Developing effective study skills requires practice, discipline and implementing sound principles. These tips will put you in the path of studying better and making the most of your time, so you'll have plenty of time for socializing, part-time work and student clubs. The ability to study effectively also means less stress when you need to prepare for tests or finals week. Review these tips and you will be well on the road to developing effective study skills for your college studies.
Tip 1: Schedule Time For Studying
If you studying becomes an afterthought, it wouldn't happen. Or worse, you probably end up studying at the night before a final last: your stress levels will make it more difficult for you to focus. Near the beginning of term, allocate about half an hour a week per class to review your notes. These weekly reviews will also help you pinpoint areas of confusion that you can raise in tip 2.
Tip 2: Make An Appointment with Your Professor
Most colleges require professors to hold office hours specifically to meet with students. Take advantage of this opportunity and meet with them. To get the most of the meeting, come prepared with two or three
questions (e.g. "Here's my essay idea and my argument - what do you think?" or "What do you suggest I do to prepare for the midterm?"). Not only will you get direction to become better at studying, but
you'll get to know your professor much better.
Tip 3: Learn How To Take Proper Notes
Inexperienced note takers are quickly overwhelmed in a lecture style course. They scramble to write down every word and never seem to keep up. Worse, this verbatim approach to note taking produces large
quantities of notes that are difficult to study from or review later. There is a better way and it is not to sit back and hope that you simply remember everything important.
Effective note taking starts before you set foot in the seminar room. Consult your syllabus or course outline a few hours or the day before the class to determine the topics to be covered. Go over the required
reading and write down a few lines in your notes. When you attend class, you will be primed to take effective notes. In addition, many professors indicate their main points at the beginning and end of
classes so make sure you attend the entire class - no leaving early!
Tip 4: Establish A Study Routine
Effective studying comes down to good habits in many cases. Each student needs to find the best study routine but here are some suggestions to get you started. After you choose a time, you need to think about your study location. The campus library is often a great a place to study - ask your librarian if you can book a quiet study room for additional focus.
Tip 5: Form A Study Group
Study groups can be an excellent way to study and learn new material. Participation in this kind of group also offsets the isolated nature of traditional studying. Unfortunately, the quality of study groups
varies considerably - some are little more than friends socializing with the occasional mention of course work. A properly run study group should have a goal for each session such as reviewing a chapter of the
textbook or preparing for a lab assignment. If you find that your group is disorganized and distracted, you have two choices: refocus the group or leave. Ultimately, you are responsible for your own grades and education, not the group or your friends.
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Plants are shaped by cultivation and men by education. .. We are born weak, we need strength; we are born totally unprovided, we need aid; we are born stupid, we need judgment. Everything we do not have at our birth and which we need when we are grown is given us by education.
(Jean Jacques Rousseau, Emile, On Philosophy of Education)
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