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Tips on studying for a Business Tax Accounting exam?
We aren't allowed to reference our notes or the textbook during the exam. I find this course to be very challenging since it is very technical and has a lot of information. How can I combat against information overload and memorize the key concepts and apply them to different scenarios?
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Aziz’s Answer
Since this exam is closed-book and very technical, I need to focus on understanding patterns, not memorizing everything. I’m breaking the material into core frameworks (taxpayer type, income vs. deductions, timing, and character) and making sure I understand why rules exist, because that helps me apply them to new scenarios.
To avoid information overload, I’m using condensed summary sheets in my own words and drilling practice problems without looking at solutions until the end. I’m also rewriting rules as simple decision steps (e.g., “If X, then Y”) and grouping similar concepts together instead of studying topics in isolation.
Active recall is key: I test myself by explaining concepts out loud, doing quick quizzes from memory, and teaching the material as if I were explaining it to someone else. Closer to the exam, I focus on high-frequency topics and common traps, not minor exceptions. This approach helps me stay calm, retain the essentials, and apply the rules confidently under exam conditions.
To avoid information overload, I’m using condensed summary sheets in my own words and drilling practice problems without looking at solutions until the end. I’m also rewriting rules as simple decision steps (e.g., “If X, then Y”) and grouping similar concepts together instead of studying topics in isolation.
Active recall is key: I test myself by explaining concepts out loud, doing quick quizzes from memory, and teaching the material as if I were explaining it to someone else. Closer to the exam, I focus on high-frequency topics and common traps, not minor exceptions. This approach helps me stay calm, retain the essentials, and apply the rules confidently under exam conditions.