STUDY SKillsLunch and Learn

Student Success

Worried that you don’t really know the best ways to study?

Concerned that you can study “hard” and still not earn good grades?

Think that you should study biology the same way you study history?

What is the right way to study?

The Basic Rules

Studying is necessary to succeed.

You should approach studying

in the way you would approach a regular job, giving

class and study time at least forty hours of your time

every week.

You need to study at the right time, at the

right place, and under the right

conditions so that you will give

yourself adequate preparation and

maintain the correct attitude.

“The Forty Hours Rule”Let’s do a little math…

Most regular jobs require employees to work for forty hours during the week.

40

25

15 The average college course load includes fifteen hours per week in class.

You need to study / do classwork at least this many hours per week.

The Requirements of Quality Studying

Time Place Conditions

Preparation Attitude

The Right Time

• Make and keep a regular study schedule.

• Set aside certain hours each day for class assignments.

• Remember “The Forty Hours Rule” – treat studying like a regular job.

• Manage how much time to study based on how well you know the material and how much you want to succeed.

The Right Place

• Study in the same place everyday.

• Choosing the correct place can eliminate concentration problems.

• Choose a place with ZERO distractions.

• Pick a spot for yourself – where do you study best?

• Group studying can be helpful, but remember you’re the one taking the test.

• Wherever you choose to study, make sure it is well-lit, quiet, and at a comfortable temperature.

The Right Conditions

• The right place is useless without the right surrounding conditions.

• You should study with ZERO distractions from:• music, television, movies, or video games

• friends, classmates, and the telephone

• computer, instant messenger

• Surrounding conditions include the proper equipment to study (chair, desk, light, notebooks, books, pens, and pencils – whatever you need).• If you need a snack, take only a short break and eat something healthy, such as fruit.

Adequate Preparation

• Get organized before each study session. Ask yourself:

• What am I going to study?

• Do I have all the materials I need?

• Formulate a plan before you study. What is it that you are going to accomplish during this study time?

The Correct Attitude

• The only way to make studying successful is to recognize the need to study and then actually want to study because of it.

• Don’t wait for the great “Study Inspiration” - it is not coming!

• Don’t start to study while you’re stressed. You’ll get frustrated and it isn’t going to help de-stress you. Clear your mind for a little while and study when you can focus on studying.

• If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always gotten!

Modifying Study Strategies for Different Classes

•The Sciences• Chemistry, Biology, Physics

• What to Expect:• Tests tend to be Objective

• Multiple Choice, True / False, Matching, Problem Solving

• How To Prepare:• Concept Cards, Concept Maps,

• Practice Problems, Studying with Others

Modifying Study Strategies for Different Classes

•The Humanities• Literature, History, Religion,

• Fine Arts

• What to Expect:• Heavy Emphasis on Writing

• Compare / Contrast, Interpret, Analyze, Identify

• How to Prepare:• Humanities are Varied – You Need Many Different

Strategies

• Annotation and Reflection, Time Lines, Question and Answer

Modifying Study Strategies for Different Classes

•Mathematics• Algebra, Statistics, Calculus

• What to Expect: • Problem Solving

• How to Prepare:• Stay Current, Read Textbook Explanations,

• Review and Practice Daily, Take Good Lecture Notes

• Use Concept Cards, Ask Lots of Questions

• Take your time- don’t make thoughtless errors

Modifying Study Strategies for Different Classes

• Foreign Languages• Spanish, French, ASL

• What to Expect:• Memorization

Vocabulary, Grammar Rules, Sentence Construction

• Dialogue

Listening and Speaking

• How to Prepare:• Do All Practice Activities,

• Practice Speaking with Classmates,

• Concept Cards, Get into the Culture with Festivals or Trips

Quick and Easy Study Tips

Keep an organized notebook.

• Keep a careful record of assignments with the syllabus and a planner.

• Use flash cards to learn specialized vocabulary.

• Use index dividers in your notebook.

• Take good notes during lectures – the more you write, the better!

• Quiz yourself while studying – cover up the notes and see if you can repeat them out loud to yourself.

• Write notes in the margins of your textbook.

• Become familiar with a chapter in the textbook before reading it - study the textbook in this order: titles, sub-titles, bold words, pictures, graphs, and then the text.

• Over-learn the material – don’t just be able to recall it.

• Review frequently.• Try acrostics, word

associations, and jingles.

You’ve got to study to succeed!We’re not all Rocket Scientists…most students won’t succeed in college without putting in the time and effort to study for their classes.

There are no miracle secrets or magic

formulas for getting good grades.

You can receive the grades you want by

taking the time to study and prepare for

your classes.