|
Time
Management Strategies:
-
For the most
challenging subjects, try spreading
your 20 minute study sessions over
the day (e.g. mid-morning,
mid-afternoon, and early evening).
Procrastination...a
problem for you?
-
If
procrastination is a problem for
you, make a point of studying your
most challenging subject first.
-
For lecture
classes, as a general rule preview
relevant material (text, previous
notes) before class. Review notes
and read carefully as soon as
possible after class.
-
For
recitations and seminars, preview
relevant material (text, previous
notes) before class. Consider
and make notes of questions,
comments, contributions for class
discussion.
-
Set aside
time EACH DAY for work in skills
classes such as math and foreign
languages.
-
Spread out
work on long-term projects.
-
Don't
neglect time for yourself: allow
leisure, social, and recreation
time.
YOU TOO
CAN BEAT PROCRASTINATION!!
-
If
the task is too overwhelming
or too big, break it down
into small units.
-
Change
activities often.
-
Try
to make the task inviting or
pleasant.
-
If
the task is difficult, seek
help from professor, TA,
peer; get questions
answered; seek further
information to acquire
background.
-
Reward
yourself often for completed
tasks.
-
Balance
least favorite activities
with more favored
activities.
-
Choose
best time to do tasks.
|
|
Don't
set yourself up by planning a
task at a time when
something you love
to do usually takes
place.
|
|
Don't
set yourself up to do a task
when it is reasonable
or preferable to do
something else.
|
-
Be
active; it's more
stimulating and interesting
if you are engaged in
specific, concrete
activities.
-
Allocate
time for activities that
tend to divert you from
tasks you have agreed to
accomplish, e.g., perfecting
the arrangement of your
desk, laundry, going to the
store, visiting friends,
relaxing.
-
Schedule
procrastination time.
-
Initiate
and develop positive
self-talk about your ability
to complete tasks.
|
|
Tell
yourself - "I like doing
this," or "What's a
little
discomfort now for success
later."
|
|
Stop
continually criticizing
yourself when you do
procrastinate.
|
|
|
Be
realistic. Determine amount of
time needed for a task before
committing yourself to a
deadline.
|
|
Use
past experience to help you
analyze the amount of time
needed.
|
|
If
you misjudge, just use the
information to
help you assess your task
better next
time.
|
|
Go
back to the beginning. Look at
your goals. Determine the
level of your commitment to
these goals and choose tasks
which correspond to that
commitment.
|
|
If
you think you
"can't" do
something, go get more
information about what it
entails or investigate the
validity of your belief that
you can't do it.
|
|
Give
yourself sufficient time to
break the habit. Reward
yourself for making progress.
Allow yourself relapses.
|
|
Throw
yourself into the task with an
"I-intend-to-get-going-come-what-may"
attitude.
|
|
Use
memory aids - lists,
schedules, calendars, alarm
clocks, reminders by friends
and relatives.
|
|
When
in a time bind, prioritizing
tasks becomes even more
important. Do tasks which
cannot be compacted first.
|
|
Develop
efficient and effective
strategies for the task. (e.g.
You may be putting off
preparing for a math test
because your ineffective study
methods make studying
unpleasant and unproductive.)
|
With
the Book Closed
Ask yourself the following questions for
every textbook, book, or article that
you are assigned. Think about
why you are reading in this course:
Consider the role of the reading
material in your class. Is it the
essential source of information? Is it
included to provide background? to serve
as a reference? as supplemental
information?
Why did your professor assign this
reading material? How does the professor
use the material in the course? Is the
book discussed thoroughly in lecture?
occasionally mentioned? How does the
material coordinate with other aspects
of the course--lecture, homework
problems, paper assignments, course
pack, etc.?
Opening the Book
A large part of reading is predicting.
The more you can predict while you are
reading, the easier the reading will be.
These strategies may help you acquaint
yourself with your reading material, and
therefore predict what you will be
reading.
Read the table of contents, book cover,
or introductory blurb to see how the
information is organized and what
information will be covered.
Read the preface, introduction, or
forward, and look for the author’s(s’)
purpose and plan for the material.
Examine the layout of the chapter or
selection, and locate preview and review
sections, key terms, and study
questions.
Decide how the format of the text will
influence your study strategies for this
course.
Reading
the Assignment:
Before you begin, decide how you are
going to read the material. Anticipate
what you will want and need to do with
the reading material in the future and
choose a reading strategy that suits
your goal. Produce study material
for the future as you read. Turn the
reading material into something that is
meaningful to you.
Read the beginning of an assignment
slowly and carefully. It will help you
predict and therefore read the rest of
the assignment faster.
Diagram information as you read. Trace
the line of an argument or narrative;
chart or draw relationships or systems.
Put ideas into shapes, figures, or lines
to show connections between concepts.
Reduce each paragraph to a word or
phrase and write it in the margin. When
finished, list your words, and turn this
into an outline of the reading.
Read through the chapter, article, or
book section, then write a one-two page
summary, personal review, or chart of
the information.
Underline (rather than highlight)
important information after reading the
whole assignment.
Make a fact sheet or key term sheet.
List titles or headings of chapters.
Make a list of specific questions that
you need answered as you read.
LEARNING
EFFECTIVELY AND
EFFICIENTLY:
1.
IMMEDIATE REVIEW
|
|
As
soon as possible after class
(preferably within 24 hours --
we forget up to 50% of new
material within that time):
|
|
|
Rework
your notes adding material
that comes to mind. (Reworking
is not recopying)
|
|
|
Order
and organize class and reading
notes using asterisks, arrows,
additional comments etc.
|
|
|
Integrate
new material with what you
already know.
|
2.
INTERMEDIATE REVIEW
|
|
Retaining
information learned during
IMMEDIATE REVIEW requires
moving that
information into your
long term memory.
To
facilitate this:
|
|
|
Review
recent notes for each subject
at least twice per week (15-20
minutes per review session).
|
|
|
Review
all notes relevant to the next
major test; determine how new
material fits into the whole
(1 time per week).
|
3. FINAL REVIEW
|
|
Start
early -- at least one week
before your exams.
|
|
|
Assemble
study materials: Textbooks,
lecture notes, handouts,
outside readings, reading
notes, homework and other
assignments, your previous
tests, sample/practice tests,
workbooks, study aids you have
made during the semester (e.g.
flashcards, charts, models),
review sheets from
professor/TA.
|
|
|
Practice
applying your knowledge: Try
to predict test questions and
then answer them. Practice
what you will have to do on
the test--write essay
outlines, work problems.
|
|
|
If you
know you have trouble managing
your time during a test,
practice answering questions
within a time limit.
|
|
|
Stick
to a regular sleep/eat/study
routine. Avoid excess
caffeine/other stimulants. A
stressed body leads to a
stressed mind, which leads to
an unhappy test-taking
experience.
|
YOU
TOO CAN BEAT
PROCRASTINATION!!
|
If
the task is too overwhelming or
too big, break it down into
small units.
|
|
Change
activities often.
|
|
Try
to make the task inviting or
pleasant.
|
|
If
the task is difficult, seek help
from professor, TA, peer; get
questions answered; seek further
information to acquire
background.
|
|
Reward
yourself often for completed
tasks.
|
|
Balance
least favorite activities with
more favored activities.
|
|
Choose
best time to do tasks.
|
|
Don't
set yourself up by planning a
task at a time when something
you love
to do usually takes
place.
|
|
Don't
set yourself up to do a task
when it is reasonable or
preferable to do
something else.
|
|
Be
active; it's more stimulating
and interesting if you are
engaged in specific, concrete
activities.
|
|
Allocate
time for activities that tend to
divert you from tasks you have
agreed to accomplish, e.g.,
perfecting the arrangement of
your desk, laundry, going to the
store, visiting friends,
relaxing.
|
|
Schedule
procrastination time.
|
|
Initiate
and develop positive self-talk
about your ability to complete
tasks.
|
|
Tell
yourself - "I like doing
this," or "What's a
little discomfort
now for success later."
|
|
Stop
continually criticizing yourself
when you do procrastinate.
|
|
Be
realistic. Determine amount of
time needed for a task before
committing yourself to a
deadline.
|
|
Use
past experience to help you
analyze the amount of time
needed. If you misjudge, just
use the information to help you
assess your task better next
time.
|
|
Go
back to the beginning. Look at
your goals. Determine the level
of your commitment to these
goals and choose tasks which
correspond to that commitment.
|
|
If you think you
"can't" do something,
go get help from any resource
available to you (professor, TA,
help room, tutor, friend) ... or
investigate the validity of your
belief that you can't do it.
|
|
Give
yourself sufficient time to
break the habit. Reward yourself
for making progress. Allow
yourself relapses.
|
|
Throw
yourself into the task with an
"I-intend-to-get-going-come-what-may"
attitude.
|
|
Use
memory aids - lists, schedules,
calendars, alarm clocks,
reminders by friends and
relatives.
|
|
When
in a time bind, prioritizing
tasks becomes even more
important. Do tasks which cannot
be compacted first.
|
|
Develop
efficient and effective
strategies for the task. (e.g.
You may be putting off preparing
for a math test because your
ineffective study methods make
studying unpleasant and
unproductive.)
|
Time
Management Strategies:
- Establish
an initial study schedule that you
know you can maintain.
- Use a
work-break-work approach. Instead
of studying for 60 minutes, try
studying in three x 20 minute
blocks with 5-10 minutes break
in-between each session.
- Allow
longer breaks (up to 30 minutes)
between subjects.
- For the
most challenging subjects, try
spreading your 20 minute study
sessions over the day (e.g.
mid-morning, mid-afternoon, and
early evening).
- Gear time
of day and length of study period
to specific needs of the subject
matter:
|
If
procrastination is a problem for
you, make a point of studying
your most challenging subject
first. |
|
For
lecture classes, as a general
rule preview relevant material
(text, previous notes) before
class. Review notes and read
carefully as soon as possible
after class. |
|
For
recitations and seminars,
preview relevant material (text,
previous notes) before class.
Consider and make notes of
questions, comments,
contributions for class
discussion. |
|
Set
aside time EACH DAY for work in
skills classes such as math and
foreign languages. |
|
Spread
out work on long-term projects. |
|
Don't
neglect time for yourself: allow
leisure, social, and recreation
time. |
With
the Book Closed
Ask
yourself the following questions for
every textbook, book, or article that
you are assigned. Think about why
you are reading in this course:
Consider
the role of the reading material in your
class. Is it the essential source of
information? Is it included to provide
background? to serve as a reference? as
supplemental information?
Why
did your professor assign this reading
material? How does the professor use the
material in the course? Is the book
discussed thoroughly in lecture?
occasionally mentioned? How does the
material coordinate with other aspects
of the course--lecture, homework
problems, paper assignments, course
pack, etc.?
Opening
the Book
A
large part of reading is predicting. The
more you can predict while you are
reading, the easier the reading will be.
These strategies may help you acquaint
yourself with your reading material, and
therefore predict what you will be
reading.
Read
the table of contents, book cover, or
introductory blurb to see how the
information is organized and what
information will be covered.
Read
the preface, introduction, or forward,
and look for the author’s(s’)
purpose and plan for the material.
Examine
the layout of the chapter or selection,
and locate preview and review sections,
key terms, and study questions.
Decide
how the format of the text will
influence your study strategies for this
course.
Reading
the Assignment:
-
Before
you begin, decide how you are going
to read the material. Anticipate
what you will want and need to do
with the reading material in the
future and choose a reading strategy
that suits your goal. Produce
study material for the future as you
read. Turn the reading material into
something that is meaningful to you.
-
Read
the beginning of an assignment
slowly and carefully. It will help
you predict and therefore read the
rest of the assignment faster.
-
Diagram
information as you read. Trace the
line of an argument or narrative;
chart or draw relationships or
systems. Put ideas into shapes,
figures, or lines to show
connections between concepts.
-
Reduce
each paragraph to a word or phrase
and write it in the margin. When
finished, list your words, and turn
this into an outline of the reading.
-
Read
through the chapter, article, or
book section, then write a one-two
page summary, personal review, or
chart of the information.
-
Underline
(rather than highlight) important
information after reading the whole
assignment.
-
Make
a fact sheet or key term sheet. List
titles or headings of chapters.
-
Make
a list of specific questions that
you need answered as you read.
|
