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  1. INTEREST: In order to remember something thoroughly, you must be interested in it.
  2. INTENT TO REMEMBER: Your intent to remember has much to do with whether you remember something or not. A key factor to remembering is having a POSITIVE ATTITUDE that you WILL remember.
  3. BASIC BACKGROUND: Your understanding of new materials depends to a great degree on how much you already know about the subject. The more you increase your basic knowledge, the easier it is to build new knowledge on that background.
  4. SELECTIVITY: You must determine what is important and select those parts to study and learn

You can use clues in your class notes or textbook to determine what is most important to study.

5. MEANINGFUL ORGANIZATION: You can learn to remember better if you group ideas into meaningful categories

If you have a large list of items to remember, cluster similar items around a heading or category

6. RECITATION: Saying ideas out loud in your own words is the most powerful tool you have for transferring information from short term memory to long term memory

Flash cards and study cards are often helpful in learning new material as they make you a participant, not just an onlooker.

7. MENTAL VISUALIZATION: Another principle is making a mental picture of what needs to be remembered. By visualizing, you use an entirely different part of the brain then you did by reading or listening

Add illustrations, maps, or graphs to your notes to help you understand and remember

8. ASSOCIATION: Memory is increased when facts to be learned are associated with something familiar to you.

Use logical connections such as maps or diagrams

Make artificial connections through visualizations, rhymes, and mnemonic devices.

9. CONSOLIDATION: Your brain must have time for new information to soak in. When you make a list or review your notes right after class, you are using the principle of consolidation.

10.DISTRIBUTED PRACTICE: A series of shorter study sessions over several days is preferable to fewer but longer sessions.

When reading a textbook, you must be an ACTIVE reader. This means that you do not simply just read through a textbook, but take action to better understand what the textbook is saying.

Some ways to be an active reader include: highlighting important sentences or words, taking notes while you read the textbook, writing down important textbook definitions or terms on another piece of paper, and answering review questions or doing practice problems in the textbook.

Below are some important strategies to assist you in reading your textbook for class:

1. Read slowly

Textbooks require slower reading speeds than do novels, journals, or newspapers. You can also re-read the textbook many times if you do not understand the material

2. Find meanings of unknown terms

Look for definitions of words you do not know in a dictionary, class notes, or glossary at the back of your textbook.

3. Form a study group

Discuss class notes and textbook notes in a group. For most students, discussing and hearing material discussed helps fill in textbook notes, speeds learning, and promotes later recall.

4. Discuss unclear material with the instructor

Have specific questions ready when you meet with a professor. This conveys interest and effort and makes it easier for instructors to help because they see more quickly what it is you don’t understand.

Obviously, taking notes in class is extremely important. These notes are your reference when you need to study for the exam, write a paper, or finish your homework. That is why, it is important to attend class AND take good notes during class.

Sometimes, professors and teachers talk very quickly and cover a lot of material, so that you are unable to understand or write down every word of the class. That is okay! There are some ways you can take notes to get the most important information and to make your notes shorter.

Below are some important strategies to help you take notes in class:

1. Don’t Try to Record Every Word

Summarize and abbreviate when possible. This gives more time to listen and focus on understanding.

2. Use Abbreviations

Some examples:

Because=b/c

Pound=#

Information=info

With or without=w/ or w/o

Balance=bal

Between=btwn

Difference=diff

Percent=%

3. Take or Re-write your notes using as few words as possible

You will get better with practice (and remember to review your notes frequently)

In college, managing your time well is essential to success. You will need to make sure you have a calendar that can fit all of your activities.

Steps to Making a Schedule to manage your time in college:

1. Record class times and lab times

2. Record meal times

3.Record all other scheduled activities such as meetings, your job, athletic games, or anything else that is mandatory to attend

4. Record any special activities you need to do or want to do every week (such as exercise, practicing an instrument, drawing, meditating, etc.)

5. Schedule a “preview time” before each class when it is possible. This time could be 5-30 minutes where you review your class notes or any assignments for the class.

6. Schedule a time immediately after your classes when it is possible. This time could be 5-30 minutes immediately after each class. Use this time to edit, complete, and summarize your notes. You can also start to look at homework or assignments that were assigned that class during this time.

7. Now, add study/review time for each class in your schedule. Try to schedule some study time each day for each class. This is because you learn more effectively and efficiently if you schedule your study time in shorter, more regular sessions. Also, try to schedule study time in the morning and afternoon for studying. The evening is often an ineffective time to study. Start your study period with classes you like the least or you are not receiving good grades in. That you, you can leave your favorite for last!

8. Schedule a weekly review for each class. Schedule this weekly review at the end of the week if it is possible.  This time period gives you an opportunity to review the entire week’s notes and reading assignments to see what you have been learning the past week. You can also use this time to plan ahead for the next week and determine how much reading you need to do, what projects are due, and if any test is scheduled.

Some other notes about your schedule and time management:

-Keep open some day or evening time for daily physical activity

-On your schedule, keep some time OPEN for academic or personal needs

-Schedule time, especially during the weekend, to play, relax, or do whatever you want to do.

1. What is Free Time?
“Free time” is any time that you do not have any mandatory activity. That is, free time is time that you are not in class, eating, or sleeping. In college, you will find that you have a lot more free time than you are used to. However, it is important to use this free time to do things like study, exercise, and do your homework. You do not want to simply use your free time to sleep or watch TV.

2. How can you organize free time?
You should organize your free time in a way that is right for you. Some strategies include keeping a calendar book where you can write down your classes, homework, and other free time activities all in one place. Some people prefer to use a calendar online, such as ICal or Google Calendar (http://www.calendar.google.com). Often, using different colors can help you organize your free time as well. Use a different color pen for each activity in your calendar. For example, use a blue pen for homework assignments, red for exercise, green for eating times, pink for sleeping, etc. During the workshop, we talked about different ways to keep a calendar and a to-do list.

Another option is to print out blank calendars to fill in. Printable blank calendars are available online:

http://www.printablecalendar.ca/

Please see the following link for information covered in the USPP Workshop Monday, June 21. The information discusses your class syllabi and managing your free time:

http://blog.uvm.edu/learnco/files/2010/06/syllabus-and-free-time.doc

Workshop: “How to Read Your Syllabus and manage your free time”

Monday, June 21, 7:30pm, Tupper Lounge

1. What is a Syllabus?

A syllabus is an outline, or a summary of what will be covered during a class. The professor prepares the syllabus for each class. The syllabus for each class will contain detailed information about the class, such as how to contact the professor, what topics will be discussed in class, when the exams and tests are for the class, rules in the classroom, and the grading policy for the class, among other things.

A syllabus is a contract between the students and the professor so that they both understand how the class will run, what the rules are, etc.

2. How do you use a syllabus?
A syllabus helps you plan for the class and understand how much free time you will need to spend working on the class. When you receive a syllabus, you should read it very carefully and ask the professor any questions you have about the class or the professor’s expectations. Then, you should put the dates of the tests, quizzes, and assignments on your calendar. This will help you plan for the class and stay organized.

Below, you can review a summary of the workshop from last night. Thank you to those students who attended. Please leave any questions you have from last night and I can answer them.

See you all tomorrow for the High Ropes Adventure Course!

Discussion questions:

What kind of technology do you use every day?
Some of the answers: Phone, computer, IPod

What kind of technology do you use when you do homework, study for tests, and talk to your teachers?
Some of the answers: Writing papers and essays, translating, e-mail, chat, Facebook

How do you think you can use technology to earn better grades?
Some of the answers: Writing papers, translating, researching information

There are many tools on the internet to help students learn more effectively:
Google: http://www.google.com
Create a Google account for free
This account will give you e-mail, online calendar, documents, and other thing. Using a Google document, you can share the document, and many people can edit the document at the same time. Google documents are useful for taking class notes, studying for tests, or working on a group project.
Reading books online
Many websites have books you can access for free. Some of the sites even have books in Chinese!
Project Gutenberg: http://www.gutenberg.org

Google Books: http://www.books.google.com

Open Library: http://openlibrary.org/subjects/accessible_book

Create flashcards online: If you need to remember a lot of vocabulary for a test, you can make flashcards online to practice and memorize words for a test: http://www.quizlet.com

Recording Lectures
During class, you can record what the professor is saying and then listen to it again when you are studying for a test. There are many ways to record a class, including:
1. Buy a tape recorder: There are many versions of recorders that will record a class. You can purchase a recorder to take to class with you every day.

2. Macbook users: you have a built-in microphone in your computer. You can type notes on your laptop and record a class at the same time.

3. Livescribe pen: You can write your class notes and record the lecture at the same time

Note: Always ask your professor to see if it is okay if you record his or her lecture

USPP Learning Cooperative Blog: http://blog.uvm.edu/learnco

You can communicate with one another and find tools that can help you with studying. I encourage you to comment on the blog!

You can make your own blog to practice English, keep a journal about your time in the U.S., or to tell your friends about what you’re doing here in the U.S.

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Below is a link to a document with many useful academic websites. Take a look at these!

http://blog.uvm.edu/learnco/files/2010/06/USPP_Sites_Diigo_List1.doc

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USPP Evening Workshops: How to Succeed in College

Flyer: USPP Evening Workshops Flyer

Presented by: Tutor Allison Heiser

These events are opportunities to learn some useful hints in order to succeed in your classes at the University of Vermont.

Attendance is encouraged.

“Using Technology for Academic Success”

Thursday, June 17

7:30-8:30pm

Tupper Lounge

“How to read your syllabus and manage your free time”

Monday, June 21

7:30-8:30pm

Tupper Lounge

“Note-taking and Textbook Reading”

Thursday, June 24

7:30-8:30pm

Tupper Lounge

Hope to see all of you there!

Food will be served for those who attend!

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