Conquer Your Chem Finals: Effective Study Strategies for Comprehensive Exams

[MichaelXY]

I have a final coming soon in Chemistry, and it is going to be comprehensive. I am really nervous about it, and I am not sure of a good study strategy. I know I can't read the entire book in a week, so I was hoping someone might have a good study plan for a comprehensive exam.

Thanks in advance

 

[mgb_phys]

Pevious papers and a read through of your lecture notes?

 

[MichaelXY]

I do take notes, and I try to copy down everything the instructor writes. Only things is that after about a week, I go back to my notes and they don't seem to make much sense, but I get your point. The only papers we have are our previous exams, I guess I will go through those.

 

[topherfox]

old exams, if you have no knowledge, or didn't learn over the year, just write old exams, that's how I got 60s without going to class :D

 

[MichaelXY]

Over the year! It was an 8 week course. It felt like I barely learned one chapter and we were off to the next.

 

[mgiddy911]

Does your teacher give you the format of the exam? that can help out. If its more conceptual then your notes should help if its more calculations then doing old tests should help. If its true false and or multiple choice then again more notes should help out, and that should let you know that the calculations can't be too terrible else it would be a short exam.
The chem exams I took were mainly multiple choice with small short answer questions to test know;edge of concepts. Then 3 or 4 longer calculation problems. I would say having a strong grasp of the concepts should give a good shot if nothing else. Try hard to understand your notes. Maybe ask a friend if you can look at their notes, or better yet find a study group to join up with

 

[MichaelXY]

Actually, the only thing my teacher told us is that there will be a couple of questions from each chapter, and there is 16 chaps. In past exams there were no multiple choice, mostly equations. So I think I will concentrate on the math part.
Thanks for the advice.