Note Taking, Test Taking & Study Skills

Ten Steps to Academic Success Set individual academic and personal goals.

Choose courses carefully, especially during the first year.

Know and use resources. Meet and get to know your instructors. Learn actively. Manage your time well. Know and actively use reading skills. Develop strong listening and note-taking

skills. Get involved in co-curricular activities;

learn skills and gain experience.

Note Taking Skills Use a separate

notebook for each class.

Put a heading and date on notes each day to remember when you discussed the topic.

Sit near the front of the class to have direct communication with the professor.

Note Taking Skills Continued Attend all lectures, even if

attendance is not necessary. Listening to the lecture helps to reinforce the material.

Pre read material in text to be better prepared for what the lecture will cover.

Learn to identify main points and summarize information in lecture.

Reasons To Take Notes Making yourself take notes forces you

to listen carefully and test your understanding of the material.

When reviewing, notes provide a gauge to what is important in the text.

Personal notes are usually easier to remember than the text.

Writing down important points helps you remember them even before you have studied the material formally.

What Is Important Material written on the board,

overhead or power point. Repetition – anything that the

instructor repeats. Emphasis - can be judged by

tone of voice or the amount of time the instructor spends on the topic.

Summaries given at the end of class

Reviews given at the beginning of class.

Study Skills

Study for the test over several days – don’t cram the night before.

Use flash cards to memorize key words and definitions.

Create a review sheet or study guide with all of the important facts.

Quiz yourself.

Study Skills Continued

Form a study group to review with.

Find a comfortable, quiet place to study for best concentration.

Take breaks to regroup and give your brain time to retain.

Get a good nights sleep so you are more alert.

Test Taking Skills

Be prepared. Arrive early and review notes.

Approach the exam with confidence. View the exam as an opportunity to show how much you have studied.

Read and listen to directions.

Skim the exam and plan your time wisely.

Test Taking Skills Continued

Answer the easier questions first to build confidence and create momentum.

If you don’t know an answer, skip it. Another question may trigger your memory or provide the answer.

Save a few minutes to go back over the test and review your answers to look for careless mistakes.