1. How to Study for A&P (and almost anything else) Adapted from Lori K. Garrett

2. Think about the way you currently study…  What has been successful? Not successful?  Does your motivation influence your study habits? How?  Do your teachers/peers/family members influence your study habits? How?  Can study habits be changed?

3. Let’s get started…  Write a commitment to yourself:  Commitments can be anything, but they need to be specific, be measurable, and have a timeframe.  Examples:  I am going to study _____ hours a day at _____ (location).  I will have a _____ (grade) at midterm and a _____ (grade) at the end of the semester.  Publicly state it.  Share your commitment with a neighbor.  Now turn to another neighbor and share it again.  Accept responsibility for your own effort.  Think of possible obstacles and plan (2 solutions) around them.

4. Taking Notes in Class  I often cannot wait for every person to copy everything from the board/screen.  However, taking notes can help reinforce the neural pathways, so do it as much as possible.  Use abbreviations.  Write the main ideas in your own words.  Use the time in class to listen and ask questions.  Usually, the presentation will be on Swift.  Bring a copy to class, or check them to make sure you got all the notes.  Highlight key terms and main ideas.  As soon after class as possible read through your notes. Improve them if needed (add missing info, highlight, etc).

5. Procrastinator’s Creed Sometimes I wait, until its late Because I procrastinate. To get things done, I must do Some things I don’t really want to. Even 15 miutes at a time Will get me started, I’ll be just fine. Time to leave distrations behind When I get an A I won’t mind. I’ll do the daunting first And then I’ll be done with the worst. Its in my power to not procrastinate And when I succeed I should celebrate!

6. No Cramming Allowed  Besides bad study habits, what do you think of when I say the word cram/crammed/cramming?  Right! Cramming is like shoving more clothes into an already full closet and slamming the door– What happens when you open the door?  Same thing happens when you open your brain-door after cramming- everything just “falls out”.  This can lead to very messy, hard to organize, mixed up information.  It is NOT EFFECTIVE. Instead, you should…

7. Review What You’ve Learned  Make sure you make studying a priority.  Block off sacred time in your busy schedule.  Find a good place to study- avoid distractions.  Relate studying to your goals.  Study for short periods of time, but consistently.  Take a 10-15 minute break for every hour of study.  Make sure that you understand the concepts and you’re not just memorizing.  For your brain to be kind to you, you have to be kind to it: Eat & hydrate, SLEEP, chill.

8. Order of Operations 1. Do specific assignments (lab reports, projects). 2. Go over the most recent notes. 3. Read/watch any corresponding materials. 4. Quiz yourself. 5. Review notes one more time. Write down a list of things you need further clarification of. 6. Q3B4Me

9. Lock it into the Long-term  Long-term memory formation requires active learning  Don’t just memorize- UNDERSTAND  Understanding means that you can EXPLAIN it, not just define it.  Take notes while reading/watching. Re-read/watch as many times as needed.  Develop and answer questions (think teachery thoughts).  Check/quiz yourself.  Occasionally study with a buddy/group. Quiz each other.

10. Study tools  Brainstorm…

11. Study Group  When studying alone you may not be aware of what you don’t know.  In a group you can:  Clarify ideas  Quiz each other  Split up the material then teach each other  Discuss  Help and support one another  Meet while you are in class, or right after school.

12. Test Taking  Peruse the whole test to see if there are sections that you might need to set aside time for or do first.  Read each question thoroughly before answering.  Look for questions on the backs of pages.  Be aware of point values, and how many questions need to be answered to achieve a Meeting.  Look for context clues in the questions (always, never, most, some, all, none, is, is not).  Answers might be hidden in plain sight.

13. Multiple Choice  Cover the answers until you finish reading the question. Try to give your own answer before uncovering the answers.  If you initially don’t know the answer:  Identify what you do know.  Use the process of elimination and narrow down your choices.  After answering a question:  Check that it is clearly marked and the one you want.  LEAVE IT ALONE.  Don’t worry if you chose the same letter several times in a row.

14. Think Positive!  Surround yourself with supportive people who are positive, know your goals, and are proud of you.  Many of you are going to use this information for the rest of you education/career, so remember to look at the big picture. You are learning this information so you can pursue your dreams, not so you can pass an exam.  Be encouraged! YOU CAN DO THIS!