8 recommended study methods to efficiently pass the qualification

1) Check the scope of question, subjects, allotted points, and number of questions

In order to study efficiently, let's start with "knowing your enemy". Understand the range of questions on the qualification exam, the subjects that will be asked, and the number of points and number of questions for each. Fields and subjects with high points allotment must be studied with particular effort. Also, depending on whether you already have basic knowledge in the field or whether you are at the beginning stage, there should be a big difference in the amount of time you need to study. In terms of grasping the overall picture of the exam, knowing the contents of the exam is the first step towards passing.

On the other hand, fields and units with low points are unlikely to have a large impact on pass/fail, so depending on the study period you can secure, you may need to choose to "discard". Instead of trying to master all the knowledge covered in the exam, focus your time on important areas and work on it slowly.

2) Grab the overall trend of the exam with past questions

If the past questions of the exam are open to the public, get at least the past 3 to 5 questions, and if possible, the past 10 questions. Each qualification exam has its own tendency, and it is rare for the difficulty level to vary greatly from one implementation to another. By actually solving past questions, you can get hints to grasp the amount of questions, question format, difficulty, and time allocation. It doesn't matter if there are multiple questions that you don't understand, so let's solve the past questions and grasp the overall trend of the exam.

It is recommended that past questions be left untouched in the latest latest issue. It is assumed that the newer the test, the more similar the trend will be to the actual test, so it is better to secure it for confirmation before the actual test.

3) Read the reference book with "number of times rather than quality"

It is important to read reference books and deepen your understanding, but you need to understand that there are two ways to read: "intensive reading" and "extensive reading." Intensive reading refers to reading carefully while checking the degree of comprehension, and extensive reading refers to reading through it quickly. When studying for qualifications, there are many unfamiliar terms at first, and it should take time to read each page of the reference book. If you try to read carefully from the beginning, it will take too much time, so you should practice extensive reading first.

After reading the reference book through Extensive Reading, go back to the beginning and read it again. By doing so, you should notice that your resistance to terms that you found difficult in the first round has diminished, and that you have become able to understand parts that you did not understand. In this way, let's gradually deepen our understanding by reading the second and third rounds and how to read "number of times over quality".

4) Solve the problem set 3 times

In parallel with the input of reading the reference book, we will practice the output of solving the problem collection. Depending on the qualification, there may be questions that can be answered within the scope of common sense without acquiring new knowledge, or questions that can be solved with the knowledge you originally had. If you can solve the problem in the first time, you should be able to solve it in the actual exam, so when you solve the workbook for the second time, you will only solve the problems that you got wrong the first time.

After solving the problem collection twice, pick up the problems you got wrong both times. These problems are difficult for me, so I carefully read the explanations and review the corresponding parts in the reference book before solving the third time. Furthermore, by focusing on resolving the questions you got wrong on the third try before the actual test, you should be able to finish the confirmation just before the test efficiently.

5) Organize your memorized items

Depending on your qualification, there are things that are easier to remember than to think about. It is more efficient to organize the items to be memorized and memorize them all at once, rather than memorizing them each time they appear. Write it down on a notebook or flashcard, and memorize it repeatedly when you find free time, such as when you are traveling or during breaks at work.

A trick to memorization is to repeat at intervals. The brain's hippocampus is primarily responsible for memory. Since information is organized in the hippocampus over a period of about one month, information repeatedly touched during this period remains as important memory. By memorizing five times, the day after memorization, one week, two weeks, and one month after memorization, it will lead to efficient memory retention.

6) Utilize video and audio teaching materials

The means of input does not need to rely only on character information. If you have video or audio materials, make good use of them. Information that you hear from people or see on TV can make a stronger impression than information that you just read. In the same way, visual and auditory use help deepen understanding.

Videos and audio can be viewed on a smartphone, so it is effective for "studying while traveling" or while exercising. It would be a good idea to make good use of it, such as studying with reference books and workbooks at home, and using videos and audio when you are out and about.

7) Focus on the parts you are not good at and summarize them in a notebook

The study method of writing down important matters in a notebook is basically not recommended because it takes time and the amount of input obtained is small. However, if you concentrate on the parts that you are not good at, it may be effective in deepening your understanding and supplementing your memory.

When writing notes, take as little time as possible and write only the important items in bullet points. If it takes a long time to write it out, you may have a lack of understanding. Before you summarize your notes, go back to the reference book and write it down after deepening your understanding.

8) Take practice tests

Depending on the qualification, there may be cases where mock tests are conducted assuming the actual test. If you pass the mock test with the same difficulty, test time, and number of questions as the actual test, you are likely to pass the actual test. If you do not reach the passing line, you need to review the areas and units where the score rate was low. In this way, taking mock exams will give you a clue as to your progress in studying, so please take advantage of them.

If there is no practice test, or if the test venue is far away and it is difficult to take the test, you can substitute the latest past questions. In that case, take the same test time as the actual test and check whether you can solve the problem to the end. If there is a problem that took too long, you will know that you need to focus on reviewing that field or subject