Please read through my advice on this page, and also feel free to meet with me to talk about study tips. Other resources for studying advice are the Social Psychology Network's test-taking tips and the VCU Learning Center.

Note: This content is not going to be updated during Spring 2012. Course materials are available in Blackboard instead of here on this web site.

You will take a quiz and two midterm exams online, and will take a cumulative final exam on campus at a scheduled time. Keep in mind that your performance on a single test will not determine your overall grade in the course. I encourage you to think of ways to strengthen your performance on tests. Feel free to contact me if you'd like to talk about ways to improve.

Handouts to Help you Study

I will add information here throughout the semester, and will post an announcement in Blackboard when there is something new.

> Practice Questions for the Quiz
> Final Exam Review Sheet (link will be added later) - On this page you can see what to study for the cumulative portion (Ch 1-7) of the final exam. In addition to this information, you will need to study all the information from Ch 8-12.

How to Study

Please do not assume you can study material less because you think multiple choice questions are easier than short answer or essay questions! Multiple choice questions on my test will require you to either (a) remember a course concept or its definition or (b) apply a course concept to a new situation, or example.

• Use your chapter outlines as your study guide.
• Take notes on the pages in the book listed on your outlines - study that material as much as you study material in your notes.
• Make sure you are familiar with all of the terms listed on your outlines. Can you look at a concept on an outline and state its definition? Can you hear the definition and remember the name of the concept?
• Make sure you can think of your OWN examples of concepts. Can you look at a concept on an outline and think of your OWN example of it? If you can think of your own example, that means you really, really understand the concept. (Memorizing an example from class doesn't mean you actually understand it!)
• Practice recalling information from your notes. Rereading your notes may be helpful in the early stage of studying. However, it's more important that you practice recalling information from your notes in the later stage of studying. After all, recalling information is what you'll have to do on the test!

How to Use the Textbook

There is a required textbook for the class. Some good times to use the textbook include the following.

• On every chapter outline, some pages from the textbook are listed. Read pages in the textbook that are listed on outlines. If pages are listed on an outline, that means I will not cover the concept in class; you are responsible for learning about it from the textbook. You should take notes on those pages and study the information as much as you study everything else in your notes.
• If you take poor notes, read about the concepts in the textbook. Information from the textbook may help you fill in missing information in your notes.
• Bottom line: There is no adequate substitute for lecture notes. To the degree that you have perfect notes, you can use the book very little (only when pages are listed on the outline).