The Complete Idiot's Guide to Study Skills

by Hansen, Randall S.; Hansen, Katharine

• ISBN13: 9781592577996
• ISBN10: 1592577997
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2008-09-02
• Publisher: Alpha

Summary

Study smarter, not harder! Every high school and college student would love to know how to get the highest grades with the least amount of effort. This book gives students a guiding philosophy for every class, every time, laying the foundation for lifelong learning. With the wisdom gained from these tips, success stories from other students, and mini-assessments, they’ll be empowered to succeed in class preparation, reading comprehension, exam-taking, and more. •No one method fits every student, so included are many tried-and-true Methods •Useful for every subject, from foreign languages to mathematics, from high school through college and beyond •Helps students find their particular learning styles

Author Biography

Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D., and Katharine Hansen, Ph.D., have more than 20 years-' combined college-level teaching experience, including several years teaching a first-year skills seminar. Randall Hansen is also founder and CEO of a network of self-help websites, including one focused on academic success.

Table of Contents

Pre-TEST-Laying the Groundwork	p. 1
Five Myths About Studying	p. 3
Studying More/Longer Results in Good Grades	p. 4
There's One Study System Everyone Can Use	p. 5
Knowing the Course Material Is Enough	p. 6
Cramming the Night Before Will Keep Material Fresh	p. 7
Writing Has Very Little Impact on Learning	p. 8
What You've Learned	p. 9
Five Rules for Improving Your Grades	p. 11
You Must Want to Achieve Better Grades	p. 12
Identify Your Study Strengths and Weaknesses	p. 13
Studying Requires a Daily Commitment	p. 14
Get Help Early and When You Need It	p. 16
Set Reasonable and Achievable Goals	p. 16
What You've Learned	p. 18
Five Tips from Students	p. 19
Study in Small Chunks Instead of One Long Period	p. 20
When Possible, Review Previous Tests/Assignments	p. 21
Develop a System That Works for You	p. 22
Learn What the Professor/Teacher Expects	p. 23
Using Brain Fitness Techniques	p. 25
What You've Learned	p. 27
Taking Responsibility for Learning	p. 29
Time Management and Organizational Systems	p. 31
Avoiding Procrastination and Taking Responsibility	p. 32
Tackling Time Management	p. 34
Time-Management and Project-Management Systems	p. 38
Making the Most of Your Time	p. 43
What You've Learned	p. 46
Finding Your Learning Style	p. 49
Determining Your Learning Style	p. 50
Visual Learners	p. 52
Auditory Learners	p. 54
Kinesthetic/Tactile Learners	p. 56
Global vs. Analytical/Sequential Learners	p. 58
Global Learners	p. 58
Analytical/Sequential Learners	p. 60
Successful Intelligence	p. 61
What You've Learned	p. 64
Reading for Comprehension and Memory	p. 65
How Much and Why	p. 66
Using the Entire Textbook	p. 69
Active Reading for Understanding	p. 73
Advanced Active Reading to Learn Key Concepts	p. 76
Methods for Improving Memory	p. 79
What You've Learned	p. 81
Establishing Success in the Classroom	p. 83
Class Preparation and Note Taking	p. 85
Using the Syllabus and Course Calendar	p. 86
Knowing Your Professor	p. 88
Active Listening and Learning	p. 90
Participating in Class	p. 92
Note Taking	p. 94
What You've Learned	p. 98
Study Tools	p. 99
Study Systems	p. 100
Flash Cards	p. 105
Outlines	p. 106
Study Groups	p. 107
Review Sessions	p. 109
Developing Your Own Study Plan	p. 110
24-Hour Countdown	p. 111
What You've Learned	p. 112
Testing Techniques	p. 113
Test-Prep Basics	p. 114
Having the Right Mental Attitude	p. 115
Tips in Situations in Which You Must Cram	p. 115
Practice Tests	p. 119
Objective Exams	p. 120
Multiple-Choice Questions	p. 121
True/False Questions	p. 122
Fill-in-the-Blank/Sentence-Completion Questions	p. 123
Matching Questions	p. 123
Short-Answer Exams	p. 124
Essay Exams	p. 124
Open-Book and Take-Home Exams	p. 126
What You've Learned	p. 127
Subjects That Require Special Study Techniques	p. 129
Math	p. 130
Sciences	p. 134
English	p. 136
Foreign Languages	p. 139
What You've Learned	p. 142
Succeeding with Writing	p. 143
Research Methods	p. 145
Getting Started with Topic Development	p. 146
Keywords	p. 149
Traditional Research Tools	p. 151
Online Searching	p. 154
Using Sources Effectively	p. 156
Avoiding Plagiarism	p. 158
What You've Learned	p. 160
Writing Essentials	p. 161
Developing a Strategy and Outlining	p. 162
Strategy	p. 162
Outlining	p. 164
Building and Using Your Vocabulary	p. 166
Punctuation and Grammar	p. 167
Five-Paragraph Formula	p. 172
Prewrite-Write-Edit-Revise-Edit-Proofread-Revise	p. 174
What You've Learned	p. 177
Academic Papers and Other Written Assignments	p. 179
Expository Essays and Reports	p. 180
Descriptive Essays	p. 183
Narrative Essays	p. 185
Comparative Essays	p. 188
Argumentative Essays	p. 190
Writing Approaches	p. 191
Pitfalls	p. 193
Research Papers	p. 193
What You've Learned	p. 195
Tackling Tough Issues	p. 197
Managing Stress and Achieving Balance	p. 199
Top College Stressors	p. 200
Academic Stress	p. 200
Personal Stress	p. 201
Family Stress	p. 203
Financial Stress	p. 204
Future Stress	p. 205
Stress Relief, Wellness, and Relaxation Techniques	p. 206
Symptoms of Stress	p. 206
Stress Relief	p. 207
Wellness	p. 208
Relaxation Techniques	p. 209
Importance of Balance	p. 211
Learning to Say "No"	p. 212
What You've Learned	p. 214
If the Good Grades Are Not Happening	p. 215
Staying Motivated	p. 216
Back to Basics	p. 220
Tutoring	p. 222
Meeting with the Professor	p. 223
What You've Learned	p. 228
Appendixes
Additional Study Skills Resources	p. 229
10 Tips on 10 Study Skills/Academic Success Topics	p. 235
Index	p. 257
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