tl;dr: determine whether you’re studying for a
content-based exam (based on memorization) or a process-based exam (based on problem-solving). Get high quality questions (practice exams or homework problems). Any that you find tricky, put in 21st Night. Redo them on 21st Night’s schedule.
21st Night shines when it comes to exams.
Now, ideally, you’ll start using 21st Night to prepare for an exam at least a few weeks ahead. Cramming is always hard, because you don’t get a chance to refresh the material before the test and see what’s stuck with you.
With that being said, here’s how to use 21st Night for exams.
1. There are two sorts of exams: content-based exams (based on memorization) and process-based exams (based on problem-solving). Read those links for advice specific to your exam.
2. For any exam, the best possible practice material is past exams. Take a past exam, and put any questions you had trouble with into 21st night.
2. If there aren’t any past exams available, you need to gather sort of content that’s going to be tested. This means anything you’ve gotten wrong in the past from problem sets, quizzes, and homework questions.
3. If you don’t even have any of that, just take facts and “chunks” directly from your notes. Easy thing to ask about content: why is something true?
-Example, from a history test on the Revolutionary War: Why did the Americans throw the tea in Boston Harbor?
4. Whatever you do, try to “extend” the information you’re testing yourself on in explanations and hints. So, instead of just an explanation for that question, how would you solve similar questions in the future? What should you have known to solve that question the first time around?
5. Once you feel comfortable enough to “retire” all the questions that you’ve put into 21st Night, you’re ready for your exam.