Study Skills
Dear Students,
Welcome to the page on study skills. Learning HOW TO study is the key to success. It isn't enough to sit in class and hope to soak up the information you need. Reading is NOT studying.
We all know of students who don't need to study and somehow come out with all A's. These are the students who have problem solving capabilities
which enable them to independently develop organization and study strategies. They can create their own systems for organizing, processing, and comprehending what they read or hear in class; planning homework and long-term assignments; studying for tests; and determining effective test-taking strategies.
Other students, however need direct, systematic instruction to develop these skills. Disabilities related to reading, spelling, and writing skills; concrete or abstract organization skills; short- or long-term memory; or attention controls affect certain students' ability to apply much needed study strategies. These students can learn study skills, but they need specific instruction and practice to do so.
Below are a few sites that have general ideas for studying...
Studying is NOT reading. Studying requires more planning and more memorization. It requires you to manage your time!
SQ3R
- Survey
- Question
- Read
- Recite
- Review
PRR
- Preview
- Read
- Recall
SMART
- Specific
- Measurable
- Action Oriented
- Realistic
- Time Bound
PQRST
- Preview
- Question
- Read
- Survey
- Test
All about the letters...
The Study Cycle: study smart, not hard
Prepare for Success
- know yourself: study when and where you are most alert
- plan your time with a schedule and calendar
Preview
- identify important notes and text
- scan headings, keywords, graphs
- formulate questions you want to answer
Attend Class, Read
- listen carefully and read actively; find the answers to your questions
- use a notetaking system
- compare your lecture notes and reading material
Review
- fill in the gaps and ask your teachers or peers questions
- put what you learned into your own words
Create
- organize your information into things like outlines, flash cards, timelines, and charts
Test
- make up test questions
- find the answers; test yourself
- compare with your peers or group
Note-Taking versus Note-Making
There is a difference between the 2! Getting the information down on paper is note taking; learning from those notes is note making!
- Use only one side of the page when taking notes. Leave the back side blank...this leaves space for questions, lists of vocabulary words and summaries.
Advanced Strategies
