Transcript Study Skills 101 - Hollidaysburg Area School District

Study Skills 101
Introduction
O Most students think that attending class, taking
some notes, reading the text and teacher
handouts, and studying right before the test are
sufficient strategies for academic success.
O This may work for the temporary memorization
of easy material. However, it won’t for the longterm learning of more difficult and complex
material.
Introduction
O Learning, unlike memorization, involves a complex set
of skills that can only improve with practice.
O We can easily understand and make the connection
between a sport and practice.
O In order to be a good basketball player, you need to
practice shooting, dribbling, rebounding, passing, etc.
over and over again.
O However, we often have trouble perceiving and
accepting the connection between study skills and
practice.
O Many people wrongly assume that successful learning
just comes naturally; practice doesn’t apply.
Barriers to Academic Success
O Some of the biggest barriers for teenagers are:
O Lack of time management skills
O Love of procrastination
O Too many distractions
O Lack of interest in learning
O Reluctance/refusal to work hard
O Fear of being labeled a nerd, geek, etc.
O Refusal to make goals and think about the future
O Lack of seriousness when it comes to learning
O Satisfaction with mediocrity 
What are Study Skills?
O Study skills are techniques used in order to
achieve greater success in learning.
O They’re used in a number of ways:
O To process and organize new information
O To help retain information
O To see the connection between concepts
O To use previously learned material in order to
help learn new material
O In order to be successful at learning, you need
to be active!
O REAL LEARNING IS NOT A PASSIVE ACTIVITY!
Areas to Develop
O Reading comprehension
O Note taking
O Test taking
O Understand, don’t just memorize
O Study groups
O Studying science
Reading Comprehension
O SQ3R method
O Survey, question, read, recite, review
O Take notes while you’re reading
O Write down questions when reading
O Reading speed and effectiveness
O Know when to slow down or when to speed up
O A lot of time can be wasted due to ineffective
reading techniques
Note Taking
O Before class, read the material that will be covered
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that day
Read over your notes from the previous class
While taking notes, be actively engaged (ask
questions, volunteer answers)
Listen to your teacher rather than scribbling down
the notes and missing what could be important info
Underline or highlight important info
Read over the notes within 24 hours or you’ll be
relearning – ineffective!
While reading over notes, read them out loud and
highlight important points
When possible, don’t sit near distracting students!
Tips for Test Taking
Before the Test:
1. Study four consecutive days
before the test. Cramming
often does not work!
2. Form a study group.
Answering questions with
others will help store the
information in long-term
memory.
3. Take a 5-minute break after
30 minutes of studying.
4. Avoid talking to others about
the test on the day of the test.
It can cause confusion and
anxiety.
5. Overstudy! Study until you’re
confident you know the
material.
During the Test:
1. Read all directions twice
2. Ignore what other students
are doing or how far they are on
their test.
3. Before you begin answering
questions, write down all
mnemonics that you have
memorized.
4. Never leave a blank answer.
5. First answer the questions of
which you are confident. Avoid
changing too many answers;
often your first choice is the
correct one.
6. If you don’t know an answer,
skip it and come back to it later.
Make sure you circle the
number.
7. Recheck your answers.
8. Stay positive. Say to
yourself, “I know this material. I
will do well.”
After the test:
1. Review your test and look at
the problems you missed. It’s
important that you know why
they were wrong.
2. Note what kinds of questions
were on the test. Where were
your weaknesses? How could
you have studied differently?
3. Each teacher generally uses
the same format on his/her
exams; this should help you
study for your remaining tests.
4. If you did poorly on the test,
don’t allow yourself to become
negative. Stay positive and get
help from family, teachers,
tutors, or friends.
Understand, Don’t
Just Memorize!
O When you understand the material, rather than just
memorize it, you’re more likely to remember.
O Students who study for understanding:
O Read and think critically about the material
O Importance?
O Recognize the complexity of the content
O How can this be helpful?
O Can see relationships between chapters and concepts
O Benefits?
Study Groups
O Unless the study group works effectively and
efficiently, it will be frustrating and a major waste
of time.
O Benefits:
O Learning from others
O It’s active
O Seeing the info from another perspective
O Supplements your own personal studying
Study Group Tips
O Ideal number: 3–6
O More than six = party  = no studying 
O Members should be able to meet on regular basis
O One member should be the “chairperson” and
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lead/guide the sessions
Members should be assigned particular parts, study
those parts, and then teach those parts at the meeting
An agenda should be made and followed
Meeting area should be free of distractions (no phones!)
Length of meeting: one to two hours
If everyone is serious and committed, it will work!
Studying Science
O The sciences present info in quite a different form
compared to other content areas
O Equations, graphs, chemical formulas, cycles, etc.
O Because of this, studying for science requires
different techniques
O Also, the sciences have their own language
O It’s been said that learning all the terms in a first-year
bio course is like learning a foreign language
O This means that many students must devote even
more time to learning the sciences.
Studying Science
O Personally, I have trouble with equations and
formulas (chemistry/physics), but I love
memorizing information and wrapping my mind
around concepts.
O That’s why I love bio and physiology!
O If you love scientific thought (how, why, cause and
effect, etc.), then stick with the sciences – you’ll
eventually find one that interests you.
Conclusion
O All of you are capable of doing well! You wouldn’t be
in this class if you weren’t.
O Many of you have never needed to study before, and
have therefore not yet developed effective study skills
and strategies.
O If your grades aren’t so great, I’m sure it’s due to your
lack of study skills, not intelligence.
O Some questions for you:
O Are you willing to develop and practice effective study
skills?
O Are you going to be an active learner?
O Or, are you going to passively sit back and be satisfied
with mediocrity? 