Hit the Books

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Hit the Books! A guide to Note Taking Lear
ning Styles Textbook Studying Test Taking Strate
gies
Test Anxiety
The Center for Academic and Accessibility Resour
ces
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• Workshop Overview

This workshop is designed to provide you with
effective strategies on Note taking methods F
inding what works best for you
Learning Styles Visual learner, Kinesthetic le
arner, Auditory Learner
Textbook studying Making the most of what you r
ead Test Taking Tips on how to outsmart multi
ple choice, essay, short answer true/false
tests Test Anxiety Taking control before and d
uring tests
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Note taking methods

• Finding what works best for you

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Note taking methods

• The Cornell Method
• Record-use the note-taking column to record the
  lecture
  
• Questions-after class (or within 24 hours), write
  questions in the left column to help you
  understand the material better clarify any
  questions you may have (think of useful questions
  that you can use to study with later)
• Recite-cover the note-taking column and then ask
  the questions in the left column, answering them
  as thoroughly as possible
  
• Reflect-reflect on the material by asking
  yourself any additional questions
  
• Review-spend at least 10 minutes every week
  reviewing your notes
  

• Outline Form
• Best used when your professor lectures in a
  structured, predictable way.
  
• You can informally create an outline by using
  dashes instead of Roman Numerals
  
• Each time a main idea or point is mentioned,
  start a new section to the outline (I, II, III,
  etc).
  
• Heres an example
• Topic
• I. First Main Idea
• A. Major Supporting Fact
• B. Major Supporting Fact
• 1. First reason or example
• 2. Second reason or example
• a. First Supporting Fact
• b. Second Supporting Fact

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Note Taking Continued

• Mind-Mapping or Concept Mapping
• Starts from the main idea in the center of the
  page
  
• Branches out with subtopics
• Each subtopic can have many branches of their
  own
  
• Its up to you to create the patterns, and make
  associations
  
• This method creates a visual that will help your
  brain categorize and store information in your
  long term memory
  

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Learning Styles

• Visual learners, Kinesthetic Learners,
• Auditory Learners

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Visual Learners

• You learn best when information is presented
  visually and in a written language format.
  
• In a classroom setting, you benefit from
  instructors who use the blackboard (or overhead
  projector) to list the essential points of a
  lecture, or who provide you with an outline to
  follow along with during lecture.
• You benefit from information obtained from
  textbooks and class notes. You tend to like to
  study by yourself in a quiet room. You often see
  information "in your mind's eye" when you are
  trying to remember something.
• You benefit from instructors who use visual aids
  such as film, video, maps and charts.
  
• You benefit from information obtained from the
  pictures and diagrams in textbooks.
  
• When trying to remember something, you can often
  visualize a picture of it in your mind.
  
• You may have an artistic side that enjoys
  activities having to do with
  visual art and design.

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Strategies for Visual Learners

• Color coding"
• Using highlighter pens - highlight different
  kinds of information in contrasting colors.
  
• Write out sentences / phrases
• Make flashcards of vocabulary words and concepts
  that need to be memorized.
  
• When learning information presented in diagrams
  or illustrations, write out explanations for the
  information.
  
• When a problem involves a sequence of steps,
  write out in detail how to do each step.
  
• Make yourself visual reminders of information
  that must be memorized Flash cards, Post-its,
  diagrams
  

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The Tactile/ Kinesthetic Learners

• You learn best when physically engaged in a
  "hands on" activity.
  
• In the classroom, you benefit from a lab setting
  where you can manipulate materials to learn new
  information.
  
• You learn best when you can be physically active
  in the learning environment.
  
• You benefit from instructors who encourage
  in-class demonstrations, "hands on" student
  learning experiences, and field work outside the
  classroom.

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Strategies for Kinesthetic Learners

• Sit near the front of the room and take notes
  throughout the class period. Dont worry about
  taking perfect notes
  
• When studying, walk back and forth with textbook,
  notes, or flashcards in hand and read the
  information out loud.
  
• To learn a sequence of steps, make 3'x 5'
  flashcards for each step. Arrange the cards on a
  table top to represent the correct sequence.
  Limit the amount of information per card to aid
  recall. Practice putting the cards in order until
  the sequence becomes automatic.
• When reviewing new information, copy key points
  onto large writing surface. Use graphics,
  tables, and spreadsheets to further organize
  material that must be learned.
• Listen to audio tapes on a Walkman tape player
  while exercising. Make your own tapes containing
  important course information.

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Auditory Learners

• You learn best when information is presented
  auditory in an oral language format.
  
• In a classroom setting, you benefit from
  listening to lecture and participating in group
  discussions.
  
• You also benefit from obtaining information from
  audio tape.
  
• When trying to remember something, you can often
  "hear" the way someone told you the information,
  or the way you previously repeated it out loud.
  
• You learn best when interacting with others in a
  listening/speaking exchange .

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Strategies for Auditory Learners

• Join a study group to assist you in learning
  course material
  
• When studying by yourself, talk out loud to aid
  recall.
  
• Tape record your lectures.
• Use audio tapes
• State the problem in your own words.
• To learn a sequence of steps, write them out in
  sentence form and read them out loud.

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Textbook studying

• making the most of what you read

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Textbook Studying Tips

• Dont spend more than an hour at a time on one
  subject
  
• Keep alert by taking rest breaks
• Study similar subjects at separate times
• Avoid studying during your sleepy times
• Study at the most productive time for your
  course
  
• Use SQ3R Reading Method

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The SQ3R Reading Method

• Survey
• Question
• Read
• Recall
• Review

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SURVEY

• Skim title, headings, and subheadings
• Captions under pictures, charts, graphs or maps
• Review questions or teacher-made study guides
• Introductory and concluding paragraphs
• Summary

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QUESTION

• Turn the title, headings, and/or subheadings into
  questions
  
• Read questions at the end of the chapters or
  after each subheading
  
• Ask yourself, "What did my instructor say about
  this chapter or subject when it was assigned?"
  
• Ask yourself, "What do I already know about this
  subject?"
  

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READ

• Look for answers to the questions you first
  raised
  
• Answer questions at the beginning or end of
  chapters or study guides
  
• Reread captions under pictures, graphs, etc.
• Note all the underlined, italicized, bold printed
  words or phrases
  
• Study graphic aids
• Reduce your speed for difficult passages
• Stop and reread parts which are not clear
• Read only a section at a time and recite after
  each section
  

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RECITE, RECITE, RECITE

• Orally ask yourself questions about what you have
  just read and/or summarize, in your own words,
  what you read
  
• Take notes from the text but write the
  information in your own words
  
• Underline/highlight important points you've just
  read
  
• Use the method of recitation which best suits
  your particular learning style but remember, the
  more senses you use the more likely you are to
  remember what you read
• TRIPLE STRENGTH LEARNING Seeing, saying,
  hearing
  
• QUADRUPLE STRENGTH LEARNING Seeing , saying ,
  hearing, writing!!!
  

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REVIEW

• After you have read and recited the entire
  chapter, write questions for those points you
  have highlighted/underlined in the margins.
  
• Page through the text and/or your notebook to
  re-acquaint yourself with the important points.
  
• Orally recite or write the answers from memory.
  Make "flash cards" for those questions which give
  you difficulty.
  
• Develop mnemonic devices for material which need
  to be memorized.
  
• BECAUSE-Big Elephants Can Always Understand Small
  Elephants
  
• The order of planets in average distance from the
  Sun(Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter,
  Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto)My Very Easy
  Method Just Set Up Nine Planets.
• Alternate between your flash cards and notes and
  test yourself (orally or in writing) on the
  questions you formulated.
  

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Did you know?

• That within 24 hours, at least 70 of the
  information weve encountered is lost
  
• That we tend to retain only 20 what we hear in a
  lecture and write in our notes
  
• That if we do an active review of our notes
  within 24 hours utilizing a method such as the
  Cornell Method, or of our reading using something
  like the SQ3R System, we raise that retention
  level to at least 60...

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Test Taking Strategies

• Tips on how to outsmart multiple choice, essay,
  short
  answer true/false tests
  

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Test Taking

• Multiple Choice
• Read the question carefully
• Rephrase the question
• Eliminate choices
• Go from easy to difficult
• Watch for combinations
• Look at sentence structure

• Essays
• Outline
• Budget your writing time
• Read the question carefully
• Organize the material
• Write concisely and correctly
• Write neatly
• Focus on the main points supporting
  information
  
• Answer completely
• Use all of the available time

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Test Taking Continued

• Fill in the Blank
• Watch for clues
• Count the number of blanks
• Watch for the length of the blank
• Answer the questions you know first
• Answer all of the questions

• Short Answer
• Write clear, logical and brief answers.
• When you skip a short essay question because it
  stumps you, look for cues in the rest of the test
  that may help you go back and answer it later.
  
• True/False
• Listen and read carefully
• Pay attention to details
• Watch for qualifiers
• Watch for faulty cause and effect

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Test Anxiety

• taking control before and during tests

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Test Anxiety

• Symptoms of Test Anxiety
• Physical-nausea, excessive perspiration, muscle
  tension, shortness of breath, rapid heart rate
  
• Emotional-any excessive feeling like
  disappointment, anger, helplessness
  
• Behavioral-fidgeting, avoidance, substance abuse
• Cognitive- going blank, difficulty
  concentrating, knowing the answers AFTER you turn
  in the test, negative self talk, difficulty
  organizing your thoughts, giving up

• Resources That Can
• Websites
• University of Missouri-Rolla Counseling Center
  http//campus.umr.edu/counsel/selfhelp/vpl/testanx
  iety.htm
  
• Campus Blues http//www.campusblues.com/test.asp
  
  
• The UIUC Counseling Center http//www.couns.uiuc
  .edu/Brochures/testanx.htm
  
• Study Guides and Strategies Web site
  http//www.studygs.net/tstprp8.htm
  
• The CLU Counseling Center
• Call 493-3225 to make an appointment or stop by
  the Matson House or visit them on the website at
  www.callutheran.edu/counseling
  

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Tackling Test Anxiety

• During the Test
• -Dont panic if you cant remember something
  right awayskip to questions that you know
  
• -Tense and relax your jaw, then your shoulders,
  then your feetthen take several deep breaths
  with your eyes closed (practice any relaxation
  techniques before the test too)
• -Do something differentgo to the restroom if you
  can, sharpen your pencil, ask the professor a
  question, etc.
  
• -Picture yourself somewhere else.like on the
  shore of a calm ocean in the evening
  

• Before the Test
• Develop a study group
• Spread review over several daysno cramming
• Eat healthy exercise
• Think positive-tell yourself that you can do it
• Take a practice test under exam-like conditions
• Get to class early

• After the Test
• -Evaluate what methods worked best for you
• -Evaluate your professors test style in
  relation to your notes and the book
  
• -Sharpen your skills for next time
• -Never give up and ask for help if you need
  it!!!
  

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• Questions?
• Comments?