Study Strategies Used By Successful Students

Transcription

1 Study Strategies Used By Successful Students Test performance not only reflects how much one studied in the hours and days right before the test but also how well the person has been studying throughout the semester.

2 Assessing Your Study Skills Each student should ask themselves the following questions to assess how well they are already doing with their study skills. On the average, how many hours per week is it recommended that you study for each hour you spend in class? A. 1 hour B. 2 hours C. 3 hours D. 4 hours

3 Assessing Your Study Skills There is no right answer to this question. It is recommended that you spend 2 to 3 hours outside of class for every hour you spend in class. This includes reading the textbook, doing homework, reviewing notes, and studying for tests and quizzes. Some classes will be more difficult than others and some will be less difficult.

4 Assessing Your Study Skills QUIZ What strategy do you use for taking notes in your classes? A. Write everything the professor says B. Write notes in an outline form C. Write notes in a modified outline form D. Copy everything appearing on overheads

5 Assessing Your Study Skills QUIZ ANSWER It is not possible to write everything the professor says because we speak at the rate of words per minute and can write only about 25 words per minute. While it may be useful to copy everything on overheads, those are probably only the main ideas and additional information will be needed as one studies for the test.

6 Assessing Your Study Skills QUIZ When do you start studying for your tests? A. The first day of class or the first day after a test. B. Two weeks before a test C. A week before a test D. Two days before a test E. The night before a test

7 Assessing Your Study Skills Quiz Answer Everything you do from the first day of class or the first day after a test is helping you prepare for the next test. All of the following contribute to how you perform on a test. class attendance note taking reviewing note completing homework reviewing notes and assignments reading the textbook

8 Study Strategies Used By Successful Students Connect class work to long-range goals Some students love to learn for the sake of learning. Other students need to believe that what they are doing in class has a purpose to the future. Try to apply what you learn in class to practical situations or your daily life.

9 Study Strategies Used By Successful Students Become active and involved in learning. Make learning an active process, not passive. Process what you are hearing or reading. Put it into your own words to make the material more meaningful to you.

10 Study Strategies Used By Successful Students Identify preferred learning style. It is important to try to identify your preferred learning style and use that as much as possible in your study process. YOUR preferred learning style is the way in which YOU learn best.

11 Study Strategies Used By Successful Students Three learning styles that are often identified in students are listed below. Learning Styles Visual Auditory Kinesthetic and tactile (learn best by seeing) (learn best by hearing) (hands on learning)

12 Study Strategies Used By Successful Students Are you an Auditory Learner? Auditory Learners learn best when information is presented in a auditory language format. Do you seem to learn best in classes that emphasize teacher and class discussion? lectures Does listening to audio tapes help you learn better? Do you find yourself reading aloud or talking things out to gain better understanding?

13 Study Strategies Used By Successful Students Are you a Visual Learner? Visual Learners learn best when information is presented in a written language format or in another visual format such as pictures or diagrams. Do you do best in classes in which teachers do a lot of writing at the chalkboard, provide clear handouts, and make extensive use of an overhead projector? Do you try to remember information by creating pictures in your mind? Do you take detailed written notes from you textbooks and in class?

14 Study Strategies Used By Successful Students Are you a Kinesthetic Learner? Kinesthetic Learners learn best in hands-on learning settings in which they can physically manipulate something in order to learn about it. Do you learn best when you can move about and handle things? Do you do well in classes in which there is a lab component? Do you learn better when you have an actual object in your hands rather than a picture of the object or a verbal or written description of it?

15 Study Strategies Used By Successful Students Practice patience with the learning process and your progress. Learning takes time. Each student must learn how long it takes them to learn material. Allow adequate time for this learning.

16 Study Strategies Used By Successful Students Use multiple methods for learning. We learn through repetition; however, that does not mean that we need to study only in one way. Variety of study strategies: Reviewing notes Making flashcards Completing homework problems Outlining chapters in the textbook Studying in groups The methods used will vary depending on the class.

17 Study Strategies Used By Successful Students Think about what is learned from the big picture perspective. It is important to learn not only the facts but to understand how these facts fit into the bigger picture. How do the facts you are learning apply to the chapter you are reading and the subject your are studying?

18 What Can Be Done About Listening? (handouts - 2) The business of becoming a good listener primarily consists of getting rid of bad listening habits and replacing them with their counterpart skills. Let s take a look at Ten Bad Listening Habits and how they affect our learning.

19 Taking Notes in Class Hearing something once is not enough to really learn it. Notes help to capture information for later study and review. Notes also helps you to focus and learn during class time.

20 Taking Notes in Class Sit close to the front of the class to minimize distractions. Be prepared to keep your notes neat and organized. Use a separate notebook for each subject or use dividers in a looseleaf notebook. Begin each note taking session at the top of a fresh page. Start by writing down the date.

21 Taking Notes in Class Do not try to write down everything the teacher says. Try to record as many facts and ideas as you can. Mark important facts with an asterisk (*) Use short sentences and phrases and easily remembered abbreviations and symbols. Write clearly and leave lots of blank space in the left margin to add information later. Read over your notes as soon as you can after class. If there is anything you don t understand, ask the teacher at the next class.

22 Taking Notes in Class Two-Column Note-Taking Method Draw a line down a sheet of paper 1/3 of the page on the left. 2/3 of the page on the right. Left margin to be used to add information later.

23 The Forgetting Curve (Red dot) amount you are likely to recall if you do review. (Yellow dot) amount you are likely to recall if you do NOT review.

24 The Forgetting Curve Reviewing notes after class each day, or at least before you go to bed, will help recall. At the end of 9 weeks, those who reviewed their notes within a day recalled about 75% of the information. Those who did not review their notes were unable to recall even 50% of the information after one day and only a little more than 20 % after 9 weeks.

25 Reviewing Notes We learn through repetition. When you review your notes, you may want to add additional information you recall from class or add questions in the margins to help you study the material later. You may also find that you don t understand some of the things you wrote so you may want to ask the instructor or a friend in the class to get clarification.

26 SQ3R A Reading Study System SURVEY S QUESTION Q READ R RECITE R 3R REVIEW R

27 SQ3R - SURVEY Read the chapter title, introduction, learning objectives, summary and end of chapter questions. Also review bold face headings and subheadings, graphics, and italics throughout the chapter. This will provide an overview of the chapter and create a mental framework for understanding the chapter more thoroughly as your read.

28 SQ3R - QUESTION Prior to reading each section, turn each heading into one or more questions. It will be helpful if you write your questions down so you can refer to them as you move through this process. This step helps one s mind engage and concentrate and creates and active learning environment.

29 R1 = READ Read, Recite, Review 1. Read only one section at a time, looking for the answers to the questions you first raised. 2. This is active reading and requires concentration. 3. Reread captions under pictures, graphs, etc. 4. Note all the underlined, italicized, bold printed words or phrases. 5. Stop and reread parts which are not clear.

30 Read, Recite, Review R2 = RECITE 1. Answer the questions in your own words. 2. Write the answers using only key words, listings, etc. 3. Take notes from the text, but write the information in your own words. 4. Underline or highlight important points you have just read.

31 R3 = REVIEW Read, Recite, Review After you have read and recited the entire chapter, write questions in the margins for those points you have highlighted or underlined. Make Flash Cards for those questions which give you difficulty. Alternate between your flash cards and notes and test yourself (orally or written) on the questions you formulated.

32 Applying SQ3R (Handouts 2) Take about 5 minutes to survey the textbook chapter on money. (handout 1) Form one or more questions for each heading. Write the answer to each question (in your own words) on the Question-Answer form. (handout 2) The first two questions and answers are provided for you.

33 Ten Traps of Studying 1. I don t know where to begin. Make a list of all the things you have to do. Break your workload down into manageable chunks. Prioritize! Don t skip classes near an exam. Use the hour in-between classes to review notes. Begin studying early.

34 Ten Traps of Studying 2. I ve got so much to study... And so little time. Survey your syllabus, reading material and notes. Identify the most important topics emphasized and areas still not understood.

35 Ten Traps of Studying 3. This stuff is so dry, I can t even stay awake reading it. Attack! Get actively involved in the text as you read it. Take notes or underline key concepts. Discuss the material with others in your class. Study together.

36 Ten Traps of Studying 4. I read it. I understand it, but I just can t get it to sink in. Elaborate. We remember best the things that are most meaningful to us. Try to integrate what you are studying with what you already know. Link it to something that s already meaningful to you.

37 Ten Traps of Studying 5. I guess I understand it. Test yourself. Make up questions about key sections in notes or reading. Keep in mind what the professor has stressed in the course.

38 Ten Traps of Studying 6. There s too much to remember. Organize. Write chapter outlines or summaries. Group information into categories when possible. Information Mapping. Draw up a matrix to organize and interrelate material.

39 Ten Traps of Studying 7. I knew it a minute ago. Review. Re-read portions you had trouble remembering. You can t over study. How you organize and integrate new information is still more important than how much time you spend studying.

40 Ten Traps of Studying 8. But I like to study in bed. Recall is better when study context is similar to the test context. The greater the similarity between the study setting and the test setting, the greater the likelihood that material studied will be recalled during the test.

41 Ten Traps of Studying 9. Cramming before a test helps keep it fresh in my mind. Spacing. Start studying now. Keep studying as you go along. Begin with an hour or two a day about one week before the exam. Increase study time as the exam approaches. Recall increases as study time gets spread out over time.

42 Ten Traps of Studying 10. I m gonna stay up all night til I get this. Avoid mental exhaustion. Take short breaks often when studying. Before a test, have a rested mind. Relax and unwind, mentally and physically. Eat well, sleep, and get enough exercise.