Study in Less Time & Get Better Grades

A Student Success Center Workshop

Concepts that will be Covered

Worst Ways to Study

Best Ways to Study

7 Day Study Plan

Test taking Strategies

Study Habits.

Answer the following question honestly.

Do you do this, or not?

Begin studying the night before a test?

Study with TV on or in a crowded location?

Cram? Studying all night to make-up for not studying over longer period.

Worst Ways to Study

Waiting until the last minute.

Having the television turned on.

Studying in a crowded location.

Studying with a large group of people.

Cramming all night without going to sleep.

Make Note Cards or re-write your notes?

Join study groups or attend class review sessions?

Schedule small breaks into your study session?

Best Ways to Study Review your notes daily.

Make flashcards.

Avoid distractions.

Anticipate questions that might be on the test.

Implement small breaks into long study schedules.

Study before and after class

Form a study group.

Ask the professor for help.

Get a tutor.

“My friends may judge me and think I am a nerd if they find out I am seeing a tutor.”

SURVIVAL TIP Think of it from the opposite

perspective: What will others think of you if you fail your classes because you refused to seek a tutor? Realize that you can’t please everyone.

Asking for help is smart, not stupid. Can you imagine a professional athlete

or musician not having a personal trainer/coach?

“I only need to start studying once a test date starts approaching.”

SURVIVAL TIP Set up regular study hours.

If you study daily, you will have a better chance of passing your tests and achieving a high G.P.A.

Can you imagine an athlete who wanted to qualify for the Olympics but refused to train for three months before the trials? If not, you should look at the role of a student in the same perspective.

How many days in advance should you begin studying for an upcoming exam?

1. 3 days

2. 5 days

3. 7 days

It’s better to study the same exact material each day.

1. True

2. False

7 Day Study Plan

Begin studying 7 days prior to exam.

Plan 2 hours of study each day.

Day 1

Organize notes & materials

Outline all study materials.

Make sure no notes are missing.

Study the most important material first.

Day 2

Review & study material emphasized in lectures

Lecture notes

Handouts

Day 3

Review & study text

Review all textbooks used in the course.

Review all chapters that were covered in class.

Day 4

Review all material from lectures and textbooks

Combine the material that you studied since the first day of class.

Got questions? Ask your professor.

Review Lecture ONLY

Switch up your studying technique and focus on your notes.

Day 5

Day 6

Review Text ONLY

Switch up your studying technique and focus on your text.

Day 7

Review ALL Study Material

Focus on areas that you are having troubles understanding.

Include any related material that was not emphasized in the lecture or the text.

Exam Day

Get at least 6 hours of sleep the night before.

Eat breakfast, but do not take an exam on a full stomach.

Think Positively!

Multiple Choice Tests

Cross out incorrect answers. Watch out for “All of the above”

or “B and C are both correct” type of answers.

Be confident with your first choice and try not to change your answers often.

Look for grammatical clues – when definitions don’t match up.

Helpful Tips for Taking…

True/False Tests

Go with your gut.

Avoid looking for patterns.

Look out for qualifying terms – always, never, every, all, etc.

Follow the common rule of advise – If there is an exception, the answer is false.

Helpful Tips for Taking…

Helpful Tips for Taking…

Essay Tests

Anticipate possible questions.

Make an outline.

Proofread sentences.

Read the directions twice. Look over the test before answering any

questions. Look for hidden answers. Block out distractions. Ask the professor if you have a question. Put a star (*) next to any difficult questions,

skip them, and go back to them after you have finished the rest of the test.

Review all answers before turning in your test.

Test Taking Strategies

QUESTIONS???Want More Information?

Visit the Student Success Center1302 9th Street Hall

(217) 581-6696www.eiu.edu/~success