Study Skill Strategies

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Study Skill Strategies

• Martha Williams, RN, MS
• Martin County ATC

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Objectives

• Determine what type of learner you are by
  completing learning style inventory
• Organize study materials by keeping a health
  sciences notebook. (handout with rubric)
• Develop better listening skills
• Write clear, concise lecture notes by learning a
  variety of methods (Cornell handout)
• Utilize reading strategies for improving reading
  comprehension
• Explore varying techniques for improving memory
• Implement strategies for taking tests with
  various types of questions.

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Introduction

• Developing good study skills is vital to your
  success in this class.
• If developed now, they will be invaluable to you
  as you make the transition from high school into
  college.
• This lesson will assist you in developing the
  following skills
• Determining what type of learner you are
• Organizing your time by preparing a study
  schedule
• Following instructions
• Becoming a better listener
• Writing more useful lecture notes
• Improving your reading skills
• Developing strategies for successful test taking

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Learning Style Inventory

• Determine how you learn best through completing
  learning style inventory (administer inventory of
  choice-handout and on-line references)

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Attitude(handout)

• This survey on attitude is designed to help you
  know yourself better
• There is no right or wrong answers, but you must
  be honest with yourself
• To learn and apply quality study skills, it is
  essential to have a positive attitude
• Your attitude and motivation will make all the
  difference

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Time Control

• Do you have a large monthly calendar?
• Write all important tests, deadlines, and
  activities on a large monthly calendar
• Place in a conspicuous location
• Use color to highlight important dates

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Time Control

• Use daily planning sheet to prioritize time
  (handout)
• Do you have a weekly study plan? (handout)
• Use the blank weekly study plan to visualize and
  organize your time
• Lightly pencil in your classes and block out
  times to eat, sleep, work, or study

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Time Control

• Do you plan for a least one hour of study for
  each class period?
• By keeping a regular schedule, you study time
  will soon become habit forming
• Do you plan for study breaks?
• Remember to limit your straight study time to no
  longer than one hour
• Take a 10 minute break between study periods to
  refresh yourself and rest your mind

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30 Minutes a Day

• 30 Minutes a Day Bring Good Grades Your Way
• By reducing and reviewing your notes the same
  day, you keep information in your head
• It will only take about 5-10 minutes to go
  through your notes!
• Do this three different times during the day30
  minutes!

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Apply 30 Minutes

• Make and carry flashcards
• Study during commercials
• Go to Class-your attendance is vital to your
  success

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Time Control

• Do you preview text assignments?
• Do you review class notes from the previous class
  before your study time?

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Get Organized

• Keep a notebook (handout on requirements)
• Use a 1 ½-2 inch binder to keep your notes,
  handouts, study guides, homework, etc. organized
• Date each lecture and number all pages in sequence

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Listening

• Listening means paying attention to and making an
  effort to hear what the other person is saying.
• Good listening skills require constant practice.

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Listening Techniques

• Diversified Health Occupations (6th edition)
  page 208
• Show interest and concern for what the speaker is
  saying
• Be alert and maintain eye contact with the
  speaker
• Avoid interrupting the speaker

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Listening Techniques

• Pay attention to what the speaker is saying
• Avoid thinking about how your are going to
  respond
• Try to eliminate your own prejudices and see the
  other persons point of view
• Eliminate distractions by moving to a quiet area
• Watch the speaker closely to observe actions that
  may contradict what the person is saying

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Listening Techniques

• Reflect statements back to the speaker to let
  them know they are being heard
• Ask for clarification if you do not understand
  part of a message

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NotetakingFour Systems

• Cornell Format we will look at in detail
• Outline Format
• Represent key ideas by Roman numerals
• Other ideas relating to each key idea by
  uppercase letters, numbers and lowercase letters
• Paragraph Format
• Involves writing detailed paragraphs, with each
  containing a summary of a topic
• List Format
• Effective when taking notes on terms and
  definitions, sequences and facts

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Cornell Notetaking

• To minimize your rate of forgetting
• Dr. Walter Pauk, Cornell University Reading
  Center
• Dont take notes Forget 60 in 14 days
• Take some notes Remember 60
• Take organized notes and do something with them
• Remember 90-100 indefinitely!

• Why should you
• take notes?

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Cornell Notetaking
Labeling

• Dr. Pauk created the Cornell Notetaking System,
  which is used at Stanford, UCLAs School of
  Engineering, most Law Schools, and of course, at
  Cornell University
• The Cornell System requires you to review notes
  and think critically after learning has taken
  place

Questions
Notes
Reflection
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First Last Name Class Title Period Date
Topic
Questions, Subtitles, Headings, Etc.
Class Notes
2 1/2
3 to 4 sentence summary across the bottom of the
last page of the days notes
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• Summary is added at the end of ALL note pages on
  the subject (not page)
• Summary added AFTER questions
• are finished
• Summary should answer the problem stated in
  the subject.

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Cornell Notetaking

• Notes are a record of your learning, so take them
  when
• You listen to a lecture
• You read a text
• You watch a film
• You work in a group on an activity
• You need to recall information about what
  happened to you in a class, meeting, or
  activity--which means always!

• When should you
• take notes?

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Cornell Notetaking

• They are divided into two parts questions and
  notes
• There is a reflection at the end
• There is room for a topic
• They are labeled with name, date, class, period
  or other information

• What do you notice that is different about
  Cornell Notes?

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Cornell Notetaking

• Questions which are answered in the notes on the
  right
• Questions you still need the answer to--ask a
  friend or the teacher after class
• Questions the teacher might ask on a test
• Higher level thinking questions

• What types of
• questions should
• I place on the
• left side?

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Cornell Notetaking

• Key terms, vocabulary words, or dates
• Diagrams or figures
• Reference pages in a text
• Steps in a solution process
• Notes to myself about actions I need to take

• What else could
• I place on the
• left side?

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Cornell Notetaking

• Write only what is most important
• listen for repetition, change in pace or volume,
  numbering, explicit clues (this is important,
  or on the test)
• watch for gestures, or clues to organization
• look for material being written down by
  instructor or shared in a visual manner

• What are some
• good tips for
• taking the
• notes on the
• right?

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Cornell Notetaking

• Write in your own words (paraphrase)
• Write using abbreviations (check a dictionary for
  these and create your own)
• Draw a figure or diagram
• Leave space where you think you might need to
  fill in info later
• Use bullets, arrows, and indenting to list key
  ideas
• Write legibly

• What are some
• good tips for
• taking the
• notes on the
• right?

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Cornell Notetaking

• Actively listen
• Use SLANT
• Maintain eye contact with the speaker, group, or
  presentation source
• Nod your head at appropriate times
• Frown when you do not understand
• Ask relevant questions
• Answer questions posed by the instructor
• Make a written record

• What are some
• good tips for
• taking the
• notes on the
• right?

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Cornell Notetaking

• Set up your page
• Draw your margins
• Label clearly
• Take notes
• Use your best strategies
• Actively listen, analyze, ask questions
• Review, revise, reflect
• Look over notes and highlight, edit, or add info
• Write your questions and reflection

• What are the
• steps to taking
• Cornell Notes?

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Effective Notetaking

• Always read your assignment before you come to
  class
• Otherwise the lecture may sound as if it is in
  Greek
• Be prepared
• Identify some serious students and get to know
  them

• Get phone numbers in case you have questions or
  need help during the semester
• Copy everything the instructor writes on the
  board
• Especially examples, solutions, outlines,
  definitions

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Take Notes on all

• Definitions
• Lists
• Formulas or solutions
• When in doubt, write it down
• In discussion in classes, jot notes on important
  points
• Such as conclusions reached during discussion

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Notes

• Repetition is a clue that an important point is
  being made
• Gestures may indicate a major point
• Stay involved with class discussion.
• Ask questions, especially when things are unclear

• Use symbols, diagrams, or drawings to simplify
  ideas
• Listen for signals from your instructor about
  what is important
• Voice changes usually indicate important points

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Make it Easy

• Abbreviate, Omit, Invent and Simplify
• Distribute handout (abbreviations for notetaking)

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Improving Reading Skills

• Not everyone is blessed with good reading ability
• Reading can be developed with practice
• We will discuss a five step strategy that will
  improve your reading skills by becoming a more
  critical reader
• SQ3R

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S - Survey

• Spend no more than 10 minutes to take a sneak
  preview of the reading you have been assigned
• Previewing provides an overview of the way the
  chapter is organized
• Smart travelers use a roadmap

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S - Survey

• You should examine the title of each chapter
• Note heading and subheading and the relationship
  between the important headings in each chapter
• Glance at diagrams, graphs or visuals
• Quickly skim the introductory and concluding
  sections of each chapter
• Notice any study questions at end of chapter

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Q - Question

• Begin with the first section of a chapter
• Always read with the intent to answer a question
• Use words such as who, what, when and where, or
  how
• Turn each heading into a question

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R 1- Read and Underline

• Read each section with the question you developed
  in mind
• After each section, go back to the beginning and
  underline, highlight, or mark material

• Read a paragraph or a section of the text and go
  back and underline only main points
• Do not underline the first time you read material

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Read and Underline

• Vertical lines -- place vertical lines in the
  margin to emphasize main points of several lines
• Asterisks -- use asterisks for main points and
  for other important points or ideas that may be
  important
• Definitions and examples -- underline all
  definitions. Write definition in margin. Put ( )
  around examples

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Read and Underline

• Dont highlight everything-just key points
• Circle or boxes - some circle or box important
  concepts, ideas or subheadings

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R 2-Recite and Write Study Notes

• Once you have formed questions on your reading
  and found the answers, now you are ready to
  recite the answers
• Recite the answers out loud or to yourself
• Write brief study notes

• Write a sentence summary of the main idea in each
  paragraph if the material is extremely difficult
  for you

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R 3-Review the Entire Chapter

• Reread each heading
• Review the underlined and highlighted material
• Answer the questions you formed on each session

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Memory Training

• Human beings are capable of extraordinary feats
  of memory
• You are not born with it but develop it through
  the use of various techniques, and considerable
  practice
• These memory steps if learned and practiced, can
  make your studying easier

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Memory Training - 1

• A. Spread your memory work over several sessions
• Shorter periods of memory work, not more than two
  hours each, are far superior to six hours of
  frantic cramming

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Memory Training 2

• Recite material aloud
• When you study or memorize, recite the answers to
  your study questions so you can hear them
• Question yourself aloud and answer yourself
• Quiz each other

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Memory Training 3

• Expect to remember
• Your attitude is the secret
• Believe in yourself and in your ability to learn

Elephants never forget
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Memory Training 4

• Organize the material
• People who recall long lists of numbers often can
  do so because they have found a pattern or
  relationship

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Memory Training 5

• Test and retest yourself
• Memorize the first item
• Go on to the second item and memorize it
• Now repeat the first item and the second by
  memory
• When you know those two, go to the third
• Memorize the third item and repeat items one,
  two, and three

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Memory Training 6

• Overlearn
• Review material that you have learned several
  times
• When finals come around your will have mastered
  material

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Memory Training 7

• O-Overlearn
• S-Spread your memory work over several sessions
• T-Test and retest yourself
• E-Expect to remember
• R-Recall-use hooks, catchwords and silly
  sentences

• Use hooks, catchwords, and silly sentence
• Study before you sleep
• ROOSTER-catchword for remembering how to train
  our memory
• R-Recite material aloud
• O-Organize your material into a meaningful pattern

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Taking Exams

• Look over the entire test
• Know how much each question is worth and budget
  your time accordingly
• Check the clock every 10 minutes to insure you
  will not be caught off guard and run out of time
• Answer the easiest questions first
• Put a check by those that are harder and return
  to those questions last

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Taking Exams

• Place another line through the check when you
  complete the harder questions
• Underline key words in the question
• Make special note of negative words like not
• Ask for clarification