the ten study habits of successful students

8/3/2019 The Ten Study Habits of Successful Students

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The Ten Study Habits of Successful Students

Successful students have good study habits. They apply these habits to all of their classes.Read about each study habit. Work to develop any study habit you do not have.

Successful students:

1. Try not to do too much studying at one time.

If you try to do too much studying at one time, you will tire and your studying will notbe very effective. Space the work you have to do over shorter periods of time. Taking

short breaks will restore your mental energy.

2. Plan specific times for studying.

Study time is any time you are doing something related to schoolwork. It can be

completing assigned reading, working on a paper or project, or studying for a test.Schedule specific times throughout the week for your study time.

3. Try to study at the same times each day.

Studying at the same times each day establishes a routine that becomes a regular part

of your life, just like sleeping and eating. When a scheduled study time comes up duringthe day, you will be mentally prepared to begin studying.

4. Set specific goals for their study times.

Goals will help you stay focused and monitor your progress. Simply sitting down to

study has little value. You must be very clear about what you want to accomplish duringyour study times.

5. Start studying when planned.

You may delay starting your studying because you don't like an assignment or think it istoo hard. A delay in studying is called "procrastination." If you procrastinate for any

reason, you will find it difficult to get everything done when you need to. You may rush

to make up the time you wasted getting started, resulting in careless work and errors.

6. Work on the assignment they find most difficult first.

Your most difficult assignment will require the most effort. Start with your most difficultassignment since this is when you have the most mental energy.

7. Review their notes before beginning an assignment.

Reviewing your notes can help you make sure you are doing an assignment correctly.

Also, your notes may include information that will help you complete an assignment.

8. Tell their friends not to call them during their study times.

Two study problems can occur if your friends call you during your study times. First,your work is interrupted. It is not that easy to get back to what you were doing. Second,

your friends may talk about things that will distract you from what you need to do.Here's a simple idea - turn off your cell phone during your study times.


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9. Call another student when they have difficulty with an assignment.

This is a case where "two heads may be better than one."

10. Review their schoolwork over the weekend.

Yes, weekends should be fun time. But there is also time to do some review. This willhelp you be ready to go on Monday morning when another school week begins.

These ten study habits can help you throughout your education. Make sure they

are your study habits.

Preparing to Study: A Good Study Place

You need a good study place to be prepared to study. You should be able to answer YES to

all of the following questions:

1. Is my Study Place available to me whenever I need it?

Your Study Place does you little good if you cannot use it when you need it. If you are

using a Study Place that you must share with others for any reason, work out a schedule

so that you know when you can use it.

2. Is my Study Place free from interruptions?

It is important to have uninterrupted study time. You may have to hang a DO NOT

DISTURB sign on the door or take the phone off the hook.

3. Is my Study Place free from distractions?

Research shows that most students study best in a quiet environment. If you find thatplaying a stereo or TV improves your mood, keep the volume low.

4. Does my Study Place contain all the study materials I need?

Be sure your Study Place includes reference sources and supplies such as pens and

pencils, paper, ruler, calculator, and whatever else you might need. If you use a

computer for your schoolwork, it should be in your Study Place .

5. Does my Study Space contain a large enough desk or table?

While working on an assignment or studying for a test, use a desk or table that is large

enough to hold everything you need. Allow enough room for writing and try to avoidclutter.

6. Does my Study Place have enough storage space?

You need enough room to store your study materials. Be sure you have enough storage

space to allow you to keep your desktop or other work surface clear of unnecessarymaterials that can get in the way.

7. Does my Study Place have a comfortable chair?
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A chair that is not comfortable can cause discomfort or pain that will interfere with yourstudying. A chair that is too comfortable might make you sleepy. Select a chair in which

you can sit for long periods while maintaining your attention.

8. Does my Study Place have enough light?

The amount of light you need depends on what you are doing. The important thing is

that you can clearly see what you need to see without any strain or discomfort.

9. Does my Study Place have a comfortable temperature?

If your Study Place is too warm, you might become sleepy. If it is too cold, your thinking

may slow down and become unclear. Select a temperature at which your mind and bodyfunction best.

Having a good Study Place is important for good studying.

ACT Test Taking Tips

The ACT is a widely used college admission standardized test. It has four mandatory subjecttests: English, Reading, Mathematics, and Science. There is also an optional Writing test

which some colleges require.

General Tips

Answer the questions you find easiest first. Come back to the others later.

Don't spend more than a minute or two on any question.

As you work on a section, keep track of how much time remains. (It's a good idea to

bring a reliable watch.)

Answer every question. There is no penalty for guessing.

Be careful to mark only one answer choice per question.

Write in the test book in any way that will help you.

Consider all answer choices before you choose one. Use the process of elimination tonarrow your choices.

English Section Tips

Consider the writing style used for each section. The correct answer choice will be

the one that works best with the writing style used.

When asked a question about something that is underlined, consider how the

underlined portion fits with the rest of the section.

Examine each answer choice to see how it differs from the others.

For items that include "No Change" as an answer choice, choose this as your answer

only if you are sure none of the other answer choices are correct.


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Reread the underlined portion with your answer choice to be sure it is correct.

Reading Section Tips

Read the passage carefully before you read the questions.

Focus on the main ideas in the passage. Underline these. Don't get lost in the

details.

Try to identify how ideas in the passage are connected.

Refer back to the passage as you answer each question.

Mathematics Section Tips

Work out the problem before looking at the answer choices. When done, choose theanswer choice that matches your answer. If none match, redo the problem.

Don't overly rely on your calculator. Some problems are best worked out manually.

Some don't even require calculation.

The questions focus much more on reasoning than on calculation. If you find yourselfdoing complicated calculations, you're probably on the wrong track.

Make sure your answer choice makes sense. A calculation error can lead you to a

wrong answer choice.

Check your work.

Science Section Tips

Given the complexity of the passages, it may help to make some simple notes as you

read them.

Cross out irrelevant information.

Don't be overly concerned with any technical terminology. Technical terms usuallyhave little to do with the correct answer choice.

Be watchful for conflicting viewpoints in some of the passages.

Writing Section Tips

Organization of your response is very important. Use a five-paragraph essay thatincludes an introduction, supporting paragraphs, and a conclusion.

Plan your response before you begin to write it.

Stay with the topic throughout your response.

Vary your sentence structure and word choices.

Use specific examples wherever possible.

Write legibly.

If you have time, check your grammar, usage, punctuation, and spelling.

These tips can help you get the most out your knowledge, skills, and abilities when

you take the ACT.


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Direction Words In Essay Test Items

Most essay test items are not presented in the form of a question. Instead, they are oftenpresented as a statement that includes a direction word. The direction word tells you what

you should do when you write your answer to the item. Look for the direction word and be

sure to do what it tells you to do.

Here are the direction words that are most frequently used by teachers when they write

essay test items. The meaning of each direction word is provided and is followed by anexample of an essay test item using that direction word. Get to know what each of these

direction words tells you to do.

Analyze - Analyze tells you to break something down into its parts and show howthe parts relate to each other to make the whole.

Analyze the factors that contribute to good health.

Compare - Compare tells you to show how two or more things are BOTH similar and

different.

Compare the forms of government found in the United States and in China.

Contrast - Contrast tells you to show how two or more things are different.

Contrast the Republican and Democratic political platforms.

Define - Define tells you to explain the meaning of something in a brief, specificmanner.

Define what is meant by "living life to the fullest."

Describe - Describe tells you to present a full and detailed picture of something in

words to include important characteristics and qualities.

Describe what it was like to live in ancient Rome.

Diagram - Diagram tells you to illustrate something by drawing a picture of it and

labeling its parts.

Diagram a modern commercial jet airplane.

Evaluate - Evaluate tells you to present both the positive and negative

characteristics of something.

Evaluate the impact of rap music on American youth.

Explain - Explain tells you to provide facts and reasons to make something clear and

understandable.

Explain why the American Civil War occurred.

Justify - Justify tells you to provide reasons and facts in support of something.

Justify the need for the federal income tax.

List - List tells you to present information about something as a series of brief

numbered points.


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List the ingredients needed to bake bread.

Outline - Outline tells you to present the most important information about

something in a carefully organized manner.

Outline what it takes to be successful in school.

Summarize - Summarize tells you to present the main points about something in abrief form.

Summarize how Thomas Edison's inventions have made our lives better.

Trace - Trace tells you to present the order in which something occurred.

Trace the major events that led to America's Declaration of Independence.

Recognizing these direction words and knowing what they tell you to do will help you do wellwhen taking an essay test.

The DETER Strategy for Taking TestsTo do well on a test, you must have good knowledge of the information that is being tested.

But you must also have a strategy for taking the test that allows you to show what you

know. The DETER strategy can help you do your best on any test. Each letter in DETERreminds you what to do.

D = Directions

Read the test directions very carefully.

Ask your teacher to explain anything about the test directions you do not understand

Only by following the directions can you achieve a good score on the test.

If you do not follow the directions, you will not be able to demonstrate what youknow.

E = Examine

Examine the entire test to see how much you have to do.

Only by knowing the entire task can you break it down into parts that become

manageable for you.

T = Time

Once you have examined the entire test, decide how much time you will spend on

each item.

If there are different points for items, plan to spend the most time on the items thatcount for the most points.

Planning your time is especially important for essay tests where you must avoidspending so much time on one item that you have little time left for other test items.

E = Easiest

The second E in DETER reminds you to answer the items you find easiest first.


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If you get stuck on a difficult item that comes up early in the test, you may not get

to answer items that test things you know.

R = Review

If you have planned your time correctly, you will have time to review your answers

and make them as complete and accurate as possible.

Also make sure to review the test directions to be certain you have answered allitems required.

Using the DETER strategy will help you do better on tests and get better grades.

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the ten study habits of successful students

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