STUDY TECHNIQUES: Notes From The Video Seminar “Where There’s A Will There’s An “A” By Dr. Claude Olney
Making The Grade
Consider instead this variation of what Henry Ford once said. "If you think you can do well in school, you're right. If you don't think you can do well in school, you're still right."
It’s Time You Started Thinking Right
It's not a matter of brains. We've all got the mental ability. It is a matter of attitude - a matter of desire. Studies show that 20% of high school dropouts are actually gifted children. Winston Churchill was the last in his class in school, but became one of the greatest leaders in history. Einstein couldn't read until he was seven and had trouble getting through high school, yet his formulas changed the world. Woody Allen was below average in several subjects, but what a genius at work. You see, we're all much brighter than we think.
Studying Smart Vs. Studying Hard
These terms may seem to say the same thing, but they don't. Let's say two people are given the task of cutting down a tree. One is handed a sledge hammer and the other an ax. The person with the sledge hammer is certainly going to work hard. But the person with the ax will be working smart. From now on, you're going to study smart - learning to use the right tools to get better grades.
Fine Tuning Your Brain
The first tool you'll start to use is your brain. Scientific research has estimated that, on the average, most of us use only 3% of our brain potential. Think about it. If we could all increase our use to 6% we could double our mental performance! The brain is much like a high performance engine. We can increase speeds from 100 to 105 mph by simply using a better grade fuel. Adjust the engine and get another 5 mph. Control other variables - road conditions, weather, aero- dynamics - and go even faster. (In one study, students who began to do nothing more than play chess, improved their IQ by as much as 5 points.) Conquer test anxiety and pick up still more points. Increase your vocabulary, and even more yet. And this is just the beginning.
You're In The Driver's Seat
Of course, the responsibility for this high performance engine lies where it always has - in your hands. You're the driver. And no one else can take the wheel Learning can be fun, and it's what you do best. From the time you were born until now, you've done nothing but learn and grow at an astronomical pace - gaining more knowledge perhaps than you will for the rest of your life combined. You are a learning machine, and your brain is a marvelous instrument you can believe in. So believe in it and believe in yourself.
Tips For Top Grades
Get Creative. There's no substitute for innovation. First of all, from now on you are personally in charge of your own education. Nobody can open your head and pour in piles of information. No one can do your learning for you except you. This is actually a pretty exciting concept, because it makes you your own best teacher. You can use any teaching methods you like to teach your single pupil - you. So let your mind go. The sky's the limit. Anything goes. Consider this sampling of learning techniques:
In the book Cheaper by the Dozen, the father of 12 children painted the Morse Code on the walls of their room so they could learn it easily. Along the same lines, my wife knew a childhood friend who had phosphorescent star constellations decorating her bedroom ceiling. What an easy way to learn astronomy.
One student I knew, wrote a new vocabulary word on a note card each day and simply clipped it to his notebook. It took only a little extra effort to learn a new word daily.
Another student, a cross country runner, would practice lists of biology terms in his head as he ran with the team every afternoon. Doing so, he not only memorized the required terms, but took his mind off the heat and fatigue of his workout.
Using props when making oral reports, taking different class notes with different colored pens, doing unasked for extra credit - all of these are simple innovative ways to earn yourself better grades.
Be creative. The ways to learn are endless. Think of ways to make your study enjoyable.
Pull out your favorite joke or cartoon book and get into a happy frame of mind. It's difficult to be depressed when you're smiling. And tests show that good feelings stimulate thought processes and cue the release of positive material in the memory. Also, try rewarding yourself when you have had a good study session, mastered a difficult chapter, or done well on an exam. Buy yourself something, go to a movie, go out to eat, or celebrate with a friend. You've earned it, and the treat will reinforce your good study habits. Use your imagination to make your study time something to look forward to.
Aim High for Success. It goes without saying, if we don't know where we're going, we're not likely to get there. Goals are important to our success at anything. That doesn't mean we have to shoot for straight "A's." But we should aim for something - specific and realistic, not too high, not too low. Remember, in setting goals, your reach should exceed your grasp. Make yourself stretch. Of course, there are going to be ups and downs. Realizing this can reduce anxiety and stress. We will often learn as much or more from our mistakes and losses as we do from our successes. Would you get more out of playing someone in tennis and beating him 6-0,6-0 all the time - or playing someone who beat you 7-6, 7-6? So if you should fail to meet a goal - regroup, reset and recommit. Your goals - both the ones you make and the ones you barely miss, will change your performance in life. Your goals will change your world. Important note- For the present, you should all have at least one goal in common.
Enjoy School
Enjoy school now, before it's too late. Remember, most of the simple pleasure in life lies in getting there.
The Seven Steps Of Goal Getting
Goal setting doesn't achieve goals. Goal getting does. A study conducted by Yale University in 1956 showed that the top 3% of the graduating class were systematic writers of their goals. More importantly, a follow-up study conducted 30 years later in 1986, showed that this same 3% were significantly more successful than the rest of the class. Again, the main difference was that they were still writing goals, and following through on them.What do goal getters do differently from ordinary goal setters? What sets them apart?
(1) They write their goals down as part of a regular program of writing about their dreams and plans.
(2) Goal getters make their goals specific, never general. They don't plan to upgrade their job skills; they see themselves completing a class in computers. They don't decide to play better tennis; they imagine themselves perfecting their forehand.
(3) Goal getters state their goals positively. Our minds conceptualize in pictures and we literally cannot visualize a negative. If you tell yourself, "I will not eat too much," what your mind "sees" is you "eating too much." Goal getters use positive statements to get a clear picture of their goals.
(4) Goal getters keep their lives in balance by setting goals in all important areas of their lives: family, financial, social, physical, spiritual, emotional and mental.
(5) Goal getters put their goals into time frames. They have a five-year plan, a one-year strategy, and a quarterly campaign. And they are not afraid to revise all of these time- tables throughout the year.
(6) Goal getters know the score, and they like to keep score. Whether it's finishing a class assignment, winning a handball match, or passing up a piece of cake, they count their "wins", small and large, every day. They use their losses to help them make accurate assessments.
(7) Most importantly, goal getters know how to develop personal goals that belong to them alone. In contrast, many goal setters set goals that are distorted to fit the image they want others to see.
• Write goals regularly.
• Make them specific.
• State them positively.
• Set goals in all important areas of life.
• Put your goals in time frames.
• Keep score.
• Let your goals belong to you alone.
- Action Tracs
Learn to Exercise Your Brain. Medical science is discovering more and more about the brain every day. Along with our muscles, it is the only other part of our body that we can develop. And like muscles, the brain will waste away if it is not used. Our challenge is to exercise our brain, just as we exercise and build the rest of our body. It can be done. There are two sides to our brain. Basically, the right hemisphere of the brain governs our artistic, musical, innovative, imaginative, entrepreneurial, political, theatrical, and visual tendencies. The left hemisphere controls our analytical, scientific, logical, mathematical and verbal leanings. Surprisingly, the person who uses both sides of his or her brain is the most successful in either right or left brain professions.
Dreams, hunches, insights, and intuition are all right brain functions. If we permit the release of this power, we will quite often come up with answers - even to difficult exam questions - from "out of nowhere. " How can you develop your right or left brain? By simply doing right or left brain activities. If you are a left brained person, for instance, and heavily into science or math, take a right brain class such as music, art or theater. If you are a right brain type, watch some of the scientific television series found on PBS such as National Geographic, Smithsonian World, The Living Planet, or Nature. These shows are so well done that the right brain person will find them just as informative as they are entertaining. What a great way to exercise the left brain! I recommend educational television for both types of students. In addition to the mental workout they provide, they are an excellent way of increasing knowledge in almost every area of study.
These kinds of mental aerobics not only enable us to use both sides of our brain more effectively, but also teach us to deal with right brain and left brain people. For instance, a teacher who is left brain oriented will tend to be rigid in his grading policies. However, he will listen to logic and reason. By researching an ambiguous exam question and explaining to him why your answer could be right, you will win more times than not. On the other hand, the right brain teacher's grading scale will be more flexible. You can negotiate more easily with him. Watch your teacher in class. Does he constantly look to his left or to his right? If he favors his left, he is right brain oriented. If he favors his right he is left brain oriented. Sit in a seat on the side of the room he favors and you'll get more attention.
Learn to exercise your brain.
Using both the right and left sides of your brain will give you better recall and better grades.
Choose the Classes You Like. Choose the subjects you really like, even if they might seem difficult. You'll do best at them and they'll be best for you.
I hear about high school students - formerly low achievers - who'd enrolled in courses ranging from Modern Europe to Ancient Civilization to Shakespeare - courses considered in a difficult range, but ones that each student was interested in. And in almost all cases, the students excel in the difficult subjects - and enjoy themselves. We tend to do best in the things we like. Choose good teachers - they can make a so-so course interesting. Don't let hard courses fool you. If you enjoy something, take it on.
Get to Know Your Teachers. Get on friendly terms with your teachers. Friends of mine who are high school teachers are very dedicated and speak highly of their students - at least the ones they know. Your teachers will go out of their way for you if they believe you are sincerely interested. But you have to approach them.
Full Speed Ahead. Give the first two weeks everything you've got. Get textbooks before classes begin and read at least the first fifty pages. You'll find reading material is always more interesting when you don't have to read it - and when there's no deadline to fight. Over study so that you can almost repeat everything in your sleep. This intensive head start will acquaint you with the first several weeks of class, get you off to a better start, and make a good impression on the teacher. After a good fast "sprint" you might level off to an easier pace - if you can. I have found that once students have established good study habits and experienced the satisfaction of A's in their first few quizzes, they often don't want to ease up. Success is always the best motivator. And the sweet taste of that success is frequently just too much to give up. As they build their confidence, their higher education actually becomes fun. Begin the semester with a two-week full-scale attack. Early, unpressured study is the least boring.
Develop and Learn to Use Your Memory. Your memory is nature's greatest tool for saving time and energy. Virtually everything we do - from tying our shoes, to driving a car, to using words when we talk or write - is based upon memory and the ability of our minds to recall. No one has a bad memory. In fact we all have perfect photographic memories. Our brain is much like a tape recorder which sponges up everything around it. The only thing wrong with our memories is the playback. We need to make better connections with the information in our minds to retrieve what goes in. Here are just a few tricks I have picked up over the years which have helped me and my students.
(A) Commit things to memory only when you are well rested. Memorizing difficult material when you are tired is a waste of time.This "fatigue factor" is also one of the reasons we can memorize so much more effectively when we study in short bursts rather than long blocks. My students and I found that several short sessions were better than one long session. This was later confirmed in Tony Buzan's book, Make the Most of Your Mind. In it he explains the first and last item in a series are the easiest to recall because that's when concentration is at its peak.
(B) Studies indicate that certain vitamins can improve our memory, not just a little, but quite a bit - enough to make a big difference in your grades. Eat well, and supplement your diet with these memory vitamins:
• Vitamin C protects nerve tissue. A deficiency can contribute to mental confusion.
• Vitamin B-1 (thiamine) produces energy for nerve cells in the brain.
• Vitamin B-3 (niacin) aids in concentration.
• Vitamin B-6 builds protein from amino acids. A deficiency can lead to lack of concentration.
• Vitamin B-12 (frolic acid and iron) prevents anemia which can lead to difficulty in concentration.
• Lecithin and Choline are essential for memory.
• Tyrosine, an amino acid, helps long-term memory.
Read a joke or cartoon book to get into a happy, healthy frame of mind before a test. It is estimated that 80% of the United States population could benefit from a balanced diet which includes skim milk, breads, lean meat, poultry and fish, fresh fruits and vegetables, and whole grain cereals that contain the above vitamins. According to medical authorities, some people have raised their IQ as much as 30 points, just by going from a bad diet to a good diet. Here are four memory strategies that my students have found helpful:
(1) Acronyms are a simple and effective way of memorizing groups of words. An acronym is a word made from the first letters of other words. For instance, NASA is an acronym for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. You can make your own acronyms for what you need to recall for a test. Imagine you are required to name the Great Lakes for a geography quiz. All you need to know to trigger your memory is the acronym, HOMES (Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie and Superior). If you can't make an acronym that sounds like a real word, make one that sounds silly. A funny sounding acronym is sometimes easier to remember than a ommon one. And acronyms can be as long and detailed as your needs require.
(2) Rhyming strategies are used by many people to recall music series, medical terms, and legal terms, as well as the number of days in each month. ("Thirty days hath September . . . ") Practice making up your own.
(3) Linking ideas is a quick way to remember a long list of unrelated ideas. Trying to remember a series of words can take too much time and energy. But we can make up a quick little story associating each word with another in a matter of seconds. It only takes a little practice.
Here's how it can be used to remember the elements of the Bill of Rights.
"A religious speech was printed on the arms of soldiers outside my house which they wanted to search, thinking there was a grand jury inside."
Sounds crazy? Well, the more absurd the saying, the easier it is to recall later.
That crazy little story was obtained from using key parts of the first five
Amendments to the Constitution:
(1st) freedom of religion, speech and press
(2nd) the right to bear arms
(3rd) no soldiers quartered inside homes
(4th) search and seizure
(5th) right to a grand jury
Here's another example of how to remember related words, such as the parts of a flower:
"Mr. Stigma shot a pink anther with a pistil while Miss Sepal fixed the stem of her
bicycle petal."
(4) Use key words which you've already memorized and tie them to things you want to recall.
For example, we can all recite the alphabet and use it to help us recall up to 26 unrelated thoughts. Carried a step further, by establishing a certain word for each letter ("Ape" for A, "Bee" for B, "Sea" for C, "Deep" for D, etc..) we can use these key" words to form a story for even better recall.
My favorite system is associating a word for each number. I still use the same words which I memorized years ago. For me the number 1 is won, 2 is pair, 3 is tree, 4 is star, 5 is foot, 6 is 6-pack, 7 is 7up, 8 is ate, 9 is 9-iron, and 10 is tent.
Once memorized, I can link these words to a list of unrelated words, in order to recall each one, after glancing at them for no more than 10 to 15 seconds. Consider the following list:
MY KEY WORD WORD TO MEMORIZE HOW I ASSOCIATE
1. WON PIN I won a pin.
2. PAIR SUNGLASSES A pair of sunglasses.
3. TREE MONKEY Monkey up a tree.
4. STAR MOVIE Movie star.
5. FOOT PENCIL A five foot long pencil.
6. PACK SQUIRREL 6-pack of squirrels.
7. 7UP HAT Hat full of 7up.
8. ATE CAT Ate a cat for supper.
9. 9-IRON TRUMPET Trumpet shaped like a 9-iron.
10. TENT PIZZA Tent made of pizzas.
Remember, the sillier the associations, the easier it is to recall. This simple system can be used to memorize capitals of states or countries, the solar system, languages - anything that needs to be recalled. Let's try it on the first ten U. S. Presidents.
MY KEY WORD PRESIDENT HOW I ASSOCIATE
1. WON WASHINGTON Won presidency by a ton.
2. PAIR ADAMS Pear (pair) for Adam & Eve.
3. TREE JEFFERSON Jeff fir son's tree.
4. STAR MADISON Is mad at the sun.
5. FOOT MONROE Foot used by a ma to row a boat.
6. PACK ADAMS Adams split a 6-pack of atoms.
7. 7UP JACKSON 7up and Cracker Jack.
8. ATE VAN BURN Ate lunch in my van.
9. 9-IRON HARRISON Used a 9-iron for a hairy shot.
10. TENT TYLER Tie the tent down.
Key words can also be memorized by associating each number with a word that looks like the number it represents. For example, as illustrated across the page 1 looks like a pen, 2 looks like a swan, 3 is a bird, 4 is a sailboat, 5 is a hook, 6 is a snail, 7 is a cliff, 8 is an hourglass, 9 is a whistle, and 10 is a bat and ball. These key words can be used for association the same way as the others above. With a little practice, memory strategies can be effective in saving time and energy.
Increase Your Reading Power. Notice we said "reading power," not "reading speed." Not all of us are fast readers. But we can n be more powerful readers - reading for better comprehension and retention. It is simply a matter of practice. And the more we practice, the better we get. Reading is something which can bring us hours of enjoyment. Practice on reading material that you like. If you like cars, read about cars. Encyclopedias can be interesting. Buy a set at a garage sale or from the Classified. Read your favorite section in the newspaper. We all enjoy reading about something we like. Occasionally, we come across dull reading material. If it happens to be required reading for school, such as well-known literature, there may be printed synopses of the works you could read. Better to have a general idea of the book than to skip reading it entirely. You might try reading the first sentence of each paragraph. This usually tells you what the paragraph is about. If there is a chapter summary, read it first before reading the chapter. It will help you to learn what key points are covered.
Just as athletes warm up before an event, you can warm up before reading. If your material is about Egyptian history, for instance, put your mind in an Egyptian mood think about Egypt, the Nile, the pyramids - things that are already familiar to you. Now you're ready to read effectively. If you have trouble seeing or hearing in class, or think you have dyslexia (transposing words), tell your teacher and do what needs to be done to correct the problem. There's an exciting, undiscovered world waiting for you in reading. So start reading interesting material now, and become a more powerful reader; read what you like.
Note: To enhance your reading skills, try reading aloud, in order to stimulate both the right (visual) and left (verbal) sides of your brain.
• Practice reading material you enjoy.
Study According to Your Biological Clock. Determine when you study best. Some of us are early birds. Others of us are night owls. Most of us are somewhere in between. Because our "biological clocks" are all different we study and concentrate best when our temperatures are highest. So instead of fighting it, we need to take advantage of it. Of the three types, the night person will encounter the most criticism, especially if his parents are morning types who think he is staying up way past his bedtime, or is just downright lazy when he sleeps until noon every weekend. However, the night person Isn't deliberately setting his own body temperature. He would gladly rise early if he were a morning person. And his late hours have been scientifically proven to be his most productive hours of the day. Inform your parents of this.
The early riser has fewer problems, of course, because anyone who is up and ready to go at the crack of dawn seems to be a model for the rest of us to follow. He should do his studying early in the day, when he is at his peak and ignore the night people who kid him about going to bed so early. Of course there will be times when you can't arrange to study on your perfect schedule. If you must study when you're tired, try this three minute routine to restore oxygen (and zest) to your brain:
• Lift your feet up. Let the blood flow to your head.
• Begin some deep, slow, rhythmic breathing.
• Eat something sweet.
• Determine when you study best and take advantage of it.
Master the Art of Studying. Having determined when to study, it's time to master how to study. First of all don't waste time studying if you're tired and can't overcome the fatigue. And don't allocate time for studying "...whether I need it or not." In many instances, the less time you have to study, the better off you are. However much time you take to study, active review is much more efficient than passive review. In active review, we go through our material, ask ourselves potential exam questions and then practice writing down the answers, just the way we would on a test. Make this active review a dress rehearsal for the exam. Passive review is simply reading and rereading the material we think is important. Most passive reading is a waste because we aren't checking on ourselves. There is a big difference between reading and studying. We need to write the answers, not just think about them. So when you study, study actively with a pen or pencil in hand.
Start to review when you find yourself forgetting material. Review in short sessions with breaks of minutes or even hours in between. If the material is difficult or uninteresting, spend 15 to 20 minutes maximum. If it is easy or entertaining, spend more time. Only review key points -information from the text or lecture notes that you want to retain in your long term memory. About six review sessions should be sufficient to make the transfer. One of the most important study sessions is a quick review right after class. This session is best spent alone. But other sessions could include other people (friends, parents, teachers, classmates, tutors). They might spot mistakes, point out things you missed, make up new questions you to think of, and answer questions you don't know.
• Don't study when tired.
• Study in short sessions.
• Study actively with pencil in hand.
• Make your review a dress rehearsal.
• Review material when you begin to forget.
• Study alone and in group sessions.
When you study, your environment is as critical as your technique. So, study in bright light. Natural window light is always best. If it's dark outside or you can't be near a window, make sure your artificial light is as bright as can be. It will reduce depression that studying for a test sometimes causes. A good fluorescent light will reduce glare. Since concentration is essential to study, the less background noise, including most music, the better. Fragrances also have an effect on us and can change our mood. By wearing a pleasant perfume or cologne when studying or taking a test, we can improve our chances of getting a better grade. Lastly, the temperature of your place of study can also affect your efficiency. Experiment with different temperatures. As we'd already learned, slightly increasing your own body temperature will increase the quality of your study. Don't forget to smile. A pleasant frame of mind will enhance your performance.
• Find out when you study best.
• Surround yourself with the right study environment.
• Get into a happy frame of mind by smiling.
Become an Expert Test Taker. The best way to prepare for any test is to practice taking similar ones ahead of time. Get old tests or make your own. Never leave anything to chance. Sample tests of all kinds for that very purpose are available in many books. Short tests appear regularly in magazines such as Reader's Digest. Newspapers, television quiz shows like "Jeopardy", even brain teasers and puzzle books, all provide you with practice in the art of test taking. Again, the more you practice anything, the better you get at it.
• Remember, old tests make the best study guides.
• Taking tests is a skill. Practice makes perfect.
• Make sure you know exactly what the test will cover. If you're not sure, ask.
Don't go into a test feeling gloomy. You can reduce the chances of this by not getting involved in anything controversial with friends, family, or others just before a test. Do calming exercises such as deep breathing and muscle relaxation. Talk yourself through the anxiety. Take a sweater along in case the room is cold. Sit away from friends during the exam. When a test is handed out, jot down formulas, equations, and rules that you want to remember. Take a deep breath, relax, and begin.
Educated Guessing
Even with all your preparation, you may still encounter questions for which you simply don't know the answer. When this happens, don't panic. Use the following tips to increase your odds when guessing. Remember to eliminate the choices in the question that you know are incorrect, then apply these methods:
Multiple choice. When two of four choices are opposites, pick one of those two as the best guess.
B, C, and D answers are best in five-answer multiple choice questions.
Avoid pairs. If question 28 is known to be B, avoid guessing B in 27 or 29.
Non-answers ("Zero," "None of the above") are usually poor guesses.
In questions asking for the most or the least, pick the answer next to the most or the least. (Most - 5, 8, 9, , 30.)
"All of the above" is generally a good guess.
Longest multiple choice answers are good guesses.
If two of four choices are almost identical, pick the longest of the two.
If a few questions have five possible choices instead of four, pick number five.
If a question asks for a plural (or singular) answer, make sure you pick the plural (or singular).
When limiting words are used (all, never, always, must, etc..) false is usually the best answer.
When general terms are used (most, some, usually, could, might, etc..) true is usually the best answer.
Exaggerated or complex answers are generally false.
Answer every question, even with a best guess as you go. Identify those you're not sure of with a mark. Review these on a second pass.
Fill-in-the-blank exams. Never leave a question blank. Give it your best guess. You might guess correctly. And even if you don't, you might get partial credit just for coming close.
Essay exams. Say as much as you can, use short paragraphs, and write legibly. Volume, quality, and neatness pay.
Reread directions before turning in an exam. Did you define terms when you were asked to compare them? Use the entire period to double check.
Answers quite often pop up in other questions. Keep that thought in mind.
First impressions (initial guesses) are often best. If an answer comes to you from out of the blue, it's probably your right brain at work. Don't fight this intuition unless you're sure it's wrong.
When a question is difficult to visualize, draw it.
Assume a possible answer. Then work backwards to see if you're right.
In math problems, make estimates or "guesstimates" and find an answer close to your approximation.
Sit in the front of class. Ambiguous questions can be cleared up much easier when you're near the teacher. Ask.
Stay until the very end. Questions may be clarified by the teacher as an afterthought.
When in doubt, follow the rules for the best educated guess.
Keep track of time.
Above all, don't be afraid to ask questions.
Special Tests
Open Book Exams - These exams test your organizational skills and speed in finding facts, as well as familiarity with the text. An open book exam doesn’t really test what you know, but how good you are at finding what you need to know. So get acquainted with your text. Know where to look.
Essay Exams - These exams require knowledge, but are not impossible to prepare for. Practice writing several answers in a blue book or on whatever type of paper you will be using. Use erasable ink so you can turn in a picture perfect paper without errors, arrows, marginal additions, cross outs, or smudges. Appearance and volume count. Read and reread directions carefully before you begin and follow them. Skim over the questions and answer the easy ones first. That will get you rolling and jog your memory in helping you answer the rest. Make sure you refer to the question you're answering in your essay. Don't make the teacher figure it out. Begin with a good opening sentence and end with a good conclusion. Try not to be controversial in your subject matter. Divide up your thoughts. (Five paragraphs look better than two, even if the word count is the same.) And leave some space at the end of each essay, so that if you get a good
idea later, you can write it in.
Take Worthwhile Notes. Taking worthwhile notes is one of your critical school survival skills. It is easy to take good notes. To begin with, take notes with a purpose other than to just fill up a page with words. No one gives you credit for the number of words in your notebook. You only get credit for a few right words - on exams. The purpose of note taking is to get key points from textbooks and lectures. A key point is an answer to an exam question. Every class day, your teacher is giving you about five to ten key points in the reading assignment and lecture. (Which also means missing class, for whatever reason, is like throwing away a page of valuable notes).
• Take notes with a purpose.
• Take short notes. Use key points.
• Don't miss class.
Once you have these key points, use them to get exam answers by making up your own set of exam questions. This is exactly what the teacher does in making up an exam, giving us most of the same questions - and the answers, too. Students at an eastern high school who made up possible test questions later found 75% of the same or similar questions on actual exams. These same students scored almost 10% higher than students who studied without this method.
• Use notes to make up test questions.
When studying from textbooks, most of us mark everything we think is important. A more effective method may be to mark only the parts you don't know. Later on, go over those parts. When you finally know them, check them off. There is no need to go over and over information (colored yellow) that you already know. There's no right way to mark up a text for your own personal study. Tear out pages. Write in the margins. Find a system that works for you. After all, it is your book.
• Make notes of what you don 't know in the text.
As with lecture notes, a good way to check how well you understand something is to write down potential test questions about the material just read. Start by briefly summarizing to yourself the meaning of the chapter title and subtitles. Practice for the exam while studying the material.
• Use text to make up test questions.
An easy way to take notes is to draw a line down the center of a sheet. Use the left side for key points from the textbook, which you will read before class. Use the right side to add any important key points the teacher makes if you don't already have them on the left side. This text-lecture process will make class material much easier to understand and add to your retention. After class, find a quiet place to review your notes. If you don't understand something, ask the teacher right away, or ask someone else in class to give you an explanation. Don't let unanswered questions pile up.
• Review notes immediately after class.
• If you don't understand, ask.
The Key to Perfect Papers. Never turn in homework late, sloppily done, or unedited. Top students write well. Of course, writing may not be your strong suit. But clear, concise expression is essential in high school and will be throughout your life. Find someone (parent, brother, sister, friend) to proofread every bit of material you hand in. Type and retype until every page is processor for picture perfect papers. Remember the analogy of the gourmet and the cheeseburger. A dirty plate can make a delicious cheeseburger unappetizing. And a messy paper can make a masterpiece of research unimpressive. In both cases, it sometimes only takes one taste, one bite, or one glance at a cover sheet for the critic (the teacher) to make a decision, assign a grade and go on to the next paper.
• Written work is a game of comparison between papers.
• Always have someone double check your material.
• The appearance of your papers makes all the difference in the world.
Five Steps To Better Writing
Step 1: Structural Outline. Quickly draw an outline on a piece of paper. Build from one central idea to several topics, and then to details - similar to the way a statue is sculptured from one large stone. Take big chunks first, chiseling down to smaller pieces, until finally the last finishing details are mad.
Step 2: Sentence Outline. Now write out a sentence outline. If we have five main topics. Each will consist of about 100 words, making our article five paragraphs in length and containing 500 words. WRITE FIVE TOPIC SENTENCES, LEAVING SPACE BETWEEN EACH SENTENCE - for filling in more detailed sentences later.
Step 3: The First Draft. Write sentences into the open spaces. Build on the topic
sentences and DO THIS IN ANY ORDER YOU WISH. You are not bound by a linear model - forcing you to start at the top of the page and write until you get to the end. You are as free as a sculptor who can move from one part of his statue to another. For example, while working on one paragraph, you may get an idea for another. Simply move to that one before you forget.
Step 4: Recast Your Paragraphs. Expand them. Subdivide them. Refine them by adding a sentence here and deleting one there, and watch how nicely your article takes shape. Expand each topic sentence by enlarging it with additional sentences that illustrate or explain in some way the meaning of the topic sentence.
Step 5: Polish Your Paper. Check your work for grammar, spelling, trite words and phrases, and repetition. Now, read the entire article out loud to yourself and someone else. Always have someone edit your material before handing it in. If it looks and sounds good, you're finished with an "A" paper.
HERE ARE SOME OF THE MOST FREQUENTLY MISSPELLED WORDS.
Use the spaces to write in your own.
accommodate deceive idle nineteen recipe
ache defense idol nuisance recommend
achieve develop impeccable resurrect
acquaintance disaster interference rhythm
advice disease interpret roommate
advise druggist interruption occasion
alcohol intrigue ominous
all right irresponsible omission
analysis opaque science
anxiety ecstasy orchestra secretary
anxious eight separate
arctic embarrass jeopardy solemn
ascetic erratic judgment pamphlet sophomore
atheist exaggerate parallel souvenir
athletics excellent permanent stationary
exhaust personal stationery
existence knowledge personnel subtle
physician syllable
beginning positive
believe possess
boundary fatigue laboratory precede
breathe February labyrinth preferred tariff
bureau formula leisure principal thorough
business forty likable principle twelfth
fourth loose privilege
lose proceed
luxury professor
calendar professional unanimous
capital government prophet
capitol governor pursue
cemetery guarantee maneuver
chaotic gymnasium mathematics vacuum
committee mediocre variety
compliment metaphor quorum vegetable
conceive misspelled quotient vicinity
concession handkerchief mystery
conquer hymn
conscious
cough realize Wednesday
neither receipt
nickel receive
Suggestions for Studying Math and Science. Math can be interesting if we give it half a chance. And more than that, knowing math is essential to getting through each day - in school and in life. Scoring higher in the math sections of civil service exams can mean as much as $5,000 more in salary per year. Math and science, like language, are composed of rules and formulas. The real beauty of math is that these rules never change. Here's just one: The Rule of 72. To figure out how long it would take to double your money in an investment at On rate of interest, simply divide the number 72 by the interest rate. The resulting number is the number of years it will take to double your money.
72 divided by 8% = 9 years (Money invested at 8% will double in 9 years.)
Try this one on your friends. It involves the principle of compounding. Ask them which they would rather have: 1 penny today, doubled daily for 30 days (1 cent + 2 cents + 4 cents, etc..), or $100,000 each day for 30 days? If they picked the $100,000 for 30 days, they would lose $2,000,000. Doubling 1 cent a day for 30 days would amount to over $5,000,000.
As in anything else, practice makes perfect. When you're out shopping, try adding up the totals along with the cash register at the check-out stand. Compare prices. Is a 16 oz. jar $1.29 a better deal than a 14 oz. jar $1.09? (No). Study by taking examples of math problems from your text. Write them out - out of sequence. Now try solving them. (They probably won't show up in order on the exam). And have a pencil in hand when you review anything.
Study 125% for that first test. This will build confidence and lower your stress to a manageable level. During the test, read an entire problem before trying to solve it. Estimate answers. Double check for misplaced decimal points. Beware of careless mistakes - O's that look like 6's, or 1's that look like 7's. Check, check, and recheck.
Remember, math is hard for those who don't know how it works. For those who do, it's easy.
• Give 125% on that first test.
• Practice using math every day.
Science, like math is primarily a left brain subject - requiring a logical, analytical approach. You can increase the use of your left brain by using the opposite side of your head. For instance, if you are on the telephone with a friend sorting out science or math problems, listen with your right ear instead of your left. If you are using a tape recorder with an earphone, use your right ear. Break down a science review into basic types of test questions: definition of terms, relation of terms to each other, formulas, drawings, and applications. And remember the basic rules and formulas for science. They never change.
• Learn the basic steps, rules and formulas.
Be there or Beware. Never miss a class. No rule of success in school is as simple and yet so critical. This is reflected in my own teaching records over the past several years. In reviewing the performance of 800 "A" and "C" students in my classes, I discovered that the "A" students, on the average, missed less than one class per 45-class semester. While the "C" students missed over four classes over the same period.- In plain terms, these "C" students deducted from three to five points toward getting an "A" for each class session they missed. Also, keep in mind that the first and last minutes of each class are the two most important periods of the teaching hour. Don't be surprised by a test the next day because you missed an announcement during those important minutes.
• Never miss a class.
• Don't be late. Don't leave early.
• If you miss a class, get someone's notes.
Stay Mentally, Spiritually and Physically Fit. You are a multi-faceted animal - a wonder of nature composed of different elements, all working in tandem to make you a literal miracle. You are a total package of mental, spiritual and physical elements - elements that cannot really be separated. According to Who's Who Among American High School Students, the top students from a recent response group of 23,000 were surprisingly healthy and free of bad habits. The survey indicated an unusually high number of them did not smoke. Almost 90% don't drink, or did so moderately. And practically none tried cocaine. Less than 5% used marijuana - far below the national average. All this is not to say that heavy smokers, drinkers or drug users cannot get good grades. But it certainly does indicate that the odds favor those who take care of themselves.
Remember, you can be an excellent student. You can get good grades. And you can be a success at anything you want to be. You've got all the tools and abilities to accomplish your own academic greatness. So establish your goal, follow your plan, and use what you were born with. I know you can do it, and now, so do you. Because "Where there's a will there's a way." And . . .
