Test Preparation
"He who opens a school door,
closes a prison"
- Victor Hugo
French
To do well on tests you must first learn the material,
and then review it before the test.
These are techniques to better understand your material:
Learning
Take good notes in your class lectures and textbooks
See the Guides on Taking notes in Lectures
(and Taking notes from a textbook!)
Review your notes soon after class/lecture
Review notes briefly before the next class
Schedule some time at the end of the week for a longer review
Reviewing
Take good notes
about as your teacher tells you what will be on the test
Organize your notes, texts, and assignments
according to what will be on the test
Estimate the hours you'll need to review materials
Draw up a schedule
that blocks units of time and material
Test yourself on the material
Finish your studying the day before the exam
Reading Speed And Comprehenshion
Reading is to the mind
what exercise is to the body
- Richard Steele, English 1672–1729
First, you must learn to recognize stress:
Stress symptoms include mental, social, and physical manifestations. These include exhaustion, loss of/increased appetite, headaches, crying, sleeplessness, and oversleeping. Escape through alcohol, drugs, or other compulsive behavior are often indications. Feelings of alarm, frustration, or apathy may accompany stress.
If you feel that stress is affecting your studies,
a first option is to seek help through your educational counseling center.
Stress Management is the ability to maintain control when situations, people, and events make excessive demands.What you can do to manage your stress? What are some strategies?
Look around
See if there really is something you can change or control in the situation Learn how to best relax yourself
Meditation and breathing exercises have been proven to be very effective in controlling stress. Practice clearing your mind of disturbing thoughts.
Remove yourself from the stressful situation
Give yourself a break if only for a few moments daily Set realistic goals for yourself
Reduce the number of events going on in your life and you may reduce the circuit overload
Don't sweat the small stuff
Try to prioritize a few truly important things and let the rest slide Don't overwhelm yourself
by fretting about your entire workload. Handle each task as it comes, or selectively deal with matters in some priority
Selectively change the way you react,
but not too much at one time. Focus on one troublesome thing and manage your reactions to it/him/her Change the way you see things
Learn to recognize stress for what it is. Increase your body's feedback and make stress self-regulating
Avoid extreme reactions;
Why hate when a little dislike will do? Why generate anxiety when you can be nervous? Why rage when anger will do the job? Why be depressed when you can just be sad? Do something for others
to help get your mind off your self
Get enough sleep
Lack of rest just aggravates stress Work off stress
with physical activity, whether it's jogging, tennis, gardening
Avoid self-medication or escape
Alcohol and drugs can mask stress. They don't help deal with the problems Develop a thick skin
The bottom line of stress management is "I upset myself"
Try to "use" stress
If you can't fight what's bothering you and you can't flee from it, flow with it and try to use it in a productive way
Try to be positive
Give yourself messages as to how well you can cope rather than how horrible everything is going to be. "Stress can actually help memory, provided it is short-term and not too severe. Stress causes more glucose to be delivered to the brain, which makes more energy available to neurons. This, in turn, enhances memory formation and retrieval. On the other hand, if stress is prolonged, it can impede the glucose delivery and disrupt memory." All Stressed Up, St. Paul Pioneer Press Dispatch, p. 8B, Monday, November 30, 1998
Most importantly, if stress is putting you in an unmanageable state or interfering with your schoolwork, social and/or work life, seek professional help at your school counseling center
Stress in a testing situation
Thinking like a Genius
"The first and last thing
demanded of genius
is the love of truth"
- Goethe
"Even if you're not a genius, you can use the same strategies as Aristotle and Einstein to harness the power of your creative mind and better manage your future."
The following eight strategies encourage you to think productively, rather than reproductively, in order to arrive at solutions to problems. "These strategies are common to the thinking styles of creative geniuses in science, art, and industry throughout history."
1. Look at problems in many different ways, and find new perspectives that no one else has taken (or no one else has publicized!)
Leonardo da Vinci believed that, to gain knowledge about the form of a problem, you begin by learning how to restructure it in many different ways. He felt that the first way he looked at a problem was too biased. Often, the problem itself is reconstructed and becomes a new one.
2. Visualize!
When Einstein thought through a problem, he always found it necessary to formulate his subject in as many different ways as possible, including using diagrams. He visualized solutions, and believed that words and numbers as such did not play a significant role in his thinking process.
3. Produce! A distinguishing characteristic of genius is productivity.
Thomas Edison held 1,093 patents. He guaranteed productivity by giving himself and his assistants idea quotas. In a study of 2,036 scientists throughout history, Dean Keith Simonton of the University of California at Davis found that the most respected scientists produced not only great works, but also many "bad" ones. They weren't afraid to fail, or to produce mediocre in order to arrive at excellence.
4. Make novel combinations. Combine, and recombine, ideas, images, and thoughts into different combinations no matter how incongruent or unusual.
The laws of heredity on which the modern science of genetics is based came from the Austrian monk Grego Mendel, who combined mathematics and biology to create a new science.
5. Form relationships; make connections between dissimilar subjects.
Da Vinci forced a relationship between the sound of a bell and a stone hitting water. This enabled him to make the connection that sound travels in waves. Samuel Morse invented relay stations for telegraphic signals when observing relay stations for horses.
6. Think in opposites.
Physicist Niels Bohr believed, that if you held opposites together, then you suspend your thought, and your mind moves to a new level. His ability to imagine light as both a particle and a wave led to his conception of the principle of complementarity. Suspending thought (logic) may allow your mind to create a new form.
7. Think metaphorically.
Aristotle considered metaphor a sign of genius, and believed that the individual who had the capacity to perceive resemblances between two separate areas of existence and link them together was a person of special gifts.
8. Prepare yourself for chance.
Whenever we attempt to do something and fail, we end up doing something else. That is the first principle of creative accident. Failure can be productive only if we do not focus on it as an unproductive result. Instead: analyze the process, its components, and how you can change them, to arrive at other results. Do not ask the question "Why have I failed?", but rather "What have I done?"
Adapted with permission from: Michalko, Michael, Thinking Like a Genius: Eight strategies used by the super creative, from Aristotle and Leonardo to Einstein and Edison(New Horizons for Learning) as seen at http://www.newhorizons.org/wwart_michalko1.html, (June 15, 1999) This article first appeared in THE FUTURIST, May 1998
Michael Michalko is the author of Thinkertoys (A Handbook of Business Creativity), ThinkPak (A Brainstorming Card Set), and Cracking Creativity: The Secrets of Creative Geniuses (Ten Speed Press, 1998).
A Strategy for Reading Textbooks
SQRW is a four-step strategy for reading and taking notes from chapters in a textbook. Each letter stands for one step in the strategy. Using SQRW will help you to understand what you read and to prepare a written record of what you learned. The written record will be valuable when you have to participate in a class discussion and again when you study for a test. Read to learn what to do for each step in SQRW.
Survey.
Surveying brings to mind what you already know about the topic of a chapter and prepares you for learning more. To survey a chapter, read the title, introduction, headings, and the summary or conclusion. Also, examine all visuals such as pictures, tables, maps, and/or graphs and read the caption that goes with each. By surveying a chapter, you will quickly learn what the chapter is about.
Question.
You need to have questions in your mind as you read. Questions give you a purpose for reading and help you stay focused on the reading assignment. Form questions by changing each chapter heading into a question. Use the words who, what, when, where, why, or how to form questions. For example, for the heading "Uses of Electricity" in a chapter about how science improves lives, you might form the question "What are some uses of electricity?" If a heading is stated as a question, use that question. When a heading contains more than one idea, form a question for each idea. Do not form questions for the Introduction, Summary, or Conclusion.
Read.
Read the information that follows each heading to find the answer to each question you formed. As you do this, you may decide you need to change a question or turn it into several questions to be answered. Stay focused and flexible so you can gather as much information as you need to answer each question.
Write.
Write each question and its answer in your notebook. Reread each of your written answers to be sure each answer is legible and contains all the important information needed to answer the question.
As you practice using SQRW, you will find you learn more and have good study notes to use to prepare for class participation and tests.
HINT: Once you complete the Survey step for the entire chapter, complete the Question, Read, and Write steps for the first heading. Then complete the Question, Read, and Write steps for the second heading, and so on for the remaining headings in the chapter
Studying with
The majority of Indian students
are "holistic" learners.
They learn more easily if they see
the whole picture first,
then learn the details as a part of the whole
Sandra J Fox
1944 Oglala Sioux
Course information can be delivered
through a variety of formats:
Lecture
by teacher or guests Textbook
Original source material
as diaries, government documents,
proceedings, minutes Duplicates/hand-out
of (text) chapters, magazine articles Interview and biography
eyewitness accounts or commentaries
Fictional story/novel Electronic media
such as videos, radio programs Internet
web site pages, discussion groups
Stahl, et al (1998) found that using multiple-text sources can only be effective if we are taught to use them properly. As beginners, we tend to be more consistent in what information we select from short, well-constructed texts. Longer, less structured documents tend to be more confusing.
Text books
provide a foundation of facts and viewpoints to provide an overview
sequence information and facts to understand issues
create a context for comparing and understanding other sources
are written in a neutral, objective tone
Problems with a single text
for a subject or course include:
information is often "academic"
lacking the drama of real life experience, adventure, and experimentation
bias is hidden or concealed
ignoring competing facts, priorities, minority viewpoints
a single interpretation limits how reported facts are prioritized/sequenced
restricting viewpoint (Euro/Caucasian) or subject testing (white male)
original/eyewitness sources of information are secondary to interpretative accounts
Additional readings and alternative sources
of information can assist you to
create a richer understanding
with additional information and perspective
interact or engage with facts, actors, circumstances
of the material
practice and familiarize
yourself with new subject vocabulary and concepts
process opposing, even conflicting,
points of view in order to assess, evaluate, defend
Conflicting information however can impede your learning,
unless you can
analyze it for commonalties
reorganize or synthesize
your model for understanding it
consider the impact of, and evaluate, conflicts
filter it with athe context presented in the basic text
Some Recommendations:
Read your text to provide the factual framework from which to begin
Proceed to shorter, more focused sources
of information expecially if you are inexpereinced in the subject
Practice with multiple texts to improve your evaluative skills:
compare and contrast your sources
analyze them for bias or viewpoint
note when and where they were written, and how that affects the viewpoint
Understand the connections
between events, actors, and circumstances rather than learn a series of "facts" which can be easily be forgotten
Use in-class or on-line discussion time
to test your understanding and ask questions!
Inspired and adapted from the study "What Happens When Students Read Multiple Source Documents in History?" Co-authors: Steven A. Stahl, Cynthia R. Hynd, Bruce K. Britton, Mary M. McNish (University of Georgia) and Dennis Bosquet (Clarke County School District) as found at http://curry.edschool.virginia.edu/go/clic/nrrc/hist_r45.html (May 11, 00).
Reading Difficult Material
"Difficulty is a severe instructor
Edmund Burke"
1729 - 97 Irish/British
Choose a moderate amount of material or a chapter
to begin
- Get a grasp of how the material is organized:
- Scan the section for titles, headings, sub-headings, and topic sentences to get its general idea; pay attention to graphs, charts, and diagrams
- If there is a summary at the end of a chapter, read it.
- Check the beginning and the end for leading questions and exercises
- Read first for what you do understand,
and to determine difficulty.
- Mark what you do not understand to review later
As you read, practice the "look-away method:"
- Periodically look away from the text and ask yourself a stimulus question relating to the text
- Phrase the question positively!
- Respond, or restate, in your own words
- Make connections and associations, but don't use this exercise to memorize--but rather understand
Look up words
- Look up words whose meanings are important to your understanding of the material, but you cannot discern from the context.
Read to the end
- Do not get discouraged and stop reading.
- Ideas can become clearer the more you read. When you finish reading, review to see what you have learned, and reread those ideas that are not clear.
Organize your notes by connecting ideas
- you choose into an outline or concept map. Pay attention to relationships between ideas.
- Do not confine yourself to words!
- Use representations, graphics, pictures, colors, even movement to visualize and connect ideas. Use whatever techniques work to help you understand
- At this point, if you do not understand your reading, do not panic! Set it aside, and read it again the next day.
- If necessary, repeat. This allows your brain to process the material, even while you sleep. This is referred to as distributed reading.
Re-read the section you have chosen with the framework (outline or concept map) you have constructed in mind
- Separate out what you do understand from what you do not.
If the reading is still a challenge,
-consult with either your teacher, academic counselors, or reading specialists. Good luck!
See also: College Reading and Study Skills by Nancy V. Wood, Holt Rinehart and Winston, Inc. 1991
Good Listening In Class
It is important for you to be a good listener in class. Much of what you will have to learn will be presented verbally by your teachers. Just hearing what your teachers say is not the same as listening to what they say. Listening is a cognitive act that requires you to pay attention and think about and mentally process what you hear.
Here are some things you should do to be a good listener in class.
-Be Cognitively Ready to Listen When You Come to Class.
Make sure you complete all assigned work and readings.
Review your notes from previous class sessions. Think
about what you know about the topic that will be covered
in class that day.
-Be Emotionally Ready to Listen When You Come to Class.
Your attitude is important. Make a conscious choice to find the topic useful and
interesting. Be committed to learning all that you can.
- Listen with a Purpose. Identify what you expect and hope
to learn from the class session. Listen for these things as
your teacher talks.
-Listen with an Open Mind. Be receptive to what your
teacher says. It is good to question what is said as long as
you remain open to points of view other than your own.
- Be Attentive. Focus on what your teacher is saying. Try
not to daydream and let your mind wander to other things.
It helps to sit in the front and center of the class, and to maintain eye contact with
your teacher.
- Be an Active Listener. You can think faster than your teacher can speak. Use this to
your advantage by evaluating what is being said and trying to anticipate what will be
said next. Take good written notes about what your teacher says. While you can
think faster than your teacher can speak, you cannot write faster than your teacher
can speak. Taking notes requires you to make decisions about what to write, and
you have to be an active listener to do this.
- Meet the Challenge. Don't give up and stop listening when you find the information
being presented difficult to understand. Listen even more carefully at these times
and work hard to understand what is being said. Don't be reluctant to ask questions.
Triumph Over the Environment. The classroom may too noisy, too hot, too cold, too
bright, or too dark. Don't give in to these inconveniences. Stay focused on the big
picture - LEARNING.
The SQ3R Reading Method
Survey! Question! Read! Recite! Review!
Before you read, Survey
the chapter:
the title, headings, and subheadings
captions under pictures, charts, graphs or maps
review questions or teacher-made study guides
introductory and concluding paragraphs
summary
Question
while you are surveying:
Turn the title, headings, and/or subheadings into questions;
Read questions at the end of the chapters or after each subheading;
Ask yourself, "What did my instructor say about this chapter or subject when it was assigned?"
Ask yourself, "What do I already know about this subject?"
Note: If it is helpful to you, write out these questions for consideration. This variation is called SQW3R
When you begin to
Read:
Look for answers to the questions you first raised;
Answer questions at the beginning or end of chapters or study guides
Reread captions under pictures, graphs, etc.
Note all the underlined, italicized, bold printed words or phrases
Study graphic aids
Reduce your speed for difficult passages
Stop and reread parts which are not clear
Read only a section at a time and recite after each section
Recite
after you've read a section:
Orally ask yourself questions about what you have just read and/or summarize, in your own words, what you read
Take notes from the text but write the information in your own words
Underline/highlight important points you've just read
Use the method of recitation which best suits your particular learning style but remember, the more senses you use the more likely you are to remember what you read - i.e.,
TRIPLE STRENGTH LEARNING: Seeing, saying, hearing-
QUADRUPLE STRENGTH LEARNING: Seeing , saying , hearing, writing!!!
Review:
an ongoing process.
Day One
After you have read and recited the entire chapter, write questions for those points you have highlighted/underlined in the margins. If your method of recitation included note-taking in the left hand margins of your notebook, write questions for the notes you have taken.
Day Two
Page through the text and/or your notebook to re-acquaint yourself with the important points. Cover the right hand column of your text/note-book and orally ask yourself the questions in the left hand margins. Orally recite or write the answers from memory. Make "flash cards" for those questions which give you difficulty. Develop mnemonic devices for material which need to be memorized.
Days Three, Four and Five
Alternate between your flash cards and notes and test yourself (orally or in writing) on the questions you formulated. Make additional flash cards if necessary.
Weekend
Using the text and notebook, make a Table of Contents - list all the topics and sub-topics you need to know from the chapter. From the Table of Contents, make a Study Sheet/ Spatial Map. Recite the information orally and in your own words as you put the Study Sheet/Map together.
Now that you have consolidated all the information you need for that chapter, periodically review the Sheet/Map so that at test time you will not have to cram.
Adapted from: Robinson, Francis Pleasant, (1961, 1970) Effective study (4th ed.), Harper & Row, New York, NY.
If you have difficulty paying attention to what is being said in the classroom:
Try to anticipate the main ideas of the coming lecture:
Look over your notes of the previous lecture and read the course material.
If you have questions about material from the previous class or text, ask the instructor before class about them
Prepare a few questions
you expect to be answered on new material if possible
Resist distractions
by sitting in front of the room away from disruptive classmates and by focusing on the instructor through active listening and note taking
Put yourself in the "mood" with
attentive expression and posture; do not sprawl
Shift position in your seat every so often
Don't sit frozen in one position
Shifting on occasion will help keep the blood circulating,
send more oxygen to your brain, and help you remain alert
When appropriate: ask a question, ask for more clarity,
or engage an instructor and the class in dialogue
Train yourself not to give in to distractions
The Spider Technique
Hold a vibrating tuning fork next to a spider web. The spider will react and come looking for what is vibrating the web. Do it several times and the spider "wises up" and knows there's no bug and doesn't come looking.
You can learn that. When someone enters the room, or when a door slams, do not allow yourself to participate. Rather, keep your concentration on what's in front of you.
Form a tunnel between you and the lecturer
Practice letting people move or cough without having to look at them - just let them "be out there" as you focus on what is being taught
When talking with someone, keep your attention on that person, look at his face, and note what is being said. Let the rest of the world just be "out there."
Use the "Be here now" technique to help you regain concentration when you do become distracted momentarily.
Adapted with permission from Help Yourself, University Counseling Services, Kansas State University
See also: J. R. Hayes, The Complete Problem Solver, Franklin Institute Press, 1981
Is your procrastination related to a project? or is it a habit?
To remedy procrastination:
Begin with one, modest project
Answer these basic questions
Keep the answers before you as you mark your progress:
What do you want to do?
What is the final objective, the end result?
It may be obvious, or not
What are the major steps to get there?
Don't get too detailed: think big
What have you done so far?
Acknowledge that you are already part of the way,
even if it is through thinking!
The longest journey begins with a first step
Why do you want to do this?
What is your biggest motivation?
Do not concern yourself if your motivation is negative!
This is honest and a good beginning.
However, if your motivation is negative,
re-phrase and re-work it until it is phrased positively
What other positive results will flow from achieving your goal?
Identifying these will help you uncover
benefits that you may be avoiding: Dare to dream!
List out what stands in your way
What is in your power to change?
What resources outside yourself do you need?
Resources are not all physical (i.e. tools and money),
and include time, people/professionals/elders, even attitude
What will happen if you don't progress?
It won't hurt to scare yourself a little...
Develop your plan, list
Major, realistic steps
A project is easier when it is built in stages;
Start small;
Add detail and complexity as you achieve and grow
How much time each will take
A schedule helps you keep a progress chart
and reinforce that there are way-stations on your path
What time of day, week, etc. you dedicate yourself
to work. This helps you
develop a new habit of working,
build a good work environment, and
distance distractions (It is much easier to enjoy your project when distractions are set aside.)
Rewards you will have at each station
and also what you will deny yourself until you arrive at each station
Build in time for review
Find a trusted friend, elder, or expert to help you
motivate yourself or monitor progress
Admit to:
False starts and mistakes as learning experiences
They can be more important than successes,
and give meaning to "experience"
Distractions and escapes
Do not deny they exist, but deny their temptation
Emotion
Admit to frustration when things don't seem to be going right
Admit that you have had a problem, but also that you are doing something about it
Fantasy
See yourself succeeding
Finally: if procrastination is a habit of yours, forget it.
Focus on the tasks and project at hand, and build from there!
Effective Study Tips
Good study skills are essential for academic success. Here are some tips for better studying - and learning - we hope you'll find useful.
Take notes imaginatively
Don't simply make a long list of keywords. It'll not help you to remember them, and the chances are you won't come back to them when you need to revise. Instead, use your imagination - draw arrows, pictorial representations, characters, signs, symbols. Use colour, pencil in relationships between key words and ideas. Underline major points. Use highlighting, or capital letters for emphasis. Use different sections of the page, draw and write vertically as well as horizontally. Make up tables or charts and graphs.
Listen carefully
Clearly this is important for good note taking. Prepare yourself mentally for a class or lecture by asking yourself: what is the main focus of this class/lecture? who were/are the major characters/ideas? where/when (in what context) are these ideas/people going to be placed? why this particular theme/topic/lecture title?
During the course of any given lecture or presentation, listen for content, not delivery. Try not to draw conclusions on the material too quickly. Jot down key names, numbers, dates, ideas, viewpoints etc. If you need listening practice, try tuning in to a radio presentation, perhaps a debate or a play, and make notes for 30-45 minutes. Do this with a friend, and then compare notes.
Study in groups
Whether you're studying in a class, or at a distance, it's often a good idea to try to learn with a friend or family member, who can give encouragement, motivation and support throughout the course. If you haven't already, consider finding a study partner. That way, you will have someone to talk things over with, ask for direction on assignments or homework, or just swap notes and perspectives.
Help other students (this is an old trick), the effort of finding a way to explain something to a fellow student will both fix the information in your own head and more importantly you'll actually start to fully understand it yourself (you thought you did already)
Keep study periods short and focused
Study and read notes for no longer than 20-30 minutes at a time. Otherwise you will start to forget what you've been reading! Instead, keep your study periods short and frequent, rather than long and few. Your attention span will improve, as will your concentration and memory. Make sure you have regular (timed) breaks between periods. These will help you to remain focused when you return to your books.
Review regularly
Make sure you check over your notes and books on a regular basis. Build a review procedure into your normal learning routine. Instead of reading 4-5 pages in one go, try 2-3 pages, then review those pages for better understanding and recall. Exercises are a good way of reviewing what you have learned. If your textbook provides exercises, do them - and don't be afraid to read back if you need to clarify a point or re-read anything.
Manage your time
Ensure that you are spending a minimum amount of time each day or week on your studies. Else, you'll find your learning beginning to slip. Draw up a schedule, and stick to it. If necessary, ask friends or family members to remind you if you forget your study period! Try to designate a block of time each day, say 4pm (16:00), and make that your 'learning hour'. Do not let anything short of an emergency get in the way of your study time. Remember: TV programmes can be videoed!
Eat/sleep well
Taking good care of your body will help keep your mind sharp, creative and alert. Eat regularly, and emphasize wholegrains, fish, fresh fruit and vegetables, nuts and seeds, milk, chicken etc. in your regular diet. Avoid too much caffeine, sugar or processed food. If possible, avoid dieting. Sleep at regular times each evening. Try not to have too many late nights. Keep your bedroom tidy and at a comfortable room temperature. If you have regular sleep problems, consult your doctor. Plenty of good rest is essential.
Ask questions
Don't be afraid to ask your teacher/tutor questions. This does not show that you haven't been listening or are stupid. It just means you're sufficiently interested that you would like to clarify a particular point, or get more detail, or need further explanation. Questions can also be useful for re-phrasing something that you have heard, read or been told.
Don't be afraid to make mistakes
Learning often involves a certain amount of trial-and-error, so don't be afraid to try out ideas. Mistakes can be great learning tools, and often tell us much more than correct textbook answers do. The important thing, is not to get disheartened if you make a mistake. Instead, make sure you understand *what* the mistake exactly was, and *why* you made it. If necessary, ask your teacher for guidance. It is often helpful to contrast your mistakes with the right answer/solution.
Practise!
Practice makes perfect. Certainly, it's a good idea to allot an amount of time each week to practise what you have learned so far. This will help move the information from your short to long-term memory. It will also help build confidence and fluency. Practice can be especially helpful in test/exam preparation.
Arrive Early for Lectures
Teachers and Lecturers often chat freely with the early-birds who they know are the easier-to-get-on-with students and let slip clues about what might appear on an exam paper. Also you get time to gather your thoughts, sort out a few papers etc. (you ALWAYS lose out when you arrive late in life)
Beware of a fatal study trap!
It's not good enough to just read and re-read your notes, you will not be aware of what you are not absorbing. You must push your book away periodically and do "bare paper" exercises (ie exam conditions) you will find that you may be prevented from answering a question you otherwise know very well because you cannot remember one small item or step. Only the blank-paper test will reveal this!!
Studying off the Subject
Don't yield to the temptation to stray off the subject when studying, it will seem more interesting, soory you must stay on track
Effective Study Tips
Good study skills are essential for academic success. Here are some tips for better studying - and learning - we hope you'll find useful.
Take notes imaginatively
Don't simply make a long list of keywords. It'll not help you to remember them, and the chances are you won't come back to them when you need to revise. Instead, use your imagination - draw arrows, pictorial representations, characters, signs, symbols. Use colour, pencil in relationships between key words and ideas. Underline major points. Use highlighting, or capital letters for emphasis. Use different sections of the page, draw and write vertically as well as horizontally. Make up tables or charts and graphs.
Listen carefully
Clearly this is important for good note taking. Prepare yourself mentally for a class or lecture by asking yourself: what is the main focus of this class/lecture? who were/are the major characters/ideas? where/when (in what context) are these ideas/people going to be placed? why this particular theme/topic/lecture title?
During the course of any given lecture or presentation, listen for content, not delivery. Try not to draw conclusions on the material too quickly. Jot down key names, numbers, dates, ideas, viewpoints etc. If you need listening practice, try tuning in to a radio presentation, perhaps a debate or a play, and make notes for 30-45 minutes. Do this with a friend, and then compare notes.
Study in groups
Whether you're studying in a class, or at a distance, it's often a good idea to try to learn with a friend or family member, who can give encouragement, motivation and support throughout the course. If you haven't already, consider finding a study partner. That way, you will have someone to talk things over with, ask for direction on assignments or homework, or just swap notes and perspectives.
Help other students (this is an old trick), the effort of finding a way to explain something to a fellow student will both fix the information in your own head and more importantly you'll actually start to fully understand it yourself (you thought you did already)
Keep study periods short and focused
Study and read notes for no longer than 20-30 minutes at a time. Otherwise you will start to forget what you've been reading! Instead, keep your study periods short and frequent, rather than long and few. Your attention span will improve, as will your concentration and memory. Make sure you have regular (timed) breaks between periods. These will help you to remain focused when you return to your books.
Review regularly
Make sure you check over your notes and books on a regular basis. Build a review procedure into your normal learning routine. Instead of reading 4-5 pages in one go, try 2-3 pages, then review those pages for better understanding and recall. Exercises are a good way of reviewing what you have learned. If your textbook provides exercises, do them - and don't be afraid to read back if you need to clarify a point or re-read anything.
Manage your time
Ensure that you are spending a minimum amount of time each day or week on your studies. Else, you'll find your learning beginning to slip. Draw up a schedule, and stick to it. If necessary, ask friends or family members to remind you if you forget your study period! Try to designate a block of time each day, say 4pm (16:00), and make that your 'learning hour'. Do not let anything short of an emergency get in the way of your study time. Remember: TV programmes can be videoed!
Eat/sleep well
Taking good care of your body will help keep your mind sharp, creative and alert. Eat regularly, and emphasize wholegrains, fish, fresh fruit and vegetables, nuts and seeds, milk, chicken etc. in your regular diet. Avoid too much caffeine, sugar or processed food. If possible, avoid dieting. Sleep at regular times each evening. Try not to have too many late nights. Keep your bedroom tidy and at a comfortable room temperature. If you have regular sleep problems, consult your doctor. Plenty of good rest is essential.
Ask questions
Don't be afraid to ask your teacher/tutor questions. This does not show that you haven't been listening or are stupid. It just means you're sufficiently interested that you would like to clarify a particular point, or get more detail, or need further explanation. Questions can also be useful for re-phrasing something that you have heard, read or been told.
Don't be afraid to make mistakes
Learning often involves a certain amount of trial-and-error, so don't be afraid to try out ideas. Mistakes can be great learning tools, and often tell us much more than correct textbook answers do. The important thing, is not to get disheartened if you make a mistake. Instead, make sure you understand *what* the mistake exactly was, and *why* you made it. If necessary, ask your teacher for guidance. It is often helpful to contrast your mistakes with the right answer/solution.
Practise!
Practice makes perfect. Certainly, it's a good idea to allot an amount of time each week to practise what you have learned so far. This will help move the information from your short to long-term memory. It will also help build confidence and fluency. Practice can be especially helpful in test/exam preparation.
Arrive Early for Lectures
Teachers and Lecturers often chat freely with the early-birds who they know are the easier-to-get-on-with students and let slip clues about what might appear on an exam paper. Also you get time to gather your thoughts, sort out a few papers etc. (you ALWAYS lose out when you arrive late in life)
Beware of a fatal study trap!
It's not good enough to just read and re-read your notes, you will not be aware of what you are not absorbing. You must push your book away periodically and do "bare paper" exercises (ie exam conditions) you will find that you may be prevented from answering a question you otherwise know very well because you cannot remember one small item or step. Only the blank-paper test will reveal this!!
Studying off the Subject
Don't yield to the temptation to stray off the subject when studying, it will seem more interesting, soory you must stay on track
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TTH, version 3.61.On 29 Jul 2005, 18:58.
No one is a Dummy
times, we might experience some difficulties with our studies. Some of us had problems during our childhood days. Our classmates or even teachers might have made fun of us.
But to be sincere, no one is born dull. During my early high school days. We were fond of classifying students according to thier positions and level of class participation. I soon discovered, as i grew older that no one is really dull. Everyone is born brilliant. It's how you make use of yours that matters. I observed this when some of the brilliant students in junior high school became so unserious and failed when they were in senior high. I also saw students who were average or a little above average performing brilliantly in senior high and even in college.
The main point here is that no one is a dummy. It all depends on your interest and commitment to succeed. If you've always been trying and failing, don't lose hope, you can be the best. All it takes is persistence, commitment and determination. If you're succeeding, don't get carried away. Think of how you can improve and creatively apply what you learn. Also remember that you are what you teach. Share your knowledge with others. Take care and staying positive always. Till next time
