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Study Skills

Learn effective study skills strategies for academic success, including learning styles, time management, memory and recall, note-taking, concentration, reading skills, test performance, persistence, and accessing resources.

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Study Skills

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  1. Study Skills Strategies for Success Dave Mackay, MSW, RSW University of Waterloo April, 2014

  2. Components of Academic Success • Learning Styles • Time management • Memory and recall • Note-taking • Concentration • Reading Skills • Test performance • Persistence • Accessing Resources

  3. Learning Styles Visual Learners Auditory Learners Kinesthetic Learners

  4. Time Management Organization Scheduling Setting priorities Procrastination Efficiency Study habits Lifestyle Procrastination

  5. Organization • Write down all of your assignment and test dates on a full term or school-year calendar • Move from longer-term to shorter-term (monthly, to weekly, to daily) scheduling of tasks • Try tracking your use of time for a week

  6. Setting Priorities

  7. Setting Priorities

  8. Setting Priorities

  9. Setting Priorities

  10. Setting Priorities

  11. Understanding Procrastination • Fear of failure • Fear of success • Perfectionism • Rebellion • Overwhelmed • Lack of interest • An established pattern

  12. Overcoming Procrastination • Plan a clear, realistic schedule in advance • “First-minute” motivation • Smallest achievable chunks • Rewards

  13. Maximizing Recall • The 50 - 10 Rule • Review according to the “curve of forgetting”

  14. Curve of Forgetting 10 minutes 5 minutes 2-4 minutes 100% Day1 Day 2 Day 7 Day 30

  15. Recall cont’d… • Take advantage of your learning style preferences • Don’t just review, practice too! • Sleep for better grades!

  16. Adult’s Sleep Histogram R.E.M. Awake Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3 Stage 4 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Hours of Consecutive Sleep

  17. Note-taking • Read ahead whenever possible • Review your notes according to the curve of forgetting • Set up your notes with a mind for studying from them

  18. CLASS DATE PAGE # Notes from what teacher is saying or showing during class go here on right side of page (leave lots of space on the left side of the page) ** Leave space at bottom of page for “summary statements”

  19. CLASS DATE PAGE # After class, make up questions or key words to cue your recall of the notes you took during class and write them here. e.g. What is it? Where do I find it? How do I use it? What is its importance? Notes from what teacher is saying or showing during class go here. Summary statements….

  20. Concentration & Distraction • Examine your place of study, then make changes you can or consider moving • Eat well. Sleep well. Be physically active. • Multi tasking? • Write down your distracting thoughts • Take advantage of high energy times

  21. Circadian Rhythms 8am - 12pm High 12pm - 4pm Med 4pm - 6pm Low 6pm - 10pm Med After 10pm Rest

  22. Reading Skills • Start with an overview (introduction, summary, titles, subtitles, tables, charts, graphs, bold print) • Always read with a specific purpose or a question in mind • Don’t get too comfortable

  23. Preparing for & Writing Exams Worry

  24. Being Prepared • Put in the hours (without cramming) • Be physically & mentally healthy • Study by doing (active study) • Practice getting unstuck

  25. Do I know my stuff? • Can I say it in my own words? • Can I give an example? • Can I explain it to someone who doesn’t understand it?

  26. Writing the Exam • Have a plan… and a back-up plan …. (not this) • Essay Exams • Problem Solving Exams • Multiple Choice Exams

  27. After the exam • Make note of what seemed to work or not work as you studied • Make note of what seemed to work or not work as you wrote the test • After the test is returned, look for patterns in your errors

  28. Correlates of University Persistence • Longitudinal study, University of Calgary (M. Drysdale) • Who continues after the first year? • Variables: • Age • Gender • High school grades • Intended major/area of study • University grades (1st semester, 1st year) • Learning style (dominant and weakest)

  29. Significant Outcomes • Interaction between : • First term grades • First year grades • Declared major area of study • Dominant learning style (used Gregorc Learning Styles)

  30. University GPA • First term GPA: • GPA < 2.00 (‘C’) 34% of those who did not continue • GPA > 2.00 6% of those who did not continue • First year GPA: • GPA < 2.00 (‘C’) 40% of those who did not continue • GPA > 2.00 6% of those who did not continue

  31. Intended Major • 30% of those who had not declared a major were required to withdraw or dropped out vs 8% of those who had declared a major • Younger students had more problems deciding on career

  32. Recommendations • Know and work with your Learning Style • Put some energy into Career exploration (ongoing) • Learn and apply effective Study Skills (ongoing) • Ask for help! Access resources!!!

  33. Study Skills Resources • uwaterloo.ca/student-success/resources/online-resources • Teachers, Family, Teaching Assistants, Classmates • Find alternate textbooks for difficult courses • Find old tests/exams and work through them • Study skills books and tips on-line and at bookstores • Private tutors, counsellors, and education agencies

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