TEN STEPS TO ACADEMIC SUCCESS

r. Set individual academic and personal goals.

z. choose courses carefully, especially during your first year.

3. Know and use resources.

4. Meet and get to know faculty.

\
5. Learn actively.

6. Manage your time well.

I
I 7. Know and actively use reading skills.

8. Develop strong listening and note-taking skils.

9. Develop and improve your writing and speaking skills.

1<l. Get involved in co-curricular activitiesl learn skills and

gain experience.

Want to know rnore?

Pauk, Walter. How to Stud}, in College. 5tr edition.
Princeton: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1998

@Acadernic Skills Center, Dartmouth College 2oo1

 Concentration
The Problem
ln mony colleges over B7o of the students report problems concentroting on their
siudies. Mosi of these students blome outside distroctions for their problems.
Mony reseorch studies monipuloting noise levels ond distroctions hove found thot such
disturbonces moy increose, decreose, or not even offect concentrotion. These
reseorchers hove iherefore concluded thot distrocters don't couse concentrotion
problems directly. lt is the woy the distrocters ore interpreted by the students thot disrupts
their study.

Creoling o Siudy Environment

I l Find o ploce to study ond keep it for study only.
[2] Tool-up the environment with oll study needs.
[3j control noise level ond the visuol environmeni to occeptoble levels.
[4] Avoid reloxing while working; creote o work oimosphere.

When to Study
[1] Best during the doy ond eorly evening; you'll remember betier.
[2] Best when there ore the fewest competing octivities in progress.
[3] Best when odequote rest periods ore provided.
[a] Stop studying when fotigue or lock of ottention occurs.

How to Study & Concentrote

[ ] When distrocters ore present, become intensely involved.
[2] Keep o pod of poper hondy to jot down extroneous thoughts thot cross your mind
while studying, get them out of your mind ond on to poper.
[3] Set study gools before you begin eoch period of siudy
q (number of poges, number of problems, etc.)
i [4] Design odequote rewords ofter specified gools ore ottoined.
[5] Breok-up the content of study by mixing up subjects ond building in voriety ond
interest ond removing boredom.
[6] Moke the most of rest periods-do something quite different.
[7] Don't try to mix work ond ploy.
[B] Stort with short siudy periods ond build io longer periods only os fost os you mointoin
concentrotion.
[9] lf necessory, moke o colendor of events to cleor your mind of distroctions.
[10] Reoiize thot you won'i lose friends, respect, or o "good iime', just becouse you're
studying... these will keep.
[1 1] Plon the length of your study period by the omount of moteriol you hove decided io
cover, not by the clock. (Often the clock is one of the most serious distrocters.)

Diognoslic Motlers
It is probobly necessory ihot you identify which subjects ore reloted to the most serious
concentrotion problems. You moy notice thot you reolly don't give yourself o chonce
with these subjects becouse of ihe time, order, or ploce yo, use to stuoy. li moy olso be
voluoble to ossess whot your motives ore for siudying in the first ploce? Whot is your
reword for your efforts?

@Academic Skills Center, Dartmouth College 20Ol

 Studying for the Sciences
"Prescription for Success',
@Academic Skills Center, Dartmouth College 2001
Knowing how to approach the material is the first step in"succeeding in
a science course
at Dartmouth. The amount of material covered, a.,d the speed
at which it is covered,
may seem overwhelming; but if you follow these guideHnls, your stress
level will
decline as your success increases. There are three elements to succeeding
in a science
course: Lecture, Time Management, and Test preparation.

I. Lecture
A. Attend every lecture.
1. Everything you need to know will be covered in the lectures.
2. Go to lectures alert and awake.
3' Write down eaerything you can. Anything is fair game on the exam.
4-rf you miss a lecture, get notes from at leait 2 people.
B. Prepare for lecfures.
1. Read over the lecture outline before class. This wilt help you focus.
2- Skim the reading that corresponds to the lecture outline.
C. Find a "Note Buddy".
1. Photocopy and swap your notes with someone after class every day.
2. Meet once a week and teach each other the notes.
.i

.I1. Time Manasement

' A. Start early
1. Use the first 2 weeks of the term. Don't start snowballing.
2- Statt studying for your next exam 2 days after your first one.
B. Set deadlines
1. Make a term calendar.
2- Set new deadlines. Have all your studying done 2 days prior to the
exam. This gives you 2 days to review.
C. Find your "Bio Hour".
1. Spend an hour a day reviewing your notes; make it part of your daily
routine.
a. Three 20 minute sessions throughout the day
b.40 minutes reviewing notes, 20 minutes preparing for lectures.
III. Test Preparation
A. Condense the material.
1. Make flash cards over your notes.
2.Write out answers to your cards.
B. Reading should be supplementary.
 2- Association is a key to memory:
a. You remember approximately 10 percent of what you read.
b. You remember approximately 20 percent of what you hear.
c. You remember approximately 30 percent of what you see.
d. You remember approximately 50 percent of what you hear and see together.
e. You remember approximately 70 percent of what you say (if you think as you are
saying it).
f. You remember approximately 90 percent of what you do

A WEEKLY FLOW CHART FOR STUDYING

PRE-READ
TEXT

TAKE NOTES ASK QUESTIONS

OF INSTRUCTOR

REVIEW & EDIT NOTES SAME

DAY AS LECTURE

ASK YOURSELF OUTLINE MAJOR

OUESTIONS TOPICS

READ TEXT SELECTIVELY

ASK
QUESTIONS OF
T.A. OR
INSTRUCTOR

REVIEW & INTEGRATE

@Academic Skills Center, Dartmouth College 2001

 AGTIVE STUDY
Adapted from: Ann Argier, Everything you Need
ro Know About Learning
A. lntroduction
Learning takes time- few people have photographic memories. Learning requires
repetition- meaningfullery
repetition. This is why activ"e i[uoy t"cnniques are
The "recording disk" of the brain accepts new materiat ,o iitrtty important.
much faster if it ,,hears,,, ,,sees,,,
"feels," "tastes," and detects motion
1(inetic,eneigyl Jrrirg input or recording time. Then too,
the more times around.the learning crrcuit, tne ron'gei;siiig
tne impresiiln."tiyou are able to
place abstract ideas into diagrammatic form, yo,
,iitt ,ememoer the concept.
B. Mnemonics
Material that is difficult to master can be organized by
finding the key words in each point,
noting the first letter, and arranging the letters into a sense
or nonsense word (the sillier, the
better). Examptes:
1- what are the quarities of a scientist? (mnemonic answer: prpoc)
P erserverance
I ntelligence
P atience
O riginatity
C uriosity
2. why did the U.s. enter worrd war r? (mnemonic answer: SPRENCZ)
S ubmarines, Germans lifted restrictions on use of
P ropaganda, British control of
R ussians overthrew the tsar
E conomic ties of U.S. with Britain and France
N eutrality, German violations of U.S.
C ultural ties with Britain
Z immerman telegram

Note: in example 2, the student has devised a mnemonic based

on key words. lf you
have a basic understanding of each point, you ought to be able
to write a complete essay from
the mnemonic SPRENCZ. Example 1, however, represents the type of
mnemonic a student could
use to learn a short list of items for an obiective tesi. lf you need io memorize
such as the states in the union, alphabet2e and learn in small "chunks.', you
it"r.
a ron! ii.t of
can ,i*ry. depend
on the alphabet. Break down a list, rearrange, put on a study card and
master" In the example of
Iearning the states in the union, it is easier to remember thit tnere
are four states whose names
begln with "A," no "Bs," one "D," etc., then to try to memorize the list.

G. Study Gards
In printing study cards, the student is using.kinetic energy (energy in motion),
thus making the
impression stronger on the brain, and the itudent witt O6 able to use the
cards for
overlearning Another reason for having students make study cards is that they
are
convenient to carry and flip through forhastery. R;;;;-th; cards sitenly, however, is too
passive' Go over the cards orally. A student will not mas'ler the cards
Oy passvery reading
them. Learning requires the expenditure of energy. The student must bL actively
Lngageo in
producing the sounds, using muscles and burning energy to make
the sound.

D. Memory
1. General points to consider
a. The student must focus his or her attention on whatever needs to be remembered. lf
you intend to remember something, you probably will.
b' The student must be "sold" on the-course. Why iL this subject worth knowing?
Correlative reading may enhance the student's interest. For example, historical
novels are a marvelous way to learn history. The greater the knowledge, the greater
the interest.
c. Help the students classify and associate. Many authorities feel that you will master
information faster if you learn in groups of seven or fewer at a time.
d. Have the students overlearn through repetition.
Writing The First Draft

With the outline before you, write as rapidly and spontaneously as possible. Recording your thoughts as
they go through your mind will help to insure continuity. lt is when you stop to ponder alternatives that
gaps in continuity occur. Though this mannerof writing often results in too much material, don't be
concerned because it is easier to cut than to add.

Make A Glear Gopy

The first draft is usually rough-full of deletions, additions, and directions which are understandable only
to the writer. lf left in this state for even a day, much time might be lost in trying to recall exactly how you
meant to blend in some of the hastily written interlineation. Furthermore, if you retype or rewrite while the
material is still very fresh, some spontaneous revision may take place. The result, of course, will be a
clear copy which will be ready for revision after a "cooling off' period of a day or so.

Leave For A Day

The "cooling off' period is important. During the writing stage, your mind is so full of associations with
the words which you have written that you are liable to impose clarity and step-by-step sequences where
these do not, in fact, exist; that is, your mind can fill in and bridge the gaps.

After your mind has dropped some of these associations, then when you read your manuscript , you will
have to "read" the words to gain meaning. You can now easily spot the glaring errors-you can be critically
objective.

The lmportance of Editing Your Own Work

The editing function is one of the few really important big things that you can learn in college-the ability
to view your own production with enough courage to anticipate (and be concerned about) the potential
reader's reaction. This means polishing, boiling down ideas, struggling to say things clearer and clearer,
perhaps starting over, or writing even 3 or 4 drafts.

Your Final Copy

1. ln preparing the finished draft of your research paper, use only one side of white paper. Although a few
instructors will specify precisely what size paper to use, the most commonly used paper measures 81/2 x
11 inches.

2. Type your paper without any strike-overs (erase errors thoroughly and neatly) and be sure to double
space.

3. Leave generous margins at the top, bottom and about a one and one-half inch margin on both sides to
provide room for the instructor's comments.

4. Put your dictionary to good use by checking spellings and divisions of words you are not sure of.

5. Hand in the paper on time. lt is not uncommon for instructors to deduct points for late papers.

@Academic Skills Center, Dartmouth College 2001

 Gathering Notes
l Use note paper of uniform size. The 3x5 slips
of paper are suggested because they are uniform, less
bulky, and less expensive than cards.

2. Use only one side of the srip, and then record

onry one topic on each srip.
3' ldentify the reference information on the note slips by
writing the author's last name, or the tile of the
reference in the top left corner of the note slip The prgl
parentheses at the end of the item of information.
nr;o"r or numbers should appear in
rhiJsystem wiil enable you to find quickly again the
exact page if further information is needed.

4' write notes in your own words. This will help insurethat
you understand what you are reading.
Furthermore, you will be putting the information
into a form *ni.n can be used in your paper. Always
clearlv between vour words and the author's raiture
to do so might telJ you unwittingty into
li:gtlilil
in taking notes on a textbook, always skim the articte
or chapter you are reading before writing
,l"'Hilt
6 Notations should be concise, yet sufficiently detailed
to provide an accurate meaning.
7' Taking time to write notations neatly will avoid
the time and frustration of later deciphering.
8' Use ink' Notes written in pencil will become blurred through
handling and sorting.
9' lf you need direct quotations, use only a few of the outstanding
phrases or sentences. Most students
tend to quote too much and too often.

10' Abbreviate only the common words, otherwise

much time will be lost in ,,figuring out,, unfamiliar
"shorthand."

11' when ideas and insights occur, write them on separate

note slips under the caption ,,my own.,,
Gategorizing Notes

Having recorded only one topic on each slip mow permits you
to arrange your slips into separate topic
stacks Also, having written on only one side of the slip you to see your fuli notes without turning
slips back and forth. N-ow you will ippreciate that yor'r""rry
"nro'r".
reverse side of each slip blank.
*ii" not "wasting,,paper when you left the
Deciding On An Approach

To gain control over your material the crux of some matter

must be dug out and presented in a way that
illuminates the issue; some analysis or appraisal ought
to o" i,u"n. A reader who is presented with an
assortment of facts-no matter how neatly arranged-isks, "So"what?"
and righfly so. you ought to have
clearly in mind before you begin writing what you want this
material to add up to. Remember, the
predication is as important as the ,'subJect.',

Drawing Up A Detailed Oufline

. only by working out a detailed outline can you order and control your data so that it can be marshaled
to support your stated objective. worked into the outline,
also, should be your approach, point of view,
and strategy.
ln the process of writing an outline, you will the prerequisite of all good writing-you wiil be forced
to "think through" your material. This'thinking Scquire
through" is wnaiine professioialwriters cal ,'digesting,,
your random facts once you do this, then you will q-uite
naturatty, as you write, draw from a reservoir of
facts rather than stringing togeth-er a series or "snippets,, *hi"h
-rL
else's paraphrased words. As a final _compirtmentaiized usuatty someone
"bonus" effect, the detailed ouiline will save you time
revision stage since your facts will be in the right order from during the
the beginning.
4. The CivilWar: crucial battles: one battle: Napoleonic strategy and the battle of Fredricksburg.

5. Comparative religion-two religions; Judaism and Christianity; "salvation" in Judaism.

Provide A Focus For Gathering Material

To avoid the gross error of making your paper a mere accumulation of facts, you must crystallize a
genuine question, and your facts must then be used to answer this question. Whether it can be definitely
answered or not is unimportant.

A detailed outline at this stage is not usually possible since you are not sure of the material that you will
uncover. Nevertheless, the specific question in mind will give you the needed focus for gathering pertinent
material.

Select A Bibliography

College libraries, or any good library for that matter, contain many valuable sources of reference
material. lt will pay you in the long run to find out just what these sources are and how you can learn to
use them with the maximum efficiency. Don't make the mistake of waiting untiljust a few days before your
paper is due to make your first acquaintance with the many reference books your library contains. A few
minutes spent in the library at the beginning of the term, when you are not under pressure to finish a
paper, will help you in the future.

The "backbone" of all libraries is the card catalogue system, which tells you not only what books the
library possesses, but also where you can find them. Look, therefore, through the library's card file and
record all pertinent references on separate 3x5 slips of paper.

Efficiency will be increased if all the information is systematically recorded in the following ways:

A. Record the name of the library where the reference is located. Many universities have special libraries
located in separate schools on campus.

B. Record the short title of your subject. This will be important when working on current and subsequent
papers.

C. Record the library call number. You will not have to refer to the card catalogue whenever you want to
use the same book again.

D. Record accurately the full reference in exactly the same form that you plan to use in the bibliographic
portion of your paper. This insures your including all the essential parts of the reference; also, the correct
form will make easier the mechanics of typing.

E. Record briefly your opinion of the reference; e.9., "not useful-does not discuss principles"; "excellent
for case studies of poor readers at the secondary-school level."

Another valuable source of reference material which is somewhat like the card catalogue system is the
periodical indexes, such as the Reader's Guide and Poole's Index To Periodical Literature. Often,
there will be special indexes which list new books and articles for one field; for example, the
Psychological Abstracts for the field of psychology, and the Educational Index for the field of
education. Of course, do not overlook the general encyclopedias, such as the Britannica Americana and
the New lnternational, nor the more specialized works like the Encyclopedia of Banking and Finance
and Who's Who ln America. Finally, there are the yearbooks, of which the World Almanac and the
Book of Facts are notable examples.

One frequently overlooked source of information is the personal interview. Every campus and town has
its share of experts and authorities. lf possible, arrange for an interview and be prepared to take notes.
 WRITING THE RESEARGH PAPER
ln between the choosing of a topic and the final typing of the last revision lie a series of skills which, if
learned thoroughly, might well be the most important and most permanent academic possession acquired
in four years of college. Specifically, you need to learn how to: delve deeply into a topic; find and select
raw data; reflect, speculate, and mediate upon implications and relationships; glimpse and follow
insights; establish logical categories; organize an outline; think and write with clarity and precision; and
revise.

Make the writing of every paper an exercise to develop these skills.

Steps In Writing The Research Paper

1. Choose your subject
2. Narrow your subject
3. Provide a focus for narrowing material
4. Find references and select bibliography
5. Gather notes
6. Categorize notes
7. Decide upon an approach and point of view to gain control over your material
B. Draw up a detailed outline
9. Write a detailed outline
10. Make a clear copy
1 1. Leave for a day
12. Edit your work-go over you paper four times
a. First, reposition paragraphs and sentences
b. Second, add and delete material to achieve balance and to advance the stated objective of your paper
c. Third, look to insert transitionalwords and phrases
d. Fourth, read the paper aloud
13. Make a copy
14. Know rules for using quotations
15. Know rules for using footnotes
16. Know how to make a bibliography

Choosing Your Subject

Choose a subject which interests you. The outstanding American expert on Tibet spends half of her time
in Washington as advisor to governmental agencies, yet she has never traveled beyond the boundaries of
the United States. when asked how she became so well versed on Tibet, she answered, "l'm simply
fascinated by the subject, and have read everything I could get my hands on."

A research paper, then, is an opportunity to further your interest in some subject or area.

Narrowing Your Subject

The most common criticism of research papers is , "topic too broad." You may well wonder, "Well, how
can I be sure that I have sufficiently narrowed my topic?" A Cornell English professor has this sure-fire
method: put your subject through three significant narrowings, i.e., moving from one category to a class
within a category, each time.

For example, here are some sample narrowings for papers of 10 to '12 pages.

1. Public opinion polls: accuracy of polls: the accuracy of such polls in national elections: factors which
determine the accuracy of public opinion polls In national elections.

2.The climate of opinion between World War I and World War ll: the moral climate, etc.: the particular
arguments involved in the debate over Prohibition: the arguments for Prohibition used by the "Drys" in
support of the 18th Amendment and their arguments in the late 1920's and early 1930's to prevent repeal.

3. Discrimination against African-Americans. Northern attitudes vs. Southern attitudes: the particular
geographical distinction: how Mason and Dixon's Line became a line of demarcation.
 Student Academic Services httrr llsas. calgrly.edu/asc/ssl.htn:!l
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Bibliography
Deese, James and Ellin K. Deese. How to Study (3'd Ed). New York: McGraw-
Hill, Inc., 1979.

Johnson, Sue. The 4 T's: Teacher/You, Text, Talk, Test - A Systematic Approach
to Learning Success. Califomia Polytechnic State University, San Luis
Obispo

Pauk, Walter. How to Study in College (2'd Ed). Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co.,
1974.

Raygor, Alton L. and David Wark. Systems for Study. New York: McGraw- Hill,
Inc. 1970.
 Student Academic Services http :/isas.calpol:r.edu/agc/sSl.htnll
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The S*ntence Method

Method - Write every new thought, fact or topic on a separate line, numbering as you
progress.

Acivantages - Slightly more organized than the paragraph. Gets more or all of the
information. Thinking to tract content is still limited.

Ilisadvant&ges - Can't determine major/minor points from the numbered sequence.

Difficult to edit without having to rewrite by clustering points which are related.
Difficult to review unless editing cleans up relationship.

When tCI Use - Use when the lecture is somewhat organized, but heavy with content
which comes fast. You can hear the different points, but you don't know how they fit
together. The instructor tends to present in point fashion, but not in grouping such as
"three related points."

Examrple 1-
A revolution is any occurrence that affects other aspects of life, such as economic
life, social life, and so forth. Therefore revolutions cause change. (See page 29-
30 in your text about this.)
o S#twple Notes - Revolution - occurrence that affects other aspects of life: e.g.,
econ.? socl. Etc. C.f. text, pp.29-30

Exmrmple 2 -
Melville did not try to represent life as it really was. The language of Ahab,
Starbuck, and Ishmael, for instance, was not that of real life.
o snmrtle Notes - Mel didn't repr. Life as was; e.g. lang. of Ahab, etc. no of
real life.

ilxarnple 3 -
At first, Freud tried conventional, physical methods of treatment such as giving
baths, massages, rest cures, and similar aids. But when these failed he tried
techniques of hypnosis that he had seen used by Jean-Martin Charcot. Finally, he
borrowed an idea from Jean Breuer and used direct verbal communication to get
an un-hypnotized patient to reveal unconscious thoughts.
o Ss*nple Nates - Freud 1't - used phys. trtment; e.g., baths, etc. This f\d,.2"d -
used hypnosis (fr. charcot) Finally - used vrb. commun. (fr. Breuer) got
-
unhpynop, patnt to reveal uncons. thoughts.
 Student Academic Services http //sas. calpoly. edu/asci ssl.htm
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The Char*ting hr{ethod

If the lecture format is distinct (such as chronological), you may set up your paper by
drawing columns and labeling appropriate headings in a table.

,Vflethosl * Determine
the categories to be covered in lecture. Set up your paper in
advance by columns headed by these categories. As you listen to the lecture, record
information (words, phrases, main ideas, etc.) into the appropriate category.

,&rlvanfages - Helps you track conversation and dialogues where you would normally be
confused and lose out on relevant content. Reduces amount of writing necessary.
Provides easy review mechanism for both memorization of facts and studv of
comparisons and relationships.

f]isatlvantages - Few disadvantages except learning how to use the system and locating
the appropriate categories. You must be able to understand what's happening in the
lecture.

--try-hen
to LIse - Test will focus on both facts and relationships. Content is heavy and
presented fast. You want to reduce the amount of time you spend editing and reviewing
at test time. You want to get an overview of the whole course on one big paper sequence.

Exarcple - Chart format for a history class:

q--q"ryqE ryW
1${1-r+$ fr-Sl"
r',,,,,{ty,ffS
L"lrJit
## f'-{ fif
i.r.{.P.
rr,f "rf i-{

Li:"'.*rri'Eugl,-rr
 Student Academic Services http :llsas. calpoly. edulasc/ssl.htm l
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The *utfinipg Metliod

Dash or indented outlining is usually best except for some science classes such as physics
or math.

1. The information which is most general begins at the left with each more specific
group of facts indented with spaces to the right.
2. The relationships between the different parts are carried out through indenting.
3. No numbers, letters, or Roman numerals are needs.

M*thotl - Listening and then write in points in an organized pattem based on space
indention. Place major points farthest to the left. Indent each more specific point to the
right. Levels of importance will be indicated by distance away from the major point.
Indention can be as simple as or as complex as labeling the indentations with Roman
numerals or decimals. Markings are not necessary as space relationships will indicate the
major/minor points.

A<lva*tages - Well-organrzed system if done right. Outlining records content as well as

relationships. It also reduces editing and is easy to review by tuming main points into
questions.

ilisadvrunfsge$ - Requires more thought in class for accurate organization. This system
may not show relationships by sequence when needed. It doesn't lend to diversity of a
review attach for maximum learning and question application. This system cannot be
used if the lecture is too fast.

When to t-lse - The outline format can be used if the lecture is presented in outline
organrzation. This may be either deductive (regular outline) or inductive (reverse outline
where minor points start building to a major point). Use this format when there is enough
time in the lecture to think about and make organization decisions when they are needed.
This format can be most effective when your note taking skills are super and sharp and
you can handle the outlining regardless of the note taking situation.

Flxnrmple -
Extrasensory perception
_ Definition: means of perceiving without use of sense organs.
_three kinds -
lelepathy: sending messages
clairvoyance : forecasting the future
psychokinesis: perceiving events external to situation
_current status -
no current research to support or refute
few psychologists say impossible
 Student Academic Services http:/ls.ls.calpoly.edu/a$clssl=html
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Mapping is a method that uses comprehension/concentration skills and evolves in a note

taking form which relates each fact or idea to every other fact or idea. Mapping is a
graphic representation of the content of a lecture. It is a method that maximizes active
participation, affords immediate knowledge as to its understanding, and emphasizes
critical thinking.

Advant*lges - This format helps you to visually track your lecture regardless of
conditions. Little thinking is needed and relationships can easily be seen. It is also easy
to edit your notes by adding numbers, marks, and color coding. Review will call for you
to restructure thought processes which will force you to check understanding. Review by
covering lines for memory drill and relationships. Main points can be written on flash or
note cards and pieced together into a table or larger structure at a later date.

{)isadvamt*ges - You may not hear changes in content from major points to facts.

When to Llse - Use when the lecture content is heavy and well-organized. May also be
used effectively when you have a guest lecturer and have no idea how the lecture is going
to be presented.

Exmmple -

GJqYfi.fu-1,Sf#S#CV PSr.&j t"YiS lr;:1,

ni3 \ r /irra
t \r'1. f*:-)

-'--_ t"-
r#tftrrtflt,*Y df,r'&l&gi:i'V&nJ#L: i'*;oy#{"&*ji'{jf."i'frf,i#
r ;#F*{#ir#s * d$r 6:f,* 1.4I"-1,?i e",M! # p{::SjL"*:l'r,i$JS
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 Student Academic Services http :l/sas. calpol],. edu/asclssl. html
California Polytechnic State University Academic Skills Center-
San Luis Obispo, California Study Skills Library

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5 Methods

o The Comell Method

o The Outline Method
o The Mapping Method
o The Charting Method
o The Sentence Method

"tr'lie
Corneil Methad
The Cornell method provides a systematic format for condensing and organizingnotes
without laborious recopying. After writing the notes in the main space, uie the left-hand
space to label each idea and detail with a key word or ',cue."

fuIet|r*tl - Rule your paper with a 2 %inchmargin on the left leaving a six-inch area on
the right in which to make notes. During class, take down information in the six-inch
area. When the instructor moves to a new point, skip a few lines. After class, complete
phrases and sentences as much as possible. For every significant bit of information, write
a cue in the left margin. To review, cover your notes with a card, leaving the cues
exposed. Say the cue out loud, and then say as much as you can of the material
undemeath the card. When you have said as much as you can, move the card and see if
what you said matches what is written. If you can say it, you know it.

Advamtages - Organized and systematic for recording and reviewing notes. Easy format
for pulling out major concept and ideas. Simple and efficient. Saves time and effort. "Do-
it-right-in-the-fi rst-place system. "

llisadvant&ges - None

Whem *o flse - In anv lecture situation.

 Motivation
Motivotion hos o strong influence on how well you do your job. Students often
develop o "Slove Mentolity." Thot is, they see themselves performing tosks which ore
required by their teochers but which ore utterly meoningless to them.

ln controst, the students who see how their schoolwork fits into their plons for
themselves become willing workers. lt is quite true thot "you con do onything you wont
to do" becouse wonting mokes the necessory work eosy.

Determinotion to work does nof meon the some os motivotion. "Will Power" will
not work over o lengthy period of time. You con force yourself on occosion, but there
ore definite limits to the success of such on opprooch.

How io Goin Motivotion

Step I: Decide whot you're trying to do in college. (You moy need o counselor or other
odvisor to help with this. but thot's why they're there.) Find out exoctly how you
go obout ochieving whot you wont. (Whot closses ore required. Equolly
importont, whot closses oren't required. How long will it toke you? How much
will it cost?) With this informotion you con see the end of the tunnel. You con
see yourself progressing, ond you con ovoid o lot of "wheel spinning."

Step 2: Moke college your job. Don't let the incidentol business of eorning o living ond
leoding o sociol life interfere with your centrol tosk of getting through school. lf
something musl be neglected (ond good plonning con usuolly ovoid ihis), ihen
neglect something other thon school. Your job is probobly o short-term, deod-
end proposition onywoy. Don't get bumped out of schooljust to work 48 hours o
week for the minimum woge.

o. Reol students own their own books, hove o suitoble ploce to work,
ond keep their moteriols conveniently ovoiloble.

b. Most distroctions come from within you. lf you hove trouble

concentroting, try to see whot's bothering you ond toke steps fo
eliminote it. Most problems yield to direct oction, but you must do the
octing.

Sfep 3: Set short-ronge gools

o. Anolyze your study tosk. Whot do you wont to ochieve? How con it
best be done?

b. Set o definite time limit. You con get os much done in one hour os six if
you know you must. Work exponds to fit the time ovoiloble.

C. Evoluote your success or foilure. You con leorn best from moking
mistokes, provided you recognize thot they ore mistokes.

C)Academic Skills Center, Dartmouth College 2001

 1. Use the reading to supplement all concepts covered in class.
2. Know all the figures that relate to the lecture.
C. Apply the material.
1. As you study, think of applications of the material.
2. Use old exams as guides to applying the material.