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 that playing 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 avoid clutter.
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 unnecessary materials
that can get in the way.
7. Does my Study Place have a comfortable chair?
A chair that is not comfortable can cause discomfort or pain
that will interfere with your studying. 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 body function
best.
Having a good Study Place is important for good studying
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Taking Notes in Class
In classes, your teachers will talk about topics that you are
studying. The information they provide will be important for you
to know when you take tests. You must be able to take good
written notes from what your teachers say.
Taking good notes is a three-stage process in which there are
certain things you should do before class, during class, and
after class. Here are the three stages of notetaking and what
you should do during each stage.
1. Get Ready to Take Notes (Before Class)
Review your notes from the previous class session before you
come to class.
This will help you remember what was covered and get you
ready to understand new information your teacher provides.
Complete all assigned readings before you come to class. Your
teacher will expect that you have done this and will use and
build upon this information.
Bring all note taking materials with you to class. Have several
pens and pencils as well as your notebook.
2. Take Notes (During Class)
Keep your attention focused on what your teacher is saying.
Listen for “signal statements” that tell you that what your
teacher is about to say is important to write in your notes.
Examples of signal statements are
“The most important point…” and “Remember that . . . “ Be
sure to include in your notes information that your teacher
repeats or writes on the chalkboard.
Write quickly so that you can include all the important
information in your notes. Do this by writing abbreviated words
such as med for medicine, using symbols such as %
for percent, and writing short sentences.
Place a ? next to information you write in your notes, but about
whose meaning you are not sure.
3. Rewrite Your Notes (After Class)
Rewrite your notes to make them more complete by changing
abbreviated words into whole words, symbols into words, and
shortened sentences into longer sentences.
Make your notes more accurate by answering any questions
you had when writing your notes in class. Use your textbook
and reference sources to obtain the information
you need to answer your questions. If necessary, ask your
teacher or other students for help.
Check with other students to be sure you did not leave out
important information.
Having good class notes will help you to be better
prepared for tests.
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A Strategy for Reading Textbooks
SQRW is a four-step strategy for reading and taking notes from
chapters in a textbook. Each letter stands for one step in the
strategy. Using SQRW will help you to understand what you
read and to prepare a written record of what you learned. The
written record will be valuable when you have to participate in a
class discussion and again when you study for a test. Read to
learn what to do for each step in SQRW.
Survey
Surveying brings to mind what you already know about the
topic of a chapter and prepares you for learning more. To
survey a chapter, read the title, introduction, headings, and the
summary or conclusion. Also, examine all visuals such as
pictures, tables, maps, and/or graphs and read the caption that
goes with each. By surveying a chapter, you will quickly learn
what the chapter is about.
Question
You need to have questions in your mind as you read.
Questions give you a purpose for reading and help you stay
focused on the reading assignment. Form questions by
changing each chapter heading into a question. Use the words
who, what, when, where, why, or how to form questions. For
example, for the heading "Uses of Electricity" in a chapter
about how science improves lives, you might form the question
"What a heading is stated as a question, use that question.
When a heading contains more than one
idea, form a question for each idea. Do not form questions for
the Introduction, Summary, or Conclusion.
Read
Read the information that follows each heading to find the
answer to each question you formed. As you do this, you may
decide you need to change a question or turn it into several
questions to be answered. Stay focused and flexible so you
can gather as much information as you need to answer each
question.
Write.
Write each question and its answer in your notebook. Reread
each of your written answers to be sure each answer is legible
and contains all the important information needed to answer
the question.
As you practice using SQRW, you will find you learn more
and have good study notes to use to prepare for class
participation and tests.
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A Strategy for Reading Novels
A story is a fictitious tale that is written to entertain, amuse, or
instruct the reader. A novel is the same as a story but it is
longer and more complex. To understand a story or novel, you
need to understand the six elements used by authors when
they write a story or novel.
Characters
Characters are the first element to look for when reading a
story or novel. Characters are most often people but can be
animals or even fictionalized beings like those seen in cartoons
or movies. The main character plays the biggest role and is
often the first character to be introduced. Most often the story
is seen through the eyes of the main character. Secondary
characters play a smaller supporting role and are introduced
throughout the story.
Setting
The setting is the second element you should look for when
reading a story or novel. The setting is the location where the
story takes place. A story may take place in a home,
countryside, town, school, or wherever the author chooses to
have the action occur. The setting is usually revealed very
early in a story.
Time
The time when the story takes place is the third element you
should look for when reading a story or novel. A story may take
place very recently or many years ago. Usually the time when
the story takes place is introduced very early in the story.
Problem
The problem is the fourth element you should look for in a story
or novel. The problem most often grows out of a conflict
between the main character and another character in the story.
But the problem can also involve a circumstance such as a
hurricane, a war, or one of the many obstacles that produce a
conflict in life.
Events
Events are the fifth element you should look for when reading a
story or novel. An event is an attempt at solving the problem in
the story. In a story there are usually a number of attempts to
solve the problem and these events make up most of the story.
Solution
A solution is the sixth and final element in a story or novel. The
solution is how the problem is resolved or brought to an end.
Most often the solution is revealed near the end of the story.
Sometimes the solution is not revealed until the very last page
or even the final paragraph of the story.
Recognising these story elements will help you better
understand and enjoy a story, remember the story
facts, and appreciate different writing styles used by authors.
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