Study Skills to be Successful in Mathematics Courses

1
Study Skills to be Successful in Mathematics
Courses
The more math you know the better job you can
get. Statistics Prove It!

• Developed by Kathy Sturgeon

2
Reasons For Not Doing Well

• Cognitive
• Prior math knowledge
• How fast you learn math
• Quality of Instruction
• Teacher
• Tutor
• Learning styles
• Affective Characteristics
• Anxiety
• Attitude
• Study skills
• Personality
• Self concepts

3
Cognitive levels of learning

• Knowledge
• recalling information
• Comprehension
• translating or interpreting information
• Application
• using principles to solve problems
• Analysis
• breaking down ideas
• Synthesis
• creation of something that did not exist
• Evaluation
• judging something against given standard
  (student)

4
Logical/Mathematical Intelligence
Verbal/Linguistic Intelligence
Visual/Spatial Intelligence
7 WAYS OF KNOWING MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCE
Intrapersonal Intelligence
Body/Kinesthetic Intelligence
Interpersonal Intelligence
Musical/Rhythmic Intelligence
5
External vs. Internal Student

• External Students
• Expects teacher to do it all
• Doesnt use test preparation skills
• Doesnt take responsibility

• Internal Students
• Takes responsibility
• Goes for tutorials
• Set-ups appointments with instructors

6
Learning Strategies for Achievement

• Rehearsal
• Elaboration-own words, does it make sense
• Organization-concept maps, outlines, and big
  picture making connections
• Resource Management-location and materials
• Evaluation-deep/surface learning, what do I need,
  how do I get there, what do I have trouble with,
  have I done the above

7
Test Preparation

• Reviewing textbook-pay attention to highlighted
  notes and chapter summaries be sure you
  understand
• Review notes do problems-short term memory to
  long term memory
• Review old test-look for systematic errors

• Pretest-create and take pretest or take end of
  chapter test (as a real test) in order to know
  what you dont know
• Study Groups-talk about math problems
• Calculator-know your calculators and how to use
  to solve problems before the exams

8
Be Prepared

• To get ready for an exam you should
• ASK the instructor what information the exam will
  cover and whether it will be an objective or
  essay exam
• REVIEW all lecture and reading notes
• KEEP rereading of texts to a minimum
• CHECK your recall of facts by reciting them aloud
• TRY to predict and answer possible test questions

9
Review Test for Errors

• Misreading direction-misunderstand, not
  completing
• Careless Errors-should be able to fix immediately
• Concept Errors-didnt know how
• Application errors

10
Review Test for Errors cont.

• Find where most questions are missed (divide in
  thirds)
• Reviewing steps in problems-where do you make
  mistakes
• Find out about answer changing
• Setting time limits for each questions-do you
  have a ego problem

11
Review Test for Errors cont.

• Check easy questions-are you making mental errors
• Comparing scratch work to answers
• Are you doing the ten steps of test taking

12
Ten Steps to Taking Tests

• Memory Data Dump-write facts, formulas, etc that
  you may forget
• Preview test-look for the easy questions (mark
  them) and locate the large point problems
• Second Memory Dump-if you get a spark of how to
  do a problem write it down expand on first dump
  (if its written you wont lose it.)

• Test Progress Schedule-decide the best way to get
  the most points in the least amount of time
• Allow extra time in end
• Schedule more than half the problems in half the
  time
• Skip questions (dont let your ego get in the
  way)
• Answer easy questions

13
Ten Steps to Taking Test cont.

• Skip Difficult Answers
• Read it twice. You can be working on two problems
  at once. If you have a light bulb thought go back
  and write it down.
• Set a time limit.
• Review skipped questions
• brainstorm and limit time
• allow yourself to skip again

• Guess at remaining questions-never leave a blank
• Partial credit
• Some remember by writing
• Review entire test and know yourself
• Look for careless errors
• Check answers by evaluating
• Redo on separate paper
• Use all of your test time

14
Test Anxiety

• Its a learned behavior
• Two types
• Cognitive Anxiety-pre-determine that you cant do
  well because its math negative self talk
• Stop the negative talk
• Do easy problem first
• Symptomatic Anxiety-physical characteristics or
  illness

• What to Do
• Study more but know it may not take all anxiety
  away
• Learn relaxation skills
• Visual Imaginary-a scene that relaxes you and
  think positive thoughts I can do
• Focus on breathing techniques
• Tensing and relaxing-physical activity before hand

15
Test Anxiety-ContinuedBe Optimistic

• Encourage yourself with positive thinking (I can
  do well on this test. I can compete with these
  people. etc.
• Dont allow a disappointing past performance to
  affect your attitude toward the test at hand

16
Master Test-Taking Skills

• Knowing how to take tests can help to reduce
  stress. Be sure to
• READ all directions carefully
• SURVEY the test. Will certain sections count
  more? Will certain questions take more time?
• BUDGET your time

• OUTLINE answers for essays
• WORK on only one question at a time
• MARK difficult items and return to them later
• CONCENTRATE only on what youre doing

17
Information taken from Spencer Kagan Paul
Nolting
www.dacc.cc.il.us/kjenkins/Math101success.html
PowerPoint Design by Nichole Hawkins