Tips for Passing JLPT N5 and N4 - Vocabulary Part

Edit: There's a part 2 for these tips...
PART 2: More tips are in this next article for studying for and passing the JLPT N5 and JLPT N4:
 
Part 1:
Next JLPT is fast approaching again. Meanwhile, here are some (hopefully) useful tips.

1) Memorize the hiragana and katakana immediately since the test will be entirely in ひらがな, カタカナ, 漢字。

• Use these hiragana practice writing worksheets
  
• print a complete list of hiragana and katakana for use anywhere
  
• study how to write and read gya, gyu, gyo, and use of small tsu
• use hiragana / katakana memorization software - for desktop or mobile
• set your computer desktop wallpaper to a hiragana chart such as this
• try reading words or texts in hiragana / katakana such as this:

[あばなかかばさなぱらあこ！」

2) Know exactly what you have to study. There is no official list, but an approximate one can be found in the JLPT resource page for N5. Meguro Language Center (MLC) also has a good list that is ready for printout that includes vocabulary, kanji, and grammar points in one pdf.

• ~700+ vocabulary words
• ~120+ grammar points
• ~100 kanji

• (MLC) also has a good list of verbs you should know
  
• and adjectives you should know
  

3) Knowing what to study, break it down into daily chunks.

• subscribe to the yookoso mailing list - this will send you a grammar-a-day (sentences) and a kanji-a-day email for your selected level

• Vocabulary is KING - study vocabulary daily using renshuu.org. (renshuu means practice) Create a user account, and create a daily schedule, selecting JLPT Level N5. The advantage of using this over paper-based memorization is the spaced repetition - you will be quizzed more on the words you get incorrectly, at the "right time"
• If your computer has no Internet connection, you may use Anki - a flashcard-type software (anki means memorization). Make sure to download the cards also.
  
• Given 70 days to study, memorize 25 vocabulary per day (finished in 40 days), 3 kanji per day (finished in 33 days), 3 grammar points per day and allot the rest of the days for REVIEW.
  

3) Check out the exam format and try it out:

• The official JLPT page has a test guide. The 3 parts of the test are vocabulary, grammar (reading), and listening. To pass the exam, you must pass ALL 3 parts. The passing score is not yet fixed, I think (probably statistically determined).
  
• check the sample jlpt questions on the official jlpt website
  
• check out past exams (sorted by year - click on the left side) from this JLPT StudyPage
• You can also purchase the complete and official sample exams (or the official book trial examination questions) here with CD for listening: 

                

• JLPT N5 official book
• JLPT N4 official book 
• JLPT N3 official book

• JLPT REVIEW AND STRATEGY BOOKS Highly recommended for a more focused and efficient review. Please check out this very useful list of Japanese study and review books that have worked for me really well and for many others.  A sampling of recommendations in the list is below:

     

4) Use all your resources and gadgets aside from the websites and reviewers mentioned

• Use your phone's capacity to play music - load JLPT listening MP3 files, Japanese podcasts - iTunes has a lot of these, spoken vocabulary files, easy Japanese songs, and Minna no Nihongo conversations (recommended) and listen on your way to work in the bus, in the bedroom, in the bathroom...
• Better yet, if you have an Android / iPhone, load JLPT apps into it and memorize vocabulary flashcards while listening to your Japanese MP3s. I noticed that even if an app is a paid app, its JLPT N5 reviewer is usually free. My favorite apps: Obenkyo and HumanJapanese. 
• For Obenkyo, you can write hiragana / katakana / kanji, can quiz on vocabulary, can see the stroke order, quiz on kanji for your JLPT level. Free for all JLPT levels. 

PART 2: More tips are in this next article for studying for and passing the JLPT N5 and JLPT N4:
http://jlptdekiru.blogspot.com/2014/12/even-more-tips-for-passing-jlpt-n5-and.html