Study Skills and Taking Notes:Tips and Tools

Academic Success Seminar/Workshop

College of Veterinary Medicine

University of Minnesota

Deb Wingert, Ph.D.

Director of Educational Development

Before we start....... All study differently!

No magic bullet

Techniques to gain a good edge

Action needed

A word to the wise....

Practice does not make perfect;

Perfect practice makes perfect.

Bob Kizlik, 1997

Schedule....develop one! Weekly

____________ chunks Revisions ok

Best time to study Rested ______________

Check: course objectives _____________________

Location, Location, Location... Libraries Unused classrooms Lounges/private rooms Distraction-free Good lighting Comfortable, but......

Veer away from: Dorms

Strategies: Effective Thinking Skills

Ask yourself questions as you ______

Think about what the prof says _________ writing down notes in ________________

Strategies: The SQ3R Method

Survey Before you study, get the

overall picture (read summaries, headings, etc.)

Q_______________ Ask ‘what’ ‘where’ ‘when’

‘how’ and especially, ‘why’ as you read/study

Write in margins of text and notes.

Read to answer questions Hunt for _________________

Recite Try to say ____________,

important concepts in your own words

Connect info to what you already know

Review Re-read to see what you have

remembered Review (fine-tune) notes and

check any questions at the end of your study time (NOT just before exams!)

Strategies: Study Habits List what you need to study

and do it!

Begin studying __________ after a meal

Stop studying ____________ before sleeping

After studying_______ minutes, take a short break (5 minutes), and a 15 minute break after _________.

Prepare for exam by studying questions not in order.

Study in ____-hour blocks with ______ minute breaks.

Strategies: Tips Use ____________

Take concise (NOT copious) notes!

Take notes on what you don’t know!

An hour of studying during the _____ is worth ________ at night! Study as early as possible in the day.

Study your most challenging content daily....early in the day.

Study ______.....ask yourself question, review notes regularly, discuss key concepts with peers, etc.

Strategies for Group Study _______ each other

_______ each other

Compare notes

Meet regularly

Delegate group assignments

Taking Notes and Listening: Tips and Tools

How’s Your Listening?? Quiz: Call the class boring? Criticize the speaker? Over-stimulated by

speaker’s words Listen mainly for facts Try to outline everything?

Fake attention to speaker? Allow distractions? Avoid difficult material? Antagonized by emotion-

laden words? Any daydreaming?

Usually/sometimes=1Seldom/Almost never=5

Cuesta College, 2008

Habits of Good Listeners: Listen between the lines (anticipate what’s next!) Take good notes Sees lecture like a

________

Avoid __________ Judge content, not

delivery

“There is no such thing as an uninteresting subject; there are only uninterested people.”

G.K. Chesterton

Kishwaukee College, 2008

Good Listeners Do NOT: Interrupt (with a question,

etc.) in the middle of an explanation.

Share worthless info Believe that

___________________

___________________

Avoid difficult explanations

Find fault ___________

___________________ Dismiss content as not

interesting Show impatience

Utah State University, 2008

Listening skills:

Screen out distractions Background noise Language mistakes/accents Speaker habits Irrelevant info Daydreaming

Organize info into ______

_____________________ Avoid hasty judgments Remain neutral (not

emotional)

Prune significant from insignificant

Maintain alertness (eye contact with speaker)

Ask _____________________ ______________________ Listen for central ideas (not facts) Write only important info Exercise mind with difficult

material

Utah State University, 2008

College of Saint Benedict, 2008

Listen Actively

The more you think about what you hear, the more you will understand and remember

Listen Actively (c’d): ____________

____________

_____________

Mentally review what has been previously said

Compare lecture to text

Apply to your own experience

Select most important Ignore the not

important

Taking Notes: Quiz

Do you take notes, using complete sentences?

Are your notes clear? Do you capture all main points and all

sub-points? Do you use shortcuts/abbreviations?

Using Laptops: A few considerations....

Pros Can connect to

WebVista

Less paper!

Cons Tempting source of

distraction Potentially

cumbersome

Tips to Finding Major Points....

Pauses before or after an idea

Uses ______________________________

Uses introductory phrases to precede important info

W__________________________________

arc.sbc.edu/notes.html, 2008

Remember......

The average speaker covers 125-140 words per minute and the average note-taker writes less than 25 words per minute.

A few specifics.... Complete readings

before class

Attend specifically to lecture info not covered in text

Ask questions

Review notes right after lecture....fill in examples etc. Immediate review increases retention

Underline key statements Use margins for

coordinating text notes

Virgina Tech, 2008

A few specifics.... Use margins to:

coordinate lecture notes with text notes

J_____________________________

Jot down short summary of page

Virgina Tech, 2008

A few specifics....

Use key words & phrases, not sentences

If you miss something, leave a space and check with peer later

I________________________________________

T________________________________________

arc.sbc.edu/notes.html, 2008

Shortcuts..... Use symbols:

+ plus & and - minus # number > greater than < less than W/ with W/I within W/o without / per --> leads to <-- comes from

Abbreviate: approp appropriate lrg large

arc.sbc.edu/notes.html,

2008

Formats..... Outlining:

I. Topic/Main idea A. Major points

1. Detailsa.

supporting details

II. Topic/Main idea A. Major points

1. Detailsa.

supporting details

arc.sbc.edu/notes.html,

2008

Formats.....Concept Mapping A visual way to organize

information

Junk Foods

Candy

Chips

Cookies

Pop

The Cornell System: Step One:

Write notes during class in a

The Cornell System: Step Two: _________ Column

After class, reduce ideas into a few words and place them in a __________

The Cornell System: Step Three: Review and connect

Review notes after lecture. Connect main concepts in left (recall) column with details in the right (record) column.

The Cornell System: Step Four: Summarize

In the bottom summary section, jot a few sentences , summarizing all main points and why this is important. Students are _____% more likely to remember content by doing this step!

Questions?

Thank you!!

Deborah A. Wingert, Ph.D.Director of Educational DevelopmentCollege of Veterinary Medicine (108 Pomeroy)Preparing Future Faculty Program CoordinatorEarly Career Program FacilitatorCenter for Teaching and Learning University of Minnesota315 Science Classroom Building222 Pleasant St. S.E. Minneapolis, MN 55455Phone: (612/626-2995 at Pomeroy) or (612/625-3405 at CTL)Email: winge007@umn.edu