Study Skills and Taking Notes: Tips and Tools

1. 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

2. All study differently! No magic bullet Techniques to gain a good edge Action needed Before we start.......

3. A word to the wise.... Practice does not make perfect; Perfect practice makes perfect. Bob Kizlik, 1997

4. Weekly ____________ chunks Revisions ok Best time to study Rested ______________ Check: course objectives _____________________ Schedule....develop one!

5. Libraries Unused classrooms Lounges/private rooms Distraction-free Good lighting Comfortable, but...... Veer away from: Dorms Location, Location, Location...

6. Ask yourself questions as you ______ Think about what the prof says _________ writing down notes in ________________ Strategies: Effective Thinking Skills

7. Survey Before you study, get the overall picture (read summaries, headings, etc.) 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 _________________ Recite 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: The SQ3R Method

8. List what you need to study and do it! Begin studying __________ after a meal Stop studying ____________ before sleeping 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. Strategies: Study Habits

9. 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: Tips

10. _______ each other _______ each other Compare notes Meet regularly Delegate group assignments Strategies for Group Study

11. Taking Notes and Listening: Tips and Tools

12. 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 emotion-laden words? Any daydreaming? Usually/sometimes=1 Seldom/Almost never=5 Cuesta College, 2008 How’s Your Listening?? Quiz:

13. 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 Habits of Good Listeners:

14. 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 Good Listeners Do NOT:

15. 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 Listening skills:

16. Listen Actively The more you think about what you hear, the more you will understand and remember

17. ____________ ____________ _____________ Mentally review what has been previously said Compare lecture to text Apply to your own experience Select most important Ignore the not important Listen Actively (c’d):

18. 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? Taking Notes: Quiz

19. Pros Can connect to WebVista Less paper! Cons Tempting source of distraction Potentially cumbersome Using Laptops: A few considerations....

20. Pauses before or after an idea Uses ______________________________ Uses introductory phrases to precede important info W__________________________________ arc.sbc.edu/notes.html, 2008 Tips to Finding Major Points....

21. The average speaker covers 125-140 words per minute and the average note-taker writes less than 25 words per minute. Remember......

22. 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....

23. Use margins to: coordinate lecture notes with text notes J_____________________________ Jot down short summary of page Virgina Tech, 2008 A few specifics....

24. 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 A few specifics....

25. 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 Shortcuts.....

26. 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.....

27. A visual way to organize information Formats.....Concept Mapping Candy Chips Junk Foods Cookies Pop

28. The Cornell System: • Step One: • Write notes during class in a

29. The Cornell System: • Step Two: _________ Column • After class, reduce ideas into a few words and place them in a __________

30. 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.

31. 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!

32. 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: winge007@umn.edu