"M.U.R.D.E.R." A Study System

Mood:
Set a positive mood for yourself to study in.
Select the appropriate time, environment, and attitude

Understand:
Mark any information you don't understand in a particular unit;
Keep a focus on one unit or a manageable group of exercises

Recall:
After studying the unit,
stop and put what you have learned into your own words

Digest:
Go back to what you did not understand and reconsider the information;
Contact external expert sources (e.g., other books or an instructor) if you still cannot understand it

Expand:
In this step, ask three kinds of questions concerning the studied material:

• If I could speak to the author, what questions would I ask or what criticism would I offer?

• How could I apply this material to what I am interested in?

• How could I make this information interesting and understandable to other students?

Review:
Go over the material you've covered,
Review what strategies helped you understand and/or retain information in the past and apply these to your current studies