Study tips?

i'm having hard time remembering some of the definations and was curious what you all did to help pound them into your brains. Right now i'm just reading over them over and over and writing them out over and over. Right now i'm trying to pound in the definations for the OSI model and some other definations like segment, pdu, frame ect..

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Comments

Roguetadhg

Honestly, and I know this will not be what you want to hear, you can't just pound them into your head like that.

The only way is repetition and time. Forcing it won't make it work, you'll spend more time with a headache trying to pound every detail into your skull.

I've been there, done that. Find the way to enjoy it.

jsb515

yeah i understand so should I hold back on moving forward to the next chapter in the Odum book until I can fill out his memory tables?

Roguetadhg

Read one of his chapters... one is enough.

Fill out the memory tables, do labs, just referesh what you've learned. If you have issues, look it up - and think about why it is. that's it. Don't go trying to repeat the same thing over, and over, and over until you've burned a hole in the page. If you have a tech, take a break and watch a ccna video covering the same materials.

I haven't been able to look at the Odom book for a while, so i've been focusing on doing labs and watching video just to keep myself in the game as it is. Maybe tomorrow i'll read another chapter :P

nbeacham

Typically what I do is try to regurgitate the information I just learned in my own words. Essentially, teach it to someone else or write a blog post about it. If you have a study partner, or just someone who is willing to listen and possibly learn something, try to explain what you just learned to them.
You will find that by doing so you get a deeper appreciation for the material, it helps you understand it better because you have put it in your own words.

ChickenNuggetz

This is how I've been studying for past 4 months:

Watch CBT Nugget video on the topic I'm about to read.
Read the chapter in the Cisco Press book, highlighting key concepts, terms.
Take notes on what I highlighted, rewording the concepts into my own words.
Put what I took notes on onto flash cards.
Study those flash cards at least 2-3 times a week.

The above method has worked rather well for and I'm able to retain a large amount of what I study. The key, as others have mentioned, is repitition, repitition, and more repitition!

jsb515

thanks for the advice guys!

YFZblu

jsb515 wrote: »

thanks for the advice guys!

Something else that might be useful - When I was having the same trouble you are right now, I wrote down some things on a whiteboard in my office, so I would see them every day - eventually it became second nature. Writing them down and having it available at a glance can do wonders.

binargs

something i learned: you can't study in your house. it is too many distraction. bring nothing but a book and a notebook, and goto a place and barnes and noble and sit down and study. it is the only true method.

MAC_Addy

binargs wrote: »

something i learned: you can't study in your house. it is too many distraction. bring nothing but a book and a notebook, and goto a place and barnes and noble and sit down and study. it is the only true method.

That's odd. My house was the only place I studied and I passed. And trust me, there's plenty to be distracted about. There's my fiancee, xbox, TV, computers, my lab, RC helicopter, RC plane and RC Trucks...

I'd find a place like Barnes and Noble to be too much of a distraction to be honest.

jsb515

I study at work in my work office most of the time and at home at night when everyone is in bed.

cb3dwa

i never forget this

osi the standard all, people..........

and for PDU

A Data
P Data
S Data
T Stupid
N People
D Fail
N Bits

may be daft but hey ho lol

YFZblu

binargs wrote: »

something i learned: you can't study in your house. it is too many distraction. bring nothing but a book and a notebook, and goto a place and barnes and noble and sit down and study. it is the only true method.

No, it is definitely not the only true method.

I get lots of quality studying done at home.

Roguetadhg

Work is filled with distractions for me recently.

I try to study at home, but i never really get around to it. Work is exhausting with trying to deal with politics, that or using my 30" monitor to control 4-5 VNC remotes to install software at one time -_-

I need a vacation. I read SunTzu's art of war as a relaxation. I found that to be semi-stressful.

^ My Job leads me to drink! I'd have more, but those are just the last 5 days... Now im out of my blue nectar for work :'(

100_1239.jpg

jsb515

at home i have a 8 month old lol so she loves to get my attention so night time I read Tom's CCNA book. Then I get to work early mornings before a lot of people show up and study Wendell's CCNA book, watch videos, take notes ect.. thanks to YFCblu's advice I found a white board in another office and put it in my write notes on it also. I got flash cards i'm carrying in my pocket that I read on the go also. I think I finally got a system in play. I have my lab setup in my work office also, which I haven't really got the chance to play with because neither books or videos have started on labs. Do you guys do the labs aside from the books or do you do labs from other resources?

4_lom

Repetition, repetition, repetition. Can't say it enough. When I was preparing for the CCNA, I think I read the Odom books 3 times each. No joke. But everyone is different. Are you having trouble remember because the material isn't keeping your interest? Or is it because there is a lot of material to cover? Or some other reason? My point is, if the subject isn't keeping your interest, maybe you should try a different subject

drkat

You wanna talk about distractions!!! try studying while gettin a lap dance...

Roguetadhg

Shouldn't be studying at a gentlemen's club. I think that's the wrong thing to do at that location, drkat.

jsb515

you got a lot of bawls there rogue lol but you got a Keurig there also which I live off of mine.

Also getting back on topic the CBT nugget videos are great! it really helped me get a better understanding of the OSI model. One of the best things i've done so far is get input from different resources because they all teach different. So its like learning from all angles.

GeeGeez0rz

Im currently studying for the ICND2 and my study plan will be;

1/ Watching CBT Nuggets videos once through and jot down notes.
2/ Read Wendell Odom's ICND2 book and do the labs. Also have Yap Chin Hoongs CCNA Guide
3/ Run through the free guide that Shawn provided at this link; http://www.techexams.net/forums/ccna-ccent/70766-configure-network-ccna-lab-scenarios.html and use Wendell Odom's book for assistance.
4/ Use Packet Tracer labs and run through those.
5/ Practice Practice Practice.

Prasad Satav

The way I got through it is....
watch videos on CBTnuggets by Jeremy Cioara, he explains it up so well and has a live lab environment while doing it.
The books have detailed info about concepts with a bit techy language used (Not easy to understand in one go and hence tough to remember)
Videos will help you understand concepts better and once you have them done.... the book will seem easier to finish... and you will be like "I already know this..!!"

Regarding distractions... its always better to maintain concentration while watching a video rather than reading a book...
So.. i'd rather suggest you to go through the ICND1 and ICND2 video course on CBTnuggets and then for detailed info... grab your books

Imho

DB Cooper

drkat wrote: »

You wanna talk about distractions!!! try studying while gettin a lap dance...

My girlfriend is 22, stacked with DD's and always wants to play in the bedroom 3-5 times a day. Let me tell you about distractions.

I stopped trying to study at home, and moved my lab and study time to my office.