Study guides for college classes
17 short, practical guides written for Montana State students in calculus, physics, precalculus, writing and Python: how to study for a math exam, active recall, focus, office hours, test anxiety, note-taking and more. Each takes under six minutes.
How to study for a math exam: the ten-day plan
Rereading notes the night before is the most common plan and the worst one. Here is what works, day by day.
Active recall and spaced repetition: why rereading feels good and does not work
The two most-researched study techniques, explained in five minutes, with how Mathub uses them.
The 25-minute block: how to actually start
Starting is the hard part. A short timer, a single task and a visible finish line get you past it.
How to read a math or physics section in twenty minutes
Textbooks are not novels. Read them out of order, with a pencil, and stop when you have what you need.
Office hours, and how to email a professor
The most underused free resource in college, and the two-line email that gets a reply.
Beating test anxiety
Racing heart, blank mind, the answer that arrives in the parking lot. Three things that actually help, and one that makes it worse.
Sleep, food, movement: the boring stuff that raises grades
No app replaces seven hours of sleep. What the research says, in one page.
How to run a study group that works
Most study groups are social hour with a textbook nearby. A few rules turn them into the most effective hour of the week.
Online homework (WeBWorK and Canvas quizzes): a strategy
Unlimited attempts are a gift and a trap. How to use online homework to learn rather than to guess.
Taking notes you will actually use
Notes are for making later study easier, not for transcribing the lecture. The Cornell layout, plus an example bank.
How to build and use a formula sheet
Whether or not the exam allows one, building a formula sheet is one of the best study activities there is.
The first-week plan: map every syllabus once
One hour in week one saves the two panicked weeks most students have around midterms.
Getting unstuck on a coding problem
Errors are not failures; they are the computer telling you exactly where to look. A repeatable routine for CSCI 127.
Drafting an essay fast
The blank page is the enemy. A method that produces a full draft in a sitting, so revision has something to work with.
How to read a physics problem
Units, a diagram and a sanity check catch most mistakes before they cost points. The five-step routine for every problem.
Studying for a biology, anatomy or psychology exam
Exams in these classes ask you to use terms, structures and criteria, not just recite them. A routine that builds both.
You got a bad grade. Now what?
One bad exam is information, not a verdict. The steps to take in the next week.
Study with Mathub
Free notes, endless practice, flashcards and calendars for every class, plus a focus room and a resources hub.