Benjamin Franklin once took a few seconds out of his busy schedule of being a god of lightning to remark, “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.”

閃電之神班傑明·富蘭克林曾經從他的忙碌行程中抽了幾秒這麼說到：「沒做好準備，那就準備失敗。」

This is doubly true when it comes to preparing for your exams.

說到考試這絕對錯不了。

So today we're going to guide you through the process of creating a study schedule, reviewing effectively so that you master the material, and doing it all without cracking under the pressure, quitting school, and building a career as an internet personality who tells people how to do well in school despite never being able to complete it yourself.

所以今天我們將要引導你完成讀書計畫，做有效率地複習，如此你就能對教材融會貫通，也不會在壓力下崩潰或休學，然後開創自己的事業，教大家如何在學校成為好學生，即使自己根本做不到。

As we've discussed already in this series, learning takes time.

如同我們已經在這個系列討論過的，學習需要時間。

Encoding new information into solid memories is a physical process that doesn't happen overnight, and it requires multiple exposures or recollections which need to be spaced out.

將新資訊編譯進穩固的記憶裡是個物理過程，可不是一晚造成的而這需要間隔不斷地接受刺激或回憶。

But, as we've also discussed, your brain isn't built to make long-term focused decisions.

但是就像我們談過的，你的腦天生不愛去做長期才有回報的事。

It's hard-wired to care a lot more about now than later, which is why some of you are heavily considering booting up Overwatch after this video ends instead of finishing that math assignment that's due tomorrow.

比起將來的事，他機構設計上就是較在意當下，這也是為什麼你們其中一些人很想在影片結束後就開始玩鬥陣特工，而不是去完成明天要交的數學作業。

What this all means is that the structure of the stuff sitting up in your cranium isn't up to the task of preparing for a test–so you need to build external structures to help it out.

這一切都代表裝在你顱骨裡的那東西，並不足以勝任備考的工作，所以你需要建立外在的機制來協助他。

And, arguably, the most important one is a study schedule.

而其中最重要的一項可說就是讀書計畫。

I recommend building your study schedule directly into the calendar you're already using for everything else, as it's crucial to figure out how you're going to balance your time between studying and finishing all the assignments and homework that lead up to the test.

我建議直接在你使用中的行事曆上設立讀書計畫，因為弄清楚在考試前你要如何分配時間學習和完成所有指派作業及功課是很重要的。

The first step to doing this is to figure out the exact dates and times of your exams, and then to add them to your calendar.

首先第一步，是查好考試確切的日期和時間，然後將它們加入你的行事曆。

In my Google Calendar, I actually have a specific calendar that's colored differently from all other events, and that lets me see those dates and times at a glance.

在我的 Google 行事曆裡，實際上我有設個特別的行事曆顏色和其它事件都不一樣，可以讓我一眼就看出那幾個日期和時間。

I'd also make sure to include the location for any exam that's being held somewhere other than that class's normal room – which happened pretty often for me in college.

如果有任何考試舉行的地點不在平時上課的教室，我也會確認有設定進行事曆裡－我在大學時這還蠻頻繁的。

Once those dates are safely stored in your calendar, work backwards and schedule study sessions during the 3 or 4 weeks leading up to your exams if they're finals.

一旦日期安全地存入你的行事曆，就退回來，把期末考前三四週的時間安排學習時段。

If it's a smaller exam, two weeks will probably do.

如果只是小考，兩週應該就差不多了。

If you've got a lot of homework or group projects, try to schedule time to work on those as well.

如果你有一大堆作業或分組計畫要做，試著也一併安排。

When it comes time to actually sit down and study, try to replicate the test conditions as much as you possibly can.

當到了真的該坐下來唸書的時間，試著盡量複製模擬考試時的情境。

Memory is very context-based, so if you can review the material under conditions that are similar to those of the test, recalling it will be much easier when you're actually taking it.

記憶和情境是很有關係的，如果你可以在和考試時類似的環境條件下複習教材，在實際考試時要想起讀過的內容會簡單的多。

So, how do you do this?

所以，你該怎麼做？

Well, first try to get as much information about the test as possible.

這個嘛，首先試著盡量蒐集考試的資訊。

Ask your teacher – or look at the syllabus – to find out what material will be covered, whether or not the test will be comprehensive, how many questions there will be, and how long you'll have to answer them.

問你的老師－或參考一下課程大綱－查查有包含哪些教材，考試會不會考很細，有多少題目要寫，還有考試時間有多長。

You'll also want to know what types of questions you'll be up against – will they be multiple choice, true/false, short answer, or essay?

你也會想知道你要對付什麼題型－會是多重選擇、是非、簡答或申論？

Lastly, don't forget to ask about what materials will be allowed, such as scratch paper or calculators.

最後，別忘了詢問有什麼允許使用的工具，像是計算紙或是計算機。

Once you have all those details locked down, the next step is to try to get your hands on practice tests, or tests from previous semesters.

一旦你了解了這些細節，下一步就是嘗試著手練習考試，或做考古題。

You can ask your teacher if they have any that they're willing to give out as review material, and if you're in college, there might be a fraternity, or sorority, or some other student organization that keeps a test bank you can dig through.

你可以詢問老師是否有任何願提供複習用的考題，而如果你在大學裡，應該會有聯誼會、姊妹會或其他學生組織有保存考試資料的題庫，你可以去挖挖看。

There's also an online test bank at Koofers.com that contains old tests from lots of universities, so that's worth a look as well.

也有一個在 Koofers.com 的網路題庫，裡面有很多大學的考古題，很值得一看。

Now that you've gathered all of your resources, it's time to study.

現在你已經蒐集了你所有的資源，是時候來用功了。

But where should you do it?

但我們該在哪裡念書？

While most of your studying will probably happen in your established study space, you should also try to do at least one or two sessions in the actual classroom you'll be tested in – or at least some other classroom with a similar look and feel.

雖然大部分的時間你應該都會在以準備好的學習間用功，你也應該試個一兩次在實際考試的教室念書－或至少其它外觀感覺類似的教室。

As I mentioned earlier, memory is context-dependent.

就像我之前說的，記憶是很依賴環境情境的。

Our brains are better able to recall things they've learned when we're in a similar context to the one in which we originally learned or reviewed the material.

我們的腦若處在類似的學習時的環境情境下，更易於回憶起學過的知識。

In fact, one study published in 1975 demonstrated how subjects who learned lists of vocabulary words underwater in scuba diving gear were much more easily able to recall those words when they went back underwater again, as opposed to when they were on dry land.

事實上，有一個發表於1975年的研究已證實過這點，幾個穿戴潛水裝備的受試者在水下學習一列單字，比起待在乾乾的陸地上，他們覺得再次回到水裡後要回想起那些單字變得容易許多。

Don't stop at the location, though.

但也不要只是待在同個地點。

Also spend some time studying under the same constraints that you'll have during the test.

也要花點時間試著在考試時同樣的限制下學習。

Set a timer to simulate the test's time limit, and quiz yourself without having access to your textbook, notes, or any other materials that you won't have during the test.

設定個計時器和考試時間一樣，然後測驗自己，禁止翻課本、筆記或其它你在考試時不能看的教材。

And notice that I said “quiz yourself” here.

還有要注意到我在這提到「測驗自己」。

The best way to study for a test is to do it actively and to focus on recall–to force yourself to actually pull facts and answers up from the depths of your memory banks.

準備考試最好的學習法就是主動及專注地回憶，逼迫你自己確實地把知識和答案從你深深的記憶庫裡拉出來。

Now, at this point you might be thinking to yourself, “Tom, this all sounds good, and the fact that you're wearing one of Hank Green's shirts makes you a lot more trustworthy BUT how am I supposed to quiz myself in the first place – especially if my teacher didn't give me any practice tests?”

現在，此時你可能心理在想：「 Tom ，這些聽起來都很不錯，你穿的一身綠巨人浩克襯衫也讓你講的很有說服力，但從第一步要測驗自己，我就不知道該怎麼做了－尤其如果我老師根本沒有給我任何練習題怎麼辦？」。

Well, you make your own quizzes, of course.

這個嘛，你當然可以自己出題目考自己囉。

Now, if your teacher gave you a study guide, then that's going to be your #1 resource for creating these quizzes.

現在，如果你的老師給了你一份學習指引，那麼這就會是你出題目的頭號資料。

Just take every concept listed on the guide and convert it into a question.

只要把列在上面的觀念轉換成題目就好。

If you don't happen to have one of those, then do the same thing with your lecture notes.

要是你碰巧也也沒有這種資料，那麼就用你的課堂筆記依樣畫葫蘆。

Look through them and create questions out of headings, main concepts, and even case studies.

瀏覽過這些資料然後用標題、主要概念或甚至個案解析出題。

Now, when you're forming your questions, in general you're going to want to emulate the test as much as possible.

現在，當你正在編輯你的題目時，一般來說你會希望能盡量模擬真正的考試。

However, there are a few types of questions that lend themselves perfectly to certain formats.

然而，有幾類的題目有最適合的格式。

For example, facts and vocabulary terms are great candidates for flash cards.

舉個例子，定理和單字詞彙是做單字卡的好選擇。

Studying flash cards is another form of quizzing yourself, and they have one great benefit – you can study them from both sides.

學習單字卡是另一種形式的自我測驗，而它們有一個很讚的點－你可以正反測驗。

If you're studying for a chemistry exam, one card can ask you what the chemical symbol for Neon is, and if you flip it over, it can also make sure you know what Ne represents.

如果你正在讀化學考試，一張卡片可以測試你氖的化學符號是哪個，而當你翻過來，它又可以用來測試你是否知道 Ne 代表什麼意思。

This ensures that your brain can make the connection no matter where it starts.

這可以確保你的腦不論從哪個方向開始都可以通。

And when it comes to subjects like math or physics, where your questions will usually take the form of equations or problems, you want to spend the majority of your study time actually working through those problems.

而像是數學或物理這種題目都是算式或應用題類型的，你會期許在唸書時以實際解題為主。

Spend a little bit of time familiarizing yourself with formulas and concepts, sure, but spend way more time practicing and making sure you can actually perform the operations yourself.

花一點點時間讓你把公式觀念弄熟，的確重要，但要花更多的時間練習以確保你能真的自己應用。

Now, as you spend time actively solving these problems, you're inevitably gonna run into things you don't know how to solve.

現在，既然你已經花時間主動練習解題，免不了會碰到一些題目不知道怎麼算。

When you do, it's important to know when to ask your teacher for help – and how to do it correctly.

當這種情況真的發生時，知道什麼時候該－還有如何恰當地－找老師求助就很重要了。

Let's go to the Thought Bubble.

我們來看看 Thought Bubble。

Dale Corson, the 8th dean of Cornell University and a professor of chemistry, offered some advice to his students for how to effectively ask for help.

Dale Corson ，康乃爾大學化學系第八任系主任和教授，對他的學生提供了一些如何有效尋求協助的建議。

Before going up to the professor, he said, ask yourself: What is it – exactly – that I don't understand?

在找教授之前，他說到，要先問問自己：我－真正－不懂得地方在哪？

This obvious-sounding piece of advice is worth stating plainly because, as Corson puts it, many students would come up and say – with a general sweep of the hand – “I don't get this.”

這個聽起來理所當然的建議其實很值得點明，因為就像 Corson 所寫，很多學生會來找教授－搭配一堆手勢－然後說 「我不懂」。

The moment they encountered a tough spot, they'd disengage and let their brain essentially give up.

此時有個棘手的點，他們沒多先試著研究就讓他們腦袋放棄思考了。

Don't do this.

不要這樣。

When you become confused, spend 15 more minutes trying to solve the problem on your own.

當你感到疑惑時，試著花十五分鐘自己解決。

Work line by line through the problem until you know precisely where the confusion begins.

把問題逐行逐句的看熟，直到你確實搞清楚自己從哪裡開始不懂的。

Also, try to write down the solutions you've tried so far.

也要試著寫下你到目前為止嘗試的解法。

Doing this essentially documents the problem and creates context for the person who will eventually help you–and it might actually help you solve the problem on your own as well.

這麼做可以把問題記錄下來，也能讓打算幫你的人了解來龍去脈，搞不好你自己就把問題解決了。

In the world of software development, programmers who are stuck on broken pieces of code will often use a technique called Rubber Duck Debugging, which involves explaining the code and thought process behind it to a rubber duck.

在軟體開發的領域，在處理程式碼錯誤遇到困難的程序員會利用一種技巧，叫做小黃鴨偵錯法，也就是向一隻小黃橡皮鴨解釋編碼和其中的進程。

The idea here is that explaining the problem to a non-expert – in this case, a cute little duck on your desk–forces you to think about it from a different perspective, which will often reveal the solution.

這個原理是藉由向一個外行人－在這裡就是你桌上你可愛小鴉－解釋碰到的問題，迫使你從不同的角度思考，這樣常常可以找出解決方法。

Additionally, going through this process will show your teacher that you've truly put in some effort and aren't just coming to them for help out of laziness.

此外，經由這個過程也能讓你的老師了解到，你真的已經認真努力過，而不是因為懶惰就直接來問答案。

And that's a great way to earn their respect.

這是個獲得尊重的好辦法。

Thanks, Thought Bubble.

謝啦！ Thought Bubble。

Now, if you want another really effective way to solidify the material quickly, do a cheat card exercise.

現在，如果你想要其它有效的方法快速把書本內容記牢，可以試試作弊小抄。

Remember that really cool teacher that once let you write whatever you wanted on an index card and bring it with you into a test?

你記得那個讓你帶活頁卡小抄來考試的超酷的老師嗎？

Because I do, and in my book, that teacher was almost as cool as the one who let us play with magnesium and bunsen burners unsupervised – for science, of course.

我印象深刻，在我的書中，那老師差不多和另一位讓我自己玩鎂和本身本生燈的老師一樣酷－當然是為了科學實驗。

Now, most teachers aren't going to let you bring a cheat card into the exam – but that shouldn't stop you from making one.

大多數的老師不會讓你帶小抄考試－但這不能阻止你做小抄。

The thing about an index card is that it's small.

活頁卡嘛，我得說它真的很小。

And even though I pushed the limits of how tiny a human hand can write whenever I got the opportunity to make a cheat card, there's only so much I could fit on it.

即使每次要做小抄時，我都嘗試挑戰人類手寫迷你字極限，但都只能塞入那麼多內容。

And due to that limitation, I had to be very choosy about what I put on the card–which resulted in a tiny piece of cardstock containing the most important information on the exam.

而因為有這個限制，我需要對寫在卡片上的內容非常挑剔，結果就是，那一小疊卡片就囊括了最重要的考試重點。

And since I'd just spent an hour looking all that stuff up and writing it down in teeny tiny letters, I was interacting with it – actively – the whole time.

而因為我只願意花一小時看完所有內容和用超迷你的字體寫下來，所以我是全程投入的主動和知識交流。

That's the beauty of a cheat card exercise.

這就是做小抄的美妙之處。

Even if you can't bring your card with you into the test, you spend a concentrated block of time selecting and writing down the most crucial information.

即使你沒辦法帶小抄去考試，你投入了一段很專注的時間在選擇最重要的資訊寫下來。

It's a great preparation technique.

這是一個很棒的準備技巧。

Speaking of great preparation techniques, the last one we're going to cover today is not studying.

說到不錯的準備技巧，我們今天最後要講的並不是關於學習。

At least some of the time.

至少有時候不是。

Students often believe that they should be spending all of their time studying if they want to do well, but remember: how well you do is determined by the both the time you put in and the intensity of your focus.

學生們常相信如果他們想有優秀的表現，他們應該要花所有的時間在學習上，但是記得：你的表現同時取決於你花費的時間和你專注的強度。

And to enable your brain to focus intensely, you have to give it some time off.

而為了讓你的腦能專注的投入，你必需給他休息時間。

The cycle of work and rest has to be respected.

工作和休息的循環值得被重視。

So when you're crafting your study schedule, give yourself time for breaks.

所以當你在安排你的學習行程表時，給你一點休息時間。

That includes short breaks during review sessions, as well as some longer periods where you can de-stress and reward yourself with some of that good old high-density fun.

包含複習學業時的小憩，和一些較長時段的休息，讓你可以紓壓和獎勵自己一些典型的高密度娛樂。

Doing this will ensure that you're alert, attentive, and happy – well, as happy as somebody with a calculus final coming up can be.

如此一來可以確保你維持敏銳的感官、專注度和愉悅－至少以微積分期末考生能達到的愉悅程度而言。

And if you're creating your study schedule well in advance, you should have no problem giving yourself time for these breaks while also leaving enough hours open for studying.

而如果你先規劃好你的學習行程表，即使你給自己一些休息時間，依然能有足夠的學習時數。

Speaking of breaks, it's time for one now!

說到休息，是時候該休息了！

Hopefully this video has given you enough direction to successfully prepare for any exams you've got coming up.

希望這部影片有給你一些成功備考的方向，來對付即將到來的考試。

Next week we'll be tackling test anxiety, but I can give you a bit of a spoiler up front: Good preparation – especially the type that replicates the test conditions – is one of the best ways to calm those nerves.

下週我們將要解決考試焦慮的問題，但是我可以先給你一點據透：做好準備－尤其是複製模擬考試時的情境－就是保持冷靜最好的方法之一。

So get to work making that upcoming test feel like a familiar old friend, and I'll see you next week.

所以動起來，把考試變的和老朋友一樣熟悉吧，我們下週見。

Crash Course Study Skills is filmed in the Dr. Cheryl C. Kinney Crash Course Studio in Missoula, MT, and it's made with the help of all of these nice people.

學習技巧速成班是由 Cheryl C 博士和蒙大拿州米蘇拉市的 Kinney 速成班工作室以及這幾位大好人的協助所拍攝而成。

If you'd like help to keep Crash Course free for everyone, forever, you can support the series over at Patreon, a crowdfunding platform that allows you to support the content you love.

如果你願意幫助速成班系列影片永久免費提供大家學習，你可以到 Patreon 平台上贊助，它是是一個募資平台，讓你可以支持你喜愛的內容。

Thank you so much for your support.

非常感謝你的支持。