A compilation of tips for examination prep in history that has helped me these past few months.
| PREPARATION | |
| Before reading: | Read book reviews |
| Strategize a logical order to approach your texts (themes, authors, historiographical interventions, how much time you have) | |
| While reading: | Make chapter by chapter one sentence summaries in your notes |
| Pinpoint key historical actors | |
| Make sure you understand the historic periodization | |
| After reading: | |
| Use index cards or zotero notes | |
| Make 1 paragraph summary of a book/article. | |
| Situate text within historiography | |
| Review: | Create a framework of all the themes on your book list to remember and understand how your books relate/differ from one another. |
| Make index cards of possible questions on one side, and concrete answers on the other side. | |
| Share and communicate your notes, ideas, and questions online and with colleagues! |
Cindy A. Nguyen 