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How to use a content outline to study for a test or quiz. |
Modern History: Using an Outline to Review for a Quiz or Test
Preparation for a quiz or test in this class does not begin the day before the test. Test preparation begins with the first homework assignment and the first lecture material presented in class.
Keep in mind:
1) Your classroom notes must include not only the skeletal information written on the board, but also the examples and explanations that are presented orally in class.
2) You should review your notes at least once before the next class meets.
3) You should jot down questions to ask the next day if upon reviewing the notes you are confused about the significance of a particular item.
4) Remember, a content outline does not just provide information. It also provides a way or organizing information, from conceptual to factual.
As you review, turn the main heading into a question and skip to the next subordinate letter or number for the direct answer to the question. For example, if you had notes entitled the I. Renaissance, create a question, such as, “What were the characteristics of the Renaissance”? The direct answer to that question resides in the subordinate letters, in this case, letters A, B, and C in your notes (Example 1).
I. Renaissance
A. Social Changes
Example 1: B. Economic Changes
C. Political Changes
Note: Typically, a “what” question is merely asking you to identify an answer, with no explanation required (in this case, the simple answer would be that the Renaissance had social, economic, political, and cultural characteristics), while a “why” question will ask you to explain something! You will be asked to assess, compare, explain, or evaluate information on a regular basis in this class. As such, consider creating these types of questions from the outline as part of your review process.
Continue to review by looking at the information in letter A, B, and C. That is, turn each of these into a question and read the next subordinate numbers for the direct answer to that question. For example 2, a question might be: “What were the political changes of the Renaissance”?
Example 2: C. Political Changes
1. growth of towns
2. rise of strong monarchies
Obviously, the answer to our second question is found in C1 and C2. What you should also notice is that the information becomes more specific and more factual as you move down the outline from ordinate to subordinate, to next subordinate, etc. That means that typically, much of the factual information (matching, listing, and purely identifying activities on the test) will be found in the most subordinate position, letters a,b,& c in example 3:
Example 3: 2. rise of strong monarchies
a. Ferdinand & Isabella
b. Francis I
Essay and short answer questions may ask you to assess, compare, explain, or evaluate.. In history, short answer and essay answers must be supported by facts. Thus, if asked to explain the political changes of the renaissance, you would identify the characteristics and tell how/why each changed. You then would support each explanation with facts (C2a,C2b).
Keep in mind that in the examples given above, only the basic information has been reproduced! A great deal of explanation is provided in class beyond that which will be written on the board. Appropriate notes should include the basic information from the board as well as other examples/explanations/clarification provided in class.
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