Study techniques

[mattrgee]

Hi Tek tips,

I've purchased the CBT Nuggets MCSE 2003 series and I'm about to start studying them in the next couple of days, however, I could do with some advice.

When using CBT material, what methods to people find succesfull for remembering and revising the information. For instance, I had thought about making notes while watching the video, but sometimes it can be hard to figure out whats relevent and what isn't. You could fill quite a few pads if you made a note of everything! If people could share study techniques they have found succesfull when studying for their MCSE it would be greatly appreciated.

Any other advice is also welcomed.

Thanks in advance

Matt

 

[jrbarnett]

I've done it from books rather than CBT's, and this was in preparation for a bootcamp. Both times I have tried this, I have ended up being in the top few students in the class with relevant knowledge.

For each chapter
1. As you read the book, make notes on the key points in the chapter. Try things out that it refers to, both if they are specifically listed as practical exercises and not.

2. Look up anything you don't understand on the MS web site / online help. Re read and retry practical exercises and learning.

3. About 80% of the way through, look in the TT forums for the product/technology that you are studying. Look at the forum MVP list - read their answers to some of the questions. Can you understand why they gave the answers that they did give? Can you start answering some of the easier questions?

Also at this stage, if you have transcenders, MS Readiness Review suites or similar exam preparation material, start doing this. Print out the correct answers whatever you get and learn from your mistakes. Try and understand why the correct answer is correct. If necessary, go back to the book.

4. When you have completed the book, take your notes, and make notes on the notes, so one sentence of your notes should spew paragraphs of the original book.

Repeat exams and try to memorise your notes.
When you feel very comfortable, book the exam for the next couple of weeks. You have your knowledge, your notes and your cram notes (the notes on notes).

Don't be surprised if you do use lots of paper, my notes on the books are about 100 sides of A4 each.

John

 

[Wishdiak]

jrbarnett,

Good advice. If one's notes are concise and insightful, then I can see one getting far with this approach.

mattrgee,

In the case of using CBT Nuggets, do you have the MS Press books also? I've learned quite a bit from the CBT Nuggets videos that I've seen, but they have no exercises and if something is not clear enough, they provide no specific path for clarification.

I'd suggest reading the books and doing the exercises before watching the videos. CBT Nuggets does show you the steps involved in configuring specific settings in a format, that for me, makes them stick.

The linear format of each video and the lack of where to look for clarification are the only things that I found wanting.

Wishdiak
A+, Network+, Security+, MCSA: Security 2003

http://www.wishdiak.com

 

[mattrgee]

jrbarnett,

Cheers for your advice, its always good to hear what techniques other people use, and your's sounds particually good. I'll give it a go.

Wishdiak,

Thats sound advice. When I studied for 70-210 a couple of years ago, I found the practical exercises that the MS Press book suggested particually useful, it never crossed my mind that practical exercises wouldn't be suggested by CBT Nuggets.

I read a book recently by Tony Buzan, he specialises in memory and learning techniques among many other things. One of the things he suggested when reading text books was to always read the chapter summary first. After reading the summary you will understand the information far better within the body of the chapter then you would have done previously. I can honestly day that it really does work. It's particually useful when your reading a chapter that covers a topic you already know a lot about. Just read the summary and if there's something you don't understand find the relvent section in the chapter and read it.

I was very skeptical about this technique but it got me through my degree! If anyone's interested in the book the details are below:

Author: Tony Buzan
Title: Use your head
ISBN: 0563488999