Creating Good Study Habits

Studying From Class Notes

Studying From Textbooks

❖ Approach studying with the right mindset.✓ Think positively

✓ Don't think about worst-case scenarios

✓ See each obstacle as an opportunity to learn and grow.

✓ Don't compare your grades to anyone else's.

❖ Stick to a dedicated study routine.✓ Staying on schedule can help you manage your time and your workload, and may make it

easier to focus on the task at hand

✓ Try entering a "date" with yourself to study in your planner

❖ Be as comfortable as possible.✓ Choose a chair that will be comfortable to sit on for upwards of one hour at a time.

✓ Use a desk or table so you can spread out your study materials.

✓ Avoid your bed. You might get so comfortable that you don't study. Associating other activities than sleep with your bed can also make it harder for you to sleep well.

❖ Study without distractions.✓ Turn your cell phone and TV off and resist the urge to check your social media accounts.

✓ You may think that you're a good multi-tasker, but studying while doing other things like using Facebook, Instagram, and the like is not good.

❖ Don't cram.✓ Breaking up the material you need to cover into small, manageable chunks is more

effective than trying to memorize everything all at once.

✓ Cover material in shorter sessions over a period of several days or even weeks for the best results.

❖ Consider joining a study group.✓ Researchers have found that students who study together in groups tend to perform

better on tests and quizzes.

Have a little caffeine shortly before studying.✓ This will keep you awake and help you focus as you read, study, and prepare for class.

✓ Just don't overdo it. Too much caffeine can make you feel jittery, anxious, or stressed-out.

Take a workout break✓ Studies show that making cardio workouts a part of your routine can improve memory

and overall mental health.

Try changing up your surroundings for more efficient study sessions.

✓ Know whether you work best in a quiet space or with ambient noise.

✓ Try studying with the windows open (weather permitting). Researchers have found fresh air to be energizing and revitalizing.

Record your class lecture, and listen to it at home or on the go.✓ use an audio recording device during class. If you're using a digital recorder, convert the

file into an mp3 and listen to your lecture while you're commuting or working out in the morning.

Consolidate and trim down your notes in class.✓ Write down important ideas, concepts, names, and dates, rather than trying to take down

every single word your instructor is saying.

Review your notes every day.✓ Read through each line of notes slowly and carefully.

✓ Ask your instructor about anything that doesn't make sense or is unclear to you.

Transfer notes from class into a designated study notebook.✓ This will allow you to compile the most vital information in one place, and can help you

make more sense of the notes you took in class.

✓ don't just copy the material mindlessly!

Review the whole week's worth of notes over the weekend.✓ This will help reinforce the things you learned that week, and may help you

contextualize each day's lesson better within the framework of the entire week's lesson plan.

Organize your notes.✓ Try different organization methods until you find one that works right for you.

✓ This may include organizing handouts separate from notes, or organizing everything by date, by chapter, or by topic.

Make and use flashcards.✓ Choose the most important names, dates, concepts, etc.

✓ Write the name on one side and the definition on the back. For math formulae, write the equation on one side and the solution on the back.

✓ Quiz yourself.

Use mnemonic devices.✓ Don't get too complex with your mnemonic devices. They should be easy to remember

and simple to apply on a test.

✓ Song lyrics might be easiest to use. If you get stuck, try humming the song's rhythm to yourself, associating the lyrics with whatever material you're trying to memorize.

Use technology✓ Many mobile apps will allow you to create flashcards. You can review them

anywhere.

✓ Try recording your notes in a wiki or blog. You can tag these posts with relevant keywords, making finding your material a snap when it comes time to study.

Skim each chapter before reading.✓ If you're studying a creative work, such as a play or novel, look for patterns and themes.

✓ If your teacher permits it, you can use a study guide such as Cliffs Notes to help you understand the plot, so that you can focus on more important themes and patterns.

Read the chapter closely and take notes.✓ You've skimmed the chapter and made note of the key concepts.

Be an active reader.✓ Draw a bracket around key concepts in the chapter, and circle any terms or names you're

not familiar with.

✓ Write questions in the margins as you read, then find the answers to those questions.

Restate key concepts in your own words.✓ Remember that restating can also condense and focus. As you restate, make sure you pay

attention to what seems most important.

Review everything you've read as soon as you finish the chapter.✓ Go over your notes and any flashcards you've made. Quiz yourself once you've read

through all of your notes several times through.

Don't try to do it all at once.✓ Studies have found that the most efficient way to study is in short bursts, typically in 1-3

hour increments. Give yourself several days, each with several sessions, to prepare.

Change up your subjects.✓ You can also try to relate material you're learning to stuff you already know. You can

even create connections between new material and pop culture.

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