Study Skills Document

8/14/2019 Study Skills Document

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Studying is the process that is used to decide what to learn and what to

remember and recall. ~ James F. Shepherd

Cornell Note Taking Method

This format provides the perfect opportunity for following through with the 5 R's ofnote-taking:

RecordDuring the lecture, record in the main column as many meaningful facts and

ideas as you can. Write legibly.

ReduceAs soon after as possible, summarize these facts and ideas concisely in the

Cue Column. Summarizing clarifies meanings and relationships, reinforcescontinuity, and strengthens memory.

ReciteCover the Note Taking Area, using only your jottings in the Cue Column, say

over the facts and ideas of the lecture as fully as you can, not mechanically,

but in your own words. Then, verify what you have said.Reflect

Draw out opinions from your notes and use them as a starting point for yourown reflections on the course and how it relates to your other courses.

Reflection will help prevent ideas from being inert and soon forgotten.Review

Spend 10 minutes every week in quick review of your notes, and you willretain most of what you have learned.


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Suggestions for Managing Time

Make a Tentative Weekly Schedule On a Convenient Form

1. List all classes and other fixed activities.2. Add time needed for meals, sleep, job, travel, grooming, etc.3. Estimate and list time needed for studying each subject, generally 2 to 3

hours per credit per week. However, individuals vary. Some may need more

time in certain subjects than others.

4. Find your periods of peak efficiency and periods when you are likely to havethe best study conditions. Plan to study your most difficult subjects then.

5. Be sure to use any free hours between classes.6. Allow time for preview and review. For example, if you have a free hour

between classes, it is wise to spend the beginning of that hour reviewing andrevising notes from the preceding lecture. The latter part of the hour may be

profitably spent previewing for the next lecture.7. Schedule each study period as close to that class meeting as possible.8. To avoid learning interference, schedule the study of unlike subjects

consecutively. For example, it is better to follow the study of a language withthe study of a science than to study two languages one right after the other.

If you MUST study two similar subjects on the same night, try taking a break

in between.9. Be sure to plan some time in your schedule for recreation.

Adapt Your Schedule to Changing Situations:

1. Allow longer periods in your schedule for term papers and projects the weeksyou need to work on these.

2. Be sure to plan your final exam review schedule at least three weeks ahead.Plan to spend time on intensive review several nights before the exam and to

use the night before to go over concepts that are still fuzzy.3. Allow some unscheduled time in case emergencies arise during regularly

scheduled study periods.

Additional Hints:

1. Use odd periods of time for some reviewing or reading. Periods of time spenton a bus or waiting in a dentist's office may be so used.

2. Use periods when you are tired or when your situation is noisy for jobs thatdo not require much concentration or original organization. Such jobs as

sorting notes or preparing materials for the next day's use may beaccomplished at these times.

3. Consider your schedule a firm but flexible guide, not as a hard and fast rule.


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Concentration

THE PROBLEM

In many colleges over 30% of the students report problems concentrating ontheir studies. Most of these students blame outside distractions for their

problems.

Many research studies manipulating noise levels and distractions have foundthat such disturbances may increase, decrease, or not even affect

concentration. These researchers have therefore concluded that distractersdon't cause concentration problems directly. It is the way the distracters are

interpreted by the students that disrupts their study.

CREATING A STUDY ENVIRONMENT

1. Find a place to study and keep it for study only.2. Tool-up the environment with all study needs.3. Control noise level and the visual environment to acceptable levels.4. Avoid relaxing while working; create a work atmosphere.

WHEN TO STUDY

1. Best during the day and early evening; you'll remember better.2. Best when there are fewest competing activities in progress.3. Best when adequate rest periods are provided.4. Stop studying when fatigue or lack of attention occurs.

HOW TO STUDY & CONCENTRATE

1. When distracters are present, become intensely involved.2. Keep a pad of paper handy to jot down extraneous thoughts that cross your

mind while studying, get them out of your mind, and on to paper.3. Set study goals before you begin each period of study (number of pages,

number of problems, etc.).4. Design adequate rewards after specified goals are attained.5. Break up the content of study by mixing up subjects and building in variety

and interest and removing boredom.6. Make the most of rest periods-do something quite different.7. Don't try to mix work and play.8. Start with short study periods and slowly build to longer periods only as fast

as you maintain concentration.9. If necessary, make a calendar of events to clear your mind of distractions.10.Plan the length of your study period by the amount of material you have

decided to cover, not by the clock. (Often the clock is one of the most serious

distracters.)


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A Study Method for WSCC Natural Science Classes

Introduction

Kara (not her real name) came into my office one afternoon and said that her biologyprofessor had recommended that she stop by and talk with me about how she might

improve her test scores. After finding out which class she was having problems inand that she had received a D on her last test, I first asked her how much time shespent studying for the exam. Her response was about three hours. Second, I

asked how she studied for the test and she responded I read my notes. Ive talkedwith dozens of students about how to study over the past twenty years and the

answers Kara gave to the two questions I asked were quite typical of those given by

students scoring poorly on tests and exams. Students using Karas study method,even though theyve had success in some courses by using it, will typically receive C

and below grades on tests in natural science courses. Why? Because both the

volume of information and the specific nature of the information a student mustunderstand and retain for a test in these subject areas demands a different method

of study. I have outlined a study method below that has helped students improve

grades especially in biology and chemistry courses.

The Study Method

1. Read the assigned material before it is covered in lecture. Why? You will have

a basic understanding of the material in advance of lecture and you will be able totake notes more accurately and intelligently.

2. Read the assigned material with a highlighter in your hand and mark terms and

other important items. Why? Because you will be more actively engaged in readingthe material by doing this. Each word that you read you will be evaluating as to

whether, or not, it should be highlighted and when you decide that a word or

sentence should be highlighted you will read it a second time as you run thehighlighter across it. You will then have read it, thought about it, made a decision

about it, and reread it when you highlighted it. This will help you remember it on thetest.

3. As soon as possible after a lecture sit down with your notes and rewrite or wordprocess them using your textbook to fill in some of the gaps in the notes you took in

class. Why? To create a set of very accurate and more organized study notes that

will represent what is in the textbook and what the professor lectured on in class. Ifyou do a good job on the study notes you will be able to rely on them for study

purposes and you wont have to reread the textbook. In addition, as you put this setof study notes together you will be studying the material and you will be more likely

to remember the information for the test.

4. Create flash cards for terms and concepts you must memorize. Use 3 X 5 cards

and on one side write the term or concept and on the other side write the definition.

You will use these to test yourself and can easily go through a stack of twenty orthirty cards in a few minutes. You can test yourself on the term/concept or the on

definition by simply turning the card over. Why? Pulling the information out of your

textbook and notes to create the cards will help you memorize the material andbecause repetition is the key to remembering, you can quickly and frequently cover


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this information. Each time you go through the cards you will test yourself over the

terms and concepts.

5. If you are going to be required to identify parts of cells, label anatomical features,etc., either sketch the items and draw arrows to the important parts you must learn

and make a number of photocopies to practice labeling or check to see if your lab

book has the illustrations you need that can be photocopied. If the items are alreadylabeled make one copy and use whiteout to remove the labels before making the

necessary number of photocopies to use for test practice. Why? You can create atesting situation similar to class and test yourself by taking one of the copies and

labeling the parts. Afterwards you can check your work to see how you did. Repeatthis exercise until you can label everything correctly.

Now your test preparation kit for one chapter is complete and you have thefollow ing: 1) study notes, 2) flashcards, and 3) illustrations for labeling.

Repeat this for each chapter that will be on the test or exam.

Finally, read and reread your notes, quiz yourself w ith your flashcards, and

label the illustrations you created until you are confident that you bothknow and understand the material.


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Stress Fact Sheet

What is stress?

Stress is an emotional/bodily reaction to physical, psychological or emotionaldemands.

Stress is a fact of life.o Managed stress can become useful and healthy (viewing events as

challenges).

o Unmanaged stress can become distressful and unhealthy (viewingevents as threats).

What are some of the causes of stress?

Expectations we place on ourselves Expectations of others Our physical environment-noise, movement, weather, season changes Our internal environment-academic pressure, frustration, not enough time,

decisions, social life

What are some symptoms of unmanaged stress?

Increased heart rate and blood pressure; feeling tense, irritable, fatigued, ordepressed

Lack of interest and ability to concentrate, apathy Avoidance behaviors: abuse of drugs, alcohol, tobacco

What are some ways to manage stress effectively?

Add balance to life; don't overdo studies or play. Know and accept what kind of person you are: strengths and weaknesses. Get a thorough physical exam. Take "time outs," especially during study. Exercise regularly. Watch your breathing. Walk loosely and walk more. Learn and practice relaxation skills. Study each subject regularly for moderate periods of time. Discuss problems with friends, family, dean or counselor.


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The SQ3R Method for Thorough Study

Step 1: SURVEY

Skim through the book and read topical and subtopical headings andsentences. Read the summaries at the end of chapters and book. Try to

anticipate what the author is going to say.

WRITE these notes on paper, in sequence; then look over the jottings to get

an over-all idea or picture.

Step 2: QUESTION

Instead of reading paragraph headings such as "Basic Concepts of Reading,"change to read, "What are the Basic Concepts of Reading?" These questions

will become "hooks" on which to hang the reading material.

WRITE these questions out; look over the questions to see the emphasis anddirection; then attempt to give plausible answers before further reading.

Step 3: READ

Read with smoothness and alertness to answer the questions. Use all thetechniques and principles demonstrated in class.

WRITE notes, in your own words, under each question. Take a minimumnumber of notes - use these as a skeleton.

Step 4: RECALL

Without looking at your book or notes, mentally visualize and sketch, in your

own words, the high points of the material immediately upon completing the

reading.

Step 5: REVIEW

Look at your questions, answers, notes and book to see how well you didrecall. Observe carefully the points stated incorrectly or omitted. Fix carefully

in mind the logical sequence of the entire idea, concepts, or problem. Finishup with a mental picture of the WHOLE.

NOTE: More time should be spent on recall than on reading.


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Coping with Exams and Exam Anxiety

For most WSCC students, exam time is particularly stressful. Paradoxically, many

students attempt to deal with this stress in ways that are counter-productive or evenself-defeating; their behavior and attitudes tend to diminish their performance on

exams rather than enhance it.

While there is no guarantee for an easy time on exams, there are some specific

guidelines that students can follow which will help them learn more efficiently during

exam time.

IT IS CLEAR THAT IT DOES NOT HELP TO PUT ADDED STRESS ON YOURSELF BY:

keeping irregular hours pulling all-nighters eating irregularly or eating junk food relying on ineffective learning strategies

GUIDELINES TO HELP YOU LEARN MORE EFFICIENTLY:

Try to stay on a reasonably regular schedule of reviewing, eating, sleeping,and relaxing. Start at least a week, or preferably two, before your exams

begin. Don't attempt to study 24 hours a day; your efficiency and capacity to retain

material will rapidly decrease.

Don't force yourself to study beyond your normal limits of concentration. Ifyou find yourself able to concentrate for only ten or twenty minutes, study for

only that period of time and then take a short break. Your concentrationshould return. In fact, short and regular study periods are more

productive than lengthy single sessions.

Eat a well-balanced diet and drink lots of fluids. Excessive amounts of coffeemay produce confusion and even disorganization of thought processes. Don't use drugs or alcohol-they can decrease your ability to think clearly.

Take medication only under supervision of a physician.

Be conservative and reasonable about the demands you place on yourself. If you have a problem you believe will interfere with taking your exams, be

sure to notify your class dean in Parkhurst or a counselor/physician in Dick'sHouse before you take your exam.

Adapted from Harvard Law School Health Service


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Ten Principles of Memory

1. Pay attention while you're learning.

2. Get the information right the first time. False ideas and misunderstood facts canhang on as information you learn correctly.

3. Be sure you fully understand the material. (A good test: Can you explain it to

someone else so he or she will understand it?).

4. Try to see the significance of what you're learning. See how what you're learningis part of a larger whole.

5. Involve your ego, if possible. See how the task relates to you. Does the material

please or displease you? Is it important to your self-concept that you know thematerial?

6. Associate new material with related facts you already know. (Even when new

material seems to disagree with previous learning, you have a valuable handle forrecalling it later.)

7. Organize the material so you can file it in its proper place in your memory. If you

have organized carefully, remembering part of something will enable you to

remember the rest.

8. If there is a basis for doing so, divide and group your material. Information is best

taken in as "little bunches."

9. Reinforce what you have learned through repetition and usage. You will notremember something you don't use.

10. Recite often. In a research study by Dr. A. I. Gates, students were divided into

different groups. One group used 100% of its time in reading an article over andover again, while another group spent 80% of its time reading and 20% reciting the

same article. Other groups read and recited in different proportions. The final groupspent only 20% of its time reading and 80% in reciting, and this group clearly

emerged with the highest score.

A portion of the above information was adapted from Walter Pauk's How to Study inCollege, Fifth Ed.


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A Math Study Method that Actually Works

Overview

Most students struggle in math courses because they lack a method by which tostudy and learn math. This is especially true for pre-algebra, introductory algebra,

and intermediate algebra classes. Your objective in a math class is to learn how tosolve many different types of problems. When you take a test you have toremember the type of problem and remember the steps you use to solve it. For

example, the test may say: Solve the following linear equation. Your task is toremember what a "linear equation" is and what steps are used to solve this type of

problem. Typically, math tests have a number of different types of problems on

them and, if you have a comprehensive final exam, there will be a lot of problemtypes. The following method will get your organized and help you to master those

challenging math problems.

1. For each type of problem covered in a chapter, take a piece of paper and write

the name of the problem at the top (i.e., Linear Equation). Using your book and

class notes, do an example problem labeling all the steps used to solve it. Now, on aseparate piece of paper solve 5 - 10 of these problems. Do as many as necessaryuntil you can remember all the steps used to solve this type of problem. Refer to

your example page, using it to help you troubleshoot errors and remember the

steps. Staple your practice problem page(s) to the example page and save it. Nowdo this for each remaining problem in that chapter. When you finish the chapter you

will have a study set for each problem type where you've listed the name of the type

of problem, shown the steps to solve it, and have a record of your practiceproblems. (When you are developing your study set and need additional help to

build your problem example, talk to your professor, drop in a math lab, or stop bythe Learning & Testing Center to use one of the DVDs that are specific to your

textbook and course. Be sure to build your example problem so that you can

understand all the steps.)

2. At the conclusion of a chapter, take the review test at the end as a diagnostic toolto determine which problems you have not fully mastered. Review your study set for

each problem type that the review test indicated that you need to work on and do 5

- 10 more practice problems of each until you can solve them reliably.

3. Just prior to the class test, review the problem types again and solve two of each

type. If you struggle with a particular problem, practice it until you have mastered

it. Because testing is flexible, if you test in the testing center, you can practice theproblems in the library, use a DVD in the Learning Center, or drop by a math lab to

get help with problem areas prior to taking your test.

4. Organize and save your study sets and practice problems to help you prep for thefinal exam.

(Final note: You can view the short video that the author of your math text createdto help you use the book as a learning tool. The author designed your textbook with

resources to help you succeed, and he does a good job of helping you not only get

the most out of the book but by providing other math success strategies andinformation. This resource is available in the Learning and Testing Center.)

Documents

Study Skills Document