Tips for Success

Tips for Success

1. Be there in class everyday. (In mind as well as body!)

Getting someone else’s notes does not provide you with all the information–only being there allows you to determine what I stress as being important.

2. Take good notes.

Write clearly.

Use abbreviations (esp. for words like and/the/without…).

Leave lots of space (especially the left margin–add an extra inch to add questions later).

Make drawings large (even a full page).

DON"T try to ge tdown every word–note taking isn’t dictation; LISTEN to the ideas.

Use a three-ring binder to accommodate handouts.

3. Study every day.

Study as soon as possible after the lecture/lab to fill in the "gaps" and recall main points.

Make use of day-time study opportunities (even brief ones)!

Study in a QUIET place (studies have shown even quiet music reduces concentration)

Ways to study in an active rather than passive mode:

Recopy or type your notes.

Read notes out loud to yourself as if you were explaining them to someone.

Write "test" questions in margins.

Highlight new terms or important concepts (don’t highlight too much!!)

Write up one-page summary sheets or tables (handy for test time!)

Try to recreate diagrams from memory.

Backtrack at least one lecture each study period (each day).

Read the text to understand, not to memorize.

Study for no more than 45 minutes intensely (and then take a short break)

Several short sessions are better than one long session; without a break, you lose concentration and absorption of information becomes inefficient.

Start preparing for exams on DAY ONE.

Study to learn the material, not to pass a test.

4. Plan weekly reviews.

Once a week, spend an hour reviewing (reciting) all the notes taken to that point.

Study in pairs or small groups and quiz each other–explaining something to another person is the best way to learn it.

5. Get help as soon as possible.

Don’t expect it to make sense later–ask questions when you have the chance!

Don’t waste time trying to "catch up."

Attend group tutoring sessions, get a one-on-one tutor, and better yet, come talk to ME!