DEVELOPING SMART

STUDY SKILLS

Good Study Habits

Produces Good Grades!
 Study Tips!

 Set a regular time to study

 Remove distractions
 Have necessary supplies
 Record assignments in an
assignment book or on a
calendar
 Study Tips!

 Take notes in class

 Manage your time

 Study for tests

 Find A Good Place
To Study!

This means a desk with nothing

on it except what you need for the
task you’re on: STUDYING!
Have a regular time and place for
studying.
Make sure you have the following:

Your assignment notebook or

calendar
Solid flat surface for writing
Good lighting
Chair
Books
Supplies
Make sure you have the following!

Clock
Eliminate all distractions
Computer (optional)
Wear your glasses (if you are supposed to)
Good Health
Something to drink (if needed)
 Before Class!

 Think about what the class is going to be about

 What were the main points covered in the last
class
 Review what your assignment was for the class
 Have your Homework Assignment out on
your desk – ready to turn in.
 Prepare for every subject in this manner.
 During Class!
 Does your general knowledge provide any
information about the subject being taught?
 What comes to mind during the instruction
that may be helpful?
 Concentrate on the subject being taught
 Take notes on the main points
 After Class!
 Review your notes and think about what was
covered in class.
 Some people like to rewrite their notes as they
study.
 Some people like to underline and highlight
important ideas and vocabulary.
 How to Listen Better!

 Form a good habit – good listening in class!

 Concentrate on what is going on in class –
do not daydream!
 You can not listen if you are talking!
 Learning to Listen!
 Good listening means you are paying attention.
 Try to hear what is said, not what you want to
hear.
 Think “around” the topic and “between the
lines”.
 Relate it to what you already know.
 What is the main point?
 Learning to Listen!
 What is likely to be on the test?
 What is the teacher going to say next?
 Listen carefully to the assignment and write it
down in your assignment book.
 Listen for these essential phrases from the
teacher: “This is important…”
“It is essential that you know...”
Improving Reading Skills!
A good reader does as many of the
following as possible:
 Seizes the main ideas
 Thinks about what the author is saying
 Is active, not passive
 Concentrates on what is being read
 Remembers as much as possible
 Applies what is being read to personal
experience.
 Taking Notes In Class!
 Be prepared to take notes when class begins.
 Avoid any distracting conduct.
 Participate constructively in class discussions.
 Ask Questions!
 Write notes in a concise, organized manner.
 Becoming a Flexible Reader
 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.
 Reading the material aloud will help you improve
your comprehension.
 Becoming a Flexible Reader
 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.
 Becoming a Flexible Reader
 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.

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.
 Good Listening 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.
 Good Listening in Class
 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.
 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.
 Study in Groups
 A support group can "pick you up" when you find that your motivation
to study is slipping.
 You may be reluctant to ask a question in class. You will find it easier to
do so in a small study group.
 You may become more committed to study because the group members
are depending on your presentation and participation. You will not want
to let them down.
 Group members will listen and discuss information and concepts during
the study sessions.
 One or more group members are likely to understand something you do
not. They may bring up ideas you never considered.
 You can learn valuable new study habits from the other group members.
 You can compare your class notes with those of the other group members
to clarify your notes and fill in any gaps.
 Teaching/explaining information and concepts to the other group
members will help you reinforce your mastery of the information and
concepts.
 Characteristics of a Successful Study Group
 Each group member contributes to discussions.
 Group members actively listen to each other without interrupting.
Only one group member speaks at a time.
 The other group members work collaboratively to resolve any concern
raised by a group member.
 Group members are prompt and come prepared to work.
 The group stays on task with respect to its agenda.
 Group members show respect for each other.
 Group members feel free to criticize each other but keep their
criticisms constructive. This can encourage group members to reveal
their weaknesses so that they can strengthen them.
 Group members feel free to ask questions of each other.
 At the end of each study session, an agenda including specific group
member responsibilities is prepared for the next session.
 Above all, the positive attitude that "we can do this together" is
maintained.
 Possible Pitfalls of a Study Group

 A study group can be a very positive learning experience.

However, there are pitfalls to be avoided. Here are some cautions:
 Do not let the study group get distracted from its agenda and
goals.
 Do not let the study group become a social group. You can
always socialize at other times.
 Do not allow group members to attend unprepared. To stay in
the group, members should be required to do their fair share.
 Do not the let the session become a negative forum for
complaining about teachers and courses.
 Do not allow one or two group members to dominate the group.
It is important that all members have an equal opportunity to
participate.
 SQR3 – Quick Study
 SQ3R or SQRRR is a reading comprehension
method named for its five steps: survey,
question, read, recite, and review.
 SQR3 Steps
SURVEY

 Ø    A survey is a quick preview or overview of an entire textbook or a single

chapter.

 Ø    Read the title.

 Ø    Read the introduction and/or summary.

 Ø    Always pay attention to headings and subheadings.

 Ø    Pay attention to charts, graphs, maps and diagrams.

 Ø    Note whether key words or terms are italic, boldface, defined within the
text, or listed at the beginning or end of the chapter.

 Ø    Look for any problems or questions for discussion at the end of chapters
or sections.
 
 SQR3 Steps
QUESTION

Ø    Questioning helps your mind engage and concentrate

on what you are reading.
Ø    Turn boldface headings and subheadings into as many
questions as you think will be answered in the section you
are reading.
Ø    Turning headings into questions directs your reading so
that you can find the details and examples that support
major points.
Ø    As you read each section carefully, try to find the
answers to questions you formed from the headings.
 
 SQR3 Steps
READ
Ø    Read slowly and carefully, concentrating on one section at a time.

Ø    Read each section with your questions in mind.

Ø    Do not skip unfamiliar words or technical terms. Be sure to reread the
sentence in which each new word appears to ensure you understand it.

Ø    Try to determine the main point of the section. Summarizing the main
point in your notes or in the margin of your text will aid your recall when
you review.

Ø    Always read through the section again, especially if it seems particularly
technical or complex.

Ø    Writing down the author's ideas in your own words also aids your recall.

Ø    Creating notes, underlining or highlighting, and constructing study

guides are essential to active reading.
 SQR3 Steps
RECITE
Ø    Recitation is an essential aid to memory and
comprehension.
Ø    At the end of each section that you read, try
to state, aloud or silently, the important points
covered.
Ø    If you have trouble doing this, then you
probably have not understood the section and
you need to reread it. Don't move on to the next
section until you can recite.
Ø    If the central idea comes easily to mind,
then you can be confident that you understand
what you have read.
 SQR3 Steps

REVIEW
Ø    Review a chapter immediately after you finish reading
it.
Ø    Review by skimming back over the chapter looking over
any notes you made in the margin. Do they still make sense?
Ø    Reread any passages that you underlined or
highlighted.
Ø    Go back over all the questions from all the headings,
and see if you can still answer them. If not, refresh your
memory and continue.
 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?

You probably have test anxiety if you answer YES to four or more of the
following:

 I have a hard time getting started studying for a test.

 When studying for a test, I find many things that distract me.
 I expect to do poorly on a test no matter how much or how hard I study.
 When taking a test, I experience physical discomfort such as sweaty palms,
an upset stomach, a headache, difficulty breathing, and tension in my
muscles.
 When taking a test, I find it difficult to understand the directions and
questions.
 When taking a test, I have difficulty organizing my thoughts.
 When taking a test, I often "draw a blank."
 When taking a test, I find my mind wandering to other things.
 I usually score lower on a test than I do on assignments and papers.
 After a test, I remember information I couldn't recall during the test.
 WHAT CAN I DO ABOUT TEST ANXIETY?

 Use good study techniques to gain cognitive mastery of the material

that will be covered on the test.
 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.
 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 relaxed during the test. Taking slow, deep breaths can help.
Focus on positive self-statements such as "I can do this."
 Don't worry about other students finishing the test before you do.
Take the time that you need to do your best.
 Once you finish the test and hand it in, forget about it temporarily.
 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