When you’re preparing for an important test, like the SAT or the GRE, your time is at a premium, and you need to find the most efficient way to get the information and knowledge you need, organized so that it’s easy to study and remember. After all, you’re probably not taking the test on a whim, so you’ll want to make your choice of study materials in a deliberate way, not a capricious one.

The word capricious is an adjective meaning “impulsive or arbitrary.” Someone who is capricious often acts on a whim, or trusts in chance and luck to help them make their decisions. You can also use this word to describe such an decision, or any unpredictable occurrence. When speaking about an impulsive, arbitrary, or unpredictable action, use the adverb capriciously.

Example: The students were ready for their quiz on the rivers of Europe, and were dismayed when the teacher capriciously changed the topic to a review of the major exports of the countries in South America.

The origin of this word is probably traceable back to the Latin word root capro, meaning “goat.” If you ever watch young goats (kids) at play, you’ll notice that they jump around rather randomly, with sudden stops and starts and changes of direction.

All of this is to emphasize how not to study for a test. Rather than randomly picking topics and going from one to another on a whim, focus on a set list of items that you know you need to work on, and devote concentrated time to each of them. For vocabulary study in particular, having a specific routine to follow can provide the structure you need to build on to develop your vocabulary to its full extent.

Sort. Arrange your word list in a way that will help you learn quickly. For some people, that will be in groups by type (noun, verb, adjective) while for others it might be by difficulty, or by topic.

Segment. Divide your list up into small groups of five, ten, or twenty words each. The size of the group will depend on how much time you’re able to devote to your study in each session. Don’t try to fit too many words into one time slot, but focus on learning each word thoroughly.

Synchronize. Learn each word in the same manner. By using repetition in your study routine, you’ll accustom your brain to thinking about the words in the same way, and that information will be more readily accessible when you need it. For example, start by memorizing the correct spelling of the word, then look up the origin of the word to find related words and meanings. Next, identify synonyms and antonyms to help you lock in your understanding of how to use the word. Finally, spend time creating sample sentences to practice both your spelling skills and how to use the word in context.

Are you motivated? Jump right in and start studying!