Study Skills

WHAT IS LEARNING?  There are some basic principles that govern learning:

• Students cannot recall and apply knowledge unless they practice retrieval and use.
• More effective learning occurs when students vary the conditions for learning to occur.
• When learners integrate knowledge from both verbal and visual representations, they can recall it and apply it with greater ease.
• Prior knowledge or belief determines what students will learn.
• Remembering is a creative process that influences what learners will and will not be able to recall and apply.
• In learning, less is more. Trying to cover large amounts of material and information reduces understanding and recall. 

For more information on learning

For additional websites on learning and learning styles

Understanding Test Anxiety  

The write stuff for test Anxiety

STUDYING IS A VERB NOT A NOUN! 

Effective studying includes a variety of actions and interactions between the student and the material.  Using all of the senses and a variety of learning activities  to study will:

•  Decrease test anxiety
•   Decrease boredom 
•   Increase retention 
•   Lead to more complex critical thinking skills

For additional information on incorporating a variety of learning activities go to:

100 Ways To Use Your Ipod To Study

TOP TEN STUDY SKILLS 

1. Attend class!! Class attendance is essential to academic success.

2. Control distractions when studying.

   • External - phone, TV, friends
   • Internal - personal issues that avert your attention
3. Choose the best location. Find a place to study that is relatively free of those distractions – a routine place and time works best.
4. Stop by the Student Success Center for free tutoring, study skills coaching, and accommodation services.
5. Be prepared. Complete all reading assignments and homework exercises before class. Although the lecture might highlight the important concepts, it is not a substitute for reading the textbook.
6. Make a study plan. Write down what you need to accomplish and when. Make yourself accountable and give yourself a goal.
7. Schedule daily study sessions. Five shorter study sessions are better than a single night of cramming.
8. Prove that you have facts memorized. Test yourself or have a friend test you by trying to recall information without looking at your notes. No matter how well you understand something, without practice your memory fades. Use repetition. It worked when you were young – it will work now.
9. Make that connection. The key to remembering new information is to relate it to information already stored in your brain. Generate examples, use memory tricks, and identify key words.
10. Use a day planner to keep track of test dates, assignments and due dates, and personal obligations. This will help you plan an effective course of action.

It's hard to limit study skill tips to the "Top Ten."  Come by the Student Success Center for more great study tips.Other useful study skill sites:

http://www.studyguidezone.com/resource_tips.htm

http://www.studygs.net/

www.d.umn.edu/student/loon/acad/strat

http://www.ucc.vt.edu/stdysk/stdyhlp.html    

TIME MANAGEMENT

Don't start your day until you have it finished on paper first.
- Jim Rohn

Time management is the key to success in college.  But too often first year college students struggle with balancing the freedom of college life with the demands of the college classroom.  Here are some ideas for managing your time more effectively.

Time management tips from successful students -http://www.mycollegesuccessstory.com/success-stories/time-management.html

How do you spend a typical day? - http://www.studygs.net/schedule/index.htm

Download free 2011 Riverland Daily Planner - Day-planner 

Download free 2012 Riverland Daily Planner - Day-planner 2012

Directions for using the Riverland Daily Planner - Directions