Transcript Study Skills - Nicholls State University

Study Skills
You too can succeed in
college with helpful and
innovative study skills.
Active Learning
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The key to succeeding in any class requires:
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Effective note-taking
Active listening
Active studying
Active reading
Daily study/reading
Active Learning
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Preparing for class
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Be well-rested for class.
Arrive on time with a note-book, writing
implement, textbook, and all other requisite
materials.
Avoid distractions by leaving your phone (and
similar devices) in your car, or set to silent and
keep in pocket/bag.
Active Learning
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Be Prepared
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Instructors usually always post important
documents in Moodle. Always check them
BEFORE class.
Print out PowerPoint slides before class to
annotate them as the lecture occurs.
Read the syllabus and all other important
documents on the first day of the semester. Print
out schedules and due date lists.
Active Listening
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Remove headphones from your ears.
Face your instructor.
Sit near the front of the room.
Make eye contact with your instructor.
In groups, follow the same guidelines.
Active Learning
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Effective Note-taking
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One note-book per class (taking notes on computer rarely
works; and on the phone NEVER works).
Date each set of notes.
Focus on writing only important information:
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Copy info the instructor repeats or writes on the board.
Write down corresponding textbook pages from lectures and/or
PowerPoint slides to read later.
Make sure to write down major discussion topics and important
details.
Active Studying
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Study Cards
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Write down vocabulary words, formulas, major
words or ideas on one side of an index card.
Write down definitions, answers, and supporting
details on the other.
Review the cards daily by saying them aloud.
Ask a partner to flash the cards to you so you can
answer them.
Flip through these quickly before tests.
Active Reading
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Your textbook is there to help!
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Make sure you read what is assigned.
Read entire chapters as instructors often will not
give specific pages, only chapter numbers.
Be an active reader by highlighting, underlining,
circling, and otherwise annotating your text as you
read.
Active Reading
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Set reading goals
Pre-reading
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Why am I reading this?
What questions do I have?
What do I want to learn?
What will be on my test?
Active Reading
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Reading
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Make notes as you read.
Highlight and underline relevant information.
Repeat the main ideas of a paragraph after
reading it for a comprehension check.
Answer questions as you read.
Active Reading
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Post-reading
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What questions do you have after reading?
What questions have been answered?
What else do you need to read to understand the
main idea?
What research do you need to complete?
Active Studying
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Mnemonic Devices
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“Material that is difficult to master can be organized by
finding key words in each point, noting the first letter, and
arranging them into a valid or nonsense word” (Algier n.p).
Example: What are the common conjunctions in the English
language? FANBOYS (For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So)
What are the formulas for Sine, Cosign, and Tangent?
(Some Old Hippie Caught Another Hippie Tripping On Acid)
Sine = Opposite ÷ Hypotenuse; Cosine = Adjacent ÷
Hypotenuse; Tangent = Opposite ÷ Adjacent
Active Studying
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Memory
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Association is key to memory
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You remember about 10% of what you read.
You remember about 20% of what you hear.
You remember about 30% of what you see.
You remember about 50% of what you hear/see
together.
You remember about 70% of what you say.
You remember about 90% of what you do. (Algier n.p.).
Active Studying
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Final Tips
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You will not learn through osmosis; be active in
class!
Always ask questions when you do not
understand.
Visit your professor during his/her office hours.
Form study groups with peers.
Read what you are required to read.
Active Studying
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Final Tips Continued
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Do not skip classes.
Stay organized (date notes, keep folders, etc.).
Seek tutoring as soon as possible, if needed.
Review notes and study cards every day, not just
the day before a test (cramming the day before
will only stress you and you may do poorly).
Works Cited
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Algier, Ann. Everything You Need To Know
About Studying. www.dartmouth.edu. n.p.
n.d. Print.
Works Referenced
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Deese, James and Ellin K. Deese. How To Study
And Other Skills For College, 4th ed. New York:
McGraw-Hill, 1994.Print.
Gardener, John N. and Betsey O. Barefoot. Step By
Step To College and Career Success, 3rd ed. Boston:
Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2010. Print.
Greene, Lawrence J. StudyWise: A Program for
Maximizing Your Learning Potential. New Jersey:
Pearson, 2004. Print.
Works Referenced
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Piscitelli, Steve. Study Skills: Do I Really
Need This Stuff? New Jersey: Pearson
Education, 2004. Print.
Stone, Megan. Study Strategies. Boston:
Pearson, 2014. Print.