Transcript Document
Study Skills and Taking Notes:
Tips and Tools
Academic Success Seminar/Workshop
College of Veterinary Medicine
University of Minnesota
Deb Wingert, Ph.D.
Director of Educational Development
Before we start.......
All study differently!
No magic bullet
Techniques to gain a
good edge
Action needed
A word to the wise....
Practice does not make perfect;
Perfect practice makes perfect.
Bob Kizlik, 1997
Schedule....develop one!
Weekly
Best time to study
____________ chunks
Revisions ok
Rested
______________
Check:
course objectives
_____________________
Location, Location, Location...
Libraries
Unused classrooms
Lounges/private rooms
Distraction-free
Good lighting
Comfortable, but......
Veer away from:
Dorms
Strategies:
Effective Thinking Skills
Ask yourself questions
as you ______
Think about what the prof
says _________ writing
down notes in
________________
Strategies:
The SQ3R Method
Survey
Before you study, get the
overall picture (read
summaries, headings, etc.)
Recite
Q_______________
Ask ‘what’ ‘where’ ‘when’
‘how’ and especially, ‘why’ as
you read/study
Write in margins of text and
notes.
Read to answer questions
Hunt for _________________
Try to say ____________,
important concepts in your
own words
Connect info to what you
already know
Review
Re-read to see what you have
remembered
Review (fine-tune) notes and
check any questions at the
end of your study time (NOT
just before exams!)
Strategies: Study Habits
List what you need to study
and do it!
Begin studying __________
after a meal
After studying_______
minutes, take a short break (5
minutes), and a 15 minute
break after _________.
Prepare for exam by studying
questions not in order.
Study in ____-hour blocks
with ______ minute breaks.
Stop studying ____________
before sleeping
Strategies: Tips
Use ____________
Take concise (NOT copious)
notes!
Take notes on what you don’t
know!
An hour of studying during the
_____ is worth ________ at night!
Study as early as possible in the
day.
Study your most challenging
content daily....early in the
day.
Study ______.....ask yourself
question, review notes
regularly, discuss key
concepts with peers, etc.
Strategies for Group Study
_______ each other
_______ each other
Compare notes
Meet regularly
Delegate group assignments
Taking Notes and Listening:
Tips and Tools
How’s Your Listening?? Quiz:
Call the class boring?
Criticize the speaker?
Over-stimulated by
speaker’s words
Listen mainly for facts
Try to outline everything?
Fake attention to
speaker?
Allow distractions?
Avoid difficult material?
Antagonized by emotionladen words?
Any daydreaming?
Usually/sometimes=1
Seldom/Almost never=5
Cuesta College, 2008
Habits of Good Listeners:
Listen between the lines
(anticipate what’s next!)
Take good notes
Sees lecture like a
________
Avoid __________
Judge content, not
delivery
“There is no such thing as an
uninteresting subject; there
are only uninterested people.”
G.K. Chesterton
Kishwaukee College, 2008
Good Listeners Do NOT:
Interrupt (with a question,
etc.) in the middle of an
explanation.
Share worthless info
Believe that
___________________
___________________
Avoid difficult
explanations
Find fault ___________
___________________
Dismiss content as not
interesting
Show impatience
Utah State University, 2008
Listening skills:
Screen out distractions
Background noise
Language mistakes/accents
Speaker habits
Irrelevant info
Daydreaming
Organize info into ______
_____________________
Avoid hasty judgments
Remain neutral (not
emotional)
Prune significant from
insignificant
Maintain alertness (eye contact
with speaker)
Ask _____________________
______________________
Listen for central ideas (not facts)
Write only important info
Exercise mind with difficult
material
Utah State University, 2008
College of Saint Benedict, 2008
Listen Actively
The more you think about what you hear,
the more you will understand and
remember
Listen Actively (c’d):
____________
____________
_____________
Mentally review what has
been previously said
Compare lecture to
text
Apply to your own
experience
Select most important
Ignore the not
important
Taking Notes: Quiz
Do you take notes, using complete
sentences?
Are your notes clear?
Do you capture all main points and all
sub-points?
Do you use shortcuts/abbreviations?
Using Laptops: A few considerations....
Pros
Can connect to
WebVista
Cons
Less paper!
Tempting source of
distraction
Potentially
cumbersome
Tips to Finding Major Points....
Pauses before or after an idea
Uses ______________________________
Uses introductory phrases to precede important info
W__________________________________
arc.sbc.edu/notes.html, 2008
Remember......
The average speaker covers 125-140
words per minute and the average
note-taker writes less than 25 words
per minute.
A few specifics....
Complete readings
before class
Attend specifically to
lecture info not
covered in text
Ask questions
Review notes right after
lecture....fill in examples
etc. Immediate review
increases retention
Underline key statements
Use margins for
coordinating text notes
Virgina Tech, 2008
A few specifics....
Use margins to:
coordinate lecture notes with text notes
J_____________________________
Jot down short summary of page
Virgina Tech, 2008
A few specifics....
Use key words & phrases, not sentences
If you miss something, leave a space and check with
peer later
I________________________________________
T________________________________________
arc.sbc.edu/notes.html, 2008
Shortcuts.....
Use symbols:
+ plus
& and
- minus
# number
> greater than
< less than
W/ with
W/I within
W/o without
/ per
--> leads to
<-- comes from
Abbreviate:
approp
appropriate
lrg
large
arc.sbc.edu/notes.html, 2008
Formats.....
Outlining:
I. Topic/Main idea
A. Major points
1. Details
a. supporting details
II. Topic/Main idea
A. Major points
1. Details
a. supporting details
arc.sbc.edu/notes.html, 2008
Formats.....Concept Mapping
A visual way to organize
information
Candy
Chips
Junk Foods
Cookies
Pop
The Cornell System:
Step One:
Write notes during class in a
The Cornell System:
Step Two: _________ Column
After class, reduce ideas into a few words and place them in a __________
The Cornell System:
Step Three: Review and connect
Review notes after lecture. Connect main concepts in left (recall) column with
details in the right (record) column.
The Cornell System:
Step Four: Summarize
In the bottom summary section, jot a few sentences , summarizing all main
points and why this is important. Students are _____% more likely to
remember content by doing this step!
Questions?
Thank you!!
Deborah A. Wingert, Ph.D.
Director of Educational Development
College of Veterinary Medicine (108 Pomeroy)
Preparing Future Faculty Program Coordinator
Early Career Program Facilitator
Center for Teaching and Learning
University of Minnesota
315 Science Classroom Building
222 Pleasant St. S.E.
Minneapolis, MN 55455
Phone: (612/626-2995 at Pomeroy) or (612/625-3405 at CTL)
Email: [email protected]