Strategies from university Strategies from university resource centersresource centers

Reading strategies Reading strategies forfor

difficult material difficult material

Choose a moderate amount of Choose a moderate amount of material or a chapter to beginmaterial or a chapter to begin

Look at how the material is Look at how the material is organizedorganized

Read the summary at the endRead the summary at the end Read first what you do understand; Read first what you do understand;

mark what you don’t understand for mark what you don’t understand for later reviewlater review

As you read, ask yourself questions As you read, ask yourself questions about what you have just readabout what you have just read

Look up words you don’t knowLook up words you don’t know Read to the end of the selection; Read to the end of the selection;

don’t get discouraged and stop don’t get discouraged and stop readingreading

Organize your notes by connecting Organize your notes by connecting ideas that you have readideas that you have read

Divide reading passages into small Divide reading passages into small sectionssections

Re-read the sections you don’t Re-read the sections you don’t understandunderstand

Specific Reading Specific Reading StrategiesStrategies

Read the following websites to get a Read the following websites to get a better idea of the P-R-R and SQ3R better idea of the P-R-R and SQ3R reading strategies:reading strategies:

www.utexas.edu/student/utlc/handouts/1422.htmlwww.utexas.edu/student/utlc/handouts/1422.html

http://www.studygs.net/http://www.studygs.net/

Questions for Review:Questions for Review: What should you do before you read What should you do before you read

the selection?the selection? What should you do while you are What should you do while you are

reading the selection?reading the selection? What should you do right after you What should you do right after you

have read the selection?have read the selection? What should you do the days after What should you do the days after

you have read the selection?you have read the selection?

Note Taking StrategiesNote Taking Strategies

Why take lecture notes?Why take lecture notes? Research has found that Research has found that

information that is written down information that is written down has a 34% chance of being has a 34% chance of being remembered; information not remembered; information not written down has a 5% chance of written down has a 5% chance of being remembered.being remembered.

What should be in my What should be in my notes?notes?

Your notes should be a concise but Your notes should be a concise but complete outline of the most complete outline of the most important points made in the important points made in the lecturelecture

There are ways to prepare yourself There are ways to prepare yourself for good note taking!for good note taking!

Before the lectureBefore the lecture Read or skim the text before the Read or skim the text before the

lecture. That way, you will know what lecture. That way, you will know what is important in the lecture. is important in the lecture.

By reading ahead of time, you won’t By reading ahead of time, you won’t have to take extensive notes. You can have to take extensive notes. You can write down only what your instructor write down only what your instructor emphasizes as being important.emphasizes as being important.

Before the lectureBefore the lecture Identify unfamiliar terms or concepts Identify unfamiliar terms or concepts

in the text you have read.in the text you have read.

Identify material that is difficult or Identify material that is difficult or unclear. That way, you can pay unclear. That way, you can pay careful attention to parts of the careful attention to parts of the lecture that will clarify those points.lecture that will clarify those points.

During the lectureDuring the lecture Start each lecture on a new page and Start each lecture on a new page and

write on only one side of the paper.write on only one side of the paper. Date all of your lectures.Date all of your lectures. Consider using loose-leaf paper and Consider using loose-leaf paper and

inserting handouts, extra notes, etc. inserting handouts, extra notes, etc. where they most logically go within where they most logically go within the lecture notes.the lecture notes.

During the lectureDuring the lecture Develop and use standard symbols for Develop and use standard symbols for

quicker note taking (ex.: & (and), quicker note taking (ex.: & (and), # (number), ! (remember this), etc.)# (number), ! (remember this), etc.)

Designate major and minor pointsDesignate major and minor points If your instructors refers to specific If your instructors refers to specific

pages, turn to those pages and mark pages, turn to those pages and mark the text. Also, record the pages in the text. Also, record the pages in your notes.your notes.

During the lectureDuring the lecture If your instructors uses analogies that If your instructors uses analogies that

clarify examples in your text, record clarify examples in your text, record those analogies in your notes.those analogies in your notes.

If your instructors elaborates by If your instructors elaborates by asking questions, record those asking questions, record those questions in your notes. If he/she questions in your notes. If he/she doesn’t give the answers, try to find doesn’t give the answers, try to find them after the lecture.them after the lecture.

During the lectureDuring the lecture Make notes of unclear words or Make notes of unclear words or

content. After the lecture you can content. After the lecture you can check with the text for clarification.check with the text for clarification.

Record diagrams, illustrations, and Record diagrams, illustrations, and examples given by your instructor.examples given by your instructor.

The Cornell SystemThe Cornell SystemDraw a vertical line 2.5 inches from the left side of each sheet. Write the page number, date, and course number at the top of each sheet.

The Cornell SystemThe Cornell SystemRecord notes on the right-hand side of the page. Try to capture the main points of the lecture. Do not be concerned with developing an elaborate formal outline using Roman numerals, capital letters, and the like. Indicate subtopics under main headings with numbers or simply with a dash placed in front of each new point.

The Cornell System The Cornell System Leave sufficient space to add information or reorganize points without rewriting your notes. Try to anticipate which areas--lists of examples, for instance--will expand during the lecture.

Additional styles of notesAdditional styles of notes Informal outlineInformal outline Formal outlineFormal outline Key words systemKey words system I-Not Page SystemI-Not Page System Mapping or clusteringMapping or clustering For additional strategies:For additional strategies:www.kcmetro.cc.mo.us/longview/humaniwww.kcmetro.cc.mo.us/longview/humanities/english/ntstrat.htmties/english/ntstrat.htm

Instructor clues of Instructor clues of important material during important material during

a lecturea lecture Previews and summariesPreviews and summaries Visual aidsVisual aids Repetition or vocal emphasisRepetition or vocal emphasis Questions asked of the classQuestions asked of the class Word clues Word clues

After the lectureAfter the lecture Review your notes!!!!Review your notes!!!!

With only one exposure to With only one exposure to information, most information is information, most information is lost within the first 24 hours.lost within the first 24 hours.

After the lectureAfter the lecture Fill in further facts and examples Fill in further facts and examples

while the lecture is still fresh in while the lecture is still fresh in your mind. Clear up confusing your mind. Clear up confusing information.information.

Summarize the information in your Summarize the information in your own words.own words.

Questions for ReviewQuestions for Review What should you do before the What should you do before the

lecture?lecture? How should you design your notes?How should you design your notes? What type of information should What type of information should

you record in your notes?you record in your notes?

Questions for ReviewQuestions for Review What should you do after the What should you do after the

lecture?lecture? How do you know what to How do you know what to

emphasize in your notes?emphasize in your notes? What are two note taking styles?What are two note taking styles?

Effective Habits for Effective Habits for Effective StudyEffective Study

Take responsibility for yourselfTake responsibility for yourself Set priorities for yourselfSet priorities for yourself Learn where and when you are most Learn where and when you are most

effective in your studyingeffective in your studying If you don’t understand the material, If you don’t understand the material,

don’t just re-read. Try some other don’t just re-read. Try some other way to learn the material!!!way to learn the material!!!

Effective Habits for Effective Habits for Effective StudyEffective Study

Set a positive mood for you to study Set a positive mood for you to study in.in.

Mark any information you don’t Mark any information you don’t understand and review that.understand and review that.

Summarize the information in your Summarize the information in your own words.own words.

Go back to what you didn’t understand Go back to what you didn’t understand and reconsider the information.and reconsider the information.

Effective Habits for Effective Habits for Effective StudyEffective Study

Review, Review, Review!!!!!!Review, Review, Review!!!!!!

College Recommendations College Recommendations for Test Study Timesfor Test Study Times

Many universities suggest that you Many universities suggest that you study 1-2 hours outside of class for study 1-2 hours outside of class for every hour you spend in class. For every hour you spend in class. For instance, if you are in class three instance, if you are in class three hours per week, you should study hours per week, you should study 3-6 hours for that class per week.3-6 hours for that class per week.

Final learning assignmentFinal learning assignment Log on to the following website Log on to the following website

and read two articles that are and read two articles that are interesting to you. Summarize the interesting to you. Summarize the information in those articles.information in those articles.

http://www.iss.stthomas.edu/http://www.iss.stthomas.edu/studyguides/studyguides/

ResourcesResourcesAll information taken from the following All information taken from the following

sources:sources:

http://www.iss.stthomas.edu/studyguides/http://www.iss.stthomas.edu/studyguides/http://www.usu.edu/arc/idea_sheets/note_taking.htmhttp://www.usu.edu/arc/idea_sheets/note_taking.htmhttp://www.utexas.edu/student/utlc/handouts/1422.htmlhttp://www.utexas.edu/student/utlc/handouts/1422.htmlhttp://www.cat.cc.md.us/~ltrauth/history/notes.htmhttp://www.cat.cc.md.us/~ltrauth/history/notes.htmhttp://www.kcmetro.cc.mo.us/longview/humanities/english/http://www.kcmetro.cc.mo.us/longview/humanities/english/

ntstrat.htmntstrat.htmhttp://www.unb.ca/extend/wss/notetext.htmhttp://www.unb.ca/extend/wss/notetext.htm