Make
all notes while listening. In an upper corner write down the title
and date. Rewrite and combine your old study and lesson notes into a new
single set of notes or outline.
This
gives you complete control of, and fast access to the learning process - Your
Course Notes - their organization, additions, replacements and rewrites!
Teachers'
Notes
Sit straight
and listen attentively.
Be a good
listener - Focus and concentrate on the main points of the lesson. Get them
down on paper. You'll put them in your own words later, along with your
study notes. Pay attention to the teacher's notes as to what they consider
important.
If there
is something you don't understand, ASK!
For fast
classroom access to key information on major topics, use a Quick Study chart,
if available.
Immediately
after a class, without looking at your notes, try to recall on a separate
paper as much as you can about what you have heard and learned. Then review
your actual notes to confirm and/or supplement your memory.
During your
next study session, quickly recall again on paper what you learned. Then
review and reorganize your notes in your own words.
Repeat the
recall process several times over several days to commit the new information
to memory!
Your listening skills, note taking and ability to manage your studies,
will be the prime determinant of your success in school!
Dealing With Teachers
Go to see
your teachers during their office hours. Take advantage of the opportunity.
LEARN
TO SAY NO! - Saying no to television programmes, movies, etc. does not make
you a terrible person.
DO
NOT STUDY FOR MORE THAN 2 HOURS AT A TIME - Your brain really does shut down
and any studying you do after that point is just a waste of time.
USE
TWO TIMETABLES
Create
an hour by hour weekly timetable. Using your class timetable as a guide,
block out specific times each day for study and all other activities. RULE
OF THUMB: two and a half hours of study for each day.
Create
a term timetable showing mid-terms, finals, due dates and other important
events. Review both timetables weekly and allow more study time as needed.
A good timetable keeps you from wandering off class.
PRIORITIZE
- Daily list what you need to study, prioritize and set times for each item
and stick to it.
USE
THE 30-3-2 SCHEDULE
Study
for 30 minutes.
Take
a 3-minute break. Let the break be a time to think about other things
Upon
returning, take an extra 2 minutes to mentally review what you have just
read and do a quick preview of what is coming up next.
Memorize
From General To Specific - Study the big picture, then learn the details.
Learning and memorizing are like a funnel - the process is not very effective
when the small end is at the top.
Cramming
Does Not Work! Cramming for an exam only commits the information to short
term memory. You will forget what you never really learned.
Four Basic
Reasons Why We Forget Pieces Of Information.
Don't use
the information.
Confuse
it with other information.
Decide the
information does not match what you already believe.
Never really
learned the information in the first place.
Keys to
Remembering.
Be Interested.
Pay Attention. Consciously choose to remember. Establish a need to remember.
Visualize.
Picture in your mind what you wish to remember.
Relate.
Relate and form associations between the new ideas and information you wish
to remember and information, ideas, persons, things, etc. that you already
know.
Repeat.
Even though something is initially learned it will more than likely be forgotten
if not over learned. Be sure to repeat information in your own words.
Review
course outline, notes and Quick Study Chart.
Review
previous tests.
Summarize
highlights on single sheet.
MEMORY DUMP At
the beginning of the test, write down on scrap paper everything you remember:
formulas, facts, names, etc.; scan the test questions; then do second memory dump
and begin the test.
EXAMS (Reading
Comprehension)
Scan the
exam to determine types of questions asked.
Always
read & follow directions!
Determine
the exam's scoring rules and use them.
Answer
easy questions first.
Mark difficult
questions and return to them later.
True False
questions:
Pick
out key words or group of words on which the truth or falsity of a statement
hinges.
If any
clause in a statement is false, the statement is false.
Multiple-choice
questions:
Multiple
choice questions are essentially true false questions arranged in groups.
Usually
only one alternative is correct.
Eliminate
obvious false choices.
Of the
remainder, pick the alternative that answers most fully all aspects of the
question.
EXAMS (Writing)
Planning
your time in answering essay questions is more important than in objective
type tests!
Read through
the entire examination first.
Get a
feel for the questions you are expected to answer.
If the
exam allows you to choose from a number of questions, be sure to number
your answers exactly to match the questions.
Follow
directions carefully.
Pay attention
to the key words in the question. Words such as "list," "describe," "compare
and contrast," and "outline" require different types of answers.
Don't
"write around" the question but answer it directly and concisely.
Outlining.
After
scanning the list of questions to be answered, choose the ones you know
most about.
On scrap
paper quickly prepare an outline of important ideas and facts to be included
in your response.
Your
opening statement summarizes what you are going to say.
What
follows should support your opening statement.
Your
conclusion should show how your body text supported your opening statement.
It is
absolutely essential that your ideas can be read and understood. Know and
use correct grammar, punctuation, and spelling.
Follow the
tips in the scheduling time box of this chart.
First, write
down the due date for the projects.
Next, count
backwards. How many days will you need to edit, re-write, revise, write,
take notes, research, read, select the topic?
Now you
know what day you will need to begin the projects.
Review and
revise this process after each project.
BE SURE
TO KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOUR TEACHER EXPECTS.
USE A COMPUTER
and learn to type your own project. Do not depend on other classmate.
DON'T BE
AFRAID TO EXPRESS AN OPINION. The key is support your ideas in an organized
manner.
WHEN PROOFREADING
THE TEXT, start at the end of your project. Read one sentence at a time and
work your way to the beginning. Why? Your brain already knows what you have
written. By reading from the end to the beginning, the pattern is broken and
you will find more errors in grammar, punctuation and spelling.
DO NOT
RELY ON SPELL CHECK. Remember "principle" and "principal" are both correct
spellings. Which word did you intend to use?
SKIMMING
& SCANNINGSkimming & scanning enable you
to select material(s) which should be read and/or discarded
WHEN
TO USE:
To quickly
determine main idea.
To locate
facts quickly.
To answer
test items.
To answer
questions.
HOW
TO USE:
Fix intent
for reading (or facts sought) clearly in your mind.
Scan contents
and headings.
Quickly
move eyes over reading material focusing upon heading, discarding
information that is obviously not related to reading intent.
Skimming
reading rates should be twice as fast as average reading speed.
Selectively
omit parts of reading material.
Locate as
quickly as possible the key or topic sentence of each paragraph (usually,
but not always, the first sentence).
Practice
skimming and scanning to locate information- repeated practice will increase
speed.
Read carefully
the last paragraph for summary information.
Carefully
review tables, charts and any side boxes.
THE SQ3R+READING METHOD
SURVEY
Preview
the reading material to be studied by scanning the text quickly to discover
the author's main idea.
From your
preview, form an overall picture and the purpose of what you're going to
study.
QUESTION
What you
need to learn in terms of: what, why, how, when, who and/or where to support
the main idea.
Write these
questions in the margins of your textbook or at the top of your study notes.
READ
Read specifically
to answer the questions.
Most paragraphs
contain one or more main ideas in support of that concept.
Locate and
highlight them with a marker. Make notes in the margins summarizing key
points. Pay special attention to bold or italicized type and to tables,
graphs & illustrations which may explain an idea more powerfully than
the text.
RECALL
Pause periodically
(every 15 minutes or so) to recall in your own words a summary of what you
have read: what the important ideas or concepts are and how the text, examples,
graphs, charts or illustrations support them.
Write on
note paper as much as you can recall about what you have read and learned!
Each mini review is a knowledge builder and memory reinforcer.
REVIEW
Did you
answer your questions, understand the new material and accomplish your goal?
Reread difficult
parts, work a few more problems.
Recalling
and reviewing the same material several times over a period of several days
in the best way to fully absorb and remember it!
SCHOOL IS
NOT A CONTEST. You don't have to compete with anyone else for your grade.
Learn at your own pace and don't feel inferior if you don't understand something
the first time around.
Stay calm
and ask questions.
JOIN IN ALL
THE ACTIVITIES YOU CAN.
MAINTAIN
A POSITIVE ATTITUDE, be a good listener, stick to your own convictions, and
strive for your dreams.
