Study Skills,
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Transcript Study Skills,
Study Skills
…. Or, how to do the best you possibly can without
going crazy!!!!!
Use your
resources!!
Your book
Your instructor
Your friends (that know math)
The Math Center tutors
On-line tutorials
Oodles and gobs of people and places that want to help you!
What’s in
your book???
Proper Study Skills
Have a positive attitude
Prepare for and Attend Class
Read the Text
Do the Homework
Study for Class
How to…have a
positive
attitude!!!!!!!!
You must be willing to give this course, and yourself, a
chance
Don’t continue to say “I Hate Math!” – that won’t help…
Believe in yourself!
Prepare for and
Attend Class
You should plan to attend every class
You need to do your homework completely
Write down questions you may have
While in class pay attention to what the instructor is
saying
Take careful, organized, and legible notes
Read the Book
Math books aren’t meant to be read like a novel, or a magazine,
or a comic book
Read them slowly & carefully, word by word.
If you don’t understand it, re-read it…
Make note of anything you read that you don’t understand & ask
your instructor
Pay attention to the “Avoiding Common Errors” and “Helpful
Hints” boxes in your book
Do the Homework!
Do the assignments as soon as possible, so the material
will be fresh in your mind.
It is through doing homework that you TRULY learn the
material
Check your answers in the back of the book & if you
can’t figure out how to get the correct answer, ASK!
Test questions are usually very similar to homework
problems – so pay attention!
Study for Class
Know your own study habits.
Study in a place & at a time that is best for you to focus &
not be interrupted.
Don’t try to study math for too long at a time – take
breaks to let your mind re-energize.
Be sure you know WHY a problem is worked a particular
way, not just HOW!
What’s else is
in your book???
How to Prepare for and Take Exams (p4-6)
Prepare for an exam
Take an Exam
Prepare for an Exam
Study a little bit each day
You shouldn’t cram the night before an exam (this
usually doesn’t help)!!
Read & RE-READ your class notes
Review your homework assignments
Study formulas, definitions, and procedures
RE-READ “Avoiding Common Errors” and “Helpful
Hint” boxes
Prepare for an
Exam… continued
Read the summary at the end of each chapter
Work the Chapter Review Exercises at the end of each
chapter
Work Mid-Chapter and Chapter Practice Tests
Rework any quizzes previously given
ASK ABOUT ANYTHING YOU DON’T
UNDERSTAND AS YOU GO ALONG!
Prepare to
SUCCESSFULLY
Take an Exam!!!
Get a good nights sleep
Don’t rush into class without time to relax before the test is
handed out
Eat some brain food (peppermint is good for increasing
oxygen supply)!
When you get
the exam/test…
Write down any formulas or ideas you need to remember
Look quickly over the entire test to see how long it is, etc.
Read instructions carefully. If something doesn’t make sense,
ASK!
As you take
the exam/test…
Show all your work – can’t earn partial credit any other
way!!
Work the questions you know best first
Don’t spend too much time on any one problem
Plan to spend more time on the problems worth more
points.
As you take
the exam/test…
Attempt each problem – never leave a problem blank!
Work carefully, double checking signs, numbers, and
variables
Write so that your instructor can read your work
IF YOU HAVE TIME check your work – but don’t secondguess yourself!
As you take
the exam/test…
Don’t worry if others finish before you – you have the time,
so use it!
Stay calm. Take deep breaths.
Think about what you know, not what you don’t know!
Trust yourself!
When you get
back the exam/test…
See what problems you missed
Find out why you missed them
Make note of what you missed and why you missed them
You will probably need that information for future
coursework!!!!!
Is there more???
Learn to Manage Time
Plan ahead
Be organized
When allowed – use calculator for tedious calculations
Use a book mark
Don’t take on more than you can handle; prioritize.
Use supplements
Seek HELP
Plan Ahead…
Expect to spend at least 2 hours studying and doing
homework for every hour of class…
Plan when and where you will study…
Don’t schedule other activities during that time…
If allowed, use calculators for the “hard calculations”
Prioritize…
Be organized…
Keep what you need where you know where it is so you
don’t have to waste time looking for it…
Use bookmarks to keep track of where you are…
Use your time wisely…
Try not to take on more responsibilities…
Math courses take a lot of time and energy, so don’t
overburden yourself with too many courses…
You must set your priorities…
Use supplements…
NO, NOT STEROIDS…
You can buy the Student’s Solutions manual – or use the
one in the Math Center
You can use the DVD in the Math Center to see how
some problems are worked out
You can access powerful online tutorials on
InteractMath.com
Seek HELP…
Don’t be afraid to ask for help!!
Don’t wait to ask for help!!
If you get behind, it is VERY difficult to catch up!!!!
There are many sources of help that I will talk about
here…
Teacher
Friends
Math Center Tutors
How can your
instructor help?
Silly question….
Honestly, though….. Teachers are here to help you…
Remember, the classroom experience is not meant to be
a one-to-one tutoring session
See the instructor outside of class for that
Getting help from
your instructor…
Know how to contact your instructor
Mrs. Rigdon prefers you contact her by email
[email protected]
Know your instructor’s availability
Mrs. Rigdon is the Math Center Specialist, so she can be found
there (Room 207), except when she’s in class, of course:
Mondays, Wednesdays, & Thursdays 9am – 6:30 pm
Tuesdays 9am – 6 pm
Fridays 9am – 4 pm
Getting help from
your instructor…
Know what you need help with
Don’t expect your instructor to re-teach the entire lesson
There’s probably 1 or 2 things that you missed, or don’t
understand, and getting those will probably help you through
the difficulty you’re experiencing
Getting help from
your instructor…
Your instructor may teach the material differently than
other people, so she/he really should be the first person
you go to for help…..
But, your instructor should understand that you “getting”
the material is the important part and that if you want to
get help elsewhere, that’s fine as well!
How can your
friends help?
Ever hear of study groups???
Make sure someone in the group knows what they’re doing…
Remember the study group time isn’t party time…
Stay on task…
Helping someone else learn the material is one of the most
effective ways to learn it yourself!!!!!
How can the
Math Center help?
Excellent question….
The Math Center is open…
Monday – Thursday 9am – 9pm
Friday 9am – 4pm
Saturday 10am – 3pm
Math Center personnel know their stuff……
We are trained to help with Math Courses all the way up
through Calculus
How else can the
Math Center help?
Textbooks & Student Solutions Manuals
If you’ve not purchased your textbook yet, you can use ours in
the center
If you need help figuring out a homework problem (odds only),
you can look in the solutions manual for a hint and explanation
If you want to check the answer to an even-numbered problem,
you can look at the printout of even-numbered answers
How else can the
Math Center help?
DVDs of Sample Problems
The publisher has produced these DVDs to provide you
additional instruction on sample problems
Headphones
The Math Center has headphones you can use in the center to
listen to the DVDs
Or, you can bring your own
How else can the
Math Center help?
Calculators
We have calculators you can borrow to use in the center
Quiet Study Area
If you just want someplace to do your homework
If you have a question, you can just ask one of us
How else can the
Math Center help?
Additional resources
We have lists of additional websites that might be helpful
We have informational bookmarks that might be helpful
We have handouts on being a good math student
This is a place your study group could use as your
meeting place…
Complete with people to help you!!!
How can on-line tutorials help?
InteractMath.com is set up to help you learn various
Mathematical topics, including what’s in your book
Have a Math Center staff member show you how access it,
then…
Select the Chapter & Section you want to work on
You can select specific objectives to work on…
You can work through sample problems
Some problems have videos showing an instructor working out a
similar problem
Some problems have similar problems worked out step by step for you
to see
All problems have similar problems that you can work out step by step (it
will check each step for you), so you can learn the processes
How can anybody
or anything help
you????
First of all, realize that anyone in the education field wants
you to learn the material, so that you will be successful in the
course…. And in life!!!
Who can help me???
Your instructor
The Math Center tutors
Your study group
AND……
Who can help me???
The Academic Resource Center can set you up with your
own personal tutor that will work one-on-one with you.
Don’t expect them to replace going to class and getting
instruction from your teacher
Do expect them to help you understand the material!!!
By the way, this is also FREE!!!
What else can
you use to help
you understand???
You can use other on-line sources:
http://www.purplemath.com/
http://www.math.com/
http://www.mathgoodies.com/lessons/
http://www.saab.org/mathdrills/
http://www.mathpower.com/
http://mathforum.org/library/drmath/sets/high_alg_toc.ht
ml
Other outside help…
You can always hire your own tutor
They won’t be free
They won’t know how Metro’s classes are set up
Can you say $$$$$$$$ ???
Bottom Line…
Don’t give up!
You CAN do it!
There is help
if you need it!