently to yourself. Check the exact time you need for reading it. Then write down on a piece of paper what you remember 2. Having done this, ask somebody else to read the second paragraph to you while you listen 3. The time needed for the reading must be exactly the same as the time, which you spent in reading the first paragraph

4. When your friend has finished his reading, write on a piece of paper, what you

remember5. Then compare the two papers and see which strategy suits you better.

This experiment should be repeated at least thrice. With each new experiment, the length of the material used should vary. If you used half a page the first time, choose a full page the second time and two pages the third time. Naturally, the material used in the listening and reading must always be of equal length, otherwise wrong results would be obtained.

If you find that you remember more of those paragraphs which you read yourself, it means that you are preponderantly eye-minded. However, if you remember more of the paragraphs that you listened to, it means that you are ear-minded. If you want to test whether or not you are a motor-minded personality, copy the paragraphs in question for an additional test.

It is easier to test someone else but the person should not know about the test as this would mean making him conscious in his efforts.

Take the following list of 10 words and read them out to the person whom you are testing. Tell him to write on a piece of paper words, referable nouns or verbs, which come to his mind immediately as he/she hears the word that you call out to him. For example:

1. Wall 2. Cake 3. Book 4. Noise 5. File

6. River Letter7.

8.Bird 9. Flag 10. Hat

Now look at the words that the contestant wrote. Generally speaking, there are two possibilities.

The first is that he may have written words like these.1. Picture, paper, ceiling 2. Flour, sugar, icing 3. Page, illustration, text

4. Propeller, music, serene 5. Paper, drawer, box 6. Water, boat, fishing 7. Envelope, typewriter, stamp 8. Feather, wings, egg 9. Cloth, must, signal 10. Ribbon, straw, felt.

The second possibility is that he may have written words like:1. Hall, ball, value, valet 2. Make, bake 3. Look, hook, bug 4. Poise, choice, most 5. Pile, mile, fine, fire 6. Lives, ringer 7. Latter, ladder, ledger, lecture 8. Flirt, hurt, birth 9. Bag, drag 10. Bat, chat, flat.

The above mentioned words are just examples and variety of words which your contestant might write in response to the words given to him. Whatever be the response, a survey of his answers will show whether more words are similar to the first group or are similar to the second group.

The words in the first group are those that somebody with a vivid imagination would use. For example, wall, cake, book, and so on. Similarly, words in the second group indicate words that are similar in sound to the words, which were called out to them. If you find more words that belong to the first group, your friend is preponderantly eye-minded. It you find more words which belong to the second group, he is ear-minded. By checking the number of words belonging in each of these two groups, you can even find the approximate percentage of his eye or ear-mindedness.

CHAPTER - 16

The Chain Method

We continue with our memory feature that helps students improve their memory retention powers. In the previous issue, we covered the basics of improving memory. Now we would excercise some of these.

We can effectively use the principles of developing memory to memorise paragraphs and other things. This time we learn about the chain method, which is the basic method of all the mnemonic devices. With its help, we can memorise shopping lists and even large paragraphs.While using this system, we should keep in mind the following 10 principles:

1. Association2. Confidence3. Concentration4. Colour5. Exaggeration6. Thoughts7. Visualisation8. Oddities9. Sex10. Sensuality

Let us start with just 10 items. Take a look at the following list. I will

demonstrate how to use the chain method in memorising this list.

1. Bulb2. Potato3. Pencil4. Table5. Sweater6. Bucket7. Fan8. Water9. Book10. Car

For this, you have to keep a pen and paper ready for notes. Here is a small method that would help you remember the above mentioned things.

After you have read the story, try to note down the words that were mentioned. You will find that you remember most of them. So, if you are the person who feels there is no point in being illogical then it is time that you started thinking otherwise.

The Story

Let us weave an illogical story around the ten items. Illogical, because illogical things have a better mind recall. This is how I would visualize it:

The bulb was being held on a potato shaped holder. This bulb with its potato shaped holder was being balanced on a pencil tip. However, the bulb was not balanced properly and it fell on the table. It did not explode because it fell on a dirty sweater lying on the table. I put the sweater into the bucket and sent it for washing. It was raining outside so I would use the fan to dry it. I wanted to note the time it will take for the sweater to dry. I therefore consult the watch on my wrist. Oh! The watch is not working so, I refer to the book which says how to mend a watch. After mending the watch I boarded a car to my friends place. And I have been living happily ever since.

CHAPTER - 17

Quick Exam Tips

It is that time of the year again, when all that glitters is the annual exam date sheet. Good students are clear about what they want to do and the not so good are pretty certain about what they don't want to do.

However, there is another category that doesn't belong to either of these sections. They work hard, work right and still stay at the 50 to 70% slab. Why? Well! There can be a number of reasons for this. I wouldn't waste your time telling you about the problem. But these tips would certainly help you in your adventure.

• Your handwriting is a very important factor in the marks you get. Many teachers complain of dealing with answer sheets that they can't even read.

• Never study late the day before your exam. You wouldn't want

to sleep during the test, would you?

• There is no point in learning new chapters one or two days before the

exams. You should revise the ones that you are done with.

Make sure that you reach the exam center an hour before the scheduled time.

• Use the lavatory before you enter the hall, not during the exam.

• Do not discuss the subject with your classmates just before

the exams, it is likely to make you nervous.

• You should have a considerable amount of stationery to see

you through the 3-hour exam.

• Once in the examination hall do not waste your time in chatting. A composed and concentrated mind is very essential to gather one's thoughts.

• Give the first five minutes to the question paper. Mark the questions A, B, C. A being the questions that you know. B being the questions that you are doubtfull of. And C being the ones you don't know. Also, make it a point that you attempt the questions in the same order.

• After you have completed the test it is very important that you

check your answer sheet for any errors.

• Last but not the least, before you start preparing for the next

test, make sure that you have rested well.