SCIENTIFIC APPROACH TO PREPARE PYSCHOLOGY
SCIENTIFIC APPROACH TO PREPARE PYSCHOLOGY
(MAINS EXAMINATION)
EIGHT Steps 1. Read the basic books first, rather than going for journals and foreign authors etc. whether ‘Preliminary Examination’ or ‘Mains’, what is required as a first step is the mastering of the BASICS (A, B, C) of the subject. So, first step requires mastering these.
2. While reading, focus has to be on CONCEPTUAL UNDERSTANDING rather than simply memorizing the facts. The Facts are easier to memorize if the concepts are clear.
3. Memorizing the F ACTS (even the conceptual words, books-authors etc. If one has the subject in the Preliminary Examination). Using Mnemonics or other interesting methods which suits your style, you can do this.
4. Make your flashcard or one register in which all your facts are intact and you can revise them anytime.
Rather than simply collecting new fact everyday, focus should be on revising what you have with you. Only when that is memorized thoroughly move on the new facts. Even when you are reading the new material, keep coming to the old materials in between. This is very important, else during the examination, you will remember that you have read something like this somewhere but "what was it exactly" might not come to you mind and the memory of it will remain only as a faint image. This has to be checked. The ultimate success depends on not ‘what all you have read’ but ‘how’ much you retain it’. How far you have practiced diagrams as well organizing the event in chronological manner. This is very crucial and should not he neglected.
5. Solve as many questions as possible. One should solve all the previous years questions of UPSC and solve them again and again. Many of the questions are repeated. Even if the same questions are not repeated in the same words, quite often the areas remain the same.
6. Analyze the previous year UPSC question paper thoroughly and try to chalk out the areas of the question. Also write down these questions topic wise and keep going through them again and again.
7. Mark the mistakes, which you commit while solving these questions. Do not overlook them and do not lie to yourself that “it was a careless mistake”. Even was a careless mistake like overlooking the word "not" in the question, be cautious that you should not repeat it in the examination hall. Also analyze your mistake thoroughly whether it was due to lack of conceptual understanding or it was forgetting the facts. Master you weakness after analyzing them.
NOTE OF CAUTION- Do not read the guide first and then the basic books. It has to be the other way round.
8. Last but not the least, discuss with your friend. Discussion helps a lot provided it is honest discussion with the motive to help the other and in turn getting help. Else it can be disastrous also.
These are broadly some tips, which can help you in the Mains as well as Preliminary Examination. However, what matters most is the mental calmness and cool, which you maintain in the examination hall. Do not panic if you do not know any question. Apply your mind. Though not always, but most of the times the questions can be rightly solved if one maintains his cool and analyses it logically. However, ultimately what matters is giving your hest shot and leaving the rest on him.
9. Try to integrate the statement of the question, somewhere in you answer. Either begin with it or end with it. This makes your answer FOCUSSED and well knit.
10. Last, but not the least, just before your examination give your precious three to four hours to those things which are the dynamic aspects of your preparation. This includes the latest updates, reports, diagrams etc. Even glancing over these things at the last moment makes they alive and fresh in your memory (provided you have read them earlier) and they can be reproduced more authentically in the examination. This will definitely make the Difference.
These are the SEVEN GOLDEN RULES for fetching marks in PSYCHOLOGY. These are not merely to be memorized and retold to others, but need to be applied in writing answers.
So the thrust should be on writing answers and getting them evaluated. The more you practice the better answers you would be able to write. Next, I come to the question of reading list. But remember “It is not wide reading but useful reading that tends to excellence”.
