How to Study for a Geography Exam

Geography exams can be difficult to study for, especially since they require memorization skills. Maps and cities can be tricky to visualize. There are lots of specialist terms that can become confusing and mixed-up in your head, especially if geography isn't your best subject. Lots of techniques for studying for any exam can be useful for geography too. By combining the general principles of good studying, with some specific steps to improve you geographical knowledge and help you remember terms and information, you can give yourself the best chance to get a good

Preparing to Study

 

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Find out the time and format of your exam. The first thing to do is get all the information you can about the exam so that you can best prepare. Make sure you know when it is, so you know how long you’ve got, and you can give yourself time to plan your studies. If possible, find out if the exam is based on essay questions, multiple choice questions, a mixture, or something else.

• It’s very helpful to know if you will have to write essay responses in the exam so that you can practice this in your study.
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  2
  Find out what you will be tested on. Your teacher isn’t going to tell you what questions are going to come up, but be sure you know what you’ll be tested on more generally. Once you know this you can make sure that you have all the notes, maps, and information that were included in your lessons and could come up in the exam. If need be, compare notes with another student to make sure you haven’t missed anything out. 
   

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  Make time in your schedule to study. Before you start it’s helpful to think ahead and set aside time for studying. Clear regular spots in your diary which you can use as time to prepare for your exam. You might find it helpful to study at the same time every evening if you like a very strict routine, but a bit of variety can be useful to break it up so try to keep some flexibility.

  • You might find it best to study straight after school while you are still in a working frame of mind, so you can switch off later.
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    Find a good place to study. It’s good to have a quiet, secluded spot to avoid being distracted or interrupted when you are studying. This could be your bedroom or the library, or somewhere else. It’s a good idea to study somewhere that you have put aside strictly for studying and isn’t somewhere you use for other things like watching TV or eating.^[1]

    • Make sure it is a comfortable place to sit, and ideally somewhere you can leave your studying materials when you’re not working.

     
     
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