The study strategies program is specifically designed to help students who have had classroom difficulty in the past, whether in high school or college. Students on academic probation are advised to participate in the program. Through individual appointments, students learn to develop greater interest in specific classes, to master difficult kinds of materials, to prepare for various kinds of examinations, and to balance studying with extracurricular and social activities. (Portion taken from the Academic Affairs section of the Undergraduate Catalog) For students who are simply interested in some tips or some independent research on the different topics of study strategies.
Five general areas that affect all students include organizing your academic life, time management, learning styles, text reading, note taking, and test preparation. Knowing more about these can help students work through difficult times academically.
Time Management This helps students get
a handle on how they use their time on a daily, weekly and semester
basis. We give them tips on how to set goals and effectively use
their time to achieve those goals, while still having time to enjoy
the non-academic side of university life.
Learning Styles This uses a free on-line
survey (http://www.learning-styles-online.com/inventory/) to
help students determine the learning styles they use most frequently.
(Yes, we are aware and mention that many different theories about
learning strategies exist. We choose to use this particular method,
because it has many of the characteristics of others out there and
they can go back to the website for more specific information about
strategies and techniques to cope with their learning styles.) Once
students identify learning styles they tend to use, the presentation
covers strategies they might use for note-taking, text reading,
class participation, etc.
Text Reading This covers three areas:
the SQ3R (survey, question, read, recite, review) method for reading
textbooks, how to mark textbooks, and comprehension tips. The information
is geared specifically for textbooks, though many of the techniques
can be used for other types of reading that students may encounter.
Note Taking This examines strategies students
might use before, during and after class for creating an effective
set of notes for studying. We discuss a variety of different types/techniques
for note taking, including the Cornell method, outlining, mapping,
charting and the sentence method.
Test Preparation This gives students suggestions
for daily test prep and periodic (beginning about a week before
the exam) test prep. In addition, we talk about effective strategies
for answering different types of exam questions (MC, TF, essay,
open-book, problem-solving, etc.) and what to do with the exam after
it is returned.