Study Skills

STUDY SKILLS: HOW TO LISTEN EFFECTIVELY

HEARING IS PASSIVE AND LISTENING IS ACTIVE.

     Active listening involves:
  • Paying attention
  • Blocking out distractions
  • Thinking about what you heard

     Strategies for Active Listening:

  • Maintain eye contact
  • Hear the speaker out
  • Give listening your full attention
  • Look for Patterns of Organization
  • Be aware of clue words
  • Ask the speaker questions

     Patterns of Organization Include:

       1. Chronology

  • The order in which events occurred over time. 

       2. Cause and Effect

  • The reason why pattern, presenting the causes that lead up to the specific event.    

       3. Compare and Contrast

  • Comparing things that are alike, and contrasting things that are different. 
     Patterns of Organization Clue Words Include:
       
        1. Chronology
  • Uses Clue Words such as: "first," "second," "then," "later," and "finally"  

       2. Cause and Effect

  • Clue Words include: "reason for," "as a result," and "why"

       3. Compare and Contrast

  • Clue Words: "similar," "different," "on the other hand"
     
     Asking the speaker questions about:
  • More details
  • For some examples
  • For definitions
  • What are the consequences of that?
  • Other possibilities or alternatives
      Recommendations for good listening:
  • Come to class early or on time.
  • Be prepared
  • Sit near the lecturer
  • Resist distractions
  • Look for nonverbal clues
  • Do not over react to the speaker's appearance, mannerisms, content or language.

STUDY SKILLS: HOW TO TAKE NOTES
      
       Be prepared:
  • Notebook or paper
  • Working pen
  • Sharpened pencil

       1. Write only on the right hand side of the paper.

       2. Leave the left-hand side of the page blank.

       3. Draw a line down the left side of the paper to create a wide margin.
  • Use this to summarize your notes and later as a study guide

       4. Label each page with:

  • The Subject
  • Teacher's Name
  • Date

       5. Number the pages as you proceed.

  • Take concise notes.
  • Write  down the main points and the important information only.
  • Listen for patterns of organization and clue words. 

       The most frequently used Patterns of Organization are:

       1. Chronology
  • The order in which events occurred over time.

       2. Cause and Effect

  • The reason why pattern, presenting the causes that lead up to the specific event.

       3. Compare and Contrast

  • Comparing things that are alike, and contrasting things that are different. 

        Listen for Clue Words that may indicate the Patterns of Organization:

       1. Chronology
  • Uses Clue Words such as: "first," "second," "then," "later," and "finally"  

       2. Cause and Effect

  • Clue Words include: "reason for," "as a result," and "why" 

       3. Compare and Contrast

  • Clue Words: "similar," "different," "on the other hand"
     
Use Abbreviations for frequently used words.
Write your notes in your own words to be sure that they will be meaningful to you.
If the teacher writes something on the board, COPY IT!​
STUDY SKILLS: HOW TO READ A TEXT BOOK
     SQ3R System:
        
         Survey: Look over the material (read the Outline, Pictures, Captions, the Introduction and the  
                           Summary before you read the chapter).
            
         Question: Ask yourself questions you expect the passage to answer, so that your reading has a
                                 purpose.
     3R’s:
  
           Read: Read the passage (chapter).

           Recite: Put what you read into your own words for each section (a Summary). Writing the 
                            summary helps to remember even more of the material.

           Review: Review what you have read, the summary, the introduction, the pictures, captions, etc.

STUDY SKILLS: HOW TO TAKE ESSAY TESTS
    TEST MANAGEMENT

       1. Read the whole test before starting. 
  • Make notes to organize your answers.
  • Set priorities - start with the easy ones first
        2. Budget your time.

        3. Leave time for review
  •  If you cannot finish a question, do an outline for partial credit.
  • This helps to find mistakes and things that you may have left out.

    
    STUDYING FOR AN ESSAY TEST

       1. Take good notes in class

       2. When reviewing notes, look for patterns of organization.
  •    1. Chronology
       Uses Clue Words such as: "first," "second," "then," "later," and "finally"
  •    2. Cause and Effect
       Clue Words include: "reason for," "as a result," and "why"
  •    3. Compare and Contrast
       Clue Words: "similar," "different," "on the other hand"
  •    4. Use patterns of organization to predict test questions.
       Predicting the test questions makes it easier to remember the answer.
  •    5. Use your notes as an outline for questions.

 


STUDY SKILLS: HOW TO MANAGE YOUR TIME
SPEND TIME TO MAKE TIME!
     Make A Schedule:
  • Keep an exact record of your time
      Begin at the hour you usually wake up in the morning and end at the time you usually go to bed.       
  • Prioritize your activities
       Things you must do.
       Things you like to do.
  • Design a weekly schedule using small blocks of time
         Start with things that have fixed hours, such as classes, practices, a job.
         Then fill in duties that are flexible, such as chores, homework.
         Schedule studying in 50-minute blocks with 10 minute breaks. Use daylight hours as much as possible and do work that is more difficult when you are most alert.
         Double the time estimated for long-term projects and start early. Most people underestimate the time needed.
         Look for small blocks of time, which might be put to use, such as riding the bus. Wasted time are periods of time that are unaccounted for. 
         Allow enough time to eat a nutritional meal.

BALANCE is a Key element of scheduling.

Remember to schedule in fun, breaks, and rest. Planning ahead can save time by helping you to use your time more efficiently and by identifying periods of wasted time.