# Study Guide > Writes study guides with key concepts, review questions, memory aids, and exam preparation strategies. - Skill: `reaperinvest/study-guide` (Agent Skill) - Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add reaperinvest/study-guide` - Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/reaperinvest/study-guide/raw - Safety review: pending - Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex - Category: Coding & Dev Tools - Author: reaperinvest (https://skillmd.com/u/reaperinvest) - Updated: 2026-09-22 - Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/reaperinvest/study-guide --- # Study Guide ## When to Use This Skill Use this skill when you need to: - Create a study guide that consolidates key concepts from a course or training - Build review materials with questions, memory aids, and practice exercises - Design exam preparation documents with study strategies and focus areas - Produce reference sheets learners can use during and after a program **DO NOT** use this skill for full course content, lesson plans, or assessments. This is a supplementary resource that helps learners review and retain what they have already been taught. --- ## Core Principle A STUDY GUIDE IS A MAP, NOT A TEXTBOOK — IT TELLS LEARNERS WHAT MATTERS MOST, HOW TO REMEMBER IT, AND WHERE THEY ARE WEAKEST SO THEY CAN STUDY SMART, NOT JUST STUDY MORE. --- ## Phase 1: Brief ### Required Inputs | Input | What to Ask | Default | |-------|------------|---------| | **Subject matter** | "What course, module, or topic should this study guide cover?" | No default — must be provided | | **Source material** | "Share the course outline, lesson notes, or key topics to include." | No default — must be provided | | **Purpose** | "Is this for an exam, certification, self-review, or ongoing reference?" | Self-review | | **Learner level** | "Are learners beginners, intermediate, or advanced in this topic?" | Intermediate | | **Format preference** | "Do you want a structured document, flashcard set, or one-page cheat sheet?" | Structured document | **GATE: Confirm the brief and receive source material before proceeding.** --- ## Phase 2: Organize ### Study Guide Structure ``` 1. Overview — what the guide covers and how to use it 2. Key Concepts — organized by topic with definitions and examples 3. Frameworks and Models — visual summaries of key frameworks 4. Review Questions — self-test per topic area 5. Memory Aids — mnemonics, acronyms, and association techniques 6. Common Mistakes — what learners typically get wrong 7. Quick Reference — one-page cheat sheet of the most important points ``` ### Topic Prioritization Rank every topic as: - **Must know** — core concepts tested or applied frequently - **Should know** — important context that supports core concepts - **Nice to know** — supplementary details that add depth Focus 70% of the study guide on "must know" topics. **GATE: Present the topic list with priority rankings for approval.** --- ## Phase 3: Write ### Key Concepts Section For each concept: ``` ### [Concept Name] **Definition:** [One clear sentence] **Why it matters:** [Business application in one sentence] **Example:** [Concrete, real-world example] **Remember:** [Memory aid — acronym, analogy, or association] ``` ### Review Questions Write 3-5 questions per major topic: - Mix question types: definition recall, application scenarios, compare/contrast - Include answers on a separate page or in a collapsible section - Mark difficulty level (basic, intermediate, advanced) ``` **Q:** [Question text] **Difficulty:** [Basic / Intermediate / Advanced] **A:** [Answer] **Why:** [Brief explanation of why this answer is correct] ``` ### Memory Aids For complex frameworks or multi-step processes, create: - **Acronyms** — first-letter memory devices (e.g., AIDA for Attention, Interest, Desire, Action) - **Analogies** — connect new concepts to familiar things - **Visual maps** — describe a diagram or flowchart the learner can sketch - **Chunking** — group related items into 3-5 categories ### Quick Reference Sheet One page maximum with: - Key definitions (10-15 max) - Core formulas or frameworks - Common mistakes to avoid - Decision-making shortcuts --- ## Phase 4: Polish ### 1. Study Plan Provide a recommended study schedule: ``` ## Suggested Study Plan **Day 1:** Read through key concepts (30 min) **Day 2:** Answer review questions without looking at notes (20 min) **Day 3:** Review wrong answers, revisit weak areas (20 min) **Day 4:** Quiz a partner or recite key frameworks aloud (15 min) **Day 5:** Review quick reference sheet only (10 min) ``` ### 2. Self-Assessment Checklist ``` ## Am I Ready? - [ ] I can define all "must know" concepts without looking - [ ] I can apply each framework to a real scenario - [ ] I scored 80%+ on the review questions - [ ] I can explain each concept to someone with no background - [ ] I know which topics I am weakest on and have reviewed them twice ``` ### 3. Quality Check - Every "must know" topic has a concept entry, review question, and memory aid - Review questions have complete answers with explanations - Quick reference fits on one printable page - No jargon is used without a definition provided earlier in the guide --- ## Example 1: Digital Marketing Fundamentals Study Guide ``` ### Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) **Definition:** The total cost to acquire one new customer. **Why it matters:** If CAC exceeds customer lifetime value, you lose money on every sale. **Example:** Spent $500 on ads, got 10 customers = $50 CAC. **Remember:** CAC = "Cash to Acquire a Customer" ``` ## Example 2: Business Finance Basics Quick Reference ``` ## Quick Reference - Revenue - Expenses = Profit - Gross Margin = (Revenue - COGS) / Revenue - Break-even = Fixed Costs / (Price - Variable Cost per Unit) - Rule of thumb: Keep CAC below 1/3 of LTV ``` --- ## Anti-Patterns - **Rewriting the entire course** — a study guide summarizes and reinforces, it does not reteach. Keep it concise. - **No prioritization** — treating every topic equally means learners waste time on low-value details. - **Questions without answers** — review questions are useless if learners cannot check their work. - **Walls of text** — use tables, bullets, and formatting. Study guides must be scannable. - **No memory aids** — definitions alone do not stick. Every core concept needs a hook for recall. - **Skipping the quick reference** — the one-page cheat sheet is often the most-used part of the entire guide. --- ## Recovery - **No source material provided:** Ask the user to list the 10 most important topics from memory. Build the guide from that list. - **Too many topics:** Enforce the must/should/nice framework. Cut "nice to know" topics entirely if the guide exceeds 10 pages. - **User wants flashcards only:** Create Q&A pairs in a format compatible with Anki or Quizlet (front/back format). - **Subject matter is highly technical:** Add a glossary section at the top with all specialized terms defined before diving into concepts.