Research has shown that you remember things better if you review them often. Thus, it’s far better to study the HDP1 materials EVERY day for a shorter period than it is to save it up and do it all at once.
Remember: a rule of thumb for college-level classes is that every week you should study an average of at least 3 hours per credit if you want to get a B in a class. Since HDP1 is a 4 credit class, you should study effectively at least 12 hours per week in addition to attending lectures and section. If you want an A, plan on studying a little more. Remember: studying means concentrating without interruptions (except for short study breaks every 30-45 minutes). If you have the TV or music on, it’s going to prevent you from studying as effectively.
READING ARTICLES:
Reading college level material so that you really absorb it is a skill which is developed through practice. At first, it may be slow going, but with practice, it gets easier. Here are some suggestions which will make things easier:
1. Before the lecture, quickly read through the articles assigned. This will help you know what to expect in lecture and since you’ll be a little more familiar with the lecture material, taking notes will be easier.
2. Within a few days after the lecture (and before the section in which you discuss the readings for the lecture), go back and reread the articles carefully. Take notes when you read. Highlighting does very little to help you remember material. You may find you need to read the article twice.
3. Don’t leave all your reading until just before the midterm. You won’t absorb much material. The week before the midterm, you should merely be quickly re-reading the articles to re-familiarize yourself with the material.
LECTURES:
1. Before the lecture, quickly read through the articles assigned (see above).
2. Take good notes during lecture; bring a tape recorder if necessary.
3. Within 48 hours after the lecture (and preferably before the section in which you discuss the readings for the lecture), type up or re-write your notes. This will help you review the material, as well as help you figure out how good a job taking notes you’re doing. If you find that your notes don’t make much sense, work on improving your note-taking skills.
If you come to lecture and section having done the readings, you will get much more out of those classes. Whatever you do, DO NOT SKIP LECTURE OR SECTION!!!! You just get further behind.
If you have followed the above suggestions, you’ll find that studying for the midterm and final will be much easier.
At least a week
before the midterm and the final:
1. Midterm: About a week before, start reviewing the materials which will be on the midterm. For the midterm, you’ll only have 4 weeks of material, so every day you can review about a week’s worth of material. About 2 days before the midterm, go back and review anything you need to. Most important: get a good night’s sleep the night before the midterm.
2. Final: Since you may have several finals within a few days, you may have to start reviewing for the final two weeks early. You should know all the material from before the midterm fairly well, so start first by reviewing the material from after the midterm. Every day review about a week’s worth of material. About 5-7 days before the final, review the material from before the midterm; if you knew it for the final, you will probably only need to spend 2-3 days reviewing that material. Then, about 2-3 days before the final, review anything you’re still not clear on. As with the midterm, get a good night’s sleep the night before your final.
If you think you need to
improve your note-taking or study skills, contact the OASIS program at
534-3760. They have programs to assist
students acquire skills necessary to succeed in college. You can also talk to your TA.