Make time to study every day. You need the constant and frequent repetition.
Don’t try to cram too much into a study session. Schedule in breaks. Reserve time
for studying every day.
Keep all your materials in a 3-ring binder. Mark your class notes and handouts with
chapter headings, subjects, and dates. Compare your lecture notes to your notes on
the reading and tie them together.
Pay close attention to your syllabus. Keep it in the front of your binder and check
it daily. Be aware of homework due dates and test dates. Start well in advance to
prepare for these. Be sure you are doing the right assignments.
Read the assignments before each lecture. Make flash cards of important vocabulary
words, and learn their meanings before class. This will increase your understanding
when you hear the words in the lecture.
Go early to class and have your materials ready when the lecture begins (e.g., paper,
pen, open book, tape recorder and tape.)
Always sit in the front of the class, close to the instructor.
Review your notes from the previous class before the lecture begins. This will help
you anticipate what is coming up.
Hit the ground running. Plan to have a full lecture the first day of class. Plan
to study the first night. Don’t let yourself get behind, because it’s impossible
to catch up.
Never miss a class for any reason. It’s only sixteen weeks. Just do it.
When preparing for a test, create questions you think the instructor may ask. Write
out answers to those questions.
Visit your instructor during office hours. Ask about your progress. Ask any questions
that may have come up in class or in your reading. Make sure you understand any assignments.
Ask for tips on how to study for a test. Your instructor will appreciate that you
are interested in learning and succeeding.
Find a study buddy or form a study group for each class.
