study skills academic support a division of the office of undergraduate studies “seeing much,...

Study Skills

Academic SupportA Division of the Office of Undergraduate Studies

“Seeing much, suffering much, and studying much are the three

pillars of learning.”

-Benjamin Disraeli

Studying In General

“There is nothing too little for so little a creature as man. It is by studying little things that we attain the

great art of having as little misery and as much happiness as possible.”

-Samuel Johnson

Improving Studying

• Have purpose and intention• Easier to remember lyrics of songs or commercials

than schoolwork• Connect to visual image or an emotional tie

• Understand what you learn• What you remember must make sense to you• Make logical connections

“There is nothing too little for so little a creature as man. It is by studying little things that we attain the great art of having as little misery and as much happiness as possible.”-Samuel Johnson

Learning Styles

• Learning Style: Is a way to process and store information.

• Three Styles• Visual• Auditory• Kinesthetic

• www.auburn.edu/learningstyles

4

Visual Learners

• Prefer using images, colors and maps to organize and communicate.

• Can easily visualize objects • Like using the whiteboard• “Let’s look at it differently” • “I never forget a face”

Tips for Visual Learners

• Use multicolored inks & highlighters • Try to incorporate as much visual

material as possible.• Visualize complex systems• Use multicolored flashcards

Improving Memory

• Create groupings• Forming smaller segments that are easier to remember• Keep groups around ten items or less

• Make flash cards • Use as self-test• Test yourself in both directions • Take them with you and review frequently

Auditory Learners

• Like working with sound and music• Have good sense of pitch and rhythm • Humming or singing to their favorite

jingle• Say things like:

• “Tune in to what I’m saying.”• “That rings a bell.”

Tips for Auditory Learners

• Actively discuss new information• Read information aloud• Talk through complex processes .• Use audio tapes• Mnemonic Devices

Taped Materials

• Tapes are audio flash cards• Record short-answer study questions

leaving a 10 – 15 then record the correct answer

• Record Lectures and Study Sessions


Mnemonic Devices• Create acronyms

• Word acronym • BAR

• Britain, America and Russia

• List Order Acronym • Roy G. Biv• My very elegant mother just served us nachos.• Kings Play Cards On Fine Green Sofas


Boosting Memory Power

• Use songs or rhymes• “I before E, except after C, or when

sounded like “A” as in ‘neighbor’ and ‘weigh’.

• Create a song using a easily remembered tune


•June 28, 1914

Memorize •Assassi

nation of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife.

•Gavrilo Princip of the Black Hand

What Happened?

•Started a chain of events that started WWI.

Why Is it important?

Improving Memory

• Separate main points from unimportant details• Focus on key points • Highlight and rewrite most important information

when reviewing

• Study for short but frequent sessions• Use three 20 minute sessions rather than studying

for an hour

• Allow time for understanding“There is nothing too little for so little a creature as man. It is by studying little things that we attain the great art of having as little misery and as much happiness as possible.”-Samuel Johnson

Improving Memory

• Separate material into manageable sections• Smaller portions are easier than larger• Break large sections into smaller “chunks”

• Practice the middle• The middle is usually the weak link in

recall• Give extra focus to these areas


Auburn CreedI believe that this is a practical world and that I can count only on what I earn. Therefore, I

believe in work, hard work.

And because Auburn men and women believe in these things, I believe in Auburn and love it.-George Petrie (1945)

I believe in education, which gives me the knowledge to work wisely and trains my mind and my hands to work skillfully.

I believe in my Country, because it is a land of freedom and because it is my own home, and that I can best serve that country by "doing justly, loving mercy, and walking humbly with my God.

I believe in honesty and truthfulness, without which I cannot win the respect and confidence of my fellow men.

I believe in a sound mind, in a sound body and a spirit that is not afraid, and in clean sports that develop these qualities.

I believe in obedience to law because it protects the rights of all.

I believe in the human touch, which cultivates sympathy with my fellow men and mutual helpfulness and brings happiness for all.

Improving Memory

First Learning Within 24 Hrs. After 24 Hrs. One Week Later

20%

40%

60%

80%

Info

rmat

ion

Lear

ned

Amount of time

% Retained

The Forgetting Curve

After one review

Two reviews

Three reviews

Learning Steps


• Three Key Steps • Recite • Rehearse • Write

Critical Thinking Strategies

• Recall• How is it Similar• How is it Different• Causes• Idea to Example• Example to Idea• Evaluate


STUDYING FROM THE BOOKMore than just highlighting

Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers. -Charles W. Eliot

Purpose for Reading

• Read for understanding• Read to evaluate critically• Read for practical application

“Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers.” -Charles W. Eliot

SQ3R

• SQ3R – technique to help you grasp ideas quickly, remember and review effectively• S – Survey• Q – Question• R – Read• R – Recite• R – Review

• Particularly helpful for studying textbooks• Helps you be an active reader


Survey• Process of previewing or pre-reading• Previewing devices

• At the beginning of the text or chapters• At the end of the text• In the middle, linked to specific chapters


Question• Pay close attention to chapter and

section headings• Write questions linked to them

• If there are no headings develop questions as you read

• Questions should focus your attention and increase interest

• Questions should help comprehension“Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers.” -Charles W. Eliot

Read

• Read with the purpose of answering your questions

• Mark text AFTER your read the material through

• Highlight key terms and concepts• Highlight important figures and tables• Avoid over-marking• Be careful not to mistake highlighting for

learning


Recite

• Recite each answer aloud• “Teach” someone the information• Write your ideas and answers in brief

notes• Be sure that you understand each

section before going on to the next


Review• Create a chapter outline• Answer end of chapter review, discussion or

application questions• Quiz yourself using your questions• Summarize from memory• Review and summarize those sections and

phrases that you highlighted or bracketed.• Reread introduction, headings, tables, and

summary


Critical Questions• Similarity

• What does this remind you of?• How is it similar to something else you know?

• Difference• What different conclusions are possible?• How does it differ from your experience?

• Cause and effect• What caused this to happen?


Critical Questions• Example to Idea

• What idea best fits this example?• What are the key ideas?

• Idea to Example• What evidence supports this?• What example fits this idea?

• Evaluation• How would I evaluate this?• Does this example support your thesis?


study skills academic support a division of the office of undergraduate studies “seeing much,...

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