How to use your time
Time is the most valuable resource a student has. It
is also one of the most wasted of resources. The schedule you develop should
guide you in how to allocate the available time in the most productive
manner. Sticking to your schedule can be tough. Don't dribble away valuable
time. Avoiding study is the easiest thing in the world. It's up to you to
follow the schedule you prepared. A good deal of your success in high school
or college depends on this simple truth.
Where to study
You can study anywhere. Obviously, some places are
better than others. Libraries, study lounges or private rooms are best.
Above all, the place you choose to study should not be distracting.
Distractions can build up, and the first thing you know, you're out of time
and out of luck. Make choosing a good physical environment a part of your
study habits.
Strategies
Thinking skills
Everybody has thinking skills, but few use them
effectively. Effective thinking skills cannot be studied, but must be built
up over a period of time. Good thinkers see possibilities where others see
only dead-ends. If you're not a good thinker, start now by developing habits
that make you ask yourself questions as you read. Talk to other students who
you feel are good thinkers. Ask them what it is they do when they think
critically or creatively. Often times, you can pick up valuable insights to
help you become a better thinker.
The SQ3R method
The SQ3R method has been a proven way to sharpen study
skills. SQ3R stands for Survey, Question, Read, Recite, Review. Take a
moment now and write SQ3R down. It is a good slogan to commit to memory to
carry out an effective study strategy.
Survey - get the best overall picture of what you're
going to study BEFORE you study it in any detail. It's like looking at a
road map before going on a trip. If you don't know the territory, studying a
map is the best way to begin.
Question - ask questions for learning. The important
things to learn are usually answers to questions. Questions should lead to
emphasis on the what, why, how, when, who and where of study content. Ask
yourself questions as you read or study. As you answer them, you will help
to make sense of the material and remember it more easily because the
process will make an impression on you. Those things that make impressions
are more meaningful, and therefore more easily remembered. Don't be afraid
to write your questions in the margins of textbooks, on lecture notes, or
wherever it makes sense.
Read - Reading is NOT running your eyes over a
textbook. When you read, read actively. Read to answer questions you have
asked yourself or questions the instructor or author has asked. Always be
alert to bold or italicized print. The authors intend that this material
receive special emphasis. Also, when you read, be sure to read everything,
including tables, graphs and illustrations. Often times tables, graphs and
illustrations can convey an idea more powerfully than written text.
Recite - When you recite, you stop reading
periodically to recall what you have read. Try to recall main headings,
important ideas of concepts presented in bold or italicized type, and what
graphs, charts or illustrations indicate. Try to develop an overall concept
of what you have read in your own words and thoughts. Try to connect things
you have just read to things you already know. When you do this
periodically, the chances are you will remember much more and be able to
recall material for papers, essays and objective tests.
Review - A review is a survey of what you have
covered. It is a review of what you are supposed to accomplish, not what you
are going to do. Rereading is an important part of the review process.
Reread with the idea that you are measuring what you have gained from the
process. During review, it's a good time to go over notes you have taken to
help clarify points you may have missed or don't understand. The best time
to review is when you have just finished studying something. Don't wait
until just before an examination to begin the review process. Before an
examination, do a final review. If you manage your time, the final review
can be thought of as a "fine-tuning" of your knowledge of the material.
Thousands of high school and college students have followed the SQ3R steps
to achieve higher grades with less stress.
Reading
A primary means by which you acquire information is
through reading. In college you're expected to do much more reading than in
high school. Don't assume just because you've "read" the assignments that is
the end of it. You must learn to read with a purpose. In studying, you may
read the same assignment three or four times, each time with a different
purpose. You must know before you begin reading what your purpose is, and
read accordingly.
Getting the Main Idea
Getting the main idea in reading is central to
effective studying. You must learn what the author's central idea is, and
understand it in your own way. Every paragraph contains a main idea. Main
ideas are perfect for outlining textbooks. Make it a habit to find the main
idea in each paragraph you read.
Extracting Important Details
Extracting important details means that you locate in
your reading the basis for main ideas. There is usually one important detail
associated with every main idea. The more important details you can
identify, the easier it will be to review for examinations because you have
made a link between an idea and information that supports it. The more links
you can make between details and ideas, as well as ideas themselves, the
more powerful will be the efforts of your study.
Don't Read Aloud to Yourself
Generally, reading aloud to yourself does not help you
study more effectively. If you move your lips while you read, you're not
reading efficiently. If you read aloud or move your lips while you're
reading, you are reading slowly, so stop moving your lips. Try putting a
finger over your lips. Your finger will remind you not to move your lips.
Make an effort to read faster and retain more - after a while, you'll be
surprised how little effort it will take.
Taking Notes
Like reading, note-taking is a skill which must be
learned and refined. Almost invariably, note taking, or the lack of it, is a
constant deficiency in the study methods of many high school and college
students. Learning the ingredients of good note taking is rather easy;
applying them to your own situation depends on how serious you are in
becoming a successful student.
Where to Keep Notes
You must learn to keep notes logically and legibly.
Remember, if you can't read your own writing a few days after taking notes,
they are of little use. By all accounts, the best place to keep notes is in
a loose-leaf notebook. Use dividers to separate the different classes you
take. Make it a habit of using your notebook to record ALL your notes. If
you're caught without your notebook and need to take notes, always have a
supply of loose-leaf paper with you. Insert your note papers into the
notebook as soon as you can. Be sure to buy a good notebook, as it will get
a lot of wear and tear.
Outlining Textbooks
First of all, don't underline. Use a highlighter.
Experience has shown that text passages highlighted are more easily
remembered than the same passages underlined. In outlining a text, don't
just read along and highlight what seem to important words. That technique
rarely works. The act of outlining works much better.
.jpg)
.jpg)
