Study Techniques and Tactics Tips to help you stay on track or get back on track

1. Study Techniques and TacticsTips to help you stay on track or get back on track

2. Location, Location, Location STUDY ENVIRONMENT • Not too comfortable • Quiet (for some students) • Limit distractions • Away from the TV • Turn your phone off or put it in a different room • Keep a pad of paper by your side for extraneous thoughts • Gather ALL your study needs before hand (ex. textbooks, worksheets, pen, water, a snack) • If necessary, make a To-Do List • Helps to clear your mind when feeling overwhelmed ***USE AN AGENDA***

3. Having a Schedule…… • Make a schedule - when do you do your best work? • Set aside a specific time of the day that you will complete homework assignments or review material • Specific times help combat procrastination • For some students, it is better to plan a period of time (i.e. – a half hour) than a specific time (7:30 to 8:00) • This will prevent you from staring at the clock when you should be doing work!

4. Overcoming Procrastination “Worrying is like a rocking chair, it gives you something to do but doesn’t get you anywhere” • Why do people procrastinate? • Poor time management skills • Trouble concentrating • Fear & Anxiety • Being overwhelmed, receiving a bad grade, • Personal Problems • Finding a task boring • Negative beliefs • “I cannot succeed in anything” • “I’ll never do a good enough job to pass”

5. Overcoming Procrastination • “One more day won’t make a difference, I’ll do it tomorrow” • “I work best under pressure” • “I’ll just watch 15 more minutes of TV” • “It won’t matter if I turn it in late, other people will turn it in late too.”

6. Overcoming Procrastination: What do I do about it? • Set realistic goals • Take a look at yourself • Indentify your goals, strengths and weakness • Study in small blocks instead of long time periods • Stay away from the phone • Turn it off and return text messages and calls once you are finished, those people will still be around! • Learn to say no • Turning down an invitation doesn’t mean you’ll never be asked again • Motivate yourself • Dwell on success, not failure • Try studying in a small group • Discipline yourself • Set priorities and use time wisely

7. How do you study? Everyone is different --- you may have to try out several study techniques until you find which works best for you! • Flash Cards • Having a “Study Buddy” • One of the best ways to learn is to TEACH someone else • Creating an outline • Highlighting the most important facts to remember • Studying in “small chunks” • Dividing up the material to study in to small parts and making a schedule for when you will study each section • Re-writing notes • Using Acronyms • Ex. HOMES (Great Lakes) – Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie and Superior

8. Studying Effectively • Space out your studying • Studying for periods of time that are too long will only cause you to become tired and/or lose concentration • Take a break when you need it! • Set study goals before you begin • A set number of problems or a set number of pages you want to accomplish • Cramming is better than not studying at all but it is NOT EFFECTIVE The more senses you involve while studying, the more you will remember!

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