Transcript Study skills workshop - UDC Community College - UDC-CC

STUDY SKILLS
WORKSHOP
Presented by the Student Success
Team at the Community College of
the District of Columbia
AGENDA
 Why are Study Skills Important?
 Getting Ready to Study
 Study environment
 Getting motivated
 Getting organized
 Study Tips
 Make a Plan of Action
WHY ARE STUDY SKILLS IMPORTANT?
 More efficient and effective use of your time
 Improve your retention of information
 Improve your grades
GETTING READY TO STUDY: ENVIRONMENT
 Do you have a good study environment? It should match these
descriptions:
 I can stay awake and alert here.
 Distractions (people, activity) are minimal
 Temperature is comfortable (not too hot or cold).
 Lighting is adequate.
 Noise level is acceptable.
 Resources are convenient.
ENVIRONMENT
 Apply It: Write down 2 spaces that fit this description. Make sure it’s a
realistic study place for you (i.e.—not too far or difficult to get to. It
won’t be a good study place if you never go!)
GETTING READY TO STUDY: GET MOTIVATED
 Reward yourself!
 Choose something to work towards.
 Decide how you will earn each reward (this may be different each time
you study)
 Apply it: Write down 3 (small) rewards you could use to motivate
yourself to study.
GET MOTIVATED
Remember your long term goals
 What are you working towards?
 Apply it: Write down the long term goal that is most
important to you.
 Take breaks: You will be more effective if you study in
chunks
 Study with friends
GETTING ORGANIZED
 Use a calendar or planner
 Put your assignments, tests, and quizzes from all your classes
into one calendar
 Schedule days and times to study on your calendar and stick
to it!
 Create a routine. (e.g., Mon, Wed, Fri from 10 am -1 pm)
 Think about the time of day when you are most focused.
 Schedule time daily for your hardest class
 Apply it: We will do this at the end of the presentation
GETTING ORGANIZED
 Keep a separate notebook (or section of a notebook) for each
class
 Use a binder or bound notebook—don’t keep loose papers
 Use dividers or sticky notes to organize sections of your
notebooks
 Apply it: We will do this at the end of the presentation, too.
STUDY TIPS
 Review new material the same day you learn it.
 Don’t study two very similar subjects one right after the other.
 Set reasonable short-term goals for each study session.
 For example:
 I will choose a topic and write a thesis statement for my
paper.
 I will complete my problem set and study Chapter 4
 Apply it: Think about the studying you need to do for one of
your classes. Pretend you are about to start studying right
now. Write down two reasonable goals for yourself.
STUDY TIPS
 Before you read...pre-read each chapter! It takes
about 15-20 minutes, but is definitely worth it!
(See handout about pre-reading)
 Study actively!
 Highlight key information in your book or notebook
 Ask yourself questions as you read
 Answer any questions given at the end of the chapter
Study Actively
 Check your understanding:
 Cover up the section you just read and summarize it to yourself or a friend
 Write an outline summarizing the material you just read
 Create flashcards with important vocabulary, formulas, or concepts.
 Put them up around your house
 Study them on the metro
 Rewrite or type your notes to help you remember the material. Reword or
summarize as you write/type.
STUDY TIPS
 Use mnemonic devices to help you retain information
 Mnemonic devices are methods for remembering pieces of information
1) Rhymes.
 “In fourteen hundred ninety two, Columbus sailed the ocean blue”
 “I before E except after C.”
2) Chunking (grouping items for better recall, particularly numbers)
3) Acronyms (using the first letter from a group of words to form a new
word)
 You can remember the names of the 5 Great Lakes, you just have to remember
HOMES: Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Eerie, Superior
 Use the sentence “My Very Education Mother Just Served Us Nine Pizzas” to
remember the planets in order (Mercury,Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus,
Neptune, Pluto (back when it was a planet)
STUDY TIPS
 Don’t cram for tests!
 You may remember the material for the test, but you
won’t remember it the long term
 The best way to study and put information in your long-
term memory is to study in chunks over time.
 For example, see the 5 Day Study Plan
5 DAY STUDY PLAN

Day Five: Organize
Organize and review your class notes and text notes carefully. Prepare a list of all topics that will be on the exam. List
them in order of importance so you can focus your attention accordingly.

Day Four: Review and Recall
Review your notes thoroughly. That is, until you can recall all of the important information. Concentrate on the topics
that are more difficult for you to remember. Use mnemonic devices or visualization to help you recall more effectively.

Day Three: Rewrite
Briefly rewrite all important information. Review these notes repeatedly. Trying to recall your own explanations will be
more effective than trying to recall what the text and your professors have said.

Day Two: Question
Make a list of questions that might be on the exam and answer them in as much detail as possible.

Day One: Prepare
Review your notes and rewritten notes a few hours before the exam. Take time to relax before the exam. If you are
afraid you will forget information or "blank out" when you receive the exam, write reminders on the back that you can
come back to during the exam.
http://www.keene.edu/aspire/fiveday.cfm
HOW MUCH TIME TO
SPEND STUDYING?
 Plan to spend about 8-12 hours a week
studying for each 3 credit class you’re taking.
 Studying includes homework assignments, reading,
writing papers, studying for exams, etc.
 That’s about 32-48 hours a week if you’re
taking 4 classes.
MAKE A PLAN OF ACTION!
 1. Put all your remaining assignments and tests on a calendar.
 2. Schedule study time
 3. Organize your notes
 4. Make a specific plan for your next study session
 Where will you study? (you already wrote down some ideas!)
 What is the date/time?
 What rewards will you use to motivate yourself? (you already wrote down some
ideas for this too!)
 What are your goals for the study session?
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
 www.howtostudy.org
 www.how-to-study.com
 http://www.keene.edu/aspire/sskills.cfm