Effective Study Skills: A Guide to Achieving Higher Grades, Exercises of Law

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• Table of Contents: Table of Contents:
• Table of Contents:
• INTRODUCTION
• SOME THEORY - Remember the steps.
  • STUDY SUGGESTIONS
  • LEARNING FROM A TEXTBOOK
  • SQ3R
• THE RESEARCH ESSAY
  • Some suggestions for better essay writing:
• TAKING NOTES IN CLASS
• MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR STUDY TIME
• PREPARING FOR TESTS......................................................................................
• STUDYING FOR EXAMINATIONS
  • How to study:
  • Subject and The Type Of Examination.
• SOME SUGGESTIONS REGARDING HOMEWORK
  • Some facts about Homework:
• MEMORY AIDS
• CRAMMING
• USING READING TIME MORE EFFECTIVELY

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4. Monthly, or before a test review all the material studied during the month or since the last test.

Attention spans vary from person to person. Next time you study check to see how long you can concentrate on a subject before your mind starts to wander. Usually it is more effective to study for two half hour periods with a five-minute break, than it is to study for one hour straight through. We study better if we engage in active study. The simple act of holding a pen or pencil and making some notes changes study from a passive activity to an active one. As in our shop classes, you are given the opportunity to work on practical projects, which allows you to practice (actively study) the topic covered which helps to re-enforce theory learned.

You can’t study if you are thinking about something else, or are worried about something. When you are working on practical projects, safety is a high priority and can also be neglected to the point of serious injury. It is best to put these thoughts out of the way so that you can focus on remembering the facts you want to learn.

STUDY SUGGESTIONS

The proper study environment is important. You will have heard some of these suggestions before. Try them as they do work:

1. Study in a quiet place. For many people this means no radio, stereo or TV, with the exception of, easy classical background music, which has been known to enhance studying.
2. Have a good light properly adjusted to reduce glare.
3. Sit up! Beds are for sleeping, easy chairs and sofas are for relaxing. You are trying to concentrate.
4. The study area should be well ventilated or heated.
5. Ask friends to call during specific times to reduce unnecessary disturbances during study periods.
6. When taking a break, leave the study area.
7. Have everything you need gathered together before you start to study. Then study until break time.
8. Be reasonable in setting your goals. Goals that cannot be realistically achieved will accomplish nothing.
9. Make a study schedule and stick to it rigidly. This will cut down on indecision about what to study next.
10. Daydreaming is a deadly time waster.
11. Ignore external noises and disturbances. If the noises are too loud, find another place to study.
12. If possible, don’t study on a full stomach of food, for best results.
13. Keep drinking water handy, as this will also enhance learning ability.

LEARNING FROM A TEXTBOOK

In the introduction we said that sitting reading a textbook may not be an efficient use of study time. However, the text remains an invaluable study aid. In many cases we are asked to read a number of pages in preparation for a lesson, or to read these pages as reinforcement for a lesson already taught. The problem is,

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to convert the passive activity of reading into an active learning experience so that we can use the experience to gain knowledge, understanding and consequently a better mark in the subject area.

Begin your reading with a quick survey of the material to be read. Ask yourself how this material fits into the previous lessons and assignments in the subject. Develop questions involving what you think are the main points in the section read. Headings, sub-titles and the introduction to each chapter will often help you choose these questions.

Carefully read the material. Make a summary as you go. Do not copy whole sentences; ideas in point form are just fine. Some people add page numbers as extra reference points in case they want to look back at important facts. While you are summarizing, try to remember what you have learned.

Do not go back and re-read whole sections at this time because this will break your thought pattern.

Compare your summary notes with class notes if the work has already been covered in class. If you are reading ahead of the lesson leave room at the bottom of the summary sheet to add notes or facts learned in class.

Once you have done this, review the material immediately. Go over key expressions and words, ask your questions and see if you can answer them without looking at your summary notes. Do you fully understand the important points? It is much easier to memorize facts that you understand.

After two weeks review the material again, and again before a test or examination. You could find your marks improving steadily. One method of remembering these steps for effective studying is SQ3R.

SQ3R

S - Survey or quick look.

Q - Question yourself about the section.

R - Read the section, summarize as you go.

R - Recite or record what you have learned.

R - Review after summarizing and again in two weeks.

THE RESEARCH ESSAY

As you reach the senior grades, the research essay will play a large and important part in determining your final mark. Since these essays are so important, it is worth looking at the structure and content of a well- written essay.

A properly presented essay will include the following:

• Title (usually on a separate page)
• Preface and acknowledgements (if necessary)
• Table of contents
• Introduction to the essay
• The essay
• Your conclusions

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Your essay must be accurate, logical and clear. In addition it is important to use proper essay form, which includes logical sequencing of topics, correct sentence structure and proper grammar usage.

Frequently, proper acknowledgement of sources is forgotten. Each direct quotation as well as indirect quotations must be acknowledged in a footnote. A proper footnote will include:

1. The author’s name, surname first.
2. The title of the book or article underlined.
3. The publisher and year of publication.
4. The page number.

Here is a sample footnote:

Lieberoff, Allen J., Good Jobs: High Paying Opportunities Working for Yourself or for Others, Prentice- Hall, Inc., Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, 1978, 415.

Your bibliography should include all reference texts and articles shown in the same way as described for footnotes except that page numbers are deleted.

Here is a sample reference:

Lederer, Muriel, Blue-Collar Jobs for Women, E. P. Dutton, New York, 1979.

Some suggestions for better essay writing:

• Start as soon as the topic is assigned. Last minute efforts are seldom the best.
• Create an introduction that outlines the nature and scope of your essay.
• Ensure that your conclusions are consistent with your sources or with your data.
• Do not include material unrelated to the topic.
• Do your arguments make sense?
• Check grammar and spelling.
• Check your footnotes.
• Is your bibliography complete?
• Is your essay neat and readable?

Now you can confidently submit your essay!

TAKING NOTES IN CLASS

In the section on learning from a textbook we talked about effective reading and taking notes. How can we extend the same ideas to the notes we take in class?

First of all, don’t try to write down everything a teacher says. Even if you used shorthand it would be impossible to record all of the approximately 175 words per minute used during the lecture or lesson. A student who is listening effectively will:

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• Look over the material to be covered in the text before the lesson. Most teachers follow what is in the text using the lesson to highlight or to stress certain points that may not be effectively dealt with in the text.
• Listen for the main points in the lesson and write them down quickly so that you can be listening for the next main point.
• Look for ideas that were not covered in the text and record them.

Taking notes in an efficient and organized manner will also make studying and recall easier. Cognitive, or mind mapping is one way to take notes in a more organized and active method. Since most people are visual learners, a cognitive map might be an easier way for you to quickly assimilate information. After a little practice, you will be able to see how efficient and easier studying and recall is, from your notes. A sample outline included will give you practice.

If you are taking notes effectively you will be actively engaged in listening to the teacher. Try to relate what is being said to previous lessons. Question what is being said and try to anticipate the direction the lesson will take.

To summarize:

• Be prepared
• Listen actively
• Make notes in clear, easily understood points
• Take notes in an organized and efficient manner to allow easy studying and recall (mind mapping)
• Review your class notes that night to reinforce your learning.

MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR STUDY TIME

The proper environment is important for good study. The next essential is a study schedule. Working out a schedule takes some time because it is important that the right amount of study time is given to each subject. Students find that subjects differ in the degree of difficulty experienced. Some will find languages easy but mathematics difficult, some would rather do physics than history, and so on. None of the subjects are easy. Some subjects are obligatory in certain grades; others are required as prerequisites for future years of study. If you have trouble with a subject be sure that sufficient time is allotted to studying it.

Make up a weekly time schedule as follows:.

1. Rule a blank sheet of paper with seven columns and head each column with a day of the week.

2. A time schedule written down the left hand side will vary depending upon the day of the week.

For example, on weekends you may want to study more in the mornings than in the afternoon or evening. You may want to take more evenings off than are shown on the accompanying examples or you may be involved in activities such as sports or part time work after school and unable to start at 4:30. Remember that the example is just that. Adjust your personal schedule from time to time depending on your needs. It is most important to stick to the schedule once it is established.

You will soon take your breaks feeling that you have earned a break instead of worrying about homework you should be doing.

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2. Prepare a short, point form summary for each subject. These could be put on index cards for easy reference.
3. See what you know about each subject by asking yourself questions about the main topics covered during the term.
4. If you have maintained a study schedule throughout the term, you should need to complete only your summary of notes and text materials prior to the examination itself.

Subject and the Type Of Examination.

A. For Any Examination:

1. Read and listen to all instructions carefully.
2. Check the exam format. Is there a choice? If so, decide which questions you can answer best.
3. A check on the number of marks given for a question should show how much time should be allocated to each question. Why write pages answering a 2-mark question and not have time to answer a 20-mark question?
4. Plan to use the entire exam period. Pace yourself as you go along. Give yourself the opportunity to think.

B. For Multiple Choice Exams:

1. Read the question carefully so that you understand what is required.
2. Think about the answer before you look at the choices
3. Consider the alternatives. Are they logical?
4. Choose the best answer. When you are unsure of the correct answer: a. Eliminate the answers you know are not correct; then, choose the best answer from those that are left. b. Sometimes information given in one question will trigger the answer in another.

C. For Essay Type Questions:

1. Budget your time carefully. Do the easiest questions first.
2. On a separate page write down every single fact, formula or idea that you have regarding the question.
3. Write your answer clearly. Bad writing may lose marks because the teacher may not be able to read what has been written.
4. Re-read your answer.
5. If you run out of time, answer the question in point form.
6. Give an answer for each question. Even if you don’t know the answer, you may earn a few marks.

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SOME SUGGESTIONS REGARDING HOMEWORK

We said earlier that homework was an important part of the step-by-step understanding of the material learned in class that day. Usually homework will consist of questions that will test or reinforce the learning of that day. As you review the lessons given each day you will also join your new knowledge in the subject area with knowledge gained in previous lessons.

Some facts about Homework:

1. It is your responsibility. Do it for your own sake.
2. Most teachers will periodically check homework and often marks are assigned.
3. Keep all material related to a particular subject in one section of a binder. Do not scatter your materials; they may be forgotten or lost later.
4. If there is something you don’t understand, ask about it as soon as possible.
5. If you miss a day or an assignment obtain the notes the next day so that there are no gaps in your knowledge. It is your responsibility to complete missed assignments and to catch up on missed work.
6. The requirements for different subjects will often vary widely. Your teachers will let you know about the expectations in each course.

MEMORY AIDS

At the outset, let’s agree that memorization alone is not the answer. You should combine understanding with memory so that you will be able to retain the knowledge.

However, from time to time we are required to memorize such things as dates, formulas, definitions, poetry to name a few. An understanding of why any of the above are important will assist in the memorization.

Many of us have visual memories. That is to say we remember pictures better than sounds. Associate several facts with a picture. If you want to remember facts regarding the battle of Queenston Heights, imagine General Brock setting on a Queenston Heights bus in 1812 with his troops being pursued by a busload of American Troops. Other people memorize the first letters of a series of words; thus LAS could stand for Lincoln abolished slavery. Many people develop and use a series of flash cards in point form which nicely summarize the contents of a chapter or a series of lessons. Other people memorize the first letter of important points in order to create a memory aid.

CRAMMING

While we have explained why we should study carefully and methodically for exams and tests, from time to time there will be days on which you will need to cram. If you panic and do not attack the problem systematically, you won’t get very far.

1. Study the highlights of the material to be covered. Do the same thing with your notes. Chapter and classroom summaries will be especially important in this case.
2. If you have time remaining, study certain sections more thoroughly so that you have a better understanding of some material that you consider to be of particular importance.

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Evaluate: To ascertain or fix the value or worth of; to examine and judge; to appraise.

Examine: To inspect or scrutinize in detail; to observe or analyze carefully.

Explain: To make plain or comprehensible; to make one’s meaning clear.

Illustrate: To clarify by use of examples, comparisons, or the like.

Outline: To give the main points of; to summarize.

State: To set forth in words; to declare; to express fully or clearly in speech or writing.