There is a great deal to be learned in a course on socialization. But the information is quite valuable and worth learning. John uses brief-essay questions because they have been shown to produce the best retention of knowledge over long periods of time. If you are going to learn about socialization, why not remember it for the next several years. You never know when it might come in handy.

           There are several tips that you need to know about taking brief-essay tests. These are not "multiple-guess" tests, in which one of the four lines of possible answers may contain some clues that jog your memory and help you recognize which choices might be a good guess. You have to bring all the information, already stored in your head, when you come to a brief-essay test. How do you get the information to stick in your head? There are several good ways, and do not forget to take tips #4 and #5 very seriously.

 

          First, many students make file cards or flash cards to test themselves several times on each topic before they come to class. This is a good idea. Merely taking the time to write a topic name on one side of a file card and write a brief list of important concepts about the topic on the other side helps stamp the info into your brain (into your memory). Then you can flip through your file cards and test yourself several times before the exam to see if you recall all the information. If you do not recall certain points of information, highlight them with one of your colorful highlighters; and this will help you focus more on that information the next time you work through your stack of cards. Since the final exam is cumulative in Soc 142, you can use your cards to study for the midterms and rediscover their power as you study for the final exam.

           Make file cards for both the lecture and the book. Focus on the words and headlines in bold type in your text. Pay attention to the headings that John puts on the board in lecture. If he has two main points about natural socialization and planned socialization, pay attention: He must think that the topic is important. (But do not try to outguess him and conclude that he will "just have to ask a questions on natural and planned socialization." He teaches Soc 142 year after year, and he has to pick different questions each quarter he teaches it, rather than using the exact same questions each quarter.) Each time you retest yourself on your file cards, you will gain a firmer grasp of the material. When you walk into the test, you will find that John's questions are usually like the main heads on your file cards; and you will be able to write the answer quickly (since you have already practiced explaining this answer several times before the test).

          Second, some of you prefer computers to file cards; and you can use your keyboard to create a great study tool. Create a document called Soc 142 and alternate between bold heads and normal text: The bold heads will contain the key words that other students are putting on one side of their file cards. Then skip a line and type in the key information about that topic. Once you print out your document, you can cover the text with a piece of paper, then slowly pull down the cover to expose the bold heads, asking yourself if you know all the information you should about that topic. Again, use your colorful highlighter to mark any information you find difficult to learn. Each time you retest yourself on the material, you will gain a firmer grasp of it. When you walk into the test, you will find that John's questions are usually like the bold heads in your typed notes; and you will be able to write the answer quickly (since you have already practiced explaining this answer several times before the test).

          Third, you can study with others; but pick those other individuals carefully. People who set low standards may not really help you master the material very well. When you study together, each of you should try to explain to the other as much as you can about all the topics you have on your file cards or computer printouts. The act of explaining things helps solidify your understanding and your memory about the topic. When you teach others about something, it helps you learn it even better. Each time you talk with friends who are not taking Soc 142 and explain important things to them, you are learning the topic better for yourself. So share the information with others. They may find that they like learning about socialization, too.

          Fourth, you may find it beneficial to think of all the course material in Soc 142 as a long list of "stories." Many students find that this method is very useful, because remembering concrete examples helps them starting thinking about the more abstract principles that are needed to "explain" the story.

          Students find that this--tip #4--is especially easy and important to do with the textbook, since it has stories and examples for every main point that it makes. If you have difficulty understanding and/or learning the abstract principles that are stated in italics in BPEL, underline the concrete example used below that italic sentence, and learn to think of that example when you look at the topic printed in BOLD PRINT that heads that section. Look at every section of the textbook and try to remember it as a story. At the beginning of chapter 2, you can learn the story of Angela's car accident (which actually happened to John one rainy February day), and try to tie it in with all the facts about Pavlovian conditioning that are presented in that section. Then turn the page to the big black heading, TWO TYPES OF REFLEXES, and notice how nicely the story of bee stings helps you learn about these two types of reflexes. Once you learn the story that goes along with each section of the text and lecture, you will have a friendly way of recalling the material. In addition, John often asks test questions that end with the sentence. "Give an example to show that you understand it." Your story is a perfect example for questions that ask you to give an example. In addition, you can always drop in the story and example in your answer (even if the question does not ask for an example). The graders will see from your story and example that you REALLY understand the material and that helps you earn more points for your answer. You can put cues about your "story" on the file cards or computer print-outs that you use to study by adding a couple of cue words, such as "the bee sting story."

          Fifth, you can benefit greatly from reviewing your class notes within a couple of hours of writing you notes in the classroom. By going over your notes and asking yourself, "Why did John say this?" or "How did John explain that?" you are helping to clarify your notes. You might want to write some extra words on your note pages to help clarify any parts of your notes that are not obvious, or add in an example that John used on class (perhaps on a slide) to make a point clearer. When you come back to your notes at a later time to study for the tests, you will benefit from seeing your own annotations and recalling the information beter than if you had not reviewed shortly after the lecture. This post-lecture review just helps you build your cell assemblies (or memories) of the lectures, which helps you write better answers on your tests.

Nov  '02

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