Dartmouth Study Skills

Six Reading Myths
Academic Skills Center, Dartmouth College 2001
MYTH 1: I HAVE TO READ EVERY WORD

Many of the words used in writing grammatically correct sentences actually convey no meaning. If, in reading,
you exert as much effort in conceptualizing these meaningless words as you do important ones, you limit not only
your reading speed but your comprehension as well.
MYTH 2: READING ONCE IS ENOUGH
Skim once as rapidly as possible to determine the main idea and to identify those parts that need careful
reading. Reread more carefully to plug the gaps in your knowledge.
Many college students fell that something must be wrong with their brain power if they must read a textbook
chapter more than once. To be sure, there are students for whom one exposure to an idea in a basic course is enough,
but they either have read extensively or have an excellent background or a high degree of interest in the subject.
For most students in most subjects, reading once is not enough. However, this is not to imply that an
unthinking Pavlovian-like rereading is necessary to understand and retain materials. Many students automatically
regress or reread doggedly with a self-punishing attitude. ("I didn't get a thing out of that paragraph the first time, so
if I punish myself by rereading it maybe I will this time.") This is the hardest way to do it.
Good reading is selective reading. It involves selecting those sections that are relevant to your purpose in
reading. Rather than automatically rereading, take a few seconds to quiz yourself on the material you have just read
and then review those sections that are still unclear or confusing to you.
The most effective way of spending each study hour is to devote as little time as possible to reading and as
much time as possible to testing yourself, reviewing, organizing, and relating the concepts and facts, mastering the
technical terms, formulas, etc., and thinking of applications of the concepts-in short, spend your time learning ideas,
not painfully processing words visually.
MYTH 3: IT IS SINFUL TO SKIP PASSAGES IN READING
Many college students feel that it is somehow sinful to skip passages in reading and to read rapidly. We are
not sure just how this attitude develops, but some authorities have suggested that it stems from the days when the
Bible was the main book read, savored, and reread. Indeed, the educated person was one who could quote long
passages from these books from memory.
Today proliferation of books and printed matter brought about by the information explosion creates a reading
problem for everyone. Furthermore, much of this printed material offers considerably less than Shakespeare or the
Bible in meaning or style. You must, of course, make daily decisions as to what is worth spending your time on,
what can be glanced at or put aside for future perusal, and what can be relegated to the wastebasket.
The idea that you cannot skip but have to read every page is old-fashioned. Children, however, are still taught
to feel guilty if they find a novel dull and out it down before finishing it. I once had a student who felt she could not
have books in her home unless she had read every one of them from cover to cover. Studies show that this is the
reason many people drop Book-of-the-Month Club subscriptions; they begin to collect books, cannot keep up with
their reading, and develop guilty feelings about owning books they have not had time to read.
The idea that some books are used merely for reference purposes and are nice to have around in case you need
them seems to be ignored in our schools. Sir Francis Bacon once said that some books are to be nibbled and tasted,
some are to be swallowed whole, and a few need to be thoroughly chewed and digested no matter how trivial the
content. No wonder many people dislike reading.
MYTH 4: MACHINES ARE NECESSARY TO IMPROVE MY READING SPEED
Nonsense! The best and most effective way to increase your reading rate is to consciously force yourself to
read faster. Machines are useful as motivators, but only because they show you that you can read faster without
losing understanding. Remember that they are inflexible, unthinking devices that churn away at the same rate
regardless of whether the sentence is trivial or vital, simple or difficult. They are limited too, for if you are
practicing skimming, you are looking for main ideas so that you can read more carefully. Since these may not be
located in a definite pattern (e.g. one per line) nor be equally spaced so that the machine can conveniently time them,
machines may actually slow you down and retard the speed with which you locate the ideas that you need for
understanding. If you find yourself in need of a pusher, use a 3x5 card as a pacer, or use your hand, or your finger.
However, there is one caution you should observe if you try this. Be sure that your hand or finger or card is used to
push, not merely to follow your eyes.
MYTH 5: IF I SKIM OR READ TOO RAPIDLY MY COMPREHENSION WILL DROP
Many people refuse to push themselves faster in reading for fear that they will lose comprehension. However,
research shows that there is little relationship between rate and comprehension. Some students read rapidly and
comprehend well, others read slowly and comprehend poorly. Whether you have good comprehension depends on
whether you can extract and retain the important ideas from your reading, not on how fast you read. If you can do
this, you can also increase your speed. If you "clutch up" when trying to read fast or skim and worry about your
comprehension, it will drop because your mind is occupied with your fears and you are not paying attention to the
ideas that you are reading.
If you concentrate on your purpose for reading -- e.g. locating main ideas and details, and forcing yourself to
stick to the task of finding them quickly -- both your speed and comprehension could increase. Your concern should
be not with how fast you can get through a chapter, but with how quickly you can locate the facts and ideas that you
need.
MYTH 6: THERE IS SOMETHING ABOUT MY EYES THAT KEEPS ME FROM READING FAST
This belief is nonsense too, assuming that you have good vision or wear glasses that correct your eye problems.
Of course, if you cannot focus your eyes at the reading distance, you will have trouble learning to skim and scan.
Furthermore, if you have developed the habit of focusing your eyes too narrowly and looking at word parts, it will be
harder for you to learn to sweep down a page of type rapidly.
Usually it is your brain, not your eyes, that slows you down in reading. Your eyes are capable of taking in
more words than your brain is used to processing. If you sound out words as you read, you will probably read very
slowly and have difficulty in skimming and scanning until you break this habit.
Steps to Follow in Skimming for the Main Ideas

1. First, read the title of the chapter or selection carefully. Determine what clues it gives you as to what the selection
is about. Watch for key words like "causes," "results," "effects," etc., and do not overlook signal words such as
those suggesting controversy (e.g. "versus," "pros and cons"), which indicate that the author is planning to present
both sides of an argument.
2. Look carefully at the headings and other organizational clues. These tip you off to the main points that the author
wants you to learn. You may be accustomed to overlooking boldface headings and titles which are the obvious
clues to the most important ideas. If you concentrate on the details and ignore the main ideas, you will have much
more difficulty retaining the information you read.
Remember that authors of college textbooks want you to recognize the important concepts. They use:
a. Major headings and subheadings to convey major points.
b. Italicized words and phrases so that crucial new terms and definitions will stand out.
c. Lists of points set off by numbers or paragraphs that begin with the phrases such as "The three most important
factors . . . " etc.
d. Redundancy or repetition. By stating and restating the facts and ideas, the author ensures that you will be
exposed in different ways to the concepts she feels are the most crucial for you to understand. She hopes that
on at least one of these exposures you will absorb the idea. Therefore, it is vital that you recognize when an
important concept is being restated in slightly different words and when you have completely mastered the idea.
-Martha Maxwell
Harvard Report
As an experiment, Dr. Perry (psychologist), Director of the Harvard Reading-Study
Center gave 1500 first year students a thirty-page chapter from a history book to read, with the
explanation that in about twenty minutes they would be stopped and asked to identify the
important details and to write an essay on what they had read.
The class scored well on a multiple-choice test on detail, but only fifteen students of
1500 were able to write a short statement on what the chapter was all about in terms of its basic
theme. Only fifteen of 1500 top first year college students had thought of reading the paragraph
marked "Summary", or of skimming down the descriptive flags in the margin.
This demonstration of "obedient purposelessness" is evidence of "an enormous
amount of wasted effort" in the study skills of first year students. Some regard it almost as
cheating to look ahead or skip around. To most students, the way they study expresses "their
relationship to the pressures and conventional rituals of safe passage to the next grade".
Students must be jarred out of this approach. The exercise of judgment in reading
requires self-confidence, even courage, on the part of the student who must decide for himself
what to read or skip. Dr. Perry suggested that students ask themselves what it is they want
to get out of a reading assignment, then look around for those points. Instructors can help
them see the major forms in which expository material is cast. Students should also "talk to
themselves" while reading, asking "is this the point I'm looking for?"
* Academic Skills Center * Dartmouth College * 6173 Collis, Rm. 301 * (603) 646-2014 *
3 R's for Academic Survival

Here is a lean and wiry system containing all the essential techniques for mastering textbook
assignments. This is an "exam passer".
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
R1
READ. Read the chapter paragraph by paragraph. Read and re-read until you can answer
the question: "What did the author say in this paragraph?"
R2
RECORD. Once you are able to describe what is in the paragraph, you will want to retain that
learning by underlining, making notes in the margin, or making notes in your
notebook.
R3
RECITE. Cover up your notes or printed page and recite aloud. Remember! If you can't say
it now, you won't be able to say it tomorrow in class, nor write it in a week on an
exam; so while you still have a chance, try and try again, until you can say it.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SQ3R Method for Thorough Study
Step 1: SURVEY -
Look over material critically. Skim through the book and read topical and
subtopical headings and sentences. Read the summaries at the end of chapters
and books. Try to anticipate what the author is going to say.
WRITE these notes on paper, in sequence; then look over the jottings to get an
overall idea or picture. This will enable you to see where you are going.
Step 2: QUESTIONS - Instead of reading paragraph headings such as "Basic Concepts of Reading,"
change to read, "What are the Basic Concepts of Reading?" These questions
will become "hooks" on which to hang the reading material.
WRITE these questions out; look over the questions to see the emphasis and
direction; then attempt to give plausible answers before further reading.
Step 3: READ -
Read with smoothness and alertness to answer the questions. Use all the
techniques and principles demonstrated in class.
WRITE notes, in your own words, under each question. Take a minimum
number of notes-use these notes as a skeleton.
Step 4: RECALL** -
Without looking at your book or notes, mentally visualize and sketch, in your own
words, the high points of the material immediately upon completing the reading.
a. This forces you to check understanding.
b. This channels the material into a natural and usable form.
c. This points up what you do not understand.
d. This forces you to think.
Step 5: REVIEW -
Look at your questions, answers, notes and book to see how well you did recall.
Observe carefully the points stated incorrectly or omitted. Fix carefully in mind
the logical sequence of the entire idea, concepts, or problem. Finish up with a
mental picture of the WHOLE.
Adapted from F.P. Robinson. Effective Study. New York:Harper and Bros. 1946. Chapter II.
**Note: More time should be spent on recall than on reading.
Adapted from F.P. Robinson. Effective Study. New York:Harper and Bros. 1946. Chapter II.
Getting to Know Your Textbook

1. Examine the title page:
Who are the authors?
What is their standing in their fields? (Perhaps you can ask your professor.)
Do their training and background qualify them to write a book of this type?
Who are the publishers?
When was this textbook published? What does that tell you about the book?
2. Examine the preface or introduction:
Why is a preface written?
What does it tell you about the book?
Do the authors introduce any unusual features of your book in the preface and prepare you to be on
the lookout for them?
3. Examine the table of contents:
What does the table of contents tell?
How is this textbook organized? What main divisions has it?
Compare the table of contents with that of another book in the same field. Do the two books cover the
same topics? Are these the topics you expected to find covered in this text?
4. Examine index, glossary, other material at the back of the book:
How does the index differ from the table of contents? How does it resemble the table of contents?
What sort of topics should be looked up in the index instead of the table of contents?
What are cross references?
Is there a glossary in your textbook? Can you use diacritical markings successfully to pronounce a
word?
Is there an appendix in your book? Why isn't this information included in the body of the book? How
would it have affected the organization?
What is the literal meaning of "index" according to the dictionary?
5. Examine study questions, guides, and other helps:
Does the text provide study aids to help in understanding the text?
Are the study aids in the form of questions, exercises, or activities?
If questions are used, do they simply require finding the answers or must you do some critical
problem-type thinking to arrive at answers?
Are there study aids both preceding and following a chapter? Which types of aids help you most?
Does the text provide suggestions for other readings or materials designed to help you understand
this chapter?
6. Examine chapter headings, sectional headings, and margin guides:
Look at the chapter heading and then the section headings that follow. Write them down and see if
this gives an overview of the chapter.
How do headings help in skimming a chapter for specific information?
Do you find different kinds of type in your chapter? Does this help you understand the organization of
your textbook better? How?
Does the text provide help in identifying material to be found within each paragraph? Is the topic
sentence indicated?
Does the book use summaries? How do these help? What is the difference between giving the gist of
a chapter and summarizing its contents?
7. Examine maps, pictures, charts, diagrams, and tables:
Which of these visual aids is used? Do you understand them?
The Pivotal Words

No words are as helpful while reading as the prepositions and conjunctions that guide your mind
along the pathways of the author's ideas. A word like furthermore says, "Keep going!" However
says, "Easy!" Master these words and phrases and you will almost immediately become a better
reader, for they will whisper directions in your inner ear.
Additive words
These say, "Here's more of the same coming up. It's just as important as what we have
already said."
also
further
moreover
and
furthermore
too
besides
in addition
Equivalent words
They say, "It does what I have just said, but it does this too."
as well as
at the same time
similarly
equally important
likewise
Amplification words
The author is saying, "I want to be sure that you understand my idea; so here's a specific
instance."
for example(e.g.)
specifically
as
for instance
such as
like
Alternative words
These point out, "Sometimes there is a choice; other times there isn't."
either/or
other than
neither/nor
otherwise
Repetitive words
They say, "I said it once, but I'm going to say it again in case you missed it the first time."
again
in other words
to repeat
that is(i.e.)
Contrast and change words
"So far I've given you only one side of the story; now let's take a look at the other side."
but
on the contrary still
conversely
on the other hand
though
despite
instead of
yet
however
rather than
regardless
nevertheless
even though
whereas
in spite of
notwithstanding
Cause and effect words
"All this has happened; now I'll tell you why."
accordingly
since
because
so
consequently
hence
for this reason
Qualifying words
then
thus
therefore
These say, "Here is what we can expect. These are the conditions we are working
under."
if
providing
although
whenever
Concession words
They say, "Okay! We agree on this much."
accepting the data
granted that
unless
of course
Emphasizing words
They say, "Wake up and take notice!"
above all
more important indeed
Order words
The author is saying, "You keep your mind on reading: I'll keep the numbers straight."
finally
second
then
first
next
last
Time words
"Let's keep the record straight on who said what and especially when."
afterwards
meanwhile
now
before
subsequently
presently
formerly
ultimately
previously
later
Summarizing words
These say, "We've said many things so far. Let's stop here and pull them together."
for these reasons
in brief
in conclusion
to sum up
Using Your Textbook

When you purchase a new book, there are several things you should do automatically.
I. Look in the front:
A. Read and think about the table of contents.
1. This will show you the overall organization of the course and help identify what's important.
2. It will get you interested in the material.
B. Glance over any preface or foreword to see what the book is trying to do.
C. Consider the title. This is often a significant statement about the book's "slant." Do you know
the author?
II. Look in the back:
A. Glance at the index. This is a listing of subject and pages upon which they can be found.
1. You can tell from the percentage of known and unknown words how difficult the text will be for
you.
2. You can see with great precision what the course is concerned with.
3. You can look up specific items of interest.
4. As a review for tests, you can easily look up unknown items since the page number is given.
B. Is there a glossary listing unknown words and their definitions?
1. The main concern of many courses is to teach the vocabulary of the subject. This is a vital
section, not something to be ignored.
2. Make a page tab out of scotch tape, and undertake to study and learn these words during the
term. Use the tab for easy reference during time between classes-time which might otherwise be
wasted.
C. Determine what other possibly useful materials are in the back-before you need them. You
don't have to read them now; just know that they exist .
III. Determine how a typical chapter is constructed. (All of the other chapters will be put together
the same way. If one chapter has a summary, they all will; if one chapter has questions, they all
will.) Use this knowledge when you have a reading assignment. Structure your approach
accordingly.
IV. Don't be afraid to write in your book-vocabulary words, condensations of ideas, personal
reactions, etc. Interact with the book the way you'd interact with a person. Your texts provide a
valuable resource during and after your academic career.
Vary Your Reading Rate

Good readers are flexible in their reading attack. Unlike the plodder, who reads consistently at
200 words per minute, or the superficial reader, who may read everything rapidly, well-trained
readers have the capacity to adjust their speed to the material.
Rate adjustment may be overall adjustment to the article as a whole, or it may be internal
adjustment within the article.
Overall adjustment is the basic rate at which the total article is read.
Internal adjustment is concerned with the necessary variations in rate that take place as each
part of the material is read.
To illustrate this, suppose you plan to take a 100-mile trip. Since this is a relatively hard drive,
with hills, curves, and a mountain pass, you decide to take three hours for the total trip, averaging
about 35 miles per hour. This is your overall speed adjustment. However, in actual driving, you
may slow down to no more than 15 miles per hour on some curves and hills, while on relatively
straight and level sections you may drive up to 50 miles per hour. This is your internal speed
adjustment. in short, there is no set rate which the good reader follows inflexibly in reading a
particular selection, even though an over all rate is set for the total job.
Base your rate adjustment on:
1. Your purpose. What do you want to get from the material?
2. The nature and difficulty of the material.
3. The amount of previous experience you have had with this subject.
Your reading purpose: Circumstances will determine why you are reading and how much you
have to get out of your reading. For example, a chapter may have been assigned in class, or you
may be gathering material for a speech, or you may be trying to impress your friends by your
knowledge of Shakespeare. You need to be eminently clear not only on such general purposes
but also on specific purpose.
To "get the gist," read very rapidly.
To understand general ideas, read fairly rapidly.
To get and retain detailed facts, read at a moderate rate.
To locate specific information, skim or scan at a rapid rate.
To determine value of material, skim at a very rapid rate.
To preread or postread, scan at a fairly rapid rate.
To read for enjoyment, read rapidly or slowly, depending on what you want.
To build general background, read rapidly.
Nature and difficulty of material: First of all, this involves an overall adjustment in rate to match
you thinking ability. Obviously, overall level of difficulty depends on who's doing the reading.
While Einstein's theories may be extremely difficult to most laypeople, they may be very simple
and clear to a professor of physics. hence, the laypeople and the physics professor must make
different overall adjustments in rate of reading the same material. General reading which is
difficult for you will require a slower rate; simpler material will permit a faster rate.
A few broad suggestions may help you to select your rate(s) within the particular article:
Decrease speed when you find the following:
1. an unfamiliar word not made clear by the sentence. Try to understand it from the way it's used;
then read on and return to it later. You may wish to underline the word so you can find it again
quickly.
2. Long and uninvolved sentence and paragraph structure. Slow down enough to enable you to
untangle them and get an accurate idea of what the passage says.
3. Unfamiliar or abstract ideas. Look for applications or examples which will give them meaning.
Demand that an idea "make sense." Never give up until you understand, because it will be that
much easier the next time. Find someone to help you if necessary.
4. Detailed, technical material. This includes complicated directions, abstract principles, materials
on which you have scant background.
5. Material on which you want detailed retention. The key to memory is organization and
recitation. Speed should not be a consideration here.
Increase speed when you find the following:
1. Simple material with few ideas new to you. Move rapidly over the familiar; spend most of your
time on the few unfamiliar ideas.
2. Unnecessary examples and illustrations. These are included to clarify ideas. If not needed,
move over them rapidly.
3. Detailed explanation and elaboration which you do not need.
4. Broad, generalized ideas. These can be rapidly grasped, even with scan techniques.
Skip that material which is not suitable for your purpose. While the author may have thought
particular information was relevant, his/her reason for writing was not necessarily the same as
your reason for reading.
Remember to keep your reading attack flexible. Shift gears from selection to selection. Use low
gear when the going is steep; shift into high when you get to the smooth parts. Remember to
adjust your rate within a given article according to the type of road you are traveling and to your
purposes in traveling it. Most important, remember: Reading this paper hasn't done you and good.
Not yet. You must practice these techniques until a flexible reading rate becomes second nature
to you.
The Reading
Environment
There are many things which can interfere with effective reading. Some of these involve
common sense, and can be easily changed. Others are more subtle, and may require
long and patient effort if they are to be overcome. Obviously, we should make the
simple changes first, since these will give the greatest improvement with the least effort.
Something which most people can control rather easily is their reading environment. A
poor physical setting can make reading far more difficult than it has to be, and yet a little
planning can get around most of the harmful elements you may find. It is a question of
motivation. We usually can do what we really want to do!
Lighting. Often it is helpful to do your reading- the bulk of it, at least- in the same
place. Check the lighting there. Is it adequate? You should be able to see the page
without strain. Does the light create a glare, or are you in the habit of reading in the
direct sunlight? Either extreme-too much light or too little- can cause strain and
fatigue, and lower your reading efficiency.
Ventilation. Stuffy rooms put you to sleep. You should have plenty of fresh air(but not
a draft) and the temperature should be fairly cool. Otherwise, you'll find yourself
going to sleep over the most exciting books.
Reading Position. Your position should be neither too comfortable nor too
uncomfortable. The first condition puts you right back to sleep again. In fact, some
people "read themselves to sleep" in bed every night- which is fine if sleep, rather
than reading, is what you're after. An uncomfortable position can create a strain,
however subtle, which results in fatigue.
Focal Distance. Hold your book at an angle and keep it about 18 inches from your
eyes. Remember: Long arms are not a substitute for corrective lenses. If you need
glasses, wear them while you read. Persistent fatigue while studying or reading might
be Nature's way of telling you that glasses are needed. Have an optometrist check
your close-range vision.
Distractions. Most important, what about distractions you can see and hear? No
matter what you think, tests show that you can only pay attention to one thing at a
time. If you sit near a door or window, every movement will claim your attention. If
you have a radio or record player going, your concentration may continually
wander from book to sound. And reading with the television going combines the
worst of all possible distractions.
Give yourself every break. If you are going to read, prepare things so you can read
unhindered. If there is something more important, put the book aside. There are times to
read and, just as definitely, there are times when reading must give way to other
considerations.
TYPES OF READING
RECREATIONAL
NOVELS
FACTUAL
MYSTERY
ADVENTURE
SPY
WAR
BIOGRAPHY
HISTORY
SCIENCE
KEEPING UP
NEWSPAPERS
LOCAL
NY TIMES
TRADE
WALL STREET
MAGAZINES
TIME
NEWSWEEK
NAT'L GEO
STUDY
TEXTBOOKS
COLLEGE
GRADUATE
PROFESSIONAL
PURPOSES OF THE READER

PASS TIME
JOURNALS
ENGINEERING
PSYCHOLOGY
MANAGEMENT
GATHER INFORMATION
MASTER A SUBJECT
LEARNING BY LISTENING
You can learn a lot through listening. In college, it will be a prime source of information. Unfortunately, people
do not instinctively listen well. Quite the reverse! Listening is a skill which must be developed.
If you apply the following suggestions, you will find yourself listening more effectively, both in class and out.
1. Determine why what the speaker is saying is important to you. If you don't have an immediate, vivid reason for
listening to a speaker, you are an unmotivated listener.
2. Remember: the responsibility for interest and understanding lies with you, not with the speaker. Learning is up to
the learner. If you simply want to sit passively and blame the speaker for your lack of success, then you're not a
serious learner.
3. If you can't hear, arrange things so you can. Move away from sources of noise-human or mechanical. Sit where
you can see the speaker easily, and where other distractions are at a minimum.
4. Listen to what the speaker is saying. Don't tune the speaker out because you don't like something about him/her
or the message. Be sure you understand something before you reject it.
5. Look for the speaker's pattern of organization. In a lecture, a speaker is generally referring to notes or some other
source of information. You can understand much better if you are able to recognize what the speaker's driving at
and how the speaker's getting there.
6. Look for the main idea or ideas of the presentation. Facts are important only as they support the speaker's points.
If you have trouble distinguishing between the important and the trivial, a friend or a tutor in the Academic Skills
Center can help you.
7. Don't let your mind wander. Your thoughts move far more rapidly than the swiftest mouth, and the urge to stray
is tempting. Your attention span can be increased, however, through deliberate effort. Continue to practice the habit
of attention and don't be discouraged by early failures.
8. Take notes while you listen. even if you recognize everything being said, jot it down, because you won't
remember it later unless you do.
WHAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT LISTENING

Ralph G. Nichols
The Supervisor's Notebook, Scott, Foresman & Co.
Vol. 22, No. 1, Spring 1960
The business of becoming a good listener primarily consists of getting rid of bad listening habits and
replacing them with their counterpart skills.
TEN BAD LISTENING HABITS

Several years ago I identified what seemed to me to be the ten worst listening habits in America today.
Though my discussion of them here is in relation to the ways they may affect us in a formal listening situation,
the effects of these habits can be just as devastating in less formal listening situations at home, at school, in
business or social groups.
1. Calling the Subject Dull
Bad listeners often finds a subject too dry and dusty to command their attention and they use this as an
excuse to wander off on a mental tangent. Good listeners may have heard a dozen talks on the same subject
before, but they quickly decide to see if the speaker has anything that can be of use to them.
The key to good listening is that little three-letter word use. Good listeners are sifters, screeners, and
winnowers of the wheat from the chaff. They are always hunting for something practical or worthwhile to
store in the back of their mind to put to work in the months and years ahead. G.K. Chesterton said many
years ago that in all this world there is no such thing as an uninteresting subject, only uninterested people.
2. Criticizing the Speaker
It's the indoor sport of most bad listeners to find fault with the way a speaker looks, acts, and talks.
Good listeners may make a few of the same criticisms but they quickly begin to pay attention to what is said,
not how it is said. After a few minutes, good listeners become oblivious to the speaker's mannerisms or
his/her faults in delivery. They know that the message is ten times as important as the clothing in which it
comes garbed.
3. Getting Overstimulated
Listening efficiency drops to zero when the listeners react so strongly to one part of the presentation
that they miss what follows. At the University of Minnesota we think this bad habit is so critical that, in the
classes where we teach listening, we put at the top of every blackboard the words: Withhold evaluation until
comprehension is complete -- hear the speaker out. It is important that we understand the speaker's point
of view fully before we accept or reject it.
4. Listening Only For Facts

I used to think it was important to listen for facts. But I've found that almost without exception it is
the poor listeners who say they listen for facts. They do get facts, but they garble a shocking number and
completely lose most of them.
Good listeners listen for the main ideas in a speech or lecture and use them as connecting threads to
give sense and system to the whole. In the end they have more facts appended to those connecting threads
than the catalogers who listen only for facts. It isn't necessary to worry too much about fact as such, for facts
have meaning only when principles supply the context.
5. Trying To Outline Everything

There's nothing wrong with making an outline of a speech -- provided the speaker is following an
outline method of presentation. But probably not more than a half or perhaps a third of all speeches given are
built around a carefully prepared outline.
Good listeners are flexible. They adapt their note taking to the organizational pattern of the speakerthey may make an outline, they may write a summary, they may list facts and principles -- but whatever they
do they are not rigid about it.
6. Faking Attention
The pose of chin propped on hand with gaze fixed on speaker does not guarantee good listening.
Having adopted this pose, having shown the overt courtesy of appearing to listen to the speaker, the bad
listener feels conscience free to take off on any of a thousand tangents.
Good listening is not relaxed and passive at all. It's dynamic; it's constructive; it's characterized by a
slightly increased heart rate, quicker circulation of the blood, and a small rise in bodily temperature. It's
energy consuming; it's plain hard work. The best definition I know of the word attention is a "collection of
tensions that can be resolved only by getting the facts or ideas that the speaker is trying to convey."
7. Tolerating Distraction
Poor listeners are easily distracted and may even create disturbances that interfere with their own
listening efficiency and that of others. They squirm, talk with their neighbors, or shuffle papers. They make
little or no effort to conceal their boredom. Good listeners try to adjust to whatever distractions there are and
soon find that they can ignore them. Certainly, they do not distract others.
8. Choosing Only What's Easy
Often we find the poor listeners have shunned listening to serious presentations on radio or television.
There is plenty of easy listening available, and this has been their choice. The habit of avoiding even
moderately difficult expository presentations in one's ensure-time listening can handicap anyone who needs to
use listening as a learning tool.
9. Letting Emotion-Laden Words Get In The Way
It is a fact that some words carry such an emotional load that they cause some listeners to tune a
speaker right out: such as, affirmative action and feminist-they are fighting words to some people.
I sometimes think that one of the most important studies that could be made would be the
identification of the one hundred greatest trouble-making words in the English language. If we knew what
these words were, we could ring them out into the open, discuss them, and get them behind us. It's so foolish
to let a mere symbol for something stand between us and learning.
10. Wasting the Differential Between Speech and Thought Speed
Americans speak at an average rate of 125 words per minute in ordinary conversation. A speaker
before an audience slows down to about 100 words per minute. How fast do listeners listen? Or, to put the
question in a better form, how many words a minute do people normally think as they listen? If all their
thoughts were measurable in words per minute, the answer would seem to be that an audience of any size will
average 400 to 500 words per minute as they listen.
Here is a problem. The differential between the speaker at 100 words per minute and the easy thought
speed of the listener at 400 or 500 words per minute is a snare and a pitfall. It lures the listener into a false
sense of security and breeds mental tangents.
However, with training in listening, the difference between thought speed and speech speed can be
made a source of tremendous power. Listeners can hear everything the speaker says and not what s/he omits
saying; they can listen between the lines and do some evaluating as the speech progresses. To do this, to
exploit this power, good listeners must automatically practice three skills in concentration:
Anticipating the next point. Good listeners try to anticipate the points a speaker will make in developing a
subject. If they guess right, the speaker's words reinforce their guesses. If they guess wrong, they'll have to
do some thinking to discover why they and the speaker failed to agree. In either case, their chances of
understanding and remembering what was said is nearly double what it would have been if they had simply
listened passively.
Identifying supporting material. Good listeners try to identify a speaker's supporting material. After all, a
person can't go on making points without giving listeners some of the evidence on which the conclusions are
based, and the bricks and mortar that have been used to build up the argument should be examined for
soundness.
Recapitulating. With the tremendous thought speed that everyone has, it is easy to summarize in about five
seconds the highlights covered by a speaker in about five minutes. When the speaker stops to take a swallow
of water or walks over to the blackboard to write something or even takes a deep breath, the experienced
listener makes a mental summary. Half a dozen summaries of the highlights of a fifty-minute talk will easily
double the understanding and retention
important points in a talk.
TAKING LECTURE NOTES

I. There are many reasons for taking lecture notes.
A. Making yourself take notes forces you to listen carefully and test your understanding of the
material.
B. When you are reviewing, notes provide a gauge to what is important in the text.
C. Personal notes are usually easier to remember than the text.
D. The writing down of important points helps you to remember then even before you have studied
the material formally.
II. Instructors usually give clues to what is important to take down. Some of the more common clues
are:
A. Material written on the blackboard.
B. Repetition
C. Emphasis
1. Emphasis can be judged by tone of voice and gesture.
2. Emphasis can be judged by the amount of time the instructor spends on points and the
number of examples he or she uses.
D. Word signals (e.g. "There are two points of view on . . . " "The third reason is . . . " " In
conclusion . . . ")
E. Summaries given at the end of class.
F. Reviews given at the beginning of class.
III. Each student should develop his or her own method of taking notes, but most students find the
following suggestions helpful:
A. Make your notes brief.
1. Never use a sentence where you can use a phrase. Never use a phrase where you can use
a word.
2. Use abbreviations and symbols, but be consistent.
B. Put most notes in your own words. However, the following should be noted exactly:
1. Formulas
2. Definitions
3. Specific facts
C. Use outline form and/or a numbering system. Indention helps you distinguish major from minor
points.
D. If you miss a statement, write key words, skip a few spaces, and get the information later.
E. Don't try to use every space on the page. Leave room for coordinating your notes with the text
after the lecture. (You may want to list key terms in the margin or make a summary of the
contents of the page.)
F. Date your notes. Perhaps number the pages.
SAVING TIME ON NOTETAKING

Here are some hints regarding taking notes on classroom lectures that can save time for almost
any student. Some students say that they plan to rewrite or type their notes later. To do so is to use
a double amount of time; once to take the original notes and a second to rewrite them. The advice is
simple: DO IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME!
Second, there are some students who attempt to take notes in shorthand. Though shorthand is
a valuable tool for a secretary, it is almost worthless for a student doing academic work. Here's why.
Notes in shorthand cannot be studied in that form. They must first be transcribed. The act of
transcribing notes takes an inordinate amount of time and energy but does not significantly
contribute to their mastery. It is far better to have taken the notes originally in regular writing and
then spend the time after that in direct study and recitation of the notes.
Third, do not record the lesson on a cassette tape or any other tape. The lecture on tape
precludes flexibility. This statement can be better understood when seen in the light of a person who
has taken his/her notes in regular writing. Immediately after taking the notes this person can study
them in five minutes before the next class as s/he walks toward the next building, as s/he drinks
his/her coffee, or whatever. Furthermore, this student, in looking over his/her notes, may decide that
the notes contain only four worthwhile ideas which s/he can highlight, relegating the rest of the
lecture to obscurity. Whereas the lecture on tape has to be listened to in its entirety including the
worthwhile points as well as the "garbage," handwritten notes may be studied selectively. A student
who takes the easy way out - recording the lecture on tape as he or she sits back doing nothing - will
box him or herself into inflexibility.
NOTE MAKING
Learning to make notes effectively will help you to improve your study and work habits and to
remember important information. Often, students are deceived into thinking that because they
understand everything that is said in class they will therefore remember it. This is dead wrong!
Write it down.
As you make notes, you will develop skill in selecting important material and in discarding
unimportant material. The secret to developing this skill is practice. Check your results constantly.
Strive to improve. Notes enable you to retain important facts and data and to develop an accurate
means of arranging necessary information.
Here are some hints on note making.
1. Don't write down everything that you read or hear. Be alert and attentive to the main points.
Concentrate on the "meat" of the subject and forget the trimmings.
2. Notes should consist of key words or very short sentences. If a speaker gets sidetracked it is
often possible to go back and add further information.
3. Take accurate notes. You should usually use your own words, but try not to change the meaning.
If you quote directly from an author, quote correctly.
4. Think a minute about your material before you start making notes. Don't take notes just to be
taking notes! Take notes that will be of real value to you when you look over them at a later date.
5. Have a uniform system of punctuation and abbreviation that will make sense to you. Use a
skeleton outline and show importance by indenting. Leave lots of white space for later additions.
6. Omit descriptions and full explanations. Keep your notes short and to the point. Condense your
material so you can grasp it rapidly.
7. Don't worry about missing a point.
8. Don't keep notes on oddly shaped pieces of paper. Keep notes in order and in one place.
9. Shortly after making your notes, go back and rework (not redo) your notes by adding extra points
and spelling out unclear items. Remember, we forget rapidly. Budget time for this vital step just
as you do for the class itself.
10. Review your notes regularly. This is the only way to achieve lasting memory.
The Cornell Note Taking System

Recall Column
------2 1/2-------- ----------------6-------------------Reduce ideas and facts to
concise jottings and
summaries as cues for
Reciting, Reviewing,
and Reflecting.
Record the lecture as fully and as

meaningfully as possible.
The format provides the perfect opportunity for following through with the 5 R's of note-taking. Here they
are:
1. Record. During the lecture, record in the main column as many meaningful facts and ideas as you
can. Write legibly.
2. Reduce. As soon after as possible, summarize these ideas and facts concisely in the Recall Column.
Summarizing clarifies meanings and relationships, reinforces continuity, and strengthens memory. Also, it
is a way of preparing for examinations gradually and well ahead of time.
3. Recite. Now cover the column, using only your jottings in the Recall Column as cues or "flags" to help
you recall, say over facts and ideas of the lecture as fully as you can, not mechanically, but in your own
words and with as much appreciation of the meaning as you can. Then, uncovering your notes, verify
what you have said. This procedure helps to transfer the facts and ideas of your long term memory.
4. Reflect. Reflective students distill their opinions from their notes. They make such opinions the
starting point for their own musings upon the subjects they are studying. Such musings aid them in
making sense out of their courses and academic experiences by finding relationships among them.
Reflective students continually label and index their experiences and ideas, put them into structures,
outlines, summaries, and frames of reference. They rearrange and file them. Best of all, they have an eye
for the vital-for the essential. Unless ideas are placed in categories, unless they are taken up from time to
time for re-examination, they will become inert and soon forgotten.
5. Review. If you will spend 10 minutes every week or so in a quick review of these notes, you will retain
most of what you have learned, and you will be able to use your knowledge currently to greater and
greater effectiveness.
Taking Notes for Someone Else

These are some practical suggestions for taking notes for someone else, as well as
strategies to help you improve your own notetaking abilities.
General Info:
Be sure of your purpose and the speaker's purpose.
Attend all lectures.
Sit up front so you can see and hear better.
Format:
Record the date, place, topic/title and presenter.
Number your pages.
Use dark ink and write on one side of the page.
Use a double entry notetaking system (see "Cornell Notetaking System"
handout)
Write neatly. Make notes complete and clear enough to understand when
you come back to them.
Use shorthand ('Fe' for iron, '=' for equals, '@' for at, etc.) and abbreviations.
Feel free to develop your own set of abbreviations, but please put a key at
the top of the page so your notes can be understood.
Highlight important items with asterisks(*) or draw circles or boxes around
critical info. Mark important ideas, terms, concepts with different colors,
underlines, or asterisks. Indentation, underscoring and starring are also
effective for indicating relative importance of items. Show uncertainty with a
circled question mark.
Leave plenty of white space for later additions. Skip lines. Leave space
between main ideas.
What to write:
Definitely copy:
* Anything written on the board or presented on an overhead.
* Any info that is repeated or emphasized. Ways to emphasize include: tone or
gesture, repetition, illustration on board, reference to text, and use of cue
words such as: finally, remember, most important, another cause, etc.
* All numbered or listed items.
* All terms and definitions.
* Examples.
* New words and ideas.
If the instructor refers to the text, mark the page number in notes to refer.
When you cannot keep up with the speaker, jot down key nouns and verbs
so that you can return to the latter and ask questions/fill in gaps. Leave
blanks for words, phrases or ideas you miss. Ask a classmate to fill in the
gaps.
Include comments the class makes that the professor agrees with.
Listening:
Listen carefully to what is being said.
Pay attention to qualifying words(sometimes, usually, rarely, etc.)
Notice signals indicating that a change of direction is coming (but, however,
on the other hand)
Look for meaning and implications; be an active listener.
Additionally:
Ask questions if permitted; if not, jot down questions in your notebook.

Soon after the presentation, review your notes, rewrite skimpy or incomplete
parts, and fill in gaps you remember but didn't record.
TEN STEPS TO ACADEMIC SUCCESS

1. Set individual academic and personal goals.
2. Choose courses carefully, especially during your first year.
3. Know and use resources.
4. Meet and get to know faculty.
5. Learn actively.
6. Manage your time well.
7. Know and actively use reading skills.
8. Develop strong listening and note-taking skills.
9. Develop and improve your writing and speaking skills.
10.
Get involved in co-curricular activities; learn skills and

gain experience.
Want to know more?

Pauk, Walter. How to Study in College. 5th edition.
Princeton: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1993
How to AVOID CRAMMING for Tests

Basic Principles about Review
I. ORIGINAL LEARNING must take place. You have to learn the material before you can
review it.
II. EARLY REVIEW is most efficient, most productive.
A. Before you attempt to learn new material in class or through reading:
Glance over previous chapters or notes.
Run through your mind what you know already.
Since memorization of new material is most effective when it is associated with
the material already known, this process brings all available mental "hooks" to
the surface.
B. Immediately after learning:
Rework your notes, adding material that comes to mind. (Don't
recopy; this is wasteful.)
Order and organize what was learned. (Star, use arrows, additional
comments, etc.)
Integrate new material with what you already know.
Forgetting is most rapid right after learning. Review helps combat this.
Relearning is easier if it is done quickly. Don't wait until it's all gone.
III. Space initial early reviews to support original learning. Several brief periods spread
over 5 or 10 days is usually enough to ensure good recall for intermediate review.
IV. Intermediate review is important when work is spread out over several months or
longer. For example, when the final is 4 months away, follow this schedule:
original learning
immediate review of limited material same day (5-10 minutes)
intermediate review of material covered so far, after 2 months
final review, before exam
Intermediate and final reviews should stress understanding and organization of
material.
V. Final review is a REVIEW, not "cramming" of unlearned material. No new learning
takes place except to draw together the final main currents of thought.
Be brief. Review entire semester's work in 2-4 hours. (Set a limit and stick
to it.)
Outline and organize from memory. Don't bother copying.
Recite (in writing or out loud to a friend or self)
VI. USE SPACED REVIEW rather than MASSED PRACTICE. 60 minutes used in 3 groups
of 20 minutes each is more effective than 60 minutes used all at the same time.
break up learning period for any one subject
avoid fatigue
review and strengthen previous learning
increased motivation, better concentration
Concentration
The Problem
In many colleges over 8% of the students report problems concentrating on their
studies. Most of these students blame outside distractions for their problems.
Many research studies manipulating noise levels and distractions have found that such
disturbances may increase, decrease, or not even affect concentration. These
researchers have therefore concluded that distracters don't cause concentration
problems directly. It is the way the distracters are interpreted by the students that disrupts
their study.
Creating a Study Environment
[1] Find a place to study and keep it for study only.
[2] Tool-up the environment with all study needs.
[3] Control noise level and the visual environment to acceptable levels.
[4] Avoid relaxing while working; create a work atmosphere.
When to Study
[1] Best during the day and early evening; you'll remember better.
[2] Best when there are the fewest competing activities in progress.
[3] Best when adequate rest periods are provided.
[4] Stop studying when fatigue or lack of attention occurs.
How to Study & Concentrate
[1] When distracters are present, become intensely involved.
[2] Keep a pad of paper handy to jot down extraneous thoughts that cross your mind
while studying, get them out of your mind and on to paper.
[3] Set study goals before you begin each period of study
(number of pages, number of problems, etc.)
[4] Design adequate rewards after specified goals are attained.
[5] Break-up the content of study by mixing up subjects and building in variety and
interest and removing boredom.
[6] Make the most of rest periods-do something quite different.
[7] Don't try to mix work and play.
[8] Start with short study periods and build to longer periods only as fast as you maintain
concentration.
[9] If necessary, make a calendar of events to clear your mind of distractions.
[10] Realize that you won't lose friends, respect, or a "good time" just because you're
studying... these will keep.
[11] Plan the length of your study period by the amount of material you have decided to
cover, not by the clock. (Often the clock is one of the most serious distracters.)
Diagnostic Matters
It is probably necessary that you identify which subjects are related to the most serious
concentration problems. You may notice that you really don't give yourself a chance
with these subjects because of the time, order, or place you use to study. It may also be
valuable to assess what your motives are for studying in the first place? What is your
reward for your efforts?
MEMORY IS LEARNING THAT PERSISTS

Why We Forget
1.
Negative self-concept: we think of ourselves forgetting things.
2.
We have not learned the material well.

If something is to be retained, it must be correctly, clearly and forcibly impressed on the mind.
We must give it the necessary attention and interest. Self-questioning and spaced or periodic
reviews are essential.
3.
Psychological reasons: defensive forgetting

Generally, unpleasant things are remembered better than pleasant things (especially by pessimists) and
both pleasant and unpleasant things are remembered better than materials we are indifferent to.
Freudian theory holds that unpleasant things are often barred from consciousness. This is often referred
to as active forgetting.
4.
Disuse
Memories fade away rapidly when not reviewed or used. The curve of forgetting is like a playground slide;
we forget most immediately after we learn -in the first 24 hours; then it proceeds slowly. Motor
learning
seems to be better retained than verbal learning because a motor act has to be
completely done to be
done at all and so requires a higher degree of organization and competency
which involves over-learning.
But "forgotten" material can be relearned in less time than is required for the original learning, even after
many years' disuse. EVEN MATERIAL THAT WE DO NOT RELEARN HAS UNDOUBTEDLY BEEN
TRANSFORMED INTO ATTITUDES AND VALUES THAT FORM THE FOUNDATIONS OF OUR
JUDGMENT. EDUCATION PAYS IN SPITE OF ALL THE DETAILS THAT ARE FORGOTTEN.
Forgetting through disuse is normal and unavoidable. The mind is a marvelous instrument, but not a
perfect instrument.
5.
Interference
be
not
learning
Forgetting was formerly thought to be mainly the result of disuse, but now it is believed that disuse may
a less important factor than interference due to emotional problems, anxieties, distractions, intense
concentration on something else, and intellectual interference.
Intellectual interference or mental overcrowding can be minimized if we reflect on our reading and
experiences, understand them, clarify them, associate, synthesize and organize them so they will
interfere with each other. Above all, we must avoid pushing, cramming and overcrowding our
hours with unorganized material.
Forgetting caused by later learning is called retroactive inhibition. There is more interference
between two similar subjects than between two unlike subjects. (Follow study of history with chemistry
rather than English history or literature. )
Since we cannot be awake without thinking, it should follow that there is more loss of memory for learned
material when one is awake than when one is sleeping. (Study and then sleep.) Next to sleep,
nonintellectual activities like exercise, music, dancing, recreation and the like cause the east interference
with remembering what has just been learned.
When previous learning interferes with subsequent learning, this is called proactive inhibition. (An
old poem interferes with a new poem-the more familiar the subject, the more interference.
Continuous
and
READ
AND
Life, it seems, should be more organized, certainly our mental life, and should be approached with a
degree of deliberation. There should be rest periods at intervals to allow the brain to lie fallow.
undifferentiated activities apparently fight for a place in the memory; some things are pushed out
forgotten. FOR EXAMPLE, YOU WILL LOSE MOST OF THE KNOWLEDGE IF YOU QUICKLY
BOOK AFTER BOOK WITHOUT ORGANIZING THE INFORMATION, REFLECTING ON IT,
CLARIFYING IT.
Blocking is another kind of interference. It occurs when one wishes to recall some quite well-known
information but cannot do so, such as names. Relax and try association.
6.
Changed Cues
You may have all the information you need stored away in your mind somewhere but be unable to get at
it if the right cue is missing. Recall what happens on tests. You studied the material one way, the test
question was presented in another (cues were changed). If you learn material with too great dependence
upon the phraseology of the textbook, you may be at a loss to remember some of the material if you
cannot recall the exact wording of the text. As with your outlining assignments, restate or rephrase the
ideas in your own words to insure remembering.
7.
Lack of Attention and Effort

The art of memory is the art of attention-attending to the material WHOLLY. Moreover, there must be
to remember.
effort
Memory Improvement
General Principles
1.
Attention (Concentration)
To remember something, we must attend to it; concentration is attending to something intensely or
wholly. We may be able to do several things at once if some of them are habitual, but we can attend to
thing at a time, especially when studying. The learner must use determination. Often when we
have forgotten something, it would be more correct to say we never learned it because we never
proper attention in the first place.
one
say we
gave it
2.
Interest
Inattention is often due to lack of interest. The subject of most interest to everyone is himself or herself.
Take sides in the issues and problems you read about. Ego involvement not only promotes interest and
attention, it aids intention to remember.
Give an "uninteresting subject" a chance; if you learn something about it, this will create some interest
which will promote more knowledge and the circular spiral of interest-knowledge will continue to your
benefit. Remind yourself, if necessary, of your secondary interest in the subject-the grade or credit
interpreting,
3.
Nonsense material (material which we do not understand) fails to awaken interest and is quickly forgotten.
While the assignment may be nonsense to us at first, attempts to work through it step by stepassociating, analyzing, synthesizing-will soon make it meaningful and interesting.
Intention to Remember
Bending of one's energies toward a given end is called a mental set, and a positive, open mental set
affects memory positively. Ego involvement promotes intention to remember.
4.
Confidence
When we intend to remember without having confidence that we can remember, the intention is
weakened into mere hoping. The memory strengthens as you lay burdens upon it and becomes
trustworthy as you trust it. Use written notes as a prompting device, but form the habit of trying to rely on
your memory before referring to your written reminders.
5.
Starting Right
Be cautious in learning a new knowledge and habits right at the start. Concentrate on accuracy, not
speed, at the beginning. A mistake once learned is difficult to unlearn. Become self-conscious about the
error first and then little by little work slowly to replace it with the right information.
6.
Selection
Concentrate on the most significant things, as it is impossible to master any subject in its
entirety. The selection should be judicious in that for some subjects the fundamentals, major ideas,
concepts, patterns, and trends may be important, but in some subjects details are also important.
Select a field of interest for intense cultivation. Maximilian Berlitz became so interested in languages, he
spent his life studying and teaching them . Before he died he learned 50 languages. His grandson
Charles knows 20 but hopes to equal his grandfather.
Any book will have some material you already know, some material you can easily recall after one
reading,
and a great deal of explanatory and illustrative material. Give your attention to that which
is new, difficult to
understand, and that you must remember.
7.
Understanding
There are two ways to memorize: by rote (mechanically) and by understanding. Multiplication tables,
telephone numbers, combinations to safes, and the like are better learned by rote. ideas, concepts,
theories and significances and the like are learned by understanding. Sometimes they work
simultaneously.
The more association you can elicit for an idea, the more meaning it will have; the more meaningful the
learning, the better one is able to retain it. Always note similarities in ideas and concepts, and put them in
their proper place in a larger system of ideas, concepts and theories. A bare literal understanding is often
of little value. Never be satisfied with a hazy idea of what you are reading. If you are not able to follow the
thought, go back to where you lost the trail.
Experiences-both real and vicarious-that are systematically related or associated with previous
knowledge
will improve your memory. What do they suggest? What do they remind you of? Note
differences as well as
similarities, or else there will be confusion.
8.
is
and
Building Background
The more background we have on a subject the better we form associations and discern relationships. It
difficult to fully understand anything that stands alone. Every event is compared or associated with others.
A WELL STOCKED MIND ALLOWS MORE POSSIBILITIES OR ASSOCIATION between new material
previously known material. The best way to improve your memory of a subject, hence, is to learn more
about it.
The more background you bring to a subject or reading, the more interest and understanding you will
have also. Indeed, if we do not have sufficient background for something, our learning will be more
difficult, even suffer.
9.
Organization
A place for everything and everything in its place applies to the mind also. A good memory is like a wellorganized and well-maintained filing system. When a new fact presents itself, the first consideration is
whether to keep it or throw it away. If you keep it, then you must decide where to out it. Thus, after
understanding it and associating it with other facts already filed, you will file it in its natural or logical
group.
Organization is the innate tendency of the mind and it prevails above the chaos of stimuli it can process.
Dr. George Miller or Harvard found that college students can remember only about 7 separate items from
one presentation. He/she feels, however, we can go beyond this go beyond this barrier by classification
or organization or categorization. Items are learned in rememberable bunches, and these little bunches of
knowledge are tied together with other little bunches... ever and ever into larger and larger
bunches.
Textbooks present materials in small bunches or bite-sizes; it is for us to establish the
chain of relationship
and through related organization master much more information. Shakespeare's 37 plays
are less difficult
to remember if you remember them in 3 groups: comedies, histories, tragedies.
Keep the larger pattern of the chapter and of the book as you progress through it in mind so that you can
relate or hook subordinate ideas or details to the larger pattern. These latter will be lost or meaningless
unless you can bunch them with, associate, or relate them to the big bones of the article, chapter or book.
10.
Whole and Parts

Survey the reading. When studying it, break it into parts, but keep in mind the whole. If not extremely long,
tackle the whole.
11.
Recitation
Recitation should first take place as you read through each paragraph or section. Quiz or test yourself.
This promotes understanding as well as faster learning because it is a more active process than reading
listening. It also tests understanding, revealing mistakes or gaps. Recite in your own words.
or
Auditory learners should spend more time in reciting orally what they are learning than visualizers. Read
aloud passages you find difficult.
12.
Notetaking
Visual learners should take fuller notes during lectures and their readings, as they learn more readily by
visualizing than hearing. Auditory learners should take fuller notes perhaps on their readings. Notes
should be in your own words, brief, clear but succinct. They should be legible and neat. Writing notes
better reinforces memory than mere underlining, which is frequently done mechanically , often to excess
and does not check understanding.
Review notes when study of chapter is completed. Use notes to test yourself.
13.
Review
The best time to review is soon after learning has taken place. The beginning and the end of material is
best remembered, so pay close attention to the middle which is likely to be forgotten. The peak of
difficulty in remembering is just beyond the middle, toward the end. change your method of review.
The best review is immediate use.
14.
Spaced Practice or Distributed Practice

The principle of spaced practice involves periodic review such that forgetting is made nearly impossible. If
the intervals between the practice are too long, this useful principle is negated.
15.
your
16.
better
Overlearning
Reviewing something that has already been learned sufficiently is called overlearning. Everything you can
recall instantly without effort has been overlearned, probably through frequent use. The more important
and the more difficult the learning, the more we should reinforce it with frequent practice. Don't waste
time on easy material.
Sleeping Over It
Study before going to bed unless you are physically or mentally overtired. freshly learned material is
remembered after a period of sleep than after an equal period of daytime activity because retroactive
interference takes place. However, for some people this may not work.
ACTIVE STUDY
Adapted from: Ann Algier, Everything You Need To Know About Learning
A. Introduction
Learning takes time. Very few people have photographic memories. Learning requires
repetition- meaningful repetition. This is why active study techniques are so vitally important.
The "recording disk" of the brain accepts new material much faster if it "hears," "sees,"
"feels," "tastes," and detects motion (kinetic energy) during input or recording time. Then too,
the more times around the learning circuit, the longer lasting the impression. If you are able to
place abstract ideas into diagrammatic form, you will remember the concept.
B. Mnemonics
Material that is difficult to master can be organized by finding the key words in each point,
noting the first letter, and arranging the letters into a sense or nonsense word (the sillier, the
better). Examples:
1. What are the qualities of a scientist? (mnemonic answer: PIPOC)
P erserverance
I ntelligence
P atience
O riginality
C uriosity
2. Why did the U.S. enter World War I? (mnemonic answer: SPRENCZ)
S ubmarines, Germans lifted restrictions on use of
P ropaganda, British control of
R ussians overthrew the tsar
E conomic ties of U.S. with Britain and France
N eutrality, German violations of U.S.
C ultural ties with Britain
Z immerman telegram
Note: in example 2, the student has devised a mnemonic based on key words. If you
have a basic understanding of each point, you ought to be able to write a complete essay from
the mnemonic SPRENCZ. Example 1, however, represents the type of mnemonic a student could
use to learn a short list of items for an objective test. If you need to memorize a long list of items
such as the states in the union, alphabetize and learn in small "chunks." You can always depend
on the alphabet. Break down a list, rearrange, put on a study card and master. In the example of
learning the states in the union, it is easier to remember that there are four states whose names
begin with "A," no "Bs," one "D," etc., then to try to memorize the list.
C. Study Cards
In printing study cards, the student is using kinetic energy (energy in motion), thus making the
impression stronger on the brain, and the student will be able to use the cards for
overlearning. Another reason for having students make study cards is that they are
convenient to carry and flip through for mastery. Reading the cards silently, however, is too
passive. Go over the cards orally. A student will not master the cards by passively reading
them. Learning requires the expenditure of energy. The student must be actively engaged in
producing the sounds, using muscles and burning energy to make the sound.
D. Memory
1. General points to consider
a. The student must focus his or her attention on whatever needs to be remembered. If
you intend to remember something, you probably will.
b. The student must be "sold" on the course. Why is this subject worth knowing?
Correlative reading may enhance the student's interest. For example, historical
novels are a marvelous way to learn history. The greater the knowledge, the greater
the interest.
c. Help the students classify and associate. Many authorities feel that you will master
information faster if you learn in groups of seven or fewer at a time.
d. Have the students overlearn through repetition.
2. Association is a key to memory:

a. You remember approximately 10 percent of what you read.
b. You remember approximately 20 percent of what you hear.
c. You remember approximately 30 percent of what you see.
d. You remember approximately 50 percent of what you hear and see together.
e. You remember approximately 70 percent of what you say (if you think as you are
saying it).
f. You remember approximately 90 percent of what you do.
A WEEKLY FLOW CHART FOR STUDYING

PRE-READ
TEXT
GO TO
CLASS
TAKE NOTES
ASK QUESTIONS
OF INSTRUCTOR
REVIEW & EDIT NOTES SAME
DAY AS LECTURE
ASK YOURSELF
QUESTIONS
OUTLINE MAJOR
TOPICS
READ TEXT SELECTIVELY
DO HOMEWORK
ASK
QUESTIONS OF
T.A. OR
INSTRUCTOR
REVIEW & INTEGRATE
Motivation
Motivation has a strong influence on how well you do your job. Students often
develop a "Slave Mentality." That is, they see themselves performing tasks which are
required by their teachers but which are utterly meaningless to them.
In contrast, the students who see how their schoolwork fits into their plans for
themselves become willing workers. It is quite true that "you can do anything you want
to do" because wanting makes the necessary work easy.
Determination to work does not mean the same as motivation. "Will Power" will
not work over a lengthy period of time. You can force yourself on occasion, but there
are definite limits to the success of such an approach.
How to Gain Motivation
Step 1: Decide what you're trying to do in college. (You may need a counselor or other
advisor to help with this, but that's why they're there.) Find out exactly how you
go about achieving what you want. (What classes are required. Equally
important, what classes aren't required. How long will it take you? How much
will it cost?) With this information you can see the end of the tunnel. You can
see yourself progressing, and you can avoid a lot of "wheel spinning."
Step 2: Make college your job. Don't let the incidental business of earning a living and
leading a social life interfere with your central task of getting through school. If
something must be neglected (and good planning can usually avoid this), then
neglect something other than school. Your job is probably a short-term, deadend proposition anyway. Don't get bumped out of school just to work 48 hours a
week for the minimum wage.
a. Real students own their own books, have a suitable place to work,
and keep their materials conveniently available.
b. Most distractions come from within you. If you have trouble
concentrating, try to see what's bothering you and take steps to
eliminate it. Most problems yield to direct action, but you must do the
acting.
Step 3: Set short-range goals
a. Analyze your study task. What do you want to achieve? How can it
best be done?
b. Set a definite time limit. You can get as much done in one hour as six if
you know you must. Work expands to fit the time available.
c. Evaluate your success or failure. You can learn best from making
mistakes, provided you recognize that they are mistakes.
NINE WAYS TO AID YOUR MEMORY

It is more natural to forget something than to remember it. If you intend to remember something, apply as many of the following techniques
as possible.
1.
Be flexible. Experiment with many learning procedures. Be willing to abandon outmoded and faulty learning procedures so you will
be free to acquire new and more efficient methods.
2.
Overlearn. In order to retain anything learned, you must practice and reorganize it into your current ongoing activity. One way to do
this is to incorporate the learned material as part of your present habit system. Use it in speaking and writing. Act out the material as
a rehearsal of a part in a play-a process known as role-playing. This is especially helpful in learning a foreign language.
3.
Schedule. Schedule your study time so that the time at which something is learned or relearned is close to the time at which it will be
used.
4.
Rephrase and explain. Try a little role-playing. Take the point of view of the teacher, for a change. Rephrase and explain the
material, in your own words, to a classmate. Allow your classmate to criticize your presentation. Then let the classmate be the
teacher, while you criticize. If you can't explain something, you don't really know it.
Many students adopt the so-called warm-body attitude toward learning. A "warm" feeling toward one particular answer becomes the basis
for its selection, regardless of whether one really knows why the answer is correct. This attitude is the result of classroom examining
procedures in which true-false and multiple-choice items are used exclusively for testing. Testing in this manner encourages the attitude
that mere recognition of the most probable answer constitutes learning.
Even though a particular course may not require adequate recall by using more penetrating recall-type questions, don't allow yourself to fall
into this warm-body learning trap. Insist on testing yourself! If you can explain the material, most certainly you can pass any "objective"
test calling for superficial recognition. However, the reverse is most certainly not true. Learning only to a point of recognition, and
depending on your ability to ferret out the correct response, is insufficient for total-recall kinds of tests. Sooner or later this habit will result
in total failure in a demanding test situation.
5.
Eliminate accidental and unrelated associations. A study situation in which a phone is constantly jangling produces breaks in the
mental association process. Remove the receiver. The only suggestion that can be made for the elimination of television during the
study period is to donate the set to a family that is not involved in higher education.
6.
Eliminate previous mistakes. Take note of all previous mistakes and make every effort to eliminate them from future practice. It
has been shown experimentally that consciously reviewing mistakes, making note of exactly why they were incorrect, helps to
reinforce the correct response. This process is sometimes referred to as negative practice.
7.
Decide on an order of importance. Some things are more important than others. In a particular study unit, decide what these are
and organize the important material into an outline or framework. "Over-learn" this particular framework.
8.
Become emotionally involved. Assume the attitude that you fully believe the viewpoint of the author. Strive for perfection. You may
never achieve it, but you will most certainly improve your performance. Learn to discuss your current beliefs calmly with people
holding different attitudes. Cite authorities to back up your position.
9.
Use mechanical memory aids. When material is complicated, it may be necessary to use mechanical memory aids. For example,
suppose you had reason to believe that a certain table showing all of the endocrine glands of the body with their secretions and
functions would be called for in an examination. In order to be sure that you would be able to recall all of the glands, you memorized
the first letter or syllable of each gland, and organized them into three very strange words: Anpothy Paramed Adcorpan, the novelty
of which aided recall. This could be deciphered as follows: An=anterior pituitary, po=posterior pituitary, thy=thyroid, par=parathyroid,
amed=adrenal medulla, adcor=adrenal cortex, pan=pancreas, etc.
Studying for the Sciences

"Prescription for Success"
Knowing how to approach the material is the first step in succeeding in a science course
at Dartmouth. The amount of material covered, and the speed at which it is covered,
may seem overwhelming; but if you follow these guidelines, your stress level will
decline as your success increases. There are three elements to succeeding in a science
course: Lecture, Time Management, and Test Preparation.
I. Lecture
A. Attend every lecture.
1. Everything you need to know will be covered in the lectures.
2. Go to lectures alert and awake.
3. Write down everything you can. Anything is fair game on the exam.
4. If you miss a lecture, get notes from at least 2 people.
B. Prepare for lectures.
1. Read over the lecture outline before class. This will help you focus.
2. Skim the reading that corresponds to the lecture outline.
C. Find a "Note Buddy".
1. Photocopy and swap your notes with someone after class every day.
2. Meet once a week and teach each other the notes.
II. Time Management
A. Start early
1. Use the first 2 weeks of the term. Don't start snowballing.
2. Start studying for your next exam 2 days after your first one.
B. Set deadlines
1. Make a term calendar.
2. Set new deadlines. Have all your studying done 2 days prior to the
exam. This gives you 2 days to review.
C. Find your "Bio Hour".
1. Spend an hour a day reviewing your notes; make it part of your daily
routine.
a. Three 20 minute sessions throughout the day
b. 40 minutes reviewing notes, 20 minutes preparing for lectures.
III. Test Preparation
A. Condense the material.
1. Make flash cards over your notes.
2. Write out answers to your cards.
B. Reading should be supplementary.
1. Use the reading to supplement all concepts covered in class.

2. Know all the figures that relate to the lecture.
C. Apply the material.
1. As you study, think of applications of the material.
2. Use old exams as guides to applying the material.
TEST TAKING STRATEGIES

FOR THE ROMANCE LANGUAGES
Concerned about an upcoming quiz, mid-term, or final in Spanish, French, or Italian? You've seen
and heard many suggestions to improve studying efficiency during the term. This handout will give
you some helpful hints for during the exam, that one hour in which you must effectively display your
knowledge of the language. These hints are complements, not substitutes, for regular studying
practices.
VERBS
Verbs seem to pose the most problems for the most
students. Remember that verbs are made up of stems
and endings. The stems remain constant (except in
the case of "stem changing" verbs), and the endings
change according to tense (present, imperfect,
subjunctive, etc.) and voice (1st person plural, 3rd
person singular, etc.).
If you have trouble memorizing the system, attempt to
write it out shorthand (perhaps only the tense names and endings) at the very beginning of the exam.
This is the same technique you might have used in math classes to keep difficult formulae close at
hand. What you're doing is making legal crib notes!
This shorthand can be helpful in other areas, too. You might, for example, list all the expressions you
have learned which trigger rules about the subjunctive, a few especially difficult idioms, rules about
accents, or other simple mnemonics you may have developed. Take no more than 5 minutes to make
these notes.
BUDGETING YOUR TIME DURING THE EXAM
This is another major problem. Here are three quick steps to a solution:
1) Read the whole exam before you begin writing.
2) Allow for each section a fraction of the hour proportional to its point value. For example, if a
series of translations is worth 30% of the exam, don't spend more than 30% of hours (15-20 minutes)
on that section. Point count or percentage values are usually provided. If they are not indicated on
your exam, ask. You have a right to know this information.
3) Finally, complete individual sections of the exam in order of difficulty from easiest to most difficult.
The theory here is as follows: Lets again assume 100 points and a sixty-minute exam period. Thats
an average of 1 point for each 36 seconds. If Part One is worth 20 points, it might merit 12 minutes
of your attention. But if Part One is easy enough for you to do in 5 minutes, get it done and use the
other 7 minutes later for something more difficult like the composition at the end.
GOOD LUCK!
Bradley M. Pagliaro '85
Romance Languages Major
November 1984
How Well Do
You Plan?
DIRECTIONS: FOR EACH QUESTION, CIRCLE THE NUMBER THAT
BEST DESCRIBES YOU.
How often
do you plan
in an effort
to keep life
from
running out
of control?
Do you put
daily plans
on paper?
Do you
allow
flexibility
in your
plans?
How often
do you accomplish all
you plan for
a given day?
How often
do you plan
time for
what matters
most
to you?
How often is
Never
Seldom
Sometimes
Often
Always
your daily
plan destroyed by
urgent interruptions?
SEE OTHER SIDE FOR SCORING AND INTERPRETATION

SCORING:
Add the numbers next to your answers.
INTERPRETATION:
6-10: Terrible Planner.

You should consider using new tools and processes to help you plan
effectively. A great first step would be to take a time management course.
11-15: Below average planner.

You may already have a planning system, but using it more effectively will
help to reduce the stress and lack of control you feel in your life.
16-20: Average planner.

Your planning system is working, but you can do better. You may need help
focusing on priorities, dealing with urgent interruptions or writing your daily
plan.
21-25: Above-average planner.

Your planning system is working well. Keep up the good work, with
periodic reviews to be sure youre planning around what matters most in
your life.
26-30: Excellent planner--or candidate for burnout?

You have mastered planning and should experience the serenity that comes
from taking charge of your life. But make sure youre in control of your
planning rather than letting it control you.
Quiz written for USA WEEKEND by time management expert Hyrum Smith,
chairman of the Franklin Covey Co., whose Franklin Planners, agendas and
planning software are used by 15 million Americans.
Five Steps to Successful Time Management

1. Set specific academic and personal goals.
2. Create a term calendar, recording major events.
3. Create a weekly schedule of your classes, labs, drill, meetings, etc.
4. Decide on specific times to work on each course.
5. Make a to-do list for each day the night before or during breakfast.
THE MASTER SCHEDULE

Any plan to schedule time and activities must have at its center a MASTER SCHEDULE, that is, a
schedule of activities that is fixed. A master schedule needs to be drawn up only once a semester: unless, of
course, changes occur in the basic program. First, fill in all the required activities, such as classes, drills, and
laboratory periods. Second , add other regular activities, such as part-time jobs, commuting time, sports, and
regular meetings. Third, include sleeping and eating. With the fixed activities accounted for, the remaining blank
spaces on the uncluttered chart are free for use on a weekly or day-by-day basis. Such a schedule, on a 5x8
card, scotch-taped over your desk, or carried in your notebook, unclutters your mind, and more important,
enables you to visualize the blank boxes as actual blocks of time into which you may fit necessary activities (see
example below).
With the MASTER SCHEDULE as your source, you may concoct any type of schedule that fits the
uniqueness of your courses, your part-time or full-time job, or your personality. What matters most is that the
schedule works for you.
MON
7-8
8-9
9-10
10-11
--------7:45------
TUE
DRILL
SPANISH 2
SPANISH 2
CHEM 6
THU
DRESS & BREAKFAST

---------7:45--------------7:45-------------7:45-------
DRILL
------11:15------
WED
PSYCH 6
SPANISH 2
X-HOUR
CHEM 6
------11:15------
FRI
SUN
------7:45--------
DRILL
DRILL
SPANISH 2
SPANISH 2
PSYCH 6
SAT
DRESS &
BREAKFAST
DRESS &
BREAKFAST
CHEM 6
------11:15------
11-12
12-1
1-2
------12:30------
------12:30-----LUNCH
-------1:45------
CHEM 6 XHOUR
-------1:45------
------12:30------------1:45------
2-3
3-4
4-5
CHEM 6 LAB
PHYS. ED.
PSYCH 6 XHOUR
PHYS. ED.
5-6
DINNER
6-7
CHEM 6
STUDY GROUP
7-8
8-9
9-10
10-11
11-12
SLEEP
Why Time Scheduling?

Students who deliberately undertake to schedule their time are not ones who have decided to spend all their
time studying and doing nothing else.They usually have decided to use efficiently the time they have to spend
studying anyway, and to "de-sensitize" themselves to the many distractions that are commonly occurring.
What does this "desensitizing" involve?It means removing oneself from constant day-to-day, hour-to-hour
decisions as to whether one will or will not spend the next hour studying,whether one will or will not go to the
library to study,whether one will or will not go to a show on impulse, and whether or not to use that hour
between classes to get next week's lab assignment out of the way.
A workable time schedule can make decisions for you, thus desensitizing you to momentary distractions. And,
an hour of study in one course is not disturbed by wondering when you will study for another course, or when
you'll be able to get out and have some fun. An adequate schedule includes those for you.
How Much Time Scheduling?
Usually a minimum time schedule is best. In other words, plan what you know is necessary, and add to it
later only if necessary.But plan as your first schedule one you know you can keep, and one that it is important
to you to keep.
First:
What courses are you taking? (list them on a sheet of paper)
Second:
How many hours do you estimate you should study for each course each week to do a
minimum job?
Third:
What's the total minimum hours per week for all courses?
Fourth: List your present time schedule for the week, including all fixed times, such as classes,
laboratories, club meetings, outside work, travel, eating, and times you go out for
recreation (usually leave at least Friday and Saturday evenings open for recreation).
Fifth:
Now fill in the remaining hours each week with the number of hours you need to assign to
study according to your decision in step two, either by
1)Setting up certain hours in which to study subjects, or
2)Setting aside certain hours that you will study, but not deciding in advance which
courses will be studied in which hours.
Sixth:
Keep your schedule where you can see it. It should be conspicuous, so put it on top of
your desk, or pinned on the wall.
Remember: -Keeping to a schedule is not a matter of "will power," but of the development of a habit of
referring to the schedule and following its outline, and this habit development may take
weeks of practice.
-Don't let the extra study that you may find necessary interfere with your recreation hours
take time from unscheduled hours.
-Exceptions will occur, but afterwards return to the schedule's pattern.
Time Tips
1.Count all your time as time to be used and make every attempt to get satisfaction out of every moment.
2.Find something to enjoy in whatever you do.
3.Try to be an optimist and seek out the good in your life.
4.Find ways to build on your successes.
5.Stop regretting your failures and start learning from your mistakes.
6.Remind yourself, "There is always enough time for the important things." If it is important, you should be able to make
time to do it.
7.Continually look at ways of freeing up your time.
8.Examine your old habits and search for ways to change or eliminate them.
9.Try to use waiting time-review notes or do practice problems.
10.Keep paper or a calendar with you to jot down the things you have to do or notes to yourself.
11.Examine and revise your lifetime goals on a monthly basis and be sure to include progress towards those goals on a
daily basis.
12.Put up reminders in your home or office about your goals.
13.Always keep those long term goals in mind.
14.Plan your day each morning or the night before and set priorities for yourself.
15.Maintain and develop a list of specific things to be done each day, set your priorities and the get the most important
ones done as soon in the day as you can. Evaluate your progress at the end of the day briefly.
16.Look ahead in your month and try and anticipate what is going to happen so you can better schedule your time.
17.Try rewarding yourself when you get things done as you had planned, especially the important ones.
18.Do first things first.
19.Have confidence in yourself and in your judgement of priorities and stick to them no matter what.
20.When you catch yourself procrastinating-ask yourself, "What am I avoiding?"
21.Start with the most difficult parts of projects, then either the worst is done or you may find you don't have to do all the
other small tasks.
22.Catch yourself when you are involved in unproductive projects and stop as soon as you can.
23.Find time to concentrate on high priority items or activities.
24.Concentrate on one thing at a time.
25.Put your efforts in areas that provide long term benefits.
26.Push yourself and be persistent, especially when you know you are doing well.
27.Think on paper when possible-it makes it easier to review and revise.
28.Be sure and set deadlines for yourself whenever possible.
29.Delegate responsibilities whenever possible.
30.Ask for advice when needed.
Adapted from A. Lakein. How to Get Control of Your Time And Your Life
MAKING A SCHEDULE BASED ON YOUR NEEDS

DIRECTIONS: Read all of these directions before you make up your weekly schedule. Check off each direction as
you complete it.
1st Record class and lab times in appropriate day/hour blocks on a time schedule sheet.
2nd Record meal times.
3rd Record all regularly scheduled personal activities such as meetings, employment and athletics.
4th Record any special activities you need to do or want to do on a regular basis.
5th Review the information on the other side of this sheet about the Learning Cycle before you add any more
information to your schedule.
6th Schedule a preview time (5-30 minutes) immediately before each class whenever possible. During the preview,
review all or some of your notes in preparation for the upcoming class. If you have two or three classes in a row,
preview from last to first class. Thus, if you have Chemistry and Art at 10 and 11, you might write "P: Art/Chem"
in the block before your 10 o'clock class.
7th Schedule a review time immediately after your classes (5-30 minutes) whenever possible. Use this time to edit
and summarize your notes. You could also look over any assignments that were given and begin to plan when
and how you will do them. Thus for the schedule described above, you might write "R: Art/Chem" in the 12 noon block.
8th Schedule your intensive study/ review time for each class. Try to schedule some study time each day for each
class. Learning is more effectively and efficiently accomplished in shorter regular sessions than in longer irregular
sessions. Also, use more of the day (i.e. morning, afternoon) for studying. Evening is often an ineffective time to
study. When you schedule study time, be task-oriented rather than time-oriented. Think in terms of "blocks of
time" and what specifically needs to be accomplished, not hours of study time. Start your study period with the
courses you like least or that you're not doing well in. Try to study the same subjects at the same time each study
day. Although this seems to be a mechanical way of scheduling, you will find that such a routine can help you
develop a pattern for efficient and effective learning.
9th Schedule a weekly review (WR) for each course. Do it at the end of the week if possible. This weekly review gives
you an opportunity to spread out all of the past week's notes along with the reading assignments to see what you
have been learning in the past week during class and study time for each course. You can also look ahead to plan
the next week and determine how much reading you need to do, what projects are due, and if any tests are
scheduled.
10th Keep open some day or evening time for daily physical activity. Remember, research indicates that regular
exercise will not only give you a general sense of well-being, but can reduce tension and help you accomplish a
tough class, study, and work schedule.
11th Label some empty blocks of time as OPEN for academic or personal needs.
12th Schedule some time during Friday, Saturday, and Sunday for you to play, relax, or do whatever you want to do.
This is your reward for sticking to your schedule. In addition, you'll enjoy your free time more.
Time Management
MON
TUE
WED
THU
FRI
7-8
8-9
9-10
10-11
-----11:15------
-----11:15------
-----11:15------
-----12:30------
-----12:30------
-----12:30------
-----1:45------
-----1:45------
-----1:45------
11-12
12-1
1-2
2-3
3-4
4-5
5-6
6-7
7-8
8-9
9-10
10-11
11-12
SAT
SUN
Long Term Planner___/___/___ to

___/___/___
Week Of:
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Tuesday
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Sunday
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fouryearplanningworksheet
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1stYear
2ndYear
R
3rdYear
4thYear
GeneralEducationReqs.
MajorRequirements
OtherMajor/Minor
WorldCulture
W ________________________
NW______________________
CI________________________
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DistributiveRequirements
ART______________________
INT_______________________
LIT _______________________
QDS ______________________
SCI/SLA__________________
SCI/SLA__________________
SOC ______________________
SOC______________________
TAS______________________
TMV _____________________
PhysicalEducation
1. ________________________
2.________________________
3.________________________
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and academic plans.
Community Directors Part of the Residential Staff, they can provide counseling
and advising on any number of issues, including your major and fouryear
planning.
Department Advisors know the most about your intended major, so contact
them to work out the details of how you will fulfill your major requirements.
Dartmouth Course Prospectus is available online to help you plan out your
courses in the future.
Dartmouth Course Timetable is available online to help you determine if your
current or past courses fulfills a distributive requirement.
Graduate Advisors is a graduate student who lives in the resident halls to serve
as an academic resource for undergrads.
Office of the Registrar staff can be consulted for advice about courses, majors,
DPlans, etc.
Undergraduate Advisors (UGAs) are also available for advice about classes,
major planning, etc.
YourDean canbeconsultedaboutanythingregardingstudentandacademiclife.
GEN. EDUC. REQ'S

INTERDISCIPLINARY:
I:
WORLD CULTURE:
EU:
NA:
NW:
DISTRIBUTIVE REQ'S:
ART:
LIT:
PHR:
INT:
SOC:
SOC:
QDS:
SCI/SLA:
SCI/SLA:
TAS/TLA:
MAJOR
OTHER (minor, etc.)
STRESS FACT SHEET

What is stress?
Stress is an emotional/bodily reaction to physical, psychological or emotional demands.
Stress is a fact of life.
- Managed stress can become useful and healthy (viewing events as challenges).
- Unmanaged stress can become distressful and unhealthy (viewing events as threats).
What are some of the causes of stress?
Expectations we place on ourselves
Expectations of others
Our physical environment -- noise, movement, weather, season changes
Our internal environment -- academic pressure, frustration, not enough time, decisions,
social life
What are some symptoms of unmanaged stress?
Increased heart rate and blood pressure; feeling tense, irritable, fatigued, or depressed
Lack of interest and ability to concentrate, apathy
Avoidance behaviors: abuse of drugs, alcohol, tobacco
What are ways to manage stress effectively?
Add balance to life; don't overdo studies or play.
Know and accept what kind of person you are: strengths and weaknesses.
Get a thorough physical exam.
Take "time outs", especially during study.
Expand your support network, reinforce friendships.
Exercise regularly.
Watch your breathing.
Walk loosely and walk more.
Learn and practice relaxation skills.
Study each subject regularly for moderate periods of time.
Discuss problems with friends, family, dean or counselor.
STRESS-BUSTERS:
WHAT WORKS

SOME OF US ARE NATURALLY RESISTANT TO STRESS, BUT ANYONE CAN USE
THESE PROVEN STRATEGIES TO CALM BODY AND MIND
Excerpted from an article by Geoffrey Cowley Newsweek June 14, 1999.
As Stanford psychiatrist David Spiegel puts it, "Living a stress-free life is not a
reasonable goal. The goal is to deal with it actively and effectively."
1. One approach is to emulate people who are naturally resistant to stress. Some
people weather devastating experiences with uncanny serenity. By studying them,
researchers have discovered that they share distinctive habits of mind.
They tend to focus on immediate issues rather than global ones.
Stress-resistant people also tend to share an optimistic "explanatory style."
*
They assume their troubles are temporary ("I'm tired today") rather than
permanent ("I'm washed up") and specific ("I have a bad habit") rather than
universal ("I'm a bad person")
*
They credit themselves when things go right, while externalizing their
failures ("That was a tough audience," not "I gave a wretched speech").
2. At the University of Massachusetts' Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health
Care and Society, specialists teach people to manages stress through meditation and
other relaxation exercises.
Participants in the center's stress program concentrate on breathing to quell the
mind's restless forays in the past and future.
Then they lie down and "scan" their bodies, relaxing one muscle at a time.
3. Massage is another proven antidote to stress. No one knows precisely how the
kneading of flesh quells the stress response, but the effects can be dramatic.
4. If massage and meditation are too tame for your tastes, exercise may be your
medicine. Exercise is known to increase the body's production of morphine-like
endorphins, while improving the brain's oxygen supply and releasing tension from
the muscles.
There are many other options, from yoga to biofeedback to music therapy, and none of
them excludes the others. So do what works for you. And whether you go to
confession, join a support group, or start a diary, find a way to talk about your feelings.
How can such different exercises have such similar benefits? The key, experts agree, is
that they combat feelings of helplessness.
ATTITUDE IS
EVERYTHING
Attitude is importantit affects:

1. How successful you are in achieving your
academic and
personal goals
2. How you feel, mentally and physically
3. How you look, what you say and what you do
Do you have a positive attitude?

1. Are you willing to learn, no matter how difficult it
is?
2. Do you do your best when studying, and try to

improve how you do your work?
3. Do you demonstrate enthusiasm in whatever you
say and do?
4. Do you welcome challenges, experiment, try new
ideas?
5. Do you have a sense of humor by not taking

yourself too seriously?
7 Easy Ways to Develop a Positive Attitude:

1. Be confident
2. Be positive
3. Be punctual
4. Be patient: some things just take time to do
5. Believe in yourself: you are unique in this world,
and so are your talents
6. Set goals for yourself: then WORK hard to
achieve them
7. Get fun out of life: dont take yourself too

seriously
Test yourself on the positive attitude checklist:

Yes No
1 Do you believe in yourself?
2 Do you want to improve?
3 Do you have goals?
4 Do you have a plan to achieve
5 Are you willing to change?
6 Are you on time?
7 Are you patient?
8 Are you a good listener?
9 Are you willing to make
10 Do you enjoy life?
POSITIVE THINKING
Planning ahead
NEGATIVE THINKING
Carelessness
Willingness to learn
Fatalism
Ill ask for help
If it happens it
Alertness
Passiveness
Ill concentrate and pay

Knowing your goals
Its not interesting.

Ignorance
i
Faith
Ill
b
Willingness
I d
I
Ill work on it now
d
d i
Cynicism
h
Laziness
Its too much trouble
Adapted by Rachel Fleming 00 from the pamphlet Your Attitude and You by
Channing L. Bete Co., Inc.
COPING WITH EXAMS AND

EXAM ANXIETY
For most Dartmouth students, exam time is particularly stressful. Paradoxically, many students
attempt to deal with this stress in ways that are counter-productive or even self-defeating; their
behavior and attitudes tend to diminish their performance on exams rather than enhance it.
While there is no guarantee for an easy time on exams, there are some specific guidelines that
students can follow which will help them learn more efficiently during exam time.
Remember that you are not alone: almost everyone gets somewhat anxious at exam time.
It is clear that it does not help to put added stress on yourself by:
1) keeping irregular hours.
2) pulling all-nighters.
3) eating irregularly or eating junk food.
4) relying on ineffective learning strategies.
Guidelines:
1) Try to stay on a reasonably regular schedule of reviewing, eating, sleeping, and relaxing. Start
at least a week, or preferably two, before exams begin.
2) Don't attempt to study 24 hours a day; your efficiency and capacity to retain material will
rapidly decrease.
3) Don't force yourself to study beyond your normal limits of concentration. If you find yourself
able to concentrate for only ten or twenty minutes, study for only that period of time and then
take a short break. Your concentration should return. In fact, short and regular study periods
are more productive than lengthy single sessions.
4) Eat a well-balanced diet and drink lots of fluids. Excessive amounts of coffee may produce
confusion and even disorganization of thought processes.
5) Don't use drugs or alcohol -- they can decrease your ability to think clearly. Take medication
only under the supervision of a physician.
6) Be conservative and reasonable about the demands you place on yourself.
7) If you have a problem you believe will interfere with taking your exams, be sure to notify your
class dean in Parkhurst or a counselor/physician in Dick's House before you take your exam.
Contact the Academic Skills Center for additional suggestions and advice.
--adapted from: Harvard Law School Health Service

--this handout prepared by Alison Burrell '95
DEEP BREATHING
EXERCISES
Breathing Awareness and Deep Breathing
1. Lie down or sit in a comfortable chair, maintaining good posture. Your body
should be as relaxed as possible. Close your eyes. Scan your body for tension.
2. Pay attention to your breathing. Place one hand on the part of your chest or
abdomen that seems to rise and fall the most with each breath. If this spot is
in your chest you are not utilizing the lower part of your lungs.
3. Place both hands on your abdomen and follow your breathing, noticing how
your abdomen rises and falls.
4. Breathe through your nose.
5. Notice if your chest is moving in harmony with your abdomen.
6. Now place one hand on your abdomen and one on your chest.
7. Inhale deeply and slowly through your nose into your abdomen. You should
feel your abdomen rise with this inhalation and your chest should move only
a little.
8. Exhale through your mouth, keeping your mouth, tongue, and jaw relaxed.
9. Relax as you focus on the sound and feeling of long, slow, deep breaths.
Complete Natural Breathing

1. Sit or stand with good posture.
2. Breathe through your nose.
3. Inhale, filling first the lower part of your lungs then the middle part, then the
upper part.
4. Hold your breath for a few seconds.
5. Exhale slowly. Relax your abdomen and chest.
Practice these two exercises, in whatever combination feels best for you, for ten
minutes, twice a day.
(Taken from Davis, Eshelman, and McKay; The Relaxation and Stress Reduction
Workbook, 2nd edition; New Harbringer Publications, 1982.)
ALCOHOL AND ACADEMICS
Research regarding the effects of alcohol on academic performance all

report some type of negative consequences.
NEGATIVE EFFECTS ASSOCIATED WITH HEAVY EPISODIC
DRINKING:
Alcohol impairs the ability to transfer information - learned prior to

drinking from short term to long term memory.
Attention span may be shortened within 48 hours after drinking.
Alcohol disrupts the necessary sleep cycle, including REM sleep. Without
adequate quality of sleep, a student will feel tired, despite sleeping for 78 hours.
The time it takes to recover form heavy drinking (i.e. hangover) could be
better spent on more important tasks (i.e. learning)
IMPLICATIONS FOR STUDENTS:
Information a student studies before drinking is harder to recall

Harder to pay attention in class and concentrate on work
When sleep is disrupted a person is more susceptible to depression
disorders and a decrease in cognitive abilities. Studies show that normal
memory function (learning) is dependent on adequate sleep.
Heavy drinking often results in missing classes and falling behind in
assignments.
STEPS TO MINIMIZING NEGATIVE EFFECTS:
Balance academic and social commitments

Manage time, giving priority to academics
Drink responsibly and in moderation

Sources:
Academics and Drinking, Available at http:www.alcohol.vt.edu/Student/Choices/academics.htm

National Institute on Alcohol and Alcoholism, Alcohol Alert No. 29-1995, Available at
http://silk/niaa1/publication/aa29.htm
Prepared by Meagan Verdeyen 03. 12/00
ALCOHOL, SLEEP, AND LEARNING

College students may think that moderate drinking has no negative effects
on learning and health. As little as one drink, however, can impair a persons
ability to get a good nights sleep, which can lead to more significant
problems.
Most people find that a drink or two before bed helps them fall asleep
faster. This may be true. However, as alcohol is metabolized during the night,
sleep becomes progressively lighter and more disturbed. Rapid Eye
Movement (REM) sleep may also be particularly affected. Disturbances of
sleep lead to fatigue and sleepiness during the day. The more one drinks, the
faster the person will fall asleep, but the likelihood of sleep disturbances
increases. Alcohol consumed up to 6 hours before bedtime can affect sleep
patterns, increasing the longevity of disturbances alcohol causes in the
bodys sleep cycles.
The average adult sleeps for 8 hrs a night, though different people ma
need more of less sleep. People who do not get enough sleep are more
susceptible to:
depression disorders
learning impairment
irritability
poor concentration
coordination/performance
impairment
decreased cognitive abilities

memory deficits
impaired social and occupational
function
medical conditions such as heart
disease
Lack of sleep and alcohol consumption are common occurrences in a college

students life. Many college students are significantly sleep-deprived. The
adverse effects of alcohol on sleep magnify this effect. Both of these
practices can have negative effects on cognitive abilities, especially when
paired together.
Source: National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Alcohol and Sleep. Available at
http://www.niaaa.nih.gov.
Prepared by Meagan Verdeyen 03. 12/00
GETTING THE SLEEP YOU NEED

A large proportion of college students are sleep deprived, regularly getting less rest than
they need each night. When students routinely have problems with sleep, learning and
memory suffer. Motor skills can be impaired. Resistance to illness drops, particularly
important in a residential college environment.
CAUSES OF SLEEP PROBLEMS:

Poor Sleep Habits
An irregular bedtime, frequent naps, late-night activities, or weekend sleeping-in
can scramble your bodys normal sleep/wake schedules. Insufficient and poor
quality sleep often becomes a mosaic of cause and effect cemented by habit.
Emotional Stress
Emotional stress accounts for more than 50% of chronic sleep problems. Early
morning wake-up is typical of depression, while feelings of anxiety strike at
bedtime. Major stress can start insomnia or cause excessive fatigue. And sleep
difficulties that begin with a single incident may linger long after the stress is
resolved.
Physical Illness
Physical disorders are also important to consider as sources of sleep difficulties.
Illness and accompanying symptoms such as pain, nausea, and shortness of breath
often disturb sleep patterns.
Diet and Exercise Habits
Alcohol or caffeine near bedtime can have negative effects on ones sleeping
patterns. A large meal or strenuous exercise close to bedtime can temporarily
boost the bodys metabolism, chasing away sleep.
DOES YOUR BODY NEED MORE REST?

If a significant number of the statements below are true for you, you may want to consult
your class dean, a counselor at Dicks House, or the Academic Skills Center about
improving your sleep habits.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
It takes you at least an hour to fall asleep every night of the week.
You cant get out of bed when the alarm sounds.
You worry about getting enough sleep most nights of the week.
When you wake up in the night, you cant get back to sleep.
You use sleeping pills or alcohol to help you sleep.
6.
7.
8.
You feel exhausted from lack of sleep.

You sleep in or take daytime naps to make up for lack of sleep.
You get drowsy during the day, or need caffeine to stay alert.
Spring 1997, M. Brewer 99
TIPS TO IMPROVE SLEEPING:

Know and get the sleep you need. Some students need only five hours, others need
eight hours. Sleep without an alarm to determine your bodys natural sleep rhythm.
Keep a regular sleep schedule. Wake up at the same time every morning. On Saturday
and Sunday mornings, get up at that time as well, even if you go back to bed after ten
minutes or so. Experiment with naps. Most students sleep better if they avoid naps, but
some sleep better after a nap.
Fine-tune your sleeping environment. Noise, light, excessive heat or cold, drafts, air
thats too humid or too dry, all can prevent sleep. To prevent clock-watching, keep your
clock out of sight.
Excercise regularly, three times or more per week. Studies confirm that people in good
physical condition get to sleep quicker and sleep better. Try to get in at least 30 minutes
of moderate physical activity, five to seven hours before bedtime. Even light exercise
such as walking can be beneficial.
Avoid caffeine and alcohol. For many students, caffeine interferes with their sleep. If it
does, cut back or avoid it altogether in the hours before you go to bed. Alcohol,
especially in moderate to large quantities, interferes with the sleep of most students.
Wake up early to complete homework when necessary, rather than studying into the late
hours. Many students are more productive during morning hours than late at night.
Savor your last hour before bed. Some students take longer to wind down than others.
Read a book for pleasure. Avoid television and videos. Drink decaffeinated tea or warm
milk.
Deal with worries before bedtime. Review and write out concerns; consider possible
solutions. Plan your next days activities.
RESOURCES FOR IMPROVING SLEEP HABITS

If you are interested in talking to someone about getting the sleep you need, contact a
counselor or dean in one of the following offices.
Academic Skills Center
First Year Office
Dean of Students Office
Counseling and Human Development
SOURCES AND FURTHER READING

Consumer Reports, March 1997, The Search for a Good Nights Sleep
New York Times, October 31, 1996, For Teen-Agers, Too Much to Do, Too Little Time
for Sleep, p. C2
USA Weekend, Janurary 3-5, 1997, How to Sleep Like a Baby
FOCUS, Febrary 1997, The Scoop on Sleep
ACADEMIC SKILLS CENTER DARTMOUTH COLLEGE 301 COLLIS
Ten Effective Steps for

Exam Preparation
1. Start now/Today!
2. Be clear about what the test will ask you to do/know
3. Schedule specific times to prepare each day; earlier
in the day
4. Review notes from class
5. Review/skim readings
6. Create study/review sheets of key information
7. Do practice problems/essay questions
8. Study/practice with others
9. Be confident; think positively
10. Sleep, exercise, eat nutritiously
ACADEMIC SKILLS CENTER * DARTMOUTH COLLEGE * 301 COLLIS
exam preparation tips

& test-taking strategies
Active Review
Do practice problems
Make 3 x 5 cards
Recite what you know
Anticipate questions and
answers
Make summary sheets
Review past exams
Study with a group
Before the Exam
Get plenty of sleep the night
before
Diet and exercise properly
Eat a hearty breakfast the
morning of the exam
Avoid panicking the last
minute
Avoid last minute
interference
During the Exam

Be confident! You can do it!
Look over the entire test
first
Follow directions!
Answer questions that are
easy or questions you know
first
Essay Questions
Outline what you plan on
writing first
Read over all the questions
carefully first
Write the easy essays first
Underline your main idea
Answer the question in first
sentence or paragraph
Be direct and specific
Answer the question!
Academic Skills Center Dartmouth College Office: Collis 301 Phone: (603) 646-2014
how to
avoid cramming
for exams
Learn the material! It sounds simple, but original learning needs to take
place before you can review it effectively.
Review early. Its the most efficient and most productive method, and its
much easier to review what you already know than to relearn everything.
Before you attempt to learn new material in class or through reading,
glance over previous chapters or notes and recall what you know already.
Immediately after learning, rework your notes and add material that comes
to mind (but dont recopy them thats a waste of time). Order and
organize what was learned, using whatever works for you (e.g. stars, arrows,
additional comments, etc.). Integrate the new material with what you
already know.
Review often. Space your review sessions. 60 minutes used in 3 review
sessions of 20 minutes each is more effective than 60 minutes used all at
once. This avoids fatigue, strengthens previous learning, and increases
motivation and better concentration.
Review before your final exam. Remember, your final review is a REVIEW,
not a cramming of unlearned material. Dont learn anything new unless its
to draw together the final main currents of though. Be brief, and review an
entire semesters work in a few hours (set a limit and stick to it.) Outline
and organize everything from memory. Dont bother copying. Also, try
reciting what you know, either by writing it or saying it out loud to yourself
or to a friend.
Academic Skills Center Dartmouth College Office: Collis 301 Phone: (603) 646-2014
1.Getadequatesleep.Itwillhelpyouworkmoreefficiently,learnandretaininformation
better,anddobetteronyourexams.(AllnightersareabadideaforyourhealthANDyour
grades!)
2.Tryoutrelaxationexercisesoraguidedmeditation:learnhowtodothemat
www.dartmouth.edu/healthed/relax
3.Keepmoving!Don'tcutoutyourexercisetimeduringfinalsperiod.Thegymisagreat
placeforastudybreak(leaveyourreadingsandflashcardsathometogiveyourmindarest!)
orgoforarunortakeawalkoutside.Don'twanttoleaveyourdorm?Goupanddownthe
stairsafewtimes,haveadancepartywithyourroommate,ordoyoga.
4.Keeplaughing.Laughtercanreducestressandimproveyourmood,sowatch,read,or
listentosomethingfunnyasastudybreak!
5.Watchyourcaffeineintake.Itwillstayinyoursystemlongerthanyouthinkandcan
keepyoufromfallingasleepwhenyouneedto.Adequatesleep,healthyeating,andexercise
cankeepyouenergizedwithoutcaffeine!
6.Letyoureyesrest.Giveyoureyesperiodicbreakswhileyou'restudying.Lookoutthe
windowatsomethingfarawayandfocusonitfor15secondsbeforereturningtoyour
computerscreenortextbook.
7.Eathealthyfoods.Proteinrichfoodscanhelpyousustainyourenergyandyourfocus.
Sugaryfoodscangiveyouanimmediateenergyrush,butyou'llcrashlater.Leavethelibrary
togetsomefreshairandabalancedmealinsteadoforderinginoroverdoingitonNovack
bakedgoods.
8.Takeawalkoutside,especiallyinnature.Itwillclearyourhead,getyoumoving,andcan
helpimproveyourmemory!
9.Eatbreakfastbeforeyourmorningexams!
10.Keepeverythinginperspective:they'rejustexams.You'rereallysmart,
andyoucanhandlethem.
Goodluckonfinalsandhavearelaxinginterimbreak!
AcademicSkillsCenterDartmouthCollegeOffice:Collis301Phone:(603)6462014
TEN RULES TO BETTER SLEEP

1. Sleep as much as needed to feel refreshed and healthy during the following day, but
not more. Curtailing time in bed a bit seems to solidify sleep: excessively long times
in bed seem related to fragmented and shallow sleep.
2. A regular arousal time in the morning seems to strengthen circadian cycling and to
finally lead to regular times of sleep onset.
3. A steady daily amount of exercise probably deepens sleep over the long run, but
occasional one-shot exercise does not directly influence sleep during the following
night.
4. Occasional loud noises (e.g., aircraft fly-overs) disturb sleep even in people who do
not awaken because of the noises and cannot remember them in the morning. Soundproofing the bedroom might be advisable for people who have to sleep close to
excessive noise.
5. Although an excessively warm room disturbs sleep, there is no evidence that an
excessively cold room solidifies sleep, as has been claimed.
6. Hunger may disturb sleep. A light bedtime snack (especially warm milk or similar
drink) seems to help many individuals sleep.
7. An occasional sleeping pill may be of some benefit, but the chronic use of hypnotics
is ineffective at most and detrimental in some insomniacs.
8. Caffeine in the evening disturbs sleeps, even in persons who do not feel it does.
9. Alcohol helps tense people to fall asleep fast, but the ensuing sleep is then fragmented.
10. Rather than trying harder and harder to fall asleep during a poor night, switching on
the light and doing something else may help the individual who feels angry, frustrated,
or tense about being unable to sleep.
Current Concepts: The Sleep Disorders. By Peter Hauri, The Upjohn Company, 1977.
Looking At Tests
Taking short tests and long examinations involves more than simply a period of preparation and a
short period of thinking and writing. Good students begin to prepare for periods of testing the first day
they enter the classroom and continue their attack on the test after it is over and their marks are in.
There may be periods when the activities of preparing for examinations are more intense than other
periods and occasionally there may be times when you may be forced to hurry to make up for past
failures to do your work.
However, don't wait for a difficult experience to realize that you could profit from the following
suggestions.
Before the examination . . .
1. Begin at the beginning of the course and do your work daily. don't get behind. Get ahead, and stay
there.
2. Understand what you do. It's difficult to learn and remember nonsense.
3. Review intelligently. Set aside a regular part of your study period for reviewing earlier material.
You forget rapidly but relearn easily. Work logically. Review your notes and your returned papers. Do
not skip over any part of your work, either putting it off or taking it for granted. If you really understand
certain parts of your work, don't waste time on those parts. However, don't fool yourself into thinking
that you understand something when you really do not. Be sure you can tell it to someone else so
they understand it, or write it down so that it makes sense.
4. Test yourself before the teacher tests you. Don't wait to be surprised! Get ready for what's coming.
After you have done your work on your own, work with others. This isn't charity. It makes sense
because the one who is teaching inevitably learns more than the student.
Look at the material from what you think might be the teacher's point of view. If you were teaching the
class, what questions would you ask? Often students try to outguess the teacher and "spot"
questions. This is a practice of long standing and it represents a valuable and practical technique.
Don't rely on this to get you through tests or examinations, however. Guessing at what material might
be left off an exam could leave you with significant gaps of knowledge. Make sure your study is
comprehensive.
5. Come to the examination with a sharp mind which has not been dulled by too much last-minute
studyings. Be sure that you also bring to the examination all the materials you need so that you will be
ready to work when you receive the paper.
Goal: to answer as many questions correctly as possible (not to

finish the test on time). Treat each question as if it were to decide
your final grade.
Practice this step-by-step approach on sample questions.
1. Read the stem question and answer options carefully.
2. Circle or underline the qualifying words in the stem question: almost,
sometimes, never, etc.
3. Identify in the stem what the question is actually asking; its usually found at
the end of the stem question. Repeat the actual question in your mind (even
in your own words) before going to the options.
4. Treat each option as a true or false answer. Starting with the first option,
repeat the actual question, then read the option and mark it accordingly.
Continue through the rest of the options.
5. For questions in which you cant decide between or among options, go
with what you know. Avoid choosing based on unfamiliarity or
numbers/statistics (going with what you dont know). If an option rings any
small bells, choose it.
6. Answer each question; do not leave any unanswered.
7. Mark questions that you are unsure about, using marks that denote: little,
somewhat, very. This will save you time when you look over your test.
8. Do not change your initial answer unless you have a specific reason for
doing so. Most changed answers go from the right answer to the wrong
answer. Trust your first response.
9. If time runs out and you have questions unanswered, choose your favorite
letter and use that letter for those questions. Dont be random.
Academic Skills Center * Dartmouth College * 6173 Collis, Suite 301 * (603)646-2014

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Six Reading Myths

Academic Skills Center, Dartmouth College 2001

MYTH 1: I HAVE TO READ EVERY WORD

Steps to Follow in Skimming for the Main Ideas

Academic Skills Center, Dartmouth College 2001

Academic Skills Center, Dartmouth College 2001

3 R's for Academic Survival

**Note: More time should be spent on recall than on reading.

Getting to Know Your Textbook

Which of these visual aids is used? Do you understand them?

Academic Skills Center, Dartmouth College 2001

The Pivotal Words

Academic Skills Center, Dartmouth College 2001

Using Your Textbook

Academic Skills Center, Dartmouth College 2001

Vary Your Reading Rate

Academic Skills Center, Dartmouth College 2001

Academic Skills Center, Dartmouth College 2001

PURPOSES OF THE READER

Academic Skills Center, Dartmouth College 2001

WHAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT LISTENING

TEN BAD LISTENING HABITS

4. Listening Only For Facts

5. Trying To Outline Everything

TAKING LECTURE NOTES

SAVING TIME ON NOTETAKING

Academic Skills Center, Dartmouth College 2001

The Cornell Note Taking System

Record the lecture as fully and as

Taking Notes for Someone Else

Ask questions if permitted; if not, jot down questions in your notebook.

Academic Skills Center, Dartmouth College 2001

TEN STEPS TO ACADEMIC SUCCESS

Get involved in co-curricular activities; learn skills and

Want to know more?

How to AVOID CRAMMING for Tests

Academic Skills Center, Dartmouth College 2001

MEMORY IS LEARNING THAT PERSISTS

Negative self-concept: we think of ourselves forgetting things.

We have not learned the material well.

Psychological reasons: defensive forgetting

Lack of Attention and Effort

Whole and Parts

Spaced Practice or Distributed Practice

Academic Skills Center, Dartmouth College 2001

2. Association is a key to memory:

A WEEKLY FLOW CHART FOR STUDYING

READ TEXT SELECTIVELY

Academic Skills Center, Dartmouth College 2001

Academic Skills Center, Dartmouth College 2001

Academic Skills Center, Dartmouth College 2001

NINE WAYS TO AID YOUR MEMORY

Academic Skills Center, Dartmouth College 2001

Studying for the Sciences

1. Use the reading to supplement all concepts covered in class.

TEST TAKING STRATEGIES

SEE OTHER SIDE FOR SCORING AND INTERPRETATION

Add the numbers next to your answers.

6-10: Terrible Planner.

11-15: Below average planner.

16-20: Average planner.

21-25: Above-average planner.

26-30: Excellent planner--or candidate for burnout?

Five Steps to Successful Time Management

Long Term Planner_/_/___ to