1. Strategies for Success
Study Skills
Strategies for Success
Dave Mackay, MSW, RSW
University of Waterloo
April, 2014

2. Components of Academic Success
Learning Styles
Reading Skills
Time management
Test performance
Memory and recall
Persistence
Note-taking
Accessing Resources
Concentration

3. Learning Styles
Visual Learners
Auditory Learners
Kinesthetic Learners

4. Time Management Organization Efficiency Scheduling Study habits
Setting priorities
Lifestyle
Procrastination

5. Organization
Write down all of your assignment and test dates on a full term or school-year calendar
Move from longer-term to shorter-term (monthly, to weekly, to daily) scheduling of tasks
Try tracking your use of time for a week

6. Setting Priorities
Essential
Not Essential
Urgent
Not Urgent

7. Setting Priorities
Essential
Not Essential
Urgent 1
Not Urgent

8. Setting Priorities
Essential
Not Essential
Urgent 1
Not Urgent 2

9. Setting Priorities
Essential
Not Essential
Urgent 1 3
Not Urgent 2

10. Setting Priorities
Essential
Not Essential
Urgent 1 3
Not Urgent 2 4

11. Understanding Procrastination
Fear of failure
Fear of success
Perfectionism
Rebellion
Overwhelmed
Lack of interest
An established pattern

12. Overcoming Procrastination
Plan a clear, realistic schedule in advance
“First-minute” motivation
Smallest achievable chunks
Rewards

13. Maximizing Recall The 50 - 10 Rule Review according to the
“curve of forgetting”

14. Curve of Forgetting Day1 Day 2 Day 7 Day 30 10 minutes 5 minutes 100%

15. Recall cont’d… Take advantage of your learning style preferences
Don’t just review, practice too!
Sleep for better grades!

16. Adult’s Sleep Histogram
R.E.M.
Awake
Stage 1
Stage 2
Stage 3
Stage 4
Hours of Consecutive Sleep

17. Note-taking Read ahead whenever possible
Review your notes according to the curve of forgetting
Set up your notes with a mind for studying from them

18. ** Leave space at bottom of page for “summary statements”
CLASS DATE PAGE #
Notes from what teacher is saying or showing during
class go here on right side of page
(leave lots of space on the left side of the page)
** Leave space at bottom of page for “summary statements”

19. CLASS DATE PAGE #
After class, make up questions or key words to cue your recall of the notes you took during class and write them here.
e.g.
What is it?
Where do I find it?
How do I use it?
What is its importance?
Notes from what teacher is saying or showing
during class go here.
Summary statements….

20. Concentration & Distraction
Examine your place of study, then make changes you can or consider moving
Eat well. Sleep well. Be physically active.
Multi tasking?
Write down your distracting thoughts
Take advantage of high energy times

21. Circadian Rhythms 8am - 12pm High 12pm - 4pm Med 4pm - 6pm Low
After 10pm Rest

22. Reading Skills
Start with an overview (introduction, summary, titles, subtitles, tables, charts, graphs, bold print)
Always read with a specific purpose or a question in mind
Don’t get too comfortable

23. Preparing for & Writing Exams
Worry

24. Being Prepared Put in the hours (without cramming)
Be physically & mentally healthy
Study by doing (active study)
Practice getting unstuck

25. Do I know my stuff? Can I say it in my own words?
Can I give an example?
Can I explain it to someone who doesn’t understand it?

26. Writing the Exam Have a plan… and a back-up plan …. (not this)
Essay Exams
Problem Solving Exams
Multiple Choice Exams

27. After the exam
Make note of what seemed to work or not work as you studied
Make note of what seemed to work or not work as you wrote the test
After the test is returned, look for patterns in your errors

28. Correlates of University Persistence
Longitudinal study, University of Calgary (M. Drysdale)
Who continues after the first year?
Variables:
Age
Gender
High school grades
Intended major/area of study
University grades (1st semester, 1st year)
Learning style (dominant and weakest)

29. Significant Outcomes Interaction between : First term grades
First year grades
Declared major area of study
Dominant learning style (used Gregorc Learning Styles)

30. University GPA First term GPA: First year GPA:
GPA < 2.00 (‘C’) 34% of those who did not continue
GPA > % of those who did not continue
First year GPA:
GPA < 2.00 (‘C’) 40% of those who did not continue
GPA > % of those who did not continue

31. Intended Major
30% of those who had not declared a major were required to withdraw or dropped out vs 8% of those who had declared a major
Younger students had more problems deciding on career

32. Recommendations Know and work with your Learning Style
Put some energy into Career exploration (ongoing)
Learn and apply effective Study Skills (ongoing)
Ask for help! Access resources!!!

33. Study Skills Resources
uwaterloo.ca/student-success/resources/online-resources
Teachers, Family, Teaching Assistants, Classmates
Find alternate textbooks for difficult courses
Find old tests/exams and work through them
Study skills books and tips on-line and at bookstores
Private tutors, counsellors, and education agencies