Most academic courses are designed for teaching in a lecture, discussion, and/or laboratory setting that is supported by one or more textbooks. The lecture is designed to transfer information to supplement or summarize what is already in the adopted textbook. Discussion sessions typically provide opportunities for student questions and dialog related to lectures. Laboratory activities are usually designed to involve students in some hands-on work which reinforces the lecture. To get the most out of this kind of experience, some advanced preparation is necessary. Before class, students should review the subject material to be covered that had been scheduled. Knowing what to expect when you show up of each class is no doubt itemized on some kind of course outline. This preview is helpful for quality note keeping and for appropriate assignment and test preparation. Of course, an alternative for note keeping is to tape-record the entire instructional presentation. But, if you expect that your –in-person class effort will be so below par that recording the instruction may be necessary, there seems to be no reason to suppose that any later listening effort will be much better. Forget the recorder. Just get prepared before class so that you can do your best in class.

Textbook work should always begin with a quick review of the assignment pages, an overview of what is being expected of you. Look over the entire assignment. Get a feeling for what the challenge will be. Read the titles and subtitles. Examine the figures. Check through the author aids, whatever they may be: objectives, summary questions, glossary words, and so on. You should remember that the mission is to study rather than just read the text. Got it? Study. Do not just read the text. That means search for meaning as you strive for the understanding that the author wants you to achieve.

Now, the textbook you purchased is a commodity to be used as a tool in learning. No doubt for some once good reasons we have come to detest the mistreatment of books. Among the often-heard cautions are: “Don’t dog-ear the pages,” “Don’t crack the binding,” and “Don’t write in the margins.” However, we do seem to accept or at least tolerate the disfigurement that results from the generous use of a highlighter where quite often the pages of a book are changed from white to fluorescent yellow or pink.

Highlighting or underlining are worthwhile techniques for textbook analysis and study but these methods should be used selectively for key words or statements not printed with boldface type. You may be best served by using the margins of the text and space around figures to write notes that will aide you in understanding; to write statements that summarize ideas; to write comments recalled from classroom instruction; or to write cross reference remarks, personal reactions, and other reminders that have special value to you. Textbook figures are of great value and should be studied with intensity. Tease out the meaning they contain. Typically, we think of figures as supplements for text material. Quite the contrary is true. If you have done a thorough job of study the figures, you could probably write the text material. Especially with science textbooks, think of figures as the backbone around which the text is written. Detailed analysis of figures is basic to good study.

Quality note keeping is essential for academic success. But, it is an individual matter, so there is not best way. Have confidence. Your style of note keeping is adequate. The critical factor for good note keeping is that you listen intently for the presenter’s main ideas. Conceivably, in the course of one hour, only a few major points can be made. The rest of the time will be used in providing support for these major points. Remember, it is upon these points that you will build your note keeping structure. And, at least in introductory level courses, you can feel reasonably sure that the information being presented to you is recorded somewhere in more detail. So, if you do not get everything in your notes, you most likely will be able to fill in details as needed.

If you are prepared for each instructional session, you can be selective about what you decide to note. Pauses will occur in every presentation. At these times, quickly jot down the main idea and your summary thoughts. Abbreviations are time saving. You can practice your note keeping skills by taking notes of a radio or television talk show. Several hours of practice may be needed. Be patient with yourself.

Copying information that is written on the chalkboard or marker board is worthwhile. You can assume that the information is of value when instructional time is taken to bring it to your attention. If you professor lectures while using transparency projections or power point presentations that are outlines or figures corresponding to his notes, chances are good that the outlines or figures are taken from the textbook or other comparable reference. Jot down a description or make a rough sketch of the figures. Most of all, focus on getting the message. Listen for the main ideas. You might even consider asking your professor for a list of her/his course references so that you also may refer to them.

Try to avoid word for word writing of what the speaker says. In a short time, your mind will begin listening to the words and not the ideas. Then, the best that you can expect is an incomplete transcript of the instructional presentation. In other words, you will have gotten many or most of the words but missed the ideas. If on the other hand, you listen intently for the main ideas, you will come away with more than words. Note that points of emphasis in any presentation are usually cued by voice inflections and/or gestures. At those times, concentrate you attention on what is being said. You will likely come away with the intended message. Now, a standard note keeping procedure should be post lecture self-debriefing when you sort through all of your notes adding whatever thoughts come to mind. Do this as soon as possible after the lecture. Use your textbook or references as needed. Be thorough and be complete.

One activity you should avoid is the rewriting of notes. Some students believe this helps them remember and is thus an effective study technique. Maybe so. But, for many students, note copying is an activity trap. Making a neat set of notes is not where the action should be. Time is precious and can be better used for study.

Outlining is another study technique that has uncertain value. Outlines do provide a single page overview that is helpful in developing the needed organizational base for study. Students using outlines, usually begin their study effort well enough by developing the outline as they thoroughly study both textbook and classroom notes. But, so often as the students study, they unfortunately tend to heavily rely upon their outline and forget about their textbook and notes. Remember, the outline is only an overview. Use it to get the big picture. The detailed information you need for good test scores is in the textbook and notes. Use these for study.

Now, many teachers claim that they learned more during their first year of teaching than at any other time. Possibly this is true because of the first time in their academic career, their skills and abilities were on display. This idea is worth your consideration. Perhaps when you study, you should prepare as if you were going to teach the material in a classroom setting. Imagine the detailed preparation that would be required. Realize that you would have to explain the fine points of each figure or diagram and that at any moment you could be called upon to answer any one of a number of questions. Surely, you could do it. So, why not try. You might discover how truly capable you are. Study as you wee preparing to teach.

Test taking is what it is all about and for what it is worth, test results say something about you worth. What more incentive do you need for doing your best? Give it your best study effort and keep a positive attitude as you look forward to every test. Keep you thoughts upbeat about how you will perform. Most of all, do not panic. Be confident that you will answer questions correctly. Believe that you performance will be excellent and repeatedly tell yourself that you will do well. This positive self-suggestion will keep you in the proper frame of mind when you do take a test.

If you feel yourself losing control while taking a test, take a mental break. For a few minutes, just close your eyes. Recall your message of self-suggestion. Try to relax but do not lose you intensity and mentally fall asleep. Suppress any excess anxiety by believing in your ability. When you begin to feel better, go on and give it your best shot.

Now, always work with the test. Of course, some questions may be very difficult but keep your positive edge. Tell yourself that you will succeed and understand that the person who wrote the test was not trying to be deceptive. Each question was designed to get you to demonstrate you knowledge. So, try to demonstrate you ability. See the test as an opportunity to do just that.

As you begin each question, say to yourself, “This question is trying to get me to show what and how much I know.” Then carefully examine the question. If the questions are multiple choice, your response is limited by the available choices. Maybe what you consider to be the best choice is not among those from which to select. Do not fight it. Eliminate the choices that appear to be clearly incorrect. Then for each remaining choice recall what you know and ask yourself how that relates to the question. Make your best selection and go on.

In the midst of taking a test never pick on yourself for not having studies as well as you might have. You have no time to be judgmental or critical of yourself. Keep your faultfinding and hindering mind quiet so that you can let the rest of your mind do its best.

Most teachers recommend that you never change answers once you have made a commitment. They say “go with your first impression.” You should probably check yourself to see if this advice works for you. Keep a record of the number of times you changed answers either correctly or incorrectly. Obviously, if you tend to change from correct to incorrect, stop changing answers. If the opposite is true, go with your second thoughts. What is important is that you are consistent. Either never change answers or be confident about making a better second choice.

The routine of responding to question after question may result in a touch of boredom. Consequently, we lose our mental sharpness. You can prevent this by deliberately altering the test taking routine. For example, rather than consecutively answering each question in its numerical order, change the sequence. Select questions at random. Or, read the choices of multiple-choice questions before you read the question stem. Often when we read the question stem first, we unconsciously develop a mindset that may keep us from selecting the best choice.

Remember, when you take a test, be positive. Believe that the test was written with positive intentions, and realize that from time to time you must shift gears to maintain a high performance mental profile. You can do it if you try.

Creation date : 14/11/2005 @ 18:23
Last update : 14/11/2005 @ 18:24
Category : Study Tips
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