Nut's Academic Tip of the Week

[neosoul]

I really needed this thread... thanks!

[NutBrnHair]

While many students have good intentions about studying, obstacles often arise.

The following tips are suggested strategies to start studying!

I feel overwhelmed by so much material to study.

Begin by listing what chapters / terms to review. Next, prioritize! Break your review into manageable chunks. Begin studying early so you don’t rush. Determine how long you can study before losing your concentration. Schedule study sessions and breaks.

The material puts me to sleep.

Be an active learner by setting a purpose before reading or studying. Interact with the text by asking questions of the author and writing your reactions in the margins. Underline key concepts. Form a study group to encourage discussing material.

I understand when I read the book but I don’t remember it the next day.

One learns best when information has purpose or relevance to one’s life. Try connecting new material to what you already know. By linking new information with your existing knowledge, additional facts are easily integrated into your long-term knowledge. Chunking is an effective strategy for grouping information into meaningful units.

To remember the colors in the rainbow (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet) requires memorizing seven bits of information. However, by taking the first letter of each color, one can spell Roy G. Biv, and reduce the information into three meaningful chunks.

I understood the information while I was reading it.

Students, who immediately forget what was just read, experience short-term information processing difficulties. Try paraphrasing information in your own words after reading a section. If this is difficult, re-read the section or try paraphrasing shorter amounts of text.

I always study lying down.

It is important to study in an environment that is similar to test conditions. Create a study environment that facilitates mental, emotional and physical conditions similar to test context.

I learn best by cramming during an ‘all nighter’

Learning actually occurs through repeated exposures. The more one reads or studies material, the more throughly it is incorporated into one’s knowledge. Thus, this information is easier to recall. An all nighter only leads to mental exhaustion.

I was so sure I understood the material.

Thinking you mastered the facts and knowing the facts are two different things. To prove to yourself you KNOW the material, test yourself. Transform section headings into questions. For example, the subheading The Five Good Emperors might be changed into the following questions: Who were the five good emperors? For what is each man remembered? In which Roman era did these men rule? Next, try answering these questions in writing. There will be no question whether you know the answer.


Good luck studying!




source: www.sju.edu

[NutBrnHair]

Forming an acronym is a good strategy to use to remember information in any order that can be remembered. An acronym is a word that is formed from the first letter of each fact to be remembered. It can be a real word or a nonsense word you are able to pronounce.

Here is how to form an acronym.

*Write the facts you need to remember.

*Underline the first letter of each fact. If there is more than one word in a fact, underline the first letter of only the first word in the fact.

*Arrange the underlined letters to form an acronym that is a real word or a nonsense word you can pronounce.

“HOMES” is an example of an acronym that is a real word you can use to remember the names of the five Great Lakes: Michigan, Erie, Superior, Ontario, Huron: In HOMES, H is the first letter of Huron and helps you remember that name; O is the first letter of Ontario, and so on.

“Telk” is an acronym that can be used to remember the following animals: tiger, lion, elephant, kangaroo. “Telk” is not a real word, but you can easily pronounce it. You could also have used “kelt” as an acronym. Notice that in this example, you cannot form a real word using the first letter of each fact to be remembered.

Sometimes two or more of the facts you must remember each begin with the same first letter. For example, the acronym “capp” can be used to remember the following fruits: pear, apple, peach, cherry. You can use the first letter “p” in the acronym to remember either “pear” or “peach” and the second letter “p” to remember the other.

Use the acronym strategy as a way to remember information.





www.how-to-study.com

[NutBrnHair]

Get enough sleep the night before your exam (8 hours). You need at least 6 hours of deep sleep for transfer from short-term to long-term memory. Staying up late the night before a test will slow down your responses of your neural transmitters the next day and for the next THREE days, even if you get a good night's sleep the night after your test.

Raise your endorphins to prevent anxiety which stimulates adrenaline production causing the release of cortisols, which prevent recall during tests. Do one of the following to raise your endorphins before your exam:
*Read a joke before an exam.
*Have a Hershey's kiss.
*Take a short walk down the hall.

If you start to feel anxious before or during the test, pause for a minute, take three deep breaths to get oxygen to your brain (it needs oxygen in order to have fast firing of your neurons ) and to break the cycle of panic which can send out the adrenaline and cortisols that block memory and recall.

"Get physical" A study has shown that students who did calisthenics while studying French learned it better than students who used traditional methods to study French. Repeat vocabulary and formulas out loud to yourself.Draw "pictures" of scientific, economic, political, historical processes. Write notes of difficult points over.

Practice. You need repeated "hits" on subject matter to recall it, but not all of them have to be "in-depth" hard hits. In other words, it's not only more effective to do a 30-minute review daily of material for two weeks than to study for 7 hours on the night before a test, it is also easier and less stressful. And this will allow you to go to bed at a decent time the night before an exam.Take your lecture notes, fold the paper over, and ask yourself the question out loud , recite back the answer out loud without looking, and check your answer. If you're right, go on to the next question. If not, repeat the question, recite the answer, and check it until you're right. Use the same technique with your reading notes: read the question aloud, recite the answer aloud without looking, and check your answer.

Form a study group with 3 or 4 students and meet regularly to quiz each other using your lecture and reading notes and other study aids such as visuals and vocabulary flash cards.

Take a one-a-day vitamin, which includes B, B6, C, and folic acid, all very important in memory development and retention.

Eat a breakfast that includes protein (eggs, toast, oatmeal, or meat) and some carbohydrates, especially blueberries, which have been shown to improve verbal memory by 35%. Your brain needs amino acids that come from protein to properly function, and you need some sugars in order for the neurotransmitters to fire rapidly.

Avoid excessive amounts of coffee as the caffeine has been shown to kill brain cells, and once killed, they are gone forever, and caffeine can raise your anxiety levels, something you do not want to do before an exam, if you want to easily recall information







http://www.hcc.hawaii.edu/~leilani/preparingexam.html

[SoEnchanting]

I just wanted to say that this is a great thread!

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by NutBrnHair

Avoid excessive amounts of coffee as the caffeine has been shown to kill brain cells, and once killed, they are gone forever, and caffeine can raise your anxiety levels, something you do not want to do before an exam, if you want to easily recall information

But how will I study til 3 in the morning????

[NutBrnHair]

How to Schedule Your First Year

With tests, applications, and interviews behind you, you're probably ready to sit back and relax for a while before heading off to college, but don't get too comfortable. Before you know it, summer will be over, and you'll find yourself on campus, thrown into a whirlwind of decisions. Choosing your courses will be among the first.

Picking classes in high school may not have been a big deal, but college is different. Some schools offer literally thousands of classes. Deciding what to take can make even the most experienced student dizzy. The following tips and strategies will make it easier to select your courses.

1. Review the Course Catalog
Your course catalog will be sent to you over the summer. Look through it thoroughly. You'll find a variety of lists, including core requirements (courses all students must take), requirements for different majors, and the courses offered within each department. Within each category or department, lists generally begin with introductory-level courses and end with more challenging seminars.

Mark the classes that interest you. If you have an idea of what you want to major in, consider taking some of the general requirements in your major. If you're like most freshmen and have no idea what you want to major in yet, think about taking classes in areas that spark your interest. Have you always wanted to learn about space? Try an astronomy class. Do fossils intrigue you? Sign up for anthropology.

2. Get Requirements Out of the Way
Almost all colleges have core requirements to ensure that students explore subjects outside their major. These requirements range from foreign language and physical education to philosophy and lab sciences. The number of required courses, and subjects, varies from one college to the next. You should fulfill these requirements as soon as possible so that you can spend your final semesters concentrating on courses in your major.

3. Find a Balance of Hard and Easy Courses
You may be eager to jump into difficult classes your freshman year, but beware of taking too many. You may not realize how challenging college courses can be, and how much reading and other work they require. And don't forget that this will be your first semester on campus—you're in for lots of changes. Too many hard courses can put a real strain on you and it will show in your grades.

4. Find a Balance of Subject Areas
You should also take subjects that require different kinds of work. For example, some classes, like literature and history, require a lot of reading, while others, like journalism, require a lot of writing. And courses like math and science will have you solving problem sets. Choose a variety of subjects, so you're not stuck having to read five books or writing five research papers in one week.

5. Take Advantage of Your Advisor
Most colleges assign you an academic advisor for your first year. When you arrive on campus, make it a priority to set up an appointment with your advisor and come with questions. If your advisor can't answer all your questions, seek the advice of department chairpersons and teachers of classes you're considering.

6. Use AP® Credits, Placement Exams, and More
Before you register, find out if you've already fulfilled any of your core requirements. If you score high on AP Exams, for example, you may not have to take certain classes, such as a lab science. Acing a placement exam could free you from taking the required language course. And, before you sign up for tap dancing, find out if your years on the gymnastics team count toward the physical education requirement.

7. Take a Writing Course
It's in your best interest to take a writing class during your first semester, even if you're not required to do so. You can apply the writing skills you develop in this course to all your other courses throughout college, and in whatever career you choose.

8. Make a Plan for Registration Day
Registering for classes can be a nail-biting experience. Some of you will be forced to stand in long lines, others will have to enter a lottery to get into popular classes, and still others will have to select courses on a computer system. You can be sure that some of the classes you want will be full, or that you'll have to choose between two classes that are held at the same time. So, after you come up with your dream schedule, make a list of alternative classes. Your preparations will make registration day easier, and help you start your first year off right.




www.collegeboard.com

[NutBrnHair]

Go see your professors during their office hours posted on the door or on the class syllabus. They have to sit there whether you show up or not, so take advantage of this opportunity.

Don't be afraid to ask other students for copies of old exams. The questions may change, but the style and format usually remain the same.

Make sure your professor knows your name. Putting a face with a name will be a big help, especially if your grade in on the borderline.

Problems with faculty should be handled honestly and calmly. Always try to remedy conflicts with faculty members first. If the problem remains unresolved, seek advice from your academic advisor as to which steps to take next.

What irritates professors? 1. Sleeping in class....2. Not going to class...3. Not being prepared for class...4. Not reading the syllabus...5. Lack of responsibility...6. Excuses...7. Not meeting deadlines.






www.sunysccc.edu

[modorney]

This thread is awesome!! keep it up, NutBrownHair


>>Avoid excessive amounts of coffee as the caffeine has been shown to kill brain cells, and once killed, they are gone forever, and caffeine can raise your anxiety levels, something you do not want to do before an exam, if you want to easily recall information

>But how will I study til 3 in the morning????

Put some blueberries in your coffee.

Seriously, part of the learning process is destroying old brain connections and building new ones. That takes protein, so try to have some protein with the coffee. And, sometime before you go to bed (not right before, but a few hours before) have some protein, which helps your brain rebuild itself while you sleep. Know your blood type (Type O works best with beef protein) and match the protein to your type.

[nikki1920]

Which blood types respond best to which protein? I'm A+, BTW.

[modorney]

http://www.chasefreedom.com/eatrightforyourtype.html

Gives the "pro" for this diet. Also a link to the con. Bear in mind, you aren't trying to "diet" - that is, lose weight, but trying to metabolize protein. Obviously, any protein is better than pure sugar, or fats. But, you do need some fats and carbs for balanced nutrition, but usually that's not hard to get.

But, if you can fine tune it, so much the better. Fish and vegetable protein might be best. You can make complementary protein with beans and rice.

[NutBrnHair]

How you communicate with your professor affects how well you do in a course.

In general, professors are likely to be impressed with students who show a genuine interest in their course material and ask good questions. The best way to get on your professor's good side is to be an "interested" student.

The following are some strategies to demonstrate your interest and curiosity:

*Don't criticize, condemn, or complain to the teacher about his or her performance: rather: focus on, and discuss, the material and your understanding of it.

*Let the teacher know what you appreciate about the course

*Smile

*Know and use the teacher's name

*Listen to what the teacher has to say about himself or herself

*Talk in terms of what the teacher is interested in

*Let the teacher know that you think he or she is important

*Avoid arguing

*If you are wrong, admit it quickly and emphatically

*Ask questions rather than give orders

*Try honestly to see the teacher's point of view

*Let the teacher know that you sincerely want to do well in the course

*Always have the course textbook in your hand whenever you see the instructor

*Hand in all assignments on time throughout the semester

Adapted from How to Win Friends and Influence People, by Dale Carnegie, New York: Simon and Schuster Inc., 1936.

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[SydneyK]

^^^ Those are good pointers, but an obvious tip has been left off the list:

Come to class prepared.

You can listen to what I have to say, and act like you think it's important. But the class isn't about me. (And if you act like it is, I'll just think you're brown-nosing.)

[FireFetus]

My professors don't like me.

[NutBrnHair]

Punctuation is the use of standard marks and signs in writing to separate words into sentences, clauses, and phrases in order to clarify meaning. The marks or signs are called punctuation marks. Punctuation marks are signals to readers. When you speak, you can pause, stop, or change your tone of voice to make your meaning clear. You cannot do this when you write. When writing, you must use punctuation marks such as commas and question marks to make your meaning clear.

The use of punctuation marks can be very complex. Each punctuation mark can be used in many ways. Here are the punctuation marks that are most commonly used when writing and the most typical way or ways they are used. Examples are provided for each.

Period (.)

• Use a period at the end of a declarative sentence (a sentence which states an idea). That was a wonderful movie.
• Use a period to end an abbreviation. I think that Mr. Williams is a great teacher.

Question Mark (?)

• Use a question mark at the end of an interrogative sentence (a sentence which asks a question). Did you like that movie?

Comma (, )

• Use a comma to separate three or more items in a series. My history class meets each Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
• Use a comma to separate independent clauses in a sentence. We wanted to go to the beach, but it rained that day.
• Use a comma after introductory words or phrases in a sentence. Certainly, I have my homework right here.
• Use a comma to set off dates and addresses. My friend Jane, who was born June 18, 1992, lives in Akron, Ohio.

Semicolon (; )

• Use a semicolon when two independent clauses in a sentence are not separated by a conjunction (such as "and"). I like pizza; Carlos also likes pizza.
• Use a semicolon between independent clauses in a sentence that are separated by any of the following transitional words or phrases: accordingly, consequently, for example, for instance, furthermore, however, instead, moreover, nevertheless, otherwise, and therefore. I planned to study Saturday morning; however, the power in our house went out due to a storm.
• Use a semicolon when the items in a series of items contain commas. I have lived in Los Angeles, California; Boston, Massachusetts; Trenton, New Jersey; and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Colon (: )

• Use a colon before a list that is preceded by a complete independent clause. Some form of the word "follow" is often used in such a case.
• On our next vacation, we plan to visit the following countries: England, France, Italy, and Greece.
• Use a colon to divide hours from minutes. I have an appointment with the doctor at 10:30 tomorrow morning.

Exclamation Point (!) (sometimes called an Exclamation Mark)

• Use an exclamation mark at the end of a sentence to show strong emotion. I am very upset with him!
• Use an exclamation mark at the end of a sentence for emphasis. I have to go home right now!
• Use an exclamation mark after an interjection at the start of a sentence (an interjection is a word used to express strong feeling or sudden emotion). Wow! That test was harder than I expected.

Apostrophe (')

• Use an apostrophe to indicate a missing letter or letters in a contraction. I don't think she will win the election.
• Use an apostrophe plus the letter "s" to show possession. Please take good care of Brad’s dog.
• Use punctuation marks to make the meaning of what you write as clear as possible.

See other study skills resources at www.how-to-study.com