strats for college succ

8/11/2019 Strats for College Succ

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Strategies for College Success

University Learning Center

University of Arizona


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Introduction

The purpose of this course is to expose you tovarious strategies and techniques that will enableyou to become a successful student in the

postsecondary environment


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Course Contents

Section 1: Self-assessment and Self-

management

Steps in Successful Goal Setting and

Achievement Learning Styles

Anxiety/Stress Management


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Course Contents

Section 2: Study Skills Development Time Management

Memory Techniques

Methods of Reading College Textbooks Note Taking Strategies

Exam Preparation Tips

Test Taking Strategies Internet Resources


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Section 1:Self-assessment

and Self-management


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Lesson 1: Goal Setting and

Achievement

What well be covering:

characteristics of goals

how to break down goals where goal setting can go wrong


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Goals should be...

Realistic

The goals of winning a marathon after two weeksof training is an unrealistic goal. Use what youve

accomplished in the past to set a reasonable goalfor the future.


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Goals should be...

Self-chosen

You are much more likely to achieve a goal thatyou set for yourself than one that has been set foryou


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Goals should be...

Moderately difficult

A goal that is too hard or too easy will decreaseyour motivation and wont show you what youre

really capable of accomplishing

Use what youve accomplished in the past as a

guide


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Goals should be...

Specific

For example, getting an A in Math and a B in

Geography is a lot more specific than just sayingthat you would like to get good grades thissemester


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Goals should be...

Measurable

Youre more likely to give up if you cant see any

progress toward your goal

For example, getting an A on your midterm is

measurable progress toward getting an A in the

class.


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Goals should be...

Positive

Say what you do want to accomplish instead ofwhat you dont want to do.

For example, try I will attend all classes,

instead of I wont skip any classes.


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Goals should be...

Flexible

If it looks like you cant reach your original goal,

be flexible and redraw your plan


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Goals should be...

Associated with a deadline

When do you plan on accomplishing this goal, ina month, day, or year?


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Goals should be...

Written down

It will serve as a better reminder to keep youmotivated


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Where goal setting can go wrong

When goal setting is disorganized

For example, keep personal and academic goalsseparate


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When goals are unrealistic

For example, becoming a company CEOimmediately after graduation is an unrealisticgoal


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When you set goals that are beyond your

control

For example, winning the lottery is definitelybeyond your control


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When goals are vague

For example, becoming successful or becoming

a better student are not clear goals to work

toward.


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When you set too many goals

For example, at any one time you should focus onachieving only three or four goals


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How to break down and achieve

goals

see example


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Summary

Goals with certain characteristics will enable youto be more successful in goal setting andachievement.

Breaking down large goals into parts will helpyou to see what steps you will need to completeon the way to accomplishing your goal


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Homework assignment: Apply what

youve learned

set an academic or personal goal

select one personal or academic long-term goaland break it down to the steps you will need toachieve in the next year, next 6 months, nextmonth, next week, and tomorrow


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Lesson 2: Learning Styles


What is a learning style?

How you develop a learning style? Whats your learning style?

How information on your learning style can helpto improve your learning


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What is a learning style?

an individuals characteristic and preferred way of

gathering, interpreting, organizing and thinkingabout information. Your style includes the type of

environments you like to learn in, yourpreferences for working with others, and the wayyou perceive information.

no single style of learning has been shown to bebetter than any other


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How do you develop a learning

style?

learning styles develop over time as a result of anindividuals inherent preferences and experience

with his/her environment

they can and do change over time


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How can information about learning

styles improve your learning?

You may be more satisfied and more productive ifyou are studying with methods compatible withyour style. Right now you may be studying with

methods incompatible with your style and notknow it.

You can experiment with building up less-

preferred styles so that you can be equallycomfortable with different tasks and in differentlearning environments.


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In class assignment: Whats your

learning style?

Complete the learning style assessment

View Suggestions for Studying and Learningbased on learning style


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Summary

Your learning style influences the way that youperceive and process information. By knowingyour learning style, you can employ methods and

strategies to make studying and learning moreproductive. Without this information, you maymake studying and learning more difficult foryourself without even realizing it.


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What is stress?

Stress is the way that you react physically,mentally and emotionally to various conditions,changes and demands in your life.

Many students experience varying levels of stresseach semester.

High levels of stress can affect your physical and

mental well-being and academic performance.


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Symptoms of stress

headaches

nervous stomach

change in appetite

rapid breathing

rapid heart rate

sweaty palms

irritability anxiety

fatigue

insomnia

dissatisfaction

anger

depression

inability to

concentrate


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In-Class Assignment: Reflect on a

stressful situation

Write a brief description of a recent situation thatcaused you stress. Summarize your mental,emotional and physical states at the time.


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What causes stress?

Anxiety: uneasiness and distress about futureuncertainties


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What causes stress?

Changes in lifes expectations or demands

Ex. Marriage, divorce, pregnancy, illness, bills,increasing demands of a university course load


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What causes stress?

Disorganization: feeling unprepared andpowerless


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What causes stress?

Time constraints: multiple projects and deadlines


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Strategies to reduce stress

Take control- manage your time instead ofletting it manage you. Use a to-do list, follow awritten plan, set goals and follow through.

Procrastination is a major cause of stress. Make arealistic list of things you need to do each day.Start doing the most important things first. Thatway, even if you dont finish the list, you get the

most important things done.


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Take a break

Sometimes it is better to get away from thesituation for a short time- take a brisk walk, focus

on pleasant thoughts. Then, go back to the taskfeeling refreshed and ready to go tackle whateverit is you have to do.


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Work on your attitude

Put things into perspective- try not to takeyourself so seriously.

Think positive- If you think you will fail, orthink you will succeed, you are probably right.

--Henry Ford


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Get help

See your instructor, go to tutoring, andparticipate in study groups. See how to form a

study group.

Keep in touch with friends and family, anddevelop a support group.


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Physical stress busters

eat right, exercise regularly and get plenty of rest


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Practice, practice, practice

Build your confidence- do extra math problems,practice test-taking at home, rehearse your

speech a couple of times before the presentation


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In-class assignment: Self-reflection

Go back to the stressful incident that youdescribed in the first part of the lesson and listsome strategies for dealing with the situation,

and some things you could have done to preventit from being stressful. Also list some ways youcan avoid a reoccurrence of such a situation in thefuture.


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Strategies for dealing with stress

no one can avoid stress all the time. In a stressfulsituation, try these tips to help you overcome theeffects of stress.


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Talk to someone

Find someone you trust, discuss the problems andlook for solutions


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Put it in perspective

Chances are, this is only one small part of the restof your life


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Visualize

Sit comfortably and think of a favorite place.Imagine yourself in a successful situation.


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Breathe

Sit quietly, and breathe deeply and slowly.Continue for five or six breaths. It is calming and

the extra dose of oxygen increases the brainsthinking ability.


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Its all in your head... and shoulders

Roll your head loosely in a wide circle. Repeatfive times. Tighten right shoulder and raise it as

far up as possible and hold, then relax slowly.Repeat with left shoulder. Repeat with bothshoulders.


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Go on a diet

Eating light and avoiding sugars can help withperformance and lessen stress. In a stressful

situation like an exam, have a light meal ofmostly protein. Remember, a heavy highcarbohydrate meal can put you to sleep.


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Lighten up

Take responsibility for your feelings. When youget angry, take a break and cool down before you

act.


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Summary

Stress is mental, emotional and physical tension,strain, and/or distress

The signs of stress are classic. You may get aheadache, stiff neck, backache, become irritable,

lose your temper, and you may feel exhausted andfind it hard to concentrate.

When these symptoms appear, recognize them as

signs of stress and find a way to deal with them.Just knowing why youre feeling the way that youare may be the first step in coping with theproblem.

k l h


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youve learned

Write about a situation where you wouldnormally experience a high level of stress, (i.e.taking a test, giving a presentation, etc). Is the

stress a bad thing? Can is be used to increaseyour performance? How would you do this?What coping strategies can you use to help youdeal with the situation?


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Section 2:

Study skills development


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Lesson 4:Time Management


advantages to good time management

assess your time management skills

create your ultimate schedule

making to-do lists


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Time Management

Why is time management important?

one of the most important skills for beginningcollege students

being able to accomplish your goals depends, inpart, on your ability to make the most efficientuse of the time that you have

good time management skills can actually saveyou time

I l i A


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In class assignment: Assess your

time management skills

Complete the Are You Using Your Time Wiselyassessment

What areas of time management are you strong

in?

What areas could you improve?


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Time Management Tips

Monitor your time

If you feel like you dont have enough time, spend

a few days monitoring your time to see exactly

how it is spent

download Where Does the Time Go?


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Steps to making to-do lists

Write a list of activities that you want or need toaccomplish today

Remember to prioritize and list the most

important tasks first

Check to see if there are any activities that youcan accomplish at the same time


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Steps to making to-do lists (cont.)

Write down how long you anticipate it will takeyou to get the task done

Write down when you will start each activity

M ki t d li t K


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Making to-do lists: Know your

options

Do it now- the most important things withapproaching deadlines need to be done first

Schedule it- you can break up large tasks into

smaller parts and schedule each part Ask someone else to do it- in a study group or

team, each person can be responsible for a portion

of the project Trade tasks- for example, you run the errands

while your roommate cleans the apartment

I l i t P ti


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In class assignment: Practice

making a to-do list

view a sample to-do list

think of the things that you would like toaccomplish for tomorrow

use the steps we discussed as a guide in creatingyour list


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Use a planner

a planner can be an effective and easy way to help youorganize your time

look at a number of different kinds of planners beforeyou select one- some will help you more than others

choose one that is easy to carry with you

commit to checking/updating it daily

try to include your daily to-do list in your planner


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Make a long-term calendar

I l i t M k l


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In class assignment: Make a long-

term calendar

Download the Semester-on-a-Page

write in important dates like exams and due dates

post it where you can see it, like by the phone or on the

refrigerator


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Try to be flexible

Dont overload yourself. Always leave some free-time for some last-minute additions


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Avoid marathon study sessions

a couple of hours each day will help you to remembermore than eight hours at once

taking the time to schedule study time will help you toavoid procrastination and reduce stress

remember to schedule study time over 5-7 days insteadof packing it all into one or two days


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Use waiting time

Waiting time is the time you spend in betweenmeetings, classes, events, etc.

In class assignment How to


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In class assignment: How to

effectively use wait time

One of the best ways to get more out of your dayis to use waiting time

Create a list of 5 things that you can do in 10

minutes Create a list of 5 things that you can do in 20

minutes


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Learn to say no

Examples of good ways to say no

Instead of: I really should study, say You

caught me in the middle of something important,Ill call you later.

I cant go the movies tonight, but I can go on

Saturday. Before I say yes, let me check my planner and

get back to you.


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Understanding procrastination

When do you procrastinate?

low interest or motivation

large tasks

What happens when you procrastinate increase stress

poorer performance


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The Ultimate Schedule

Download the sample Ultimate Schedule


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First, block off time for your FIXED activities

class

work

meetings


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Second, block off time for your RITUALactivities

meals

travel/commute

sleep

grooming


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Third, block off time for your PRIORITYactivities

studying

try to schedule 2 hours of study time for each hourspent in class

exercising


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Your FREE time is the time that remains, use itfor:

watching television

shopping

socializing


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Summary

As time management skills develop, your stressand anxiety levels will go down and productivitywill go up

Time management tools which include dayplanners, to-do lists, weekly and long-termcalendars will increase organization and helpeliminate procrastination



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youve learned

Download the Weekly Schedule Sheet

Using the steps for creating the UltimateSchedule, design your ultimate schedule


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What can effect your ability to


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What can effect your ability to

remember something?

distractions

time of day

your comfort level

stress

your interest in the material

your level of motivation


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Thirteen memory tips

Learn from general to specific

Before learning something new, get a generaloverview to use as a framework on which to hang

specific details


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Make it meaningful

Why is this information relevant? What is thevalue in knowing this?

If you dont see the value- Find it! What kinds of situations could you be in that

you would need this information?

Use this as an opportunity to use strategies that willmake you a better student


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Create associations

Relate what youre learning to something thatyou already know

Try using analogies and metaphors


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Learn actively

Manipulate or change the information in someway

Try creating a mind map, diagram, pictures, ornote cards

Always put information that youre trying to

learn into your own words


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Reduce distractions

Turn off music, phone, television

h


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Monitor what youve learned

Check yourself to make sure that youre learning

Try self-testing yourself using the review

questions at the end of the chapter or make upyour own

hi i


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Check your attitude and anxiety

Find yourself thinking how much you hate thecourse or instructor? Know when your attitudes

and/or anxiety are inhibiting learning and try toaddress them

Thi i


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Turn abstract ideas into concrete examples

Thi i


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Distribute learning

Use many short sessions for studying instead ofone long session


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Thi i


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Stay away from studying similar topics at thesame time to avoid confusion

Thi i


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Use mnemonics, or memory techniques

Try creating a song or rhyme to help youremember

Use acronyms

Thi t ti


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Avoid studying material in the same sequence

Try starting at the end or middle of the material

S


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Summary

By using memory techniques you can take stepsto learn and remember information more quicklyand effectively

Most memory techniques require that you changeor organize the information that you need tolearn. Repeated reading of text and notes is oftennot enough.



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youve learned

Pick five concepts that you will be required toknow in a class

Apply any memory technique that weve

discussed to each concept

L 5 N t t ki


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Lesson 5: Note taking


what to do before, during, and after class

picking out main points in a lecture

the Cornell Method

mind mapping

Wh t t d b f l


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What to do before class

Pick the right notebook

there are numerous advantages to picking a 3-ring binder

handouts can be inserted into the relevant sections pages of notes can be removed and replaced

dividers can be used to separate sections or topics

Wh t t d b f l


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Read your textbook

reading your textbook can help you tounderstand what is being discussed in lecture

Wh t t d b f l


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Skim the notes from the last class

this will refresh your memory and focus you forthe next lesson

Wh t t d b f l


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Make a commitment to attend all classes

You may be getting only a partial set of notes ifyou copy from other students

Note taking is a skill and you may be copyingfrom someone who is a poor note taker and notrealize it

What to do during class


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Try to sit in the front, center portion of theclassroom

fewer distractions

can see and hear better less likely to doze off



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You will need to identify the visual and verbalcues given by the professor that indicate animportant topic is being addressed

examples of visual cues: gesturing, writing on board,underlining

examples of verbal cues: repetition, summaries, listing

Identifying important points


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Identifying important points

Think of three additional verbal cues that wouldindicate an important point

Think of three additional visual cues that would

indicate an important point



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Use a method of note taking

Use Cornell Method

Create Mind maps

The Cornell Method


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The Cornell Method

Split page method of note taking

Allows space for possible exam questions

Allows space for student reflections and summary

Good for self-testing

Practice using the Cornell Method


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Practice using the Cornell Method

Download a sample page of notes using theCornell Method

Recopy a page of your notes using the Cornell

Method

Mind Mapping


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Mind Mapping

Pictorial representation of ideas

Good for visual learners

Shows how topics and ideas are related

Uses both sides of your brain


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Mind Mapping Practice


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Mind Mapping Practice

Download a sample mind map

Practice creating a mind map


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What to do after class


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Review your notes within 24 hours

Are they complete?

Do they make sense?



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Identify any questions that you may have and findthe answers

Re-copy or re-organize if necessary

Note Taking Practice


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Note Taking Practice

Watch this short lecture and use the note takingstrategies we discussed


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Lesson 6: Reading Textbooks


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Lesson 6: Reading Textbooks


previewing

annotating

Why preview?


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Why preview?

improves concentration, memory, andunderstanding

only takes 5 minutes to preview an entire chapter

if you dont have enough time to read beforeclass, previewing may give you enoughinformation to understand what is beingdiscussed

Steps to previewing material


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(1) Read the chapter title

The title announces the topic or subject. Try toremember what you already know about the

topic.



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(2) Read the introduction or first paragraph

This is a lead-in to the material and will oftenitemize what the chapter will cover. If it is long,

read only the first 5 or 6 lines.



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(3) Read the closing paragraph or chaptersummary

These sections are often used to draw conclusions

based on the facts that have already beenpresented or to restate key ideas.



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(4) Read questions or vocabulary at the end of thechapter

This section is used to test your knowledge of the

material. Reading them beforehand alerts you towhat is most important within the chapter.



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(5) Read each boldface heading

Headings separate chapters into main divisionsand indicate important concepts. By looking at

these headings, you can detect the organization ofthe chapter and the general approach of theauthor.



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(6) Look at any pictures, graphs, or charts

Pictures, illustrations, or captions may help youclarify ideas and give direction to your thinking.

Why annotate?


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Why annotate?

Have you ever felt that youve been reading for

hours and cant remember what youve read?

annotating can keep you focused

annotations tell you WHY important points areimportant

download a sample page of annotated text

Steps to Annotating Text


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First, preview a chapter or subunit of text

Next, read one or more paragraphs. Then stop(the amount will vary, so judge according to your

texts difficulty and organization).



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Steps to otat g e t

After reading, go back and underline the keyword, phrase, or idea to which your annotationwill refer.

These key ideas often occur as: definitions,examples, lists, causes/effects, characteristics,similarities/differences, and names/dates.



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Check your annotations to be sure that they makesense and that you are not merely copying thetext into the margins.

In order to be most effective, your annotationsmust be in your own words, except in the case oftechnical definitions.



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If you have no annotating, you should have nounderlining.



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Go on to the next paragraph or section.Remember, not every section of text will have akey concept that should be annotated, but every

page or section usually does.

Summary


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Reading your text numerous times is often notenough to insure that you have understood andretained the information covered.

You must actively participate in the readingprocess by thinking about what you alreadyknow, identifying topics that you dont

understand and picking out important points that

are likely to be on a test.

Homework assignment: Applyh t l d


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what youve learned download text

Lesson 7: Exam Preparation


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key elements of exam preparation

creating and using note cards

the Eight-day study plan

What problems are you currently

h i ith i f ?


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having with preparing for exams?

Take a moment to complete Exam Prep: A SelfCheck

What areas could you improve on?

Key elements of exam preparation


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Know what the exam will cover

If you dont know, then ask. Visit instructors

office hours or ask over e-mail.



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Know what type of exam will be given

Match the method of study to the kind of examyou will be given

(hint: you wouldnt use note cards to study for anessay exam)



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Avoid procrastination

If you wait until the last-minute to study, youllremember less and stress more



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Use memory techniques

Remember the techniques we discussed?



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Make sure youve taken adequate notes and read

the text

Get any notes that youve missed



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Have the proper attitude



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Monitor your anxiety level

A little anxiety is good, but a lot will hurt yourperformance

Remember what we talked about in the stressmanagement lesson?



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Dont be afraid to ask questions

Ask during class, over e-mail, at tutoring and inyour study group



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Look for (or create) practice tests and questions

Creating and Using Note Cards


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When note cards are a good idea

when you are a visual learner

when you will be given an objective test

Creating and Using Note Cards


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Using them the right way

frequently shuffle the cards to keep from learningthem in order

use only one concept per card- they arent designed tohold more

use your own words- by putting concepts in your ownwords, youre actively learning while you create them

take out the ones you know until the final review-dont waste your time studying things you already

know

The Eight Day Study Plan


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download the Eight-Day Study Plan

Summary


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Re-reading your text and notes is often notenough to prepare you for an exam. You willneed to have good study strategies and a goodstudy plan.

Its also important that you know where to go for

additional help, including instructor office hours,tutoring centers and preceptors.


youve learned


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you ve learned

Complete the Eight-Day Study Plan for one ofyour classes

Download the Eight-Day Study Plan Sheet

Lesson 8:Test Taking Strategies


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general test taking strategies

how to take different kinds of tests

learning from your mistakes what to do when you dont know the answer

General test-taking strategies


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Try to ignore other test takers (before and duringthe test)

Sit in your usual seat, if possible

Bring all necessary materials



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Listen carefully to directions

If something is vague or hard to read, stop andask the instructor for clarification

Answer the easiest questions first, mark andpostpone the harder questions

Change your answer only if youre absolutely

sure the second answer is correct



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Look over the test and budget your timeaccordingly

Leave time to review your work

Suggestions for objective tests


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Circle or underline clue words like all, every,none, always, etc.

Watch for negatives

Suggestions for answering essay

questions


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questions

use pencil or erasable pen

read the questions carefully and underline keywords

create an outline in the margin of what youd liketo say

begin your answer by rephrasing the question

in the next sentence announce what youll besaying in the rest of your answer

devote a paragraph to each of the main points

Suggestions for answering essay

questions


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questions

save time to check for the following:

completeness and clarity

punctuation and word usage

spelling neatness

did you answer the question?

Suggestions for computational

exams


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exams

as soon as you receive your test, jot down anyformulas you needed to memorize

try drawing a picture if youre stuck

try to estimate the answer

After the test..learning from your

mistakes


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mistakes

dont just look at WHAT you missed, but look atWHY you missed it!

mastery of information: you didnt study properly and

dont know the material

thinking gap: you misunderstood what you were beingasked

method of test taking: you made some bad mistakeslike reading too quickly and missing key words

reaction to situation: test anxiety got the better of you

Correcting mastery of information

mistakes


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mistakes

Go back and look at how you studied. What doyou need to change? Did you give yourselfenough time? Are there other study strategiesthat would work better?

Correcting thinking gap mistakes


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Next time, raise your hand and ask yourprofessor or t.a. to rephrase the question. Keepasking until you feel that you fully understandthe question.


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Stress reduction and management


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have a study plan

get some exercise

proper nutrition

keep a positive attitude get enough rest

What can you do when you dont

know the answer?


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now the answe ?

look for wording in the question that may giveyou an idea

see if the answer appears somewhere else in the

exam try to eliminate some answers before guessing

plug in numbers to see if they generate a possiblesolution

Summary


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You should approach different kinds of tests indifferent ways. Even if you dont know the

answer, effective test-taking strategies canincrease your chances of guessing it.

If you are not getting the grades that youexpected, check to see where you are makingmistakes.


youve learned


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y

get a copy of a test that youve already taken

code your mistakes using the categories weve

discussed

write a plan of how you plan to address thesemistakes in the future

Lesson 9: Internet Resources


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how to conduct a search

some of our favorite sites

How to conduct a search


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Some of our favorite sites


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youve learned


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y

Pick five course topics and find a related websiteinformation for each. Make sure to write downthe web address for each.

strats for college succ

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