Drill of the Month Developed by Gloria Bizjak

Drill of the MonthDeveloped by Gloria Bizjak Study Skills

Study Skills • Student Performance Objective • Given information, resources, and opportunity for discussion, participants will be able to list, describe, and practice study skills. • Study tips, techniques, methods, and guidelines are based on researched educational strategies, observations, and outcomes and are suggested by teachers and professors of various schools, colleges and universities and professional study centers. Drill of the Month

Study Skills Overview • Common Study Problems—POWERS • Study Time—A-Plus • Effective Reading • Effective Note Taking Drill of the Month

Common Study Problems • P O W E R S problems • Procrastinating • Finding other things to do • Thinking you will have time to study later • Overwhelmed • Too much work • Cannot learn the material Drill of the Month

Common Study Problems • P O W E R S problems: continued • Wasting time • Looking for study materials • Figuring out where to start • Environmentally challenged • Home interruptions, distractions • Station/office interruptions, distractions Drill of the Month

Common Study Problems • P O W E R S problems: continued • Recalling by cramming • Why waste a semester: memorize in one night • What caffeine is for • What friends’ notes are for • Sleeping • Too tired to study • Forgot to schedule sleep into your schedule • Unable to concentrate • Burned out with POWERS problems Drill of the Month

Study Time • A – P L U S Guidelines • Attend class: always go to first session • Meet the instructor for class overview • Get syllabus: course schedule, rules, expectations • Get (or have) textbook • If you miss, call instructor • Read ahead; each session links to another Drill of the Month

Study Time • A – P L U S Guidelines: continued • Attend to organization • Use a day planner: schedule study time each day • Plan sufficient study time with breaks • Study when rested and alert • Review material and notes every day • Do hardest assignments first • Do final review close to when you need to know it Drill of the Month

Study Time • A – P L U S Guidelines: continued • Attend to organization • Schedule other daily must-do items • Working, eating, sleeping • Errands, appointments • Exercising, sports • Family time, socializing Drill of the Month

Study Time • A – P L U S Guidelines: continued • Prepare: Be organized, ready to study • Have a quiet study place • Introverts need a quiet place • Extroverts and ADHD students need low-volume “quiet” or “white” noise • Have all study items handy • Day planner, paper, pens, pencils, highlighters, text, dictionary, computer, paper, ink, CDs/thumb drives, desk, chair, lighting, etc. Drill of the Month

Study Time • A – P L U S Guidelines: continued • Learn: this is not the hard part, just time consuming • Before class: read early, read ahead • Highlight • Outline • Look up or research • Write questions for class Drill of the Month

Study Time • A – P L U S Guidelines: continued • Learn: • In class • Come prepared • Listen carefully • Ask questions • Participate in discussion • Take notes Drill of the Month

Study Time • A – P L U S Guidelines: continued • Learn: • After class • Reread or rewrite notes • Review chapter • Read next chapter • Make connections Drill of the Month

Study Time • A – P L U S Guidelines: continued • Understand: If you don’t get it, ask • Take interest; make it make sense • Relate this material to previous • Understand concepts; determine key points • Look for more information • Stop and review for clarification, understanding • Overlearn: reread, review, recite, recall, practice, talk or write about it, use it Drill of the Month

Study Time • A – P L U S Guidelines: continued • Study effectively: Use time productively • Develop study skills • Study actively: ask yourself questions, review notes, find key concepts, look for links • Think of possibilities, explanations, relationships not dead ends Drill of the Month

Study Time • A – P L U S Guidelines: continued • Study effectively: Use SQ-3R strategy • Survey material—like looking at a roadmap before you go on a trip so you know where you are going • Get an overall picture or overview • Read chapter introductions; look at headings and subheadings; look at pictures, charts, graphs; read summaries Drill of the Month

Study Time • A – P L U S Guidelines: continued • Study effectively: Use SQ-3R strategy • Question • Ask/write questions as you read: who, what, why, how, when, where • Look for answers to questions from class, reading, end of the chapter • As material makes sense, it makes impressions, which are meaningful and remembered Drill of the Month

Study Time • A – P L U S Guidelines: continued • Study effectively: Use SQ-3R strategy • Read actively • To answer questions • To note concepts • To not bold or italicized words • To attend to tables, graphs, illustrations Drill of the Month

Study Time • A – P L U S Guidelines: continued • Study effectively: Use SQ-3R strategy • Recite/Recall to Remember • Periodically, stop and recall what you have read • Recite/remember main headings/concepts, bold/italics, info in charts/graphs • Create/understand the overall concept: state in own words • Make connections to what you already know Drill of the Month

Study Time • A – P L U S Guidelines: continued • Study effectively: Use SQ-3R strategy • Review: Survey what you have covered/learned • Determine what you accomplished • Reread to discover what is understood/familiar • Review at the end of the study period while knowledge/questions are fresh • Before exam, do a final review Drill of the Month

Effective Reading • Reading: Primary means of acquiring information • Reading is just the beginning of studying, not the end of it Drill of the Month

Effective Reading • Read with Purpose • Reading to study • Read difficult material for comprehension • Read slowly • Read to understand • Read more than once • Read aloud, if it helps to hear the words Drill of the Month

Effective Reading • Read with Purpose: continued • Skimming • Read quickly to get a general idea • Results in lower comprehension—for now • Useful when you have to read a lot in a short time • Identify main ideas; ignore details for now Drill of the Month

Effective Reading • Read with Purpose: continued • Scanning • Read to find specific information you have read before • Move eyes over info to find what you want Drill of the Month

Effective Reading • Find the Main Idea • Each Chapter, section, paragraph contains a main idea • Main ideas make highlighting/outlining easy • Find significant details • Subpoints/details that support main ideas • Link details with main idea and main idea with other info • The more links, the easier to remember Drill of the Month

Effective Note Taking • Taking Notes • A skill to be learned, practiced, refined • Keep notes logical and legible • Use a notebook to record all notes Drill of the Month

Effective Note Taking • Outlining textbooks • Underlining w/pencil or pen—ineffective • Highlighting—more effective • Highlight key concepts or words only • Do not highlight entire paragraphs • Mark key ideas and subpoints as if outlining on paper (I, A, B, C, 1, 2, 3, a, b, c, etc.) Drill of the Month

Effective Note Taking • Lecture Notes: Use the SQ-3R strategy • Survey: Listen for and focus/concentrate on main points • Question: Think of and ask questions, write questions to research later • Read and reorganize notes, questions • Recite: ask questions, participate in discussion • Review discussion, review/rewrite notes Drill of the Month

Effective Note Taking • Think • Sitting passively: wastes your time, does not enable learning • Think what is said before writing it down • Do not write every word: time consuming, misses information • Reorganize in your head what was said, then write (easy if you read the assignment) • Connect what is said w/how you think • Ask for clarification, revise Drill of the Month

Study Skills • Student Performance Objective • Given information, resources, and opportunity for discussion, participants will be able to list, describe, and practice study skills. Drill of the Month

Study Skills • Review • List common study problems (POWERS)and some points for each • List some study tips to earn an A-PLUS and some points for each • List points for effective reading • List points for effective note taking Drill of the Month

Drill of the Month Developed by Gloria Bizjak