FOLLOW THIS GUIDE TO HELP IMPROVE

YOUR SUCCESS IN SCHOOL!

THE BASICS! YOU WILL LEARN HOW TO:
• Take effective • Memorize
notes during class material more
• Study more effectively
effectively outside • Reduce test
of class anxiety
• Improve your • Improve
reading performance on
comprehension written and
computer-based
exams
TAKING NOTES
• Effective note taking begins with effective listening!
• Attend class regularly – if you’re not in class, you’re missing the information
• Sit near the front of the class to minimize distractions
• Put your phone away – focus on the material
• Have the right supplies to take notes and label them
• Read the material for lecture at least one day prior so you are familiar with the
material before it’s presented to you in class
IN CLASS
• Don’t write down • Avoid writing complete
everything the instructor sentences
says! • Use signs or symbols to
• Focus on key terms represent words or
• If your instructor writes concepts
something on the board, • Draw pictures and make
be sure to add it to your charts
notes because it’s • Note what your instructor
IMPORTANT! repeats and when he/she
• Focus on phrases the summarizes – these are
instructor says like “The things you should put in
most important . . .” or your notes
“Things to remember . . . “ • Mark items you don’t
– these are things you understand and look these
should put in your notes concepts up later or ask
• Make a rough outline your instructor for help
OUTSIDE OF CLASS
• After class Is over, go over • Go to other sources to find
your notes from class and fill the answers you need – take
in any gaps responsibility for your own
• Make a rough outline from education!
your notes – use key terms as • Save your old notes – you
headers and group items never know when you will
together to see how they need them again –
relate CREDENTIALING EXAM!!!!
• Go back to items you have
marked that you don’t
understand and clarify them
– don’t just ignore them and
hope they won’t be on the
exam!
• Rewrite your notes
READING TECHNIQUES
In order to read effectively, you must read actively!
• Know what the topic is and why you’re learning it
• Make a rough outline as you read
• Watch for key terms and write down brief definitions
• Note general themes
• Utilize the objectives at the beginning of the chapter or your syllabus to help guide
you
• Make note of items that you do not understand fully and clarify them – you may
need to go to other sources for this
• Try youtube, Google Scholar, ask your instructor, etc.
REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW!!!

Check old notes for understanding

and try to connect them with
what you’re learning now!
BE A SELECTIVE READER!
• Read introductions, • Read all words and
conclusions and phrases that are
summary bold or italicized
paragraphs • Ask for help when
• Read first lines and needed – ask
last lines of classmates, your
paragraphs instructor or seek
• Look at out other resources
illustrations,
diagrams, charts,
pictures, etc.
STUDY TIPS!
• Be willing to invest time and effort!!! You can’t
learn everything just by attending your classes.
• Don’t procrastinate – STUDY EVERY DAY!
• Make a study schedule – take in to account the
number of exams you have to take and how much
time you have to devote to each one
• Begin studying 5 to 7 days prior to an exam
• If you are studying for multiple exams, only study
one subject at a time and break for at least an
hour before moving on to another subject
• Include some down-time in your study schedule!
• Get enough rest and eat well leading up to your
exams
CREATE AN EFFECTIVE STUDY SPACE!
• Minimize outside distractions
• Consider designating different places for different study tasks
• Stay focused
• Stay awake!
• Get enough sleep but not too much
• Exercise regularly
• If you tend to fall asleep while studying, set an alarm to wake you up
• Take breaks
• Stay actively involved when reading – take notes, talk out loud, etc.
• Don’t get too comfortable!
STUDY TIPS CONTINUED!
• Review all of your • Create 3 master lists
notes for the from your notes and quiz
subject material yourself on them:
start to finish • One list for key terms
without interruption • One list for key themes
• Learn general • One list for related
concepts
concepts first –
don’t worry about
smaller details until
you have the main
concepts mastered
EVEN MORE STUDY TIPS!
• Attend review or
tutoring sessions
• Learn from your • Stay organized
•
mistakes – gather Keep all of your assignments
and due dates on a calendar
questions you got • Set alarms on your phone or
incorrect on previous computer to remind you of
upcoming assignments or
exams, quizzes or exams
homeworks and • Keep notes organized and
labeled
ensure you • Break larger projects in to
completely smaller, more manageable
pieces
understand them
before moving on
FLASH CARDS
• Helpful when you • Quiz yourself by looking at
need to remember a the terms and testing
lot of key terms yourself on the definitions
• Write a term on one AND by looking at the
side and the definitions and testing
definition on the yourself on the terms
other • Quiz yourself often, shuffle
the cards, eliminate the
cards you know well, study
them until you know the
answers without hesitation
MEMORIZATION TECHNIQUES: MNEMONIC DEVICES, ETC.
• Rhymes – find words that rhyme with • Visualizations – its easier to
terms you need to know and write a remember pictures than words, create
short phrase to connect the two a picture in your mind about what
together – example: use a mnemonic you’re studying
device so you don’t forget it twice
• Acronyms – words formed by taking
• Alliteration (two or more words that the first letter from several words in a
begin with the same letter or sound) – series
take the key terms you need to learn
and find a word beginning with the • Repeated exposure – the more times
same sound that will trigger you expose yourself to the material,
information about the term – the more it becomes imbedded in
example: plethora (which means long-term memory
many) & plenty • Sleep! – studies have shown that you
• Mental associations – think of a word are more likely to remember
or image you associate with both the something if you read it right before
term and its definition going to sleep
REDUCING TEST ANXIETY

• Have a well-thought out plan for the exam, have a strategy in mind
• Put the experience in perspective – remember the big picture, one exams likely
represents one small portion of your grade or program and you don’t have to get every
question right to do well on the exam
• Remember your grade on an exam is not a reflection on you as a person and not even
your intelligence and one score does not dictate how you will do on other exams
• Avoid “alarmists” – these are students who are completely stressed out and will try to
turn their panic on others – they can shake your confidence but don’t let them!
• Be wary of rumors! Most of what you hear about the difficulty of upcoming exams are
just rumors – Consider your sources!
• Take breathers – give yourself breaks, put your pencil down for a second and just
breathe or practice relaxation techniques
 TEST TAKING TIPS

The morning of the Once you are in class:

exam • Try to clear your mind and
• Talk to yourself about stay as relaxed as
some of the key terms
and general themes possible
you have been studying • When you receive the
• Eat a good breakfast exam, take a moment to
• Try to get to school glance over the entire
early exam to get an idea of
• Bring your pen or how it is structured and
pencil
• Avoid talking to other
what you will be doing
students about the test • READ THE DIRECTIONS!!!!
 FILL-IN-THE-BLANK, TRUE-OR-FALSE
AND MULTIPLE-CHOICE QUESTIONS
• Read each question carefully – • Guess intelligently
read the entire question, do • Try to identify a general theme that the question is
asking and think about key terms that relate to it
not skim, be aware of “trick” • On true-false questions, try to find only one
words such as not, always, specific case to support or counter the statement,
sometimes, never, all, some, if you see the word “never” in the question and
you can think of one case where it could happen,
none, except, more and less the answer will be false.
and underline them. • On multiple-choice questions, try to eliminate as
many of the given answers as possible and stick
• Try to answer the question with your FIRST INSTINCT!!!!
without looking at the answers • Try visualizing – close your eyes and try to think of
the page in the book or your notes where the
• Read and consider all of the answer is located – it may help to bring the
answers provided answer to mind
• Be aware of the “all of the above” answer – if one
• Pace yourself – check the time possible answer doesn’t apply, don’t choose all of
frequently, skip very difficult the above; if two or more answers apply, chances
are that “all of the above” is correct
questions and come back to • Beware of two similar answers – test makers may
them later use two similar choices to confuse you – if you’re
going to guess, pick one of those two
MORE EXAM TIPS!
• If you have trouble understanding a question, read over it a few times
and don’t focus on words you don’t know but focus on what the question
is asking – Is it asking for a key term? A definition? The exception to a
rule? etc.
• When you read an exam question, underline key terms
• Look for clues in other questions
• When you receive the test back – be sure to study your errors and
ensure you understand them, do not just ignore concepts that you are
still unsure about!
STRATEGIES FOR COMPUTER-BASED TESTING (CBT)
• STUDY!!! The best way for you to ensure that you will do well on a computerized exam
is to know the material presented!
• Familiarize yourself with computer-based exams by taking practice exams online –
even if they are not the same subject matter, they will help you become more
accustomed to them and they will seem less stressful when grades really matter!
• Pay attention to the instructions when they are given!
• Remember that you may not be able to change your answers after you submit them the
first time. If you are unsure of the answer on a particular question, skip it and come
back to it later.
• If you’re allowed, utilize the scratch paper provided to you – use it for math problems,
write relevant details about questions you’re not sure about, use it to draw diagrams,
write the numbers of the questions you skipped so you can easily go back to them later
• Be aware of the time – don’t rush yourself but don’t dwell on any particular question
too long, skip it if you need to and go back to it later
YOU GOT THIS!!!!!!!!!!!