Study skills

Source: www.how-to-study.com

Preparing to Study: A Good Study Place

You need a good study place to be prepared to study. You should be able to answer
YES to all of the following questions:
1. Is my Study Place available to me whenever I need it?
Your Study Place does you little good if you cannot use it when you
need it. If you are using a Study Place that you must share with others
for any reason, work out a schedule so that you know when you can
use it.
2. Is my Study Place free from interruptions?
It is important to have uninterrupted study time. You may have to hang
a DO NOT DISTURB sign on the door or take the phone off the hook.
3. Is my Study Place free from distractions?
Research shows that most students study best in a quiet environment.
If you find that playing a stereo or TV improves your mood, keep the
volume low.
4. Does my Study Place contain all the study materials I need?
Be sure your Study Place includes reference sources and supplies such
as pens and pencils, paper, ruler, calculator, and whatever else you
might need. If you use a computer for your schoolwork, it should be in
your Study Place .
5. Does my Study Space contain a large enough desk or table?
While working on an assignment or studying for a test, use a desk or
table that is large enough to hold everything you need. Allow enough
room for writing and try to avoid clutter.
6. Does my Study Place have enough storage space?
You need enough room to store your study materials. Be sure you have
enough storage space to allow you to keep your desktop or other work
surface clear of unnecessary materials that can get in the way.
7. Does my Study Place have a comfortable chair?

A chair that is not comfortable can cause discomfort or pain that will
interfere with your studying. A chair that is too comfortable might
make you sleepy. Select a chair in which you can sit for long periods
while maintaining your attention.
8. Does my Study Place have enough light?
The amount of light you need depends on what you are doing. The
important thing is that you can clearly see what you need to see
without any strain or discomfort.
9. Does my Study Place have a comfortable temperature?
If your Study Place is too warm, you might become sleepy. If it is too
cold, your thinking may slow down and become unclear. Select a
temperature at which your mind and body function best.
Having a good Study Place is important for good studying.

Your Preferred Learning Style

A learning style is a way of learning. YOUR preferred learning style is the way in which
YOU learn best. Three learning styles that are often identified in students are the
Auditory Learning Style, the Visual Learning Style, and the Tactile/Kinesthetic
Learning Style. Read about each of these learning styles to identify YOUR preferred
learning style.
Are you an Auditory Learner?
Auditory Learners learn best when information is presented in an auditory language
format. Do you seem to learn best in classes that emphasize teacher lectures and class
discussions? Does listening to audio tapes help you learn better? Do you find yourself
reading aloud or talking things out to gain better understanding? If YES, you are probably
an Auditory Learner.
Are you a Visual Learner?
Visual Learners learn best when information is presented in a written language format or
in another visual format such as pictures or diagrams. Do you do best in classes in which
teachers do a lot of writing at the chalkboard, provide clear handouts, and make extensive
use of an overhead projector? Do you try to remember information by creating pictures in
your mind? Do you take detailed written notes from your textbooks and in class? If YES,
you are probably a Visual Learner.
Are you a Tactile/Kinesthetic Learner?

Tactile/Kinesthetic Learners learn best in hands-on learning settings in which they can
physically manipulate something in order to learn about it. Do you learn best when you
can move about and handle things? Do you do well in classes in which there is a lab
component? Do you learn better when you have an actual object in your hands rather than
a picture of the object or a verbal or written description of it? If YES, you are probably a
Tactile/Kinesthetic Learner.
Your learning style is your strength. Go with it whenever you can. When you can choose
a class, try to choose one that draws heaviest on your learning style. When you can
choose a teacher, try to choose one who's teaching method best matches your learning
style. When you choose a major and future career, keep your learning style firmly in
mind.

Good Listening In Class

It is important for you to be a good listener in class. Much of what you will have to learn
will be presented verbally by your teachers. Just hearing what your teachers say is not the
same as listening to what they say. Listening is a cognitive act that requires you to pay
attention and think about and mentally process what you hear.
Here are some things you should do to be a good listener in class.
Be Cognitively Ready to Listen When You Come to Class. Make sure you complete all
assigned work and readings. Review your notes from previous class sessions. Think
about what you know about the topic that will be covered in class that day.
Be Emotionally Ready to Listen When You Come to Class. Your attitude is important.
Make a conscious choice to find the topic useful and interesting. Be committed to
learning all that you can.
Listen with a Purpose. Identify what you expect and hope to learn from the class
session. Listen for these things as your teacher talks.
Listen with an Open Mind. Be receptive to what your teacher says. It is good to
question what is said as long as you remain open to points of view other than your own.
Be Attentive. Focus on what your teacher is saying. Try not to daydream and let your
mind wander to other things. It helps to sit in the front and center of the class, and to
maintain eye contact with your teacher.
Be an Active Listener. You can think faster than your teacher can speak. Use this to your
advantage by evaluating what is being said and trying to anticipate what will be said next.
Take good written notes about what your teacher says. While you can think faster than
your teacher can speak, you cannot write faster than your teacher can speak. Taking notes
requires you to make decisions about what to write, and you have to be an active listener
to do this.

Meet the Challenge. Don't give up and stop listening when you find the information
being presented difficult to understand. Listen even more carefully at these times and
work hard to understand what is being said. Don't be reluctant to ask questions.
Triumph Over the Environment. The classroom may too noisy, too hot, too cold, too
bright, or too dark. Don't give in to these inconveniences. Stay focused on the big picture
- LEARNING.

Taking Notes in Class (you can share with first years)

In classes, your teachers will talk about topics that you are studying. The information
they provide will be important for you to know when you take tests. You must be
able to take good written notes from what your teachers say.
Taking good notes is a three-stage process in which there are certain things you
should do before class, during class, and after class. Here are the three stages of
notetaking and what you should do during each stage.
1. Get Ready to Take Notes (Before Class)

Review your notes from the previous class session before you come to class.
This will help you remember what was covered and get you ready to
understand new information your teacher provides.

Complete all assigned readings before you come to class. Your teacher will
expect that you have done this and will use and build upon this information.

Bring all notetaking materials with you to class. Have several pens and pencils
as well as your notebook.

2. Take Notes (During Class)

Keep your attention focused on what your teacher is saying. Listen for signal
statements that tell you that what your teacher is about to say is important
to write in your notes. Examples of signal statements are The most
important point and Remember that . . . Be sure to include in your notes
information that your teacher repeats or writes on the chalkboard.

Write quickly so that you can include all the important information in your
notes. Do this by writing abbreviated words such as med for medicine, using
symbols such as % for percent, and writing short sentences.

Place a ? next to information you write in your notes, but about whose
meaning you are not sure.

3. Rewrite Your Notes (After Class)

Rewrite your notes to make them more complete by changing abbreviated
words into whole words, symbols into words, and shortened sentences into
longer sentences.

Make your notes more accurate by answering any questions you had when
writing your notes in class. Use your textbook and reference sources to obtain
the information you need to answer your questions. If necessary, ask your
teacher or other students for help.

Check with other students to be sure you did not leave out important
information.

Having good class notes will help you to be better prepared for tests.

A Strategy for Reading Textbooks

SQRW is a four-step strategy for reading and taking notes from chapters in a textbook.
Each letter stands for one step in the strategy. Using SQRW will help you to understand
what you read and to prepare a written record of what you learned. The written record
will be valuable when you have to participate in a class discussion and again when you
study for a test. Read to learn what to do for each step in SQRW.
Survey.
Surveying brings to mind what you already know about the topic of a chapter and
prepares you for learning more. To survey a chapter, read the title, introduction, headings,
and the summary or conclusion. Also, examine all visuals such as pictures, tables, maps,
and/or graphs and read the caption that goes with each. By surveying a chapter, you will
quickly learn what the chapter is about.
Question.
You need to have questions in your mind as you read. Questions give you a purpose for
reading and help you stay focused on the reading assignment. Form questions by
changing each chapter heading into a question. Use the words who, what, when, where,
why, or how to form questions. For example, for the heading "Uses of Electricity" in a
chapter about how science improves lives, you might form the question "What are some
uses of electricity?" If a heading is stated as a question, use that question. When a
heading contains more than one idea, form a question for each idea. Do not form
questions for the Introduction, Summary, or Conclusion.
Read.
Read the information that follows each heading to find the answer to each question you
formed. As you do this, you may decide you need to change a question or turn it into
several questions to be answered. Stay focused and flexible so you can gather as much
information as you need to answer each question.
Write.
Write each question and its answer in your notebook. Reread each of your written
answers to be sure each answer is legible and contains all the important information
needed to answer the question.

As you practice using SQRW, you will find you learn more and have good study notes to
use to prepare for class participation and tests.
HINT: Once you complete the Survey step for the entire chapter, complete the Question,
Read, and Write steps for the first heading. Then complete the Question, Read, and Write
steps for the second heading, and so on for the remaining headings in the chapter.

A Strategy for Reading Novels (this can be shared by language subjects)

A story is a fictitious tale that is written to entertain, amuse, or instruct the reader. A novel
is the same as a story but it is longer and more complex. To understand a story or novel,
you need to understand the six elements used by authors when they write a story or novel.
Characters
Characters are the first element to look for when reading a story or novel.
Characters are most often people but can be animals or even fictionalized
beings like those seen in cartoons or movies. The main character plays the
biggest role and is often the first character to be introduced. Most often the
story is seen through the eyes of the main character. Secondary characters
play a smaller supporting role and are introduced throughout the story.
Setting
The setting is the second element you should look for when reading a
story or novel. The setting is the location where the story takes place. A
story may take place in a home, countryside, town, school, or wherever the
author chooses to have the action occur. The setting is usually revealed
very early in a story.
Time
The time when the story takes place is the third element you should look
for when reading a story or novel. A story may take place very recently or
many years ago. Usually the time when the story takes place is introduced
very early in the story.
Problem
The problem is the fourth element you should look for in a story or novel.
The problem most often grows out of a conflict between the main
character and another character in the story. But the problem can also
involve a circumstance such as a hurricane, a war, or one of the many
obstacles that produce a conflict in life.
Events
Events are the fifth element you should look for when reading a story or

novel. An event is an attempt at solving the problem in the story. In a story

there are usually a number of attempts to solve the problem and these
events make up most of the story.
Solution
A solution is the sixth and final element in a story or novel. The solution is
how the problem is resolved or brought to an end. Most often the solution
is revealed near the end of the story. Sometimes the solution is not
revealed until the very last page or even the final paragraph of the story.
Recognizing these story elements will help you better understand and enjoy a story,
remember the story facts, and appreciate different writing styles used by authors.

The RQWQCQ Strategy for Solving Math Word Problems (for Maths)
RQWQCQ is a good strategy to use when solving math word problems. Each of the
letters in RQWQCQ stands for a step in the strategy.
Read
Read the entire problem to learn what it is about. You may find it helpful to read the
problem out loud, form a picture of the problem in your mind, or draw a picture of the
problem.
Question
Find the question to be answered in the problem. Often the question is directly stated.
When it is not stated, you will have to identify the question to be answered.
Write
Write the facts you need to answer the question. It is helpful to cross out any facts
presented in the problem that are not needed to answer the question. Sometimes, all of
facts presented in the problem are needed to answer the question.
Question
Ask yourself What computations must I do to answer the question?
Compute
Set up the problem on paper and do the computations. Check your computations for
accuracy and make any needed corrections. Once you have done this, circle your answer.
Question
Look at your answer and ask yourself: Is my answer possible? You may find that your
answer is not possible because it does not fit with the facts presented in the
problem. When this happens, go back through the steps of RQWQCQ until you arrive at
an answer that is possible.

Reading Comprehension: The REDW Strategy for

Finding Main Ideas
REDW is a good strategy to use to find the main idea in each paragraph of a reading
assignment. Using this strategy will help you comprehend the information contained
in your assignment. Each of the letters in REDW stands for a step in the strategy.

Read
Read the entire paragraph to get an idea of what the paragraph is
about. You may find it helpful to whisper the words as you read or to
form a picture in your mind of what you are reading. Once you have a
general idea of what the paragraph is about, go on to the next step.
Examine
Examine each sentence in the paragraph to identify the important
words that tell what the sentence is about. Ignore the words that are
not needed to tell what the sentence is about. If you are allowed to,
draw a line through the words to be ignored. For each sentence, write
on a sheet of paper the words that tell what the sentence is about.
Decide
Reread the words you wrote for each sentence in the paragraph.
Decide which sentence contains the words you wrote that best
describe the main idea of the paragraph. These words are the main
idea of the paragraph. The sentence that contains these words is the
topic sentence. The other words you wrote are the supporting details
for the main idea.
Write
Write the main idea for each paragraph in your notebook. This will
provide you with a written record of the most important ideas you
learned. This written record will be helpful if you have to take a test
that covers the reading assignment.
Use REDW to help you understand the information in your reading assignments.

Using Acronyms to Remember Information

Forming an acronym is a good strategy to use to remember information in any order
that can be remembered. An acronym is a word that is formed from the first letter of
each fact to be remembered. It can be a real word or a nonsense word you are able
to pronounce.

Here is how to form an acronym.

Write the facts you need to remember.

Underline the first letter of each fact. If there is more than one word in a fact,
underline the first letter of only the first word in the fact.
Arrange the underlined letters to form an acronym that is a real word
or a nonsense word you can pronounce.

HOMES is an example of an acronym that is a real word you can use to remember
the names of the five Great Lakes: Michigan, Erie, Superior, Ontario, Huron: In
HOMES, H is the first letter of Huron and helps you remember that name; O is the
first letter of Ontario, and so on.
Telk is an acronym that can be used to remember the following animals: tiger, lion,
elephant, kangaroo. Telk is not a real word, but you can easily pronounce it. You
could also have used kelt as an acronym. Notice that in this example, you cannot
form a real word using the first letter of each fact to be remembered.
Sometimes two or more of the facts you must remember each begin with the same
first letter. For example, the acronym capp can be used to remember the following
fruits: pear, apple, peach, cherry. You can use the first letter p in the acronym to
remember either pear or peach and the second letter p to remember the other.

Building Vocabulary: Using Context Clues to Learn Word

Meaning
When authors write, they often include context clues to the meaning of words they
use but think that some of their readers may not know. The context clue is usually
presented in the sentence or paragraph in which the word occurs. Sometimes a visual
such as a picture is provided.
Here are six types of context clues used by authors to help the reader understand the
meanings of words. An example is provided for each.

1.Definition context clue. The author includes a definition to help the reader
understand the meaning of a word. In the following example, tainted is defined as
having a disease.
The people of the town were warned not to eat the tainted fish. The
local newspaper published a bulletin in which readers were clearly told
that eating fish that had a disease could be very dangerous. This was
especially true for fish caught in Lake Jean.

2.Synonym context clue. The author includes a synonym to help the reader
understand the meaning of a word. A synonym is a word that means the same as or
nearly the same as another word. In the following example, the synonym pity helps
the reader understand the meaning of compassion.
After seeing the picture of the starving children, we all felt compassion
or pity for their suffering.

3. Antonym context clue. The author includes an antonym to help the reader
understand the meaning of a word. An antonym is a word that means the opposite of
another word. In the following example, the antonym eager helps the reader
understand the meaning of reluctant.
Joe was reluctant to take on the position of captain of the basketball
team. He was afraid that the time it would take would hurt his grades.
On the other hand, Billy was eager for the chance to be captain. He
thought that being captain of the team would make him very popular
in school.

4. Description context clue. The author includes one or more descriptions to

help the reader understand the meaning of a word. In the following example,
descriptions of President Kennedy as having charm, enthusiasm, and a magnetic
personality help the reader understand the meaning of charismatic.
John Fitzgerald Kennedy, our 35th president, improved human rights
and equal rights for all people. He was a very charismatic president.
People were attracted to his charm and enthusiasm. His personality
was described as magnetic.

5. Summary context clue. The author makes a number of statements that

help the reader understand the meaning of a word. In the following example,
statements about being rude, showing no respect, having poor manners, and being
impolite help the reader understand the meaning of impertinent.
Andrea was a very impertinent young lady. She was so rude that she
talked while her teacher was explaining a lesson. She showed no
respect for other students. Her manners were very poor. Even her
parents thought that Andrea was impolite.

6. Visual context clue. The author includes a picture, drawing, chart, graph, or
other type of visual to help the reader understand the meaning of a word. In the
following example, the picture and its caption that is close to the sentence helps the
reader understand that exultant means great joy.
Peggy had an exultant look on her face.
Using the context clues provided by authors can help you learn the meaning of many
new words.

Test Anxiety
WHAT IS TEST ANXIETY?
Too much anxiety about a test is commonly referred to as test anxiety. It is
perfectly natural to feel some anxiety when preparing for and taking a test. In fact,
a little anxiety can jump start your studying and keep you motivated. However, too
much anxiety can interfere with your studying. You may have difficulty learning and
remembering what you need to know for the test. Further, too much anxiety may
block your performance during the test. You may have difficulty demonstrating what
you know during the test.

HOW DO I KNOW IF I HAVE TEST ANXIETY?

1. I have a hard time getting started studying for a test. Y/N
2. When studying for a test, I find many things that distract me.
Y/N
3. I expect to do poorly on a test no matter how much or how hard
I study. Y/N
4. When taking a test, I experience physical discomfort such as
sweaty palms, an upset stomach, a headache, difficulty
breathing, and tension in my muscles. Y/N
5. When taking a test, I find it difficult to understand the directions
and questions. Y/N
6. When taking a test, I have difficulty organizing my thoughts. Y/N
7. When taking a test, I often draw a blank. Y/N
8. When taking a test, I find my mind wandering to other things.
Y/N
9. I usually score lower on a test than I do on assignments and
papers. Y/N
10.
After a test, I remember information I couldnt recall
during the test. Y/N
You probably have test anxiety if you answer YES to four or more of the above
questions.
WHAT CAN I DO ABOUT TEST ANXIETY?
Here are some things you can do before, during, and after a test to
reduce your test anxiety.
1. Use good study techniques to gain cognitive mastery of the
material that will be covered on the test. This mastery will help
you to approach the test with confidence rather than have
excessive anxiety. Employ the tips at Preparing to Study.
(http://www.how-to-study.com/Preparing%20to%20Study.htm)

2. Maintain a positive attitude as you study. Think about doing

well, not failing. Think of the test as an opportunity to show how
much you have learned.
3. Go into the test well rested and well fed. Get enough sleep the
night before the test. Eat a light and nutritious meal before the
test. Stay away from junk foods.
4. Stay relaxed during the test. Taking slow, deep breaths can
help. Focus on positive self-statements such as I can do this.
5. Follow a plan for taking the test such as the DETER strategy.
Dont panic even if you find the test difficult. Stay with your
plan!
6. Dont worry about other students finishing the test before you
do. Take the time that you need to do your best.
7. Once you finish the test and hand it in, forget about it
temporarily. There is nothing more you can do until the graded
test is returned to you. Turn your attention and effort to new
assignments and tests.
8. When the graded test is returned to you, analyze it to see how
you could have done better. Learn from your mistakes and from
what you did well. Apply this knowledge when you take the next
test.
You have to know the material to do well on a test. You have
to control test anxiety to show what you know.
The DETER Strategy for Taking Tests
To do well on a test, you must have good knowledge of the information that is being
tested. But you must also have a strategy for taking the test that allows you to show
what you know. The DETER strategy can help you do your best on any test. Each
letter in DETER reminds you what to do.
D = Directions

Read the test directions very carefully.

Ask your teacher to explain anything about the test directions you do not
understand.
Only by following the directions can you achieve a good score on the test.
If you do not follow the directions, you will not be able to demonstrate what
you know.

E = Examine
Examine the entire test to see how much you have to do.
Only by knowing the entire task can you break it down into parts that become
manageable for you.

T = Time
Once you have examined the entire test, decide how much time you will
spend on each item.
If there are different points for items, plan to spend the most time on the
items that count for the most points.
Planning your time is especially important for essay tests where you must
avoid spending so much time on one item that you have little time left
for other test items.
E = Easiest
The second E in DETER reminds you to answer the items you find easiest first.
If you get stuck on a difficult item that comes up early in the test, you may
not get to answer items that test things you know.
R = Review
If you have planned your time correctly, you will have time to review your
answers and make them as complete and accurate as possible.
Also make sure to review the test directions to be certain you have answered
all items required.
Using the DETER strategy will help you do better on tests and get better grades.

Direction Words In Essay Test Items

Most essay test items are not presented in the form of a question. Instead, they are
often presented as a statement that includes a direction word. The direction word
tells you what you should do when you write your answer to the item. Look for the
direction word and be sure to do what it tells you to do.
Here are the direction words that are most frequently used by teachers when they
write essay test items. The meaning of each direction word is provided and is
followed by an example of an essay test item using that direction word. Get to know
what each of these direction words tells you to do.
Analyze - Analyze tells you to break something down into its parts and show how the
parts relate to each other to make the whole.
Analyze the factors that contribute to good health.
Compare - Compare tells you to show how two or more things are BOTH similar
and different.
Compare the forms of government found in the United States and in China.
Contrast Contrast tells you to show how two or more things are different.
Contrast the Republican and Democratic political platforms.
Define Define tells you to explain the meaning of something in a brief, specific
manner.

Define what is meant by living life to the fullest.

Describe Describe tells you to present a full and detailed picture of something in
words to include important characteristics and qualities.
Describe what it was like to live in ancient Rome.
Diagram Diagram tells you to illustrate something by drawing a picture of it and
labeling its parts.
Diagram a modern commercial jet airplane.
Evaluate Evaluate tells you to present both the positive and negative
characteristics of something.
Evaluate the impact of rap music on American youth.
Explain Explain tells you to provide facts and reasons to make something clear and
understandable.
Explain why the American Civil War occurred.
Justify Justify tells you to provide reasons and facts in support of something.
Justify the need for the federal income tax.
List List tells you to present information about something as a series of brief
numbered points.
List the ingredients needed to bake bread.
Outline Outline tells you to present the most important information about
something in a carefully organized manner.
Outline what it takes to be successful in school.
Summarize Summarize tells you to present the main points about something in a
brief form.
Summarize how Thomas Edisons inventions have made our lives better.
Trace Trace tells you to present the order in which something occurred.
Trace the major events that led to Americas Declaration of Independence.
Recognizing these direction words and knowing what they tell you to do will help you
do well when taking an essay test.

Using Reference Sources

As you go through school, you will need to use reference sources to find information
about topics, locate facts, and answer questions. Here are five types of reference sources
you should use. Each type is available in print forms, on CD-ROMs, and on the Internet.
1. Dictionary
A dictionary provides information about the meaning, pronunciation, and
spelling of words. Unabridged dictionaries attempt to be complete by
including all words currently in use in a language. They provide extensive
information about the words included. Abridged dictionaries omit words
that do not regularly appear in books, magazines, and newspapers.
Specialized dictionaries provide detailed information about the words that
apply to a particular subject such as space, math, biology, psychology, and
many more. They include technical words that are rarely used outside of
the subject.
2. Thesaurus
A thesaurus contains synonyms for commonly used words. A synonym is
a word that has the same meaning or nearly the same meaning as another
word. For example, simple is a synonym for easy. A thesaurus
contains many more synonyms for a word than does a dictionary. A
thesaurus can help you precisely express your ideas when writing.
3. Encyclopedia
An encyclopedia contains articles on a variety of subjects. The articles are
written by experts on each of the subjects. In addition to articles,
encyclopedias may include illustrations and diagrams, definitions of some
words, and references to additional information. A general encyclopedia
includes overview articles on a wide range of topics. A subject
encyclopedia contains longer and more detailed articles on specific topics,
events, or fields of study.
4. Almanac
An almanac is an annual single-volume reference source that contains
useful facts about a wide range of topics. You can learn about countries of
the world, government, historical events, and many other topics. Because
almanacs are revised each year, the information is current.
5. Atlas

An atlas is a collection of maps. The most common atlas contains maps

that show the political and physical features of countries throughout the
world. A political map shows government boundaries. A physical map
shows the features of the earth's surface such as mountains, deserts, and
bodies of water. You may also use a road map to learn how to get from
place to place. There are also specialized atlases for such things as
weather across the world, oceans of the world, and even the anatomy of
the human body.
Wherever you study, be sure you have access to each of these important reference
sources.

Ten Steps to a Good Research Paper

To write a good research paper, you must be specific about your topic, know what you
want to say, and say it effectively. Following these ten steps will help you write a good
research paper.
Step 1.Choose Your Topic. When choosing a topic, choose one in which
you are interested, and for which there is enough information. If your topic
is too broad, you will have difficulty completing your paper. The Effects
of Pollution is too broad because there are so many effects of pollution.
The Effects of Pollution on Geese in the Northeast Section of Duluth,
Minnesota is too narrow. You are not likely to find much information that
is this specific. The Effects of Pollution in Yosemite National Park is
just about right as a topic.
Step 2. Locate Information. Use information from a variety of reference
sources.These sources include encyclopedias, almanacs, scholarly
journals, books, magazines, and newspapers. Find these sources in print
form, on CD-ROMS, and on the Internet.
Step 3. Prepare Bibliography Cards. Prepare bibliography cards to
document the sources of information you use when writing your paper.
Your library will have style manuals to illustrate how to prepare
bibliography cards for various sources of information.
Step 4. Prepare Note Cards. Use note cards to record notes from each
source you use when writing your paper. Number your note cards to keep
track of them.
Step 5. Prepare an Outline. Write an outline for your paper by
organizing your notes from the note cards into topics, subtopics, details,

and subdetails. Use an organization such as:

I. (topic)
A. (subtopic)
1. (detail)
a. (subdetail)
Step 6. Write A Rough Draft. Use your note cards and outline to write a
rough draft of your paper. As you write your draft, use numbered footnotes
to credit sources from which you take quotations or major ideas.
Step 7. Revise Your Rough Draft. Make any changes needed to be sure
your ideas are clearly expressed and your writing has accurate spelling and
grammar.
Step 8. Prepare Your Bibliography. At the end of your paper, provide a
list of all the sources you used to gather information for the paper. Your
bibliography cards will provide this information. List your sources in
alphabetical order by the first word on each of your bibliography cards.
Step 9. Prepare a Title Page and Table of Contents. The title page is the
first page of the paper. It should include the title of your paper, your name,
and the date on which the paper is due. The table of contents is the second
page. It should list the main topics, important subtopics, and the page on
which each is introduced in your paper.
Step 10. Final Checklist. Before handing in your paper, be sure you can
answer Yes to each of the following questions.

Did I include a title page?

Did I include a table of contents?
Did I number all pages correctly?
Did I provide footnotes for quotations and major sources of
information?
Did I include a bibliography?
Did I keep a second copy for my files?

Following these ten steps will help you write a good research paper.

Making an Oral Presentation

When making an oral presentation in class, you must know your subject well and
convince your audience that they have something to gain from listening to you. Here are
some things you can do to make an effective oral presentation.

Be prepared. Research your subject to ensure that you are knowledgeable. Practice your
presentation until you feel comfortable. Make sure you can present your information
within whatever time limits you will have. Anticipate questions you may be asked and
prepare answers to these.
Know your audience. Tailor your presentation to your audiences level of knowledge
about the subject of your presentation, what they need to know, and their interests.
Be positive. Make it clear that you are knowledgeable and enthusiastic about your
subject.
Dont read your presentation. Talk to your audience. Use your notes as prompts as
needed.
Provide examples. Try to make your presentation as concrete and down to earth as
possible. Add appropriate anecdotes and humor to drive home a point.
Use visual aids. Supplement what you say with visual aids such as handouts, charts,
transparencies, and slides. Make sure that everyone can easily see the visual aids. Dont
use visual aids that are so complex that the audience will spend its time trying to read
them instead of listening to you. Visual aids are supplements to what you say, not
replacements for what you say.
Maintain eye contact. Shift your eye contact around the room so that everyone feels that
you are talking to them.
Actively involve your audience. People can only listen so long without their attention
wandering. Making your presentation interesting will help you to capture and keep your
audiences attention for a while, but you must do more. Build in some simple and quick
activities for your audience so that they are actively involved in your presentation. Ask
questions that you are confident your audience will be able to answer.
Use your voice effectively. Vary the tone of your voice and be careful not to talk too
quickly.
End on a high note. Leave your audience feeling upbeat about what they have just
heard.

Managing Your Study Time

There are only so many hours in a day, a week, and a term. You cannot change the
number of hours, but you can decide how to best use them. To be successful in school,
you must carefully manage your study time. Here is a strategy for doing this.

At the beginning of a term, prepare a Term Calendar. Update it as the term goes on.
Here is what to do to prepare a Term Calendar.

Record your school assignments with their due dates and your scheduled tests.
Record your planned school activities.
Record your known out-of-school activities.

Each Sunday before a school week, prepare a Weekly Schedule. Update it as the week
goes on. Here is what to do to prepare a Weekly Schedule.
Record your daily classes.
Enter things to be done for the coming week from your Term Calendar.
Review your class notes from the previous week to see if you need to add any
school activities.
Add any out-of-school activities in which you will be involved during the week.
Be sure to include times for completing assignments, working on projects, and
studying for tests. These times may be during the school day, right after school,
evenings, and weekends.
Each evening before a school day, prepare a Daily Organizer for the next day. Place a
next to each thing to do as you accomplish it. Here is what to do to prepare a Daily
Organizer.
Enter the things to do for the coming day from your Weekly Schedule.
Enter the things that still need to be accomplished from your Daily Organizer
from the previous day.
Review your class notes for the day just completed to see if you need to add any
school activities.
Add any out-of-school activities in which you will be involved the next day.
Your Weekly Schedule should have more detail than your Term Calendar. Your Daily
Organizer should have more detail than your Weekly Schedule. Using a Term Calendar, a
Weekly Schedule, and a Daily Organizer will help you make the best use of your time.
A Word Identification Strategy
From time to time while reading you will see a word you cannot identify. It may be a
word you think you know but cannot identify, or it may be a word that is new to
you. When this happens, you should use a word identification strategy to identify
and say the word.
Here are the steps of a word identification strategy you can use. Each step tells one thing
you should do when you come to a word you cannot identify. Continue to follow the
steps until you have identified the word.
1. LOOK AGAIN at the word. As you look at the word again, say each
letter in the word. This will get you to look more carefully at the word.

Often, when you look at a word a second or third time, you will identify
the word as a word you know.
2. READ THE SENTENCE containing the word to see if you can
determine what the word means by how it is used in the sentence.
Sometimes, knowing the meaning of a word will help you identify the
word.
3. LOOK FOR A PREFIX at the beginning of the word. A prefix is a word
part that is attached to the beginning of a word. Here are some examples
of words with the prefix underlined: prepaid, unheard, rerun.
4. LOOK FOR A SUFFIX at the end of the word. A suffix is a word part
that is attached to the end of a word. Here are some examples of words
with the suffix underlined: lovely, tallest, spelling.
5. LOOK FOR THE STEM. The stem is what remains after the removal of
a prefix and/or suffix. If there is no prefix or suffix, then the whole word is
the stem. Here are some examples of words with the stem underlined:
prepaid, lovely, misspelling).
6. BLEND AND SAY THE WORD. Blend together the prefix if there is
one, the stem, and the suffix if there is one to say the entire word. For
example: un+help+ful = unhelpful.
7. USE A DICTIONARY to help identify the word. Look in the dictionary
for the word and its phonetic respelling. The phonetic respelling shows the
most common pronunciation of the word. Use the phonetic respelling to
help you pronounce the word. Also, look at the definitions provided for the
word. Select the definition that best fits the meaning of the word as used in
the sentence. Knowing the pronunciation of the word and its meaning
should allow you to identify the word.
8. ASK SOMEONE for help identifying the word. If you have reached this
step and still cannot identify the word, ask your teacher, parent, or another
student to help you identify and say the word.
Use this word identification strategy whenever needed in your reading. You cannot
understand what you read unless you can identify most or all of the words.
Writing Techniques
Writing is an important form of communication. Good writers use different writing
techniques to fit their purpose for writing. To be a good writer, you must master each of
the following writing techniques.

1. Description
Through description, a writer helps the reader use the senses of feeling,
seeing, hearing, smelling, and tasting to experience what the writer
experiences. Description helps the reader more clearly understand the
people, places, and things about which the writer is writing. It is the most
common form of writing. You will find descriptive writing in newspapers,
magazines, books, and most other forms of written communication.
2. Exposition
Through exposition, a writer informs, explains, and clarifies his/her ideas
and thoughts. Exposition goes beyond description to help the reader
understand with greater clarity and depth the ideas and thoughts of the
writer. Expository writing, like descriptive writing, is commonly found in
newspapers, magazines, books, and most other forms of written
communication.
3. Narration
Through narration, a writer tells a story. A story has characters, a setting,
a time, a problem, attempts at solving the problem, and a solution to the
problem. Bedtime stories are examples of short stories while novels are
examples of long stories. The scripts written for movies and plays are
further examples of narrative writing.
4. Persuasion
Through persuasion, a writer tries to change a reader's point of view on a
topic, subject, or position. The writer presents facts and opinions to get the
reader to understand why something is right, wrong, or in between.
Editorials, letters to the editor in newspapers and magazines, and the text
for a political speech are examples of persuasive writing.
5. Comparison and Contrast
Through comparison and contrast, a writer points out the similarities and
differences about a topic. Comparison is used to show what is alike or in
common. Contrast is used to show what is not alike or not in common.
Describing living conditions in 1900 and living conditions today would
allow for much comparison and contrast.
By using the writing technique that fits your purpose, you will be able to communicate
your ideas effectively.
Becoming a Flexible Reader

To become a flexible reader, you need to know how to select and use a reading style that
is consistent with your purpose for reading. There are three important reading styles you
should learn to use. Each has its own purpose. Knowing when and how to use these three
reading styles will make you a flexible reader. Read to learn about the three reading
styles used by flexible readers.
Study Reading is the reading style used by flexible readers when their purpose is to read
difficult material at a high level of comprehension. When using the Study Reading style,
you should read at a rate that is slower than your normal reading rate. Further, as you
read you must challenge yourself to understand the material. Study Reading will often
require you to read material more than once to achieve a high level of comprehension.
Sometimes, reading the material aloud will also help you improve your comprehension.
Skimming is the reading style used by flexible readers when their purpose is to quickly
obtain a general idea about the reading material. The Skimming style is most useful
when you have to read a large amount of material in a short amount of time. When using
the Skimming style, you should identify the main ideas in each paragraph and ignore the
details in supportive sentences. Because you are only looking for the main idea in each
paragraph you read, a lower level of comprehension is to be expected than when using
the Study Reading style.
Scanning is the reading style used by flexible readers when their purpose is to quickly
locate a specific piece of information within reading material. The piece of information to
be located may be contained in a list of names, words, numbers, short statements, and
sometimes even in a paragraph. Since you know exactly what you are looking for, move
your eyes quickly over the reading material until you locate the specific piece of
information you need to find.
Before you begin your next reading assignment, identify your purpose for reading.
Decide if you are reading for a high level of comprehension, trying to get a general idea
about what you are reading, or looking for specific information. Then use the reading
style that is appropriate for your reading purpose.

STUDY SKILL CHECKLIST

Read each statement and consider how it applies to you. If it does apply to you, check Y.
If it does not apply to you, check N. The purpose of this inventory is to find out about
your own study habits and attitudes.
1. Y__ N__ I spend too much time studying for what I am learning.
2. Y__ N__ I usually spend hours cramming the night before an exam.
3. Y__ N__ If I spend as much time on my social activities as I want to, I don't have
enough time left to study, or when I study enough, I don't have time for a social life.
4. Y__ N__ I usually try to study with the radio and TV turned on.
5. Y__ N__ I can't sit and study for long periods of time without becoming tired or
distracted.
6. Y__ N__ I go to class, but I usually doodle, daydream, or fall asleep.
7. Y__ N__ My class notes are sometimes difficult to understand later.
8. Y__ N__ I usually seem to get the wrong material into my class notes.
9. Y__ N__ I don't review my class notes periodically throughout the semester in
preparation for tests.
10. Y__ N__ When I get to the end of a chapter, I can't remember what I've just read.
11. Y__ N__ I don't know how to pick out what is important in the text.
12. Y__ N__ I can't keep up with my reading assignments, and then I have to cram the
night before a test.
13.Y__ N__ I lose a lot of points on essay tests even when I know the material well.
14. Y__ N__ I study enough for my test, but when I get there my mind goes blank.
15. Y__ N__ I often study in a haphazard, disorganized way under the threat of the next
test.
16. Y__ N__ I often find myself getting lost in the details of reading and have trouble
identifying the main ideas.
17. Y__ N__ I rarely change my reading speed in response to the difficulty level of the
selection, or my familiarity with the content.
18. Y__ N__ I often wish that I could read faster.
19. Y__ N__ When my teachers assign papers I feel so overwhelmed that I can't get
started.
20. Y__ N__ I usually write my papers the night before they are due.
21. Y__ N__ I can't seem to organize my thoughts into a paper that makes sense.
If you have answered "yes" to two or more questions in any category, look at the Study Skills Self-help
Information( http://www.ucc.vt.edu/stdysk/stdyhlp.html) for those categories. If you have one "yes" or less
in a category, you are probably proficient enough in these areas that you don't need Self-help Information.
Time Scheduling - 1, 2, and 3. Concentration - 4, 5, and 6.
o Listening & Note taking - 7, 8, and 9.
o Reading - 10, 11, and 12.
o Exams - 13, 14, and 15.
o Reading - 16, 17, and 18.
o Writing Skills -19, 20, and 21.