Study SMARTER, not harder. By developing excellent study skills and learning strategies, you can increase your confidence, self esteem, competence and also reduce stress.
Time Management
Make a weekly or daily to-do list
Use an agenda daily
Get up early each morning to get things completed
Schedule time for yourself
Read your class syllabus and make a game plan. Add dates to your agenda
Prioritize and schedule your assignments and test studying
Set aside time each day
Have a space where your studying takes place
Create a study group or join a group of others
Note-Taking
Write your professor board notes
Paraphrase your professor’s words / notes
Review your notes every day
Create your own abbreviations
Jot down any ideas that your teacher repeats
Notice verbal cues your teacher says such as “This is important”
Highlight your book/class materials (if allowed)
Write down examples
Reading
Read the text more than once
Highlight and take written notes
Make margin notes
Don’t put off your reading until it is due in class!
Review the text after reading
Don’t read prior to going to bed, and don’t read in bed
Read and understand captions and figures
Create a glossary of terms and if you don’t understand a word, look it up in the dictionary
Pace yourself
Pay extra attention to key concepts and end of chapter summaries
Review the notes from your readings on a regular basis to keep them fresh in your mind
Test Preparation
Create your own flashcards using index cards
Rewrite / re-read your notes; reorganize into categories
Get help if you need it and ask questions about anything you are unsure.
Don’t cram for your test
Know the test format ahead of time ie. essay questions, multiple choice, true and false, short answer
Review out loud so you can hear yourself
Learn by doing. Create practice test questions based on old exams, or create and answer your own test questions
