University of Louisville Disability Resource Center

 Study skills are strategies that individuals use to study material more effectively.  Not everyone must use the same study skills.  One person may use a study skill that doesn’t work for you at all.  You may use a study skill that doesn’t work for anyone else.  Finding the strategies that work best for you is important!

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 Have thought about the study skills you use before?  What strategies do you use when studying?  Are they useful?  Is there room for improvement?

 “Get it in writing”  Take notes about what you are seeing and hearing.  Use lecture notes and outlines when available to guide your listening in class.  “Get a good seat”  Sitting up front will help your attention to stay on the professor.  You may be further away from the loud hallway and from distracting noisy classmates.  Change seats occasionally if possible. It may give you a whole new perspective!

 “Review”  As soon as possible after class, talk over the main points with a classmate, teaching assistant, or professor. They may even mention some things you missed the first time!  Confirm the dates of upcoming assignments and exams.  “Avoid fatigue”  Be well rested for class.  If you’re a morning person, try to schedule classes in the morning. If you’re an evening person, try to schedule classes in the afternoon.

 “Move”  If you’re feeling fidgety, moving may help you pay attention.  Chew gum, drink water, or squeeze a stress ball. Just don’t disturb those around you.  “Choose your instructors as well as your courses”  Whenever possible, choose instructors that are interesting, easy to get along with, and dynamic. They will be much easier to pay attention to!

 Schedule as many blocks of study time as you can.  Dedicate a quiet space your “studying spot”, and use it only for studying.  Make studying a part of your routine.  Take breaks.  Stay on top of your work, and do not put off studying until the night before an exam.  Give yourself ample time to complete writing assignments to allow for lots of reviewing and editing.  Get a tutor.

 Highlight or color code important points in your notes and text book.  Rewrite your class notes after class.  Test yourself on what you’ve studied.  Be an active reader.  Read the headings before you read the chapter.  Skim through the chapter to see what’s coming next.  Takes notes.  Ask yourself questions about the important points and find the answers  Review the main ideas.  Use a laptop to take notes (if you are a fast typist).

 Study for an hour at a time a few times each day rather than all at once.  Study during times when you are most attentive.  Experiment with study environments (i.e. white noise or complete silence)  Study alone if you will get off track by talking with others.  Study with friends if it will help you stay interested and on track.

 Go over your notes as soon as you can after class. Write in anything you missed the first time, and start absorbing the information. Review again before the next class.  Use the SQ4R method  Survey – Browse at the main headings.  Question – Make up questions about the material.  Read – Read the material.  Rite (write) – Write the answers to your questions.  Recite – Recite the information out loud or in your head  Review – Review what you’ve learned.  Move by underlining, writing in the margins, or highlighting and recite information out loud while you study to help yourself stay alert.

 Do you already use any of these study skills?  Which strategies stuck out to you as something you might want to try?  What strategies were not included that work for you?

 In what areas are your study skills strongest?  In what areas do your study skills have room to improve?  What could you do to improve your weak areas? Study Skills Assessment: Website _assessment.asp Study Skills Assessment Study Skills Assessment Website

 Strategies/Techniques for ADHD Strategies/Techniques for ADHD  Staying Focused Staying Focused  Going to College Going to College  Study Skills Assessment Study Skills Assessment