study skills general information overview. overview of goals there’s not an easy way to get an a ...
TRANSCRIPT
Study Skills General Information Overview
Overview of Goals
There’s not an easy way to get an A You need to learn effective study
skills and time management skills The following guidelines will give you
suggestions to make you a better student
Topics to be Covered
Time management Note-taking Writing research papers Studying for Exams Additional Resources at VC
Time management
STEP ONE Examine how you currently spend your time
on a given day Write down in a journal what you plan to do that
day for a week Look at how your plan of what you wanted to do
compares to what you actually DID that day What are you least likely to do? What did you have no problem completing? Where may you have spent your time better?
Did you have any open time slots in the day?
STEP TWO
Identify blocks of time to study (determine how much of your time is committed to other activities and how much time you need to study) Most people need an average of 2 hours
study time for every hour of class per week (3 credit class=6 hours per week studying)
STEP THREE
Make to-do lists Prioritize tasks What is due tomorrow? What can you work on slowly?
STEP FOUR
Find a quiet environment with few distractions
Some students study best with a lamp, quiet music, facing a window, or other modifications
Break down work into manageable tasks (50 minutes per assignment)
Study Breaks!
Don’t expect to get everything done in one sitting
Take 10 minutes every hour or so-get a cup of coffee, walk around, make a quick phone call, check email
Make sure this doesn’t turn into procrastination!
STEP FIVE Switch subjects every few hours Tackle difficult assignments first Make mini-deadlines (if something is
due in a month, have a draft due 2 weeks before)
Learn to handle procrastination DON’T WAIT TILL THE LAST MINUTE!!!
CHECKPOINT: What is the best way to study?
A. Work on one assignment until it is done B. Switch subjects and take periodic study
breaks
There is not right answer-this depends on the topic and your level of interest, as well as when it needs to be completed. Try to switch subjects as a rule to keep your motivation high!!!
NOTE-TAKING
NOTE-TAKING
Golden Rule-Don’t expect to write every word of the professor’s lecture down!
Need to prepare for notes before class and review notes after class
BEFORE CLASS Have class assignments read before
class Skim chapter-reread after class.
Sometimes you understand chapter more after attending class lecture
Review notes from prior class-most lectures pick up where it left off
TAKING NOTES
Always date your notes Put heading/lecture topic on top of
paper Write notes in phrase form, rather
than sentence form Write notes on one side of paper if
you want to add information later
NOTE-TAKING SYSTEMS Outline method-write down key
themes, and use indentation to show lesser points (use capital letters, roman numerals, or numbers to outline)
Paragraph- write first main topic and write underneath—separate out ideas. Headings will help you study for exam.
NOTE-TAKING SYSTEMS (cont.)
Mapping method-notes are recorded in chart or graphic method
WHAT TO INCLUDE IN NOTES Main points Definitions Theories Formulas Lists Page references
Important Dates Anything noted as
“important to know, keep in mind for exam”
Important people Anything spelled
out Charts
After Class Edit your notes-reorganize or rewrite to
make more legible Add information from book, clarify notes
(missing information –get from another student or from book)
If class uses PowerPoint -download notes from website
http://vcpsychology.homestead.com/psychology.html
Reading Assignments Avoid over-highlighting-while it may
look like you read the material, it may be harder to remember the information
Write notes in margin of book Pre-read: read major headings, first
paragraph, and chapter summaries first. Read for understanding.
CHECKPOINT:
What does NOT have to be included in lecture notes?
Important dates Definitions Exact sentences Theories ANSWER: exact sentences
WRITING RESEARCH PAPERS
Writing Research Papers
First step: Choosing a topic Write about something you are
interested in! Avoiding choosing a topic that is too
broad or hard to write about Make sure topic fits paper assignment Make sure topic will lead into an
argument
Researching a topic:
Conduct a library and online database search for your topic
Use search words narrow enough to find articles and books related to topic
Reference librarians on 2nd floor LRC building will help you with search
Resources Most databases can be accessed off
campus from GALILEO (check with library for password)
Library homepage will link you to list of databases
While books will give you a lot of information, use chapters –otherwise too time consuming to read
Journal articles should be recent (10 years)
Writing the Paper
Take careful and detailed notes on each article (use notecards or legal pads)
Write headings within notes to make writing the paper easier
Be careful not to write down direct sentences from authors-paraphrase
Writing the Paper
Make an outline before writing the actual paper
Helps with overall organization Make sure your thesis statement is at
end of introduction Thesis : what you are arguing, your
main point, question being answered, etc.
Preparing the paper Avoid using passive tense “ex. They were given” If you are using a specific style (ex. APA, MLA), when
formatting your paper, check with manual to make sure it is right
Use spell-check and grammar check Keep to page limit Make sure all references are cited correctly Avoid plagiarism-any idea that is not your own must
be referenced. When in doubt, cite!
STUDYING FOR EXAMS
Studying for Exams
#1 Tip: Don’t wait for the last minute to study!
Keep up with reading assignments and review notes-will make it easier to prepare for exam
Essay Exams
Read over the question. Use scratch paper or the margin to write quick outline of what you want to say.
Always include a recognition of the exam question in your introduction/thesis statement
Make sure you address all components of the question
ESSAY EXAM Don’t use complicated language or make
up things to make the essay longer-use clear and concise language
If you get the essay questions in advance, make an outline of the essay rather than writing it out
Budget your time –if you have 50 minutes to answer 4 questions, make sure you aren’t left with 5 min to answer the last one!
Multiple Choice Exams Make sure you understand the
question or ask the instructor for clarification
Pace yourself. Since m/c exams don’t require as much written work, there may be lots of questions (50-100). Circle the questions you are “stumped” on and come back to them
Multiple Choice Exams Try to think of answer first before looking at
answers Uncover answers one-by-one. If you know it
is not the right choice, cross it out. If it may be right ,DO NOT immediately mark it as correct. There may be other better answers or a choice (e) as all of the above may exist
Process of elimination will help with questions you are not sure about-make an educated guess based on which ones you can rule out.
ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS!
Unless you are taking a test like the SAT, you won’t be penalized for wrong answers
When you have five minutes left, go back and answer all questions left unanswered-make a guess!
Short Answer Answer easy questions first, skim over questions in
the beginning of the test Make sure you give the information asked for in the
question (list, describe, theory and date) BE CONCISE. That’s what short answers are-but make
sure answer is complete If you only know part of the answer (ex. 3 of the 4
past presidents) write those down-may get partial credit.
Try to “visualize” your notes-what heading did the question fall under?
Problem Oriented Exams
Used for math and science courses Less questions on exams-make take
very long to answer each one If the problem has several parts,
make sure you answer each one
Problem-oriented Exams
Identify variables and what the problem is asking for-write them down
Example (Psy 01): What is the dependant and independent variables? What is the difference between the control and experimental group?
Box answers for each part
Problem-oriented Exams
If you use a calculator-make sure you enter numbers in correctly and round to the correct number of decimals
Show all work or answers in the space provided.
Ventura College Resources
Academic Counseling: http://www.venturacollege.edu/departments/student_services/counseling/index.shtml
LRC learning center general info: http://www.venturacollege.edu/departments/student_services/learning_center/index.shtml
Library (LRC – 2nd Floor): http://www.venturacollege.edu/departments/student_services/library/index.shtml
Student Health and Psychological Services: http://www.venturacollege.edu/departments/student_services/shps/index.shtml
Tutoring information: http://www.venturacollege.edu/departments/student_services/tutoring/index.shtml
Ventura College General Information: http://www.venturacollege.edu/current_students/index.shtml
WebSTAR: http://students.vcccd.edu/
Conclusion This self-paced presentation was
designed to give you study skills and helpful (survivor) tips
Incorporate these tips slowly into your normal study habits
Remember to keep up with your notes and reading assignments
Speak to your tutor or a counselor if you would like further help or academic counseling