Learning Tools
Time Management Tools
The Due Date Planner lets you see all of your due dates for the semester at-a-glance on a printable page. View the sample page for instructions and use the blank form to create your a calendar and start your own semester plan.
Use the Master Weekly Schedule tab to help find your best times to study and do your homework. Follow the directions in the orange boxes, and create a personalized, detailed schedule to help you stay on track.
Download Due Date Planner & Master Weekly Schedule Download (.XLS)
Reading in College Tips
The SQ3R method steps you through the reading process where you remember more info by focusing your attention strategically and helps you read with intention, focus and with an eye on the big picture.
S=Survey
Get a quick overview of the chapter. This acts as an advance organizer and will help you figure out what the key points are. Here’s what you do:
- Reflect on the chapter title: (What do you know about this subject already? What do you think this chapter will be about?)
- Read the summary: This is where you’ll find the key points. Jot it down!
- Look at questions at the end of the chapter. This is what you should be learning.
- Skim the introduction: Are objectives listed? Is a chapter outline provided?
- Look at all charts, graphs, anything that stands out. Think: What does this have to do with the title of the chapter?
- Outline the chapter. Just organize headings and subheadings. Wait until you see how helpful it is to see how everything fits together!
Q=Question
Turn each subtitle into a question. Write this in your text or write it in a notebook. This will help you focus your reading; this will help you read with purpose.
R=Read
Read each subsection to find the answer to your question. Always have a pen in your hand and write the answers to your questions (the ones you made from the headings) in the margin. Underline, circle and draw arrows. Highlighters are O.K., but it’s hard to write with them. Only underline about 10-15% of the text. Jot down the main point of each paragraph in the margin as you go. Good news: When it’s time to study for a test, you won’t need to re-read the text (that’s totally ineffective anyway); all you have to do is review what you wrote in the text. Here’s how:
R2 and R3
Recite and Review: Recite the questions you wrote and then explain the answers. Pretend you’re explaining ideas to a partner. Saying it out loud will help you to understand and remember.
Question: How many times have you asked the following questions after reading every word of an academic article: What did I just read? Did I even read that?
Problem: Most people skip the title and plow right into the reading without looking at what lies ahead. Students get lost in the details and completely lose the message the author intended.
Solution: GIST Method: a strategy for reading academic articles that helps you to read with intention, focus, and with an eye on the big picture, thus helping you to avoid the, “Did I just read that?” trap.
GIST: Generating Interaction between Schema and Text
Before Reading the Article
- Reflect on the title of the article. This will help you to anticipate what you’ll be reading. Always define words you don’t know, especially if found in the title.
- Make a general outline of headings and subheadings. This will provide a big picture of the article, thus allowing you to anticipate what’s coming next.
During Reading
- Reflect: What do you expect each section to be about?
Tip: It usually, (but now always) helps to turn each heading into a question. Read to answer the question. - Define words you don’t know (especially bold, italicized & repeated words)
- Remember: Each paragraph has a main point. Find what you think the 1 point of each paragraph is, and write it in the margin.
Tip: This point will relate to the subtitle, which relates to the overall article title - You may not get it right the 1st time…that’s o.k. Keep trying!
- At the end of each section, write the “gist” of that section in the margin
Tip: Look for common elements among key points of each paragraph.
After Reading
- Read each of your internal summaries and determine the “gist” of the entire article.
Tip: Look for common elements among the gists of each section.
What if I’m reading material without headings?
- Read only the 1st sentence of each paragraph.
- Underline 3-4 key words in each 1st sentence.
- Circle the key words that seem most important.
- Write your question.
- Read to answer your question.
How Do I Read Research Articles?
These are the typical parts of a research paper. Don’t be surprised to find that the article you’re reading is missing some sections or that some sections have been combined. Good news: It is not always necessary for you to read all the sections. Here’s what you must read and what you may skip:
Must Read
- Title: Reflect on it-don’t ignore it.
- Abstract: 100-500 word paragraph. It provides a quick overview of main ideas and key points. It will include goals and objectives, results and conclusions.
- Intro: Explains focus of the paper, provides an overview of the paper’s sections and may give definitions and significance of research.
- Discussion/Implications (not always essential): Findings are explained in everyday language.
- Conclusion: Key findings, limitations of the research and ideas for future research.
May Skip
- Literature Review: Provides previous research on the subject. It can be grouped with the intro.
- Methodology: This section is technical and reports how the research was performed. The purpose is for others to replicate the study.
- Findings/Results: Technical. Reports what was discovered by analyzing statistical data.
Note Taking Tools
Before Class
- Do I do all the assigned readings BEFORE class (or at least survey the chapter)? _____
- Do I sit in the t-Zone? _____
- Do I conduct a pre-class review? _____
- Do I typically come prepared with the right materials-pen, textbook, paper, etc? _____
- Do I classify my notes? (Topic, date, page number) _____
During Class
- Do I use a form of the Cornell method?
- Do I draw a 2-3” vertical line on the left side of the paper? _____
- Do I take notes on the right hand side? _____
- Do I design higher level questions on the left hand side? _____
- Do apply recommended strategies for recording notes?
- Do I use blank lines to mark missed info? _____
- Do I use a symbol for when I’m confused? (* or ?) _____
- Do I write on only 1 side of the paper, leaving the left page blank? _____
- Do I abbreviate? _____
- Do I copy and flag material directly from the board? _____
- Do I have a strategy for taking notes with PowerPoints?
- Do I turn headings into questions? _____
- Do I apply strategies to listen actively?
- Which of the following is my typical classroom posture: other planet, black out, squish face, attitude face, bobber, or tuned in with eye contact? ____________
- Do I write tally marks in the margin to indicate I’ve drifted off? _____
- Do I participate by taking notes? _____
After Class
- Do I write 4-5 mirror questions in the 2-3” margin for each page of notes? _____
- Do I write “what is?” questions for defining new terms? _____
- Do I write “why/how?” questions for other, higher level questions? _____
- Do I write a summary question at the top of the 1st page of each day’s notes? _____
- Do I review my notes 5-10 minutes each day? _____
- Do I edit my notes within a day? _____
- Do I create review tools? _____
Research has shown that taking notes by hand (not on a device), is the most effective way to retain information.
Final Exam Preparation
- Begin your final exam prep efforts at least three weeks before final exam day.
- Be realistic. Allow enough time to study for each exam. Allow time to sleep, exercise and eat well.
- Set up regular sessions.
- Begin studying for finals at least 3 weeks in advance. If not, just remember, condense and drill.
- Decrease your commitments (get time off of work and delegate duties).
- Use a blank weekly calendar. Begin by filling out your due dates and other fixed events.
- Look at the time remaining and start scheduling
Instead of re-reading textbooks, read what you wrote in your books. Combine text and notes into topic outlines. Note key points, key terms and vocabulary. Write a brief summary of each topic.
Tip: Study group-divide up sections and have each member summarize his/her section.
Use the information you just organized/outlined to create the following tools:
- Flash Cards (question on 1 side-answer on the other)
- Mind Maps (outline in picture form)
- Time Lenes
- Charts
- Mnemonics (pictures, stories, poems, acronyms, acrostics)
- Study Partner/Groups (teach and test each other-but remember, finals time is not charity time).
Don’t just memorize-understand!
Ask your professor these questions:
- How long will the test be?
- What topics/chapters will be on the final?
- Is the test based more on the text or the notes?
- Multiple choice or essay?
Use your professor's answers to write questions:
- Pretend you’re the professor. Now write the questions.
- Textbook: Turn headings into questions and see end of chapter questions.
- Notes: Note the key points, key terms and vocabulary. These are questions.
- Use old exams (some on reserve in library).
- Sample finals/study guides provided by instructor.
- Wear down neural traces by asking yourself/study partner the questions on your flash cards.
- Practice test out loud and answering out loud. We can fool our eyes, but not our ears! Stand and pace. Action is a memory enhancer. Drill. Repeat.
- If it’s math, remember, we need a pencil to study for math.
- Practice problems over and over again.