Strats For College Succ

Strategies for College Success
University Learning Center

University of Arizona
Introduction
The purpose of this course is to expose you to
various strategies and techniques that will enable
you to become a successful student in the
postsecondary environment
Course Contents
Section 1: Self-assessment and Self-
management
Steps in Successful Goal Setting and
Achievement
Learning Styles
Anxiety/Stress Management
Course Contents
Section 2: Study Skills Development
Time Management
Memory Techniques
Methods of Reading College Textbooks
Note Taking Strategies
Exam Preparation Tips
Test Taking Strategies
Internet Resources
Section 1:
Self-assessment
and Self-management

Lesson 1: Goal Setting and
Achievement
What well be covering:
characteristics of goals
how to break down goals
where goal setting can go wrong
Goals should be...
Realistic
The goals of winning a marathon after two weeks
of training is an unrealistic goal. Use what youve
accomplished in the past to set a reasonable goal
for the future.
Goals should be...
Self-chosen
You are much more likely to achieve a goal that
you set for yourself than one that has been set for
you
Goals should be...
Moderately difficult
A goal that is too hard or too easy will decrease
your motivation and wont show you what youre
really capable of accomplishing
Use what youve accomplished in the past as a
guide
Goals should be...
Specific
For example, getting an A in Math and a B in
Geography is a lot more specific than just saying
that you would like to get good grades this
semester
Goals should be...
Measurable
Youre more likely to give up if you cant see any
progress toward your goal
For example, getting an A on your midterm is
measurable progress toward getting an A in the
class.
Goals should be...
Positive
Say what you do want to accomplish instead of
what you dont want to do.
For example, try I will attend all classes,
instead of I wont skip any classes.
Goals should be...
Flexible
If it looks like you cant reach your original goal,
be flexible and redraw your plan
Goals should be...
Associated with a deadline
When do you plan on accomplishing this goal, in
a month, day, or year?
Goals should be...
Written down
It will serve as a better reminder to keep you
motivated
Where goal setting can go wrong
When goal setting is disorganized
For example, keep personal and academic goals
separate
When goals are unrealistic
For example, becoming a company CEO
immediately after graduation is an unrealistic
goal
When you set goals that are beyond your
control
For example, winning the lottery is definitely
beyond your control
When goals are vague
For example, becoming successful or becoming
a better student are not clear goals to work
toward.
When you set too many goals
For example, at any one time you should focus on
achieving only three or four goals
How to break down and achieve
goals
see example
Summary
Goals with certain characteristics will enable you
to be more successful in goal setting and
achievement.
Breaking down large goals into parts will help
you to see what steps you will need to complete
on the way to accomplishing your goal
Homework assignment: Apply what
youve learned
set an academic or personal goal
select one personal or academic long-term goal
and break it down to the steps you will need to
achieve in the next year, next 6 months, next
month, next week, and tomorrow
Lesson 2: Learning Styles
What is a learning style?
How you develop a learning style?
Whats your learning style?
How information on your learning style can help
to improve your learning
What is a learning style?
an individuals characteristic and preferred way of
gathering, interpreting, organizing and thinking
about information. Your style includes the type of
environments you like to learn in, your
preferences for working with others, and the way
you perceive information.
no single style of learning has been shown to be
better than any other
How do you develop a learning
style?
learning styles develop over time as a result of an
individuals inherent preferences and experience
with his/her environment
they can and do change over time
How can information about learning
styles improve your learning?
You may be more satisfied and more productive if
you are studying with methods compatible with
your style. Right now you may be studying with
methods incompatible with your style and not
know it.
You can experiment with building up less-
preferred styles so that you can be equally
comfortable with different tasks and in different
learning environments.
In class assignment: Whats your
learning style?
Complete the learning style assessment
View Suggestions for Studying and Learning
based on learning style
Summary
Your learning style influences the way that you
perceive and process information. By knowing
your learning style, you can employ methods and
strategies to make studying and learning more
productive. Without this information, you may
make studying and learning more difficult for
yourself without even realizing it.
youve learned
Write full description of how you like to learn
Answer the following questions: How do I learn
best?, What time of day do I learn best?, What kind of
environment do I learn best in?, Do I learn better
alone or with others?
What study strategies are (or would be)
particularly helpful for you?
How will you be changing your study methods
now that you are aware of your learning style?
Lesson 3: Anxiety/Stress
Management
What well cover
What is stress?
What causes stress?
Strategies to reduce stress
Strategies for dealing with stress
What is stress?
Stress is the way that you react physically,
mentally and emotionally to various conditions,
changes and demands in your life.
Many students experience varying levels of stress
each semester.
High levels of stress can affect your physical and
mental well-being and academic performance.
Symptoms of stress
headaches
nervous stomach
change in appetite
rapid breathing
rapid heart rate
sweaty palms
irritability
anxiety
fatigue
insomnia
dissatisfaction
anger
depression
inability to
concentrate
In-Class Assignment: Reflect on a
stressful situation
Write a brief description of a recent situation that
caused you stress. Summarize your mental,
emotional and physical states at the time.
What causes stress?
Anxiety: uneasiness and distress about future
uncertainties
What causes stress?
Changes in lifes expectations or demands
Ex. Marriage, divorce, pregnancy, illness, bills,
increasing demands of a university course load
What causes stress?
Disorganization: feeling unprepared and
powerless
What causes stress?
Physical Constraints
Ex. Physical exhaustion, lack of good exercise
and diet strategies
What causes stress?
Time constraints: multiple projects and deadlines
In-Class Assignment: Self-
assessment
Take the anxiety/stress assessment
Use the results of this assessment to pinpoint
specific causes of stress in your life. What (if any)
control do you have over these areas of your life?
Make a list of things that you can do to lessen
your stress.
Take control- manage your time instead of
letting it manage you. Use a to-do list, follow a
written plan, set goals and follow through.
Procrastination is a major cause of stress. Make a
realistic list of things you need to do each day.
Start doing the most important things first. That
way, even if you dont finish the list, you get the
most important things done.
Take a break
Sometimes it is better to get away from the
situation for a short time- take a brisk walk, focus
on pleasant thoughts. Then, go back to the task
feeling refreshed and ready to go tackle whatever
it is you have to do.
Work on your attitude
Put things into perspective- try not to take
yourself so seriously.
Think positive- If you think you will fail, or
think you will succeed, you are probably right.
--Henry Ford
Get help
See your instructor, go to tutoring, and
participate in study groups. See how to form a
study group.
Keep in touch with friends and family, and
develop a support group.
Physical stress busters
eat right, exercise regularly and get plenty of rest
Practice, practice, practice
Build your confidence- do extra math problems,
practice test-taking at home, rehearse your
speech a couple of times before the presentation
In-class assignment: Self-reflection
Go back to the stressful incident that you
described in the first part of the lesson and list
some strategies for dealing with the situation,
and some things you could have done to prevent
it from being stressful. Also list some ways you
can avoid a reoccurrence of such a situation in the
future.
no one can avoid stress all the time. In a stressful
situation, try these tips to help you overcome the
effects of stress.
Join the crowd
Even though you may think you are the only
person in the world who is experiencing stress,
the fact is that everyone experiences it sometime.
Talk to someone
Find someone you trust, discuss the problems and
look for solutions
Put it in perspective
Chances are, this is only one small part of the rest
of your life
Visualize
Sit comfortably and think of a favorite place.
Imagine yourself in a successful situation.
Breathe
Sit quietly, and breathe deeply and slowly.
Continue for five or six breaths. It is calming and
the extra dose of oxygen increases the brains
thinking ability.
Its all in your head... and shoulders
Roll your head loosely in a wide circle. Repeat
five times. Tighten right shoulder and raise it as
far up as possible and hold, then relax slowly.
Repeat with left shoulder. Repeat with both
shoulders.
Go on a diet
Eating light and avoiding sugars can help with
performance and lessen stress. In a stressful
situation like an exam, have a light meal of
mostly protein. Remember, a heavy high
carbohydrate meal can put you to sleep.
Lighten up
Take responsibility for your feelings. When you
get angry, take a break and cool down before you
act.
Use it
A little stress is a good thing- athletes use it to
increase performance. If you are experiencing a
small amount of anxiety, it can help to keep you
active and alert. Use it to increase your
performance.
Summary
Stress is mental, emotional and physical tension,
strain, and/or distress
The signs of stress are classic. You may get a
headache, stiff neck, backache, become irritable,
lose your temper, and you may feel exhausted and
find it hard to concentrate.
When these symptoms appear, recognize them as
signs of stress and find a way to deal with them.
Just knowing why youre feeling the way that you
are may be the first step in coping with the
problem.
youve learned
Write about a situation where you would
normally experience a high level of stress, (i.e.
taking a test, giving a presentation, etc). Is the
stress a bad thing? Can is be used to increase
your performance? How would you do this?
What coping strategies can you use to help you
deal with the situation?
Section 2:
Study skills development

Lesson 4:Time Management
advantages to good time management
assess your time management skills
create your ultimate schedule
making to-do lists
Time Management
Why is time management important?
one of the most important skills for beginning
college students
being able to accomplish your goals depends, in
part, on your ability to make the most efficient
use of the time that you have
good time management skills can actually save
you time
In class assignment: Assess your
time management skills
Complete the Are You Using Your Time Wisely
assessment
What areas of time management are you strong
in?
What areas could you improve?
Time Management Tips
Monitor your time
If you feel like you dont have enough time, spend
a few days monitoring your time to see exactly
how it is spent
download Where Does the Time Go?
Make a daily to-do list
Steps to making to-do lists
Write a list of activities that you want or need to
accomplish today
Remember to prioritize and list the most
important tasks first
Check to see if there are any activities that you
can accomplish at the same time
Steps to making to-do lists (cont.)
Write down how long you anticipate it will take
you to get the task done
Write down when you will start each activity
Making to-do lists: Know your
options
Do it now- the most important things with
approaching deadlines need to be done first
Schedule it- you can break up large tasks into
smaller parts and schedule each part
Ask someone else to do it- in a study group or
team, each person can be responsible for a portion
of the project
Trade tasks- for example, you run the errands
while your roommate cleans the apartment
In class assignment: Practice
making a to-do list
view a sample to-do list
think of the things that you would like to
accomplish for tomorrow
use the steps we discussed as a guide in creating
your list
Use a planner
a planner can be an effective and easy way to help you
organize your time
look at a number of different kinds of planners before
you select one- some will help you more than others
choose one that is easy to carry with you
commit to checking/updating it daily
try to include your daily to-do list in your planner
Make a long-term calendar
In class assignment: Make a long-
term calendar
Download the Semester-on-a-Page
write in important dates like exams and due dates
post it where you can see it, like by the phone or on the
refrigerator
Try to be flexible
Dont overload yourself. Always leave some free-
time for some last-minute additions
Avoid marathon study sessions
a couple of hours each day will help you to remember
more than eight hours at once
taking the time to schedule study time will help you to
avoid procrastination and reduce stress
remember to schedule study time over 5-7 days instead
of packing it all into one or two days
Use waiting time
Waiting time is the time you spend in between
meetings, classes, events, etc.
In class assignment: How to
effectively use wait time
One of the best ways to get more out of your day
is to use waiting time
Create a list of 5 things that you can do in 10
minutes
Create a list of 5 things that you can do in 20
minutes
Learn to say no
Examples of good ways to say no
Instead of: I really should study, say You
caught me in the middle of something important,
Ill call you later.
I cant go the movies tonight, but I can go on
Saturday.
Before I say yes, let me check my planner and
get back to you.
Understanding procrastination
When do you procrastinate?
low interest or motivation
large tasks
What happens when you procrastinate
increase stress
poorer performance
Reducing procrastination
Break tasks into smaller, more manageable tasks
for example, writing a paper can be broken down into
getting references, reading reference, writing an
outline, creating a rough draft and completing the final
copy
When given an assignment, do some work on it
right away
Spend some time studying each day
Reward yourself along the way
The Ultimate Schedule
Download the sample Ultimate Schedule
First, block off time for your FIXED activities
class
work
meetings
Second, block off time for your RITUAL
activities
meals
travel/commute
sleep
grooming
Third, block off time for your PRIORITY
activities
studying
try to schedule 2 hours of study time for each hour
spent in class
exercising
Your FREE time is the time that remains, use it
for:
watching television
shopping
socializing
Summary
As time management skills develop, your stress
and anxiety levels will go down and productivity
will go up
Time management tools which include day
planners, to-do lists, weekly and long-term
calendars will increase organization and help
eliminate procrastination
youve learned
Download the Weekly Schedule Sheet
Using the steps for creating the Ultimate
Schedule, design your ultimate schedule
Lesson 4: Memory Techniques
things that can effect your ability to remember
something
basic memory tips
strategies to improve your memory
What can effect your ability to
remember something?
distractions
time of day
your comfort level
stress
your interest in the material
your level of motivation
Thirteen memory tips
Learn from general to specific
Before learning something new, get a general
overview to use as a framework on which to hang
specific details
Make it meaningful
Why is this information relevant? What is the
value in knowing this?
If you dont see the value-
Find it! What kinds of situations could you be in that
you would need this information?
Use this as an opportunity to use strategies that will
make you a better student
Create associations
Relate what youre learning to something that
you already know
Try using analogies and metaphors
Learn actively
Manipulate or change the information in some
way
Try creating a mind map, diagram, pictures, or
note cards
Always put information that youre trying to
learn into your own words
Reduce distractions
Turn off music, phone, television
Monitor what youve learned
Check yourself to make sure that youre learning
Try self-testing yourself using the review
questions at the end of the chapter or make up
your own
Check your attitude and anxiety
Find yourself thinking how much you hate the
course or instructor? Know when your attitudes
and/or anxiety are inhibiting learning and try to
address them
Turn abstract ideas into concrete examples
Distribute learning
Use many short sessions for studying instead of
one long session
Remember something else
When you get stuck and cant remember
something, try to remember something that is
related to it or what you were doing at the time
that you learned it.
Stay away from studying similar topics at the
same time to avoid confusion
Use mnemonics, or memory techniques
Try creating a song or rhyme to help you
remember
Use acronyms
Avoid studying material in the same sequence
Try starting at the end or middle of the material
Summary
By using memory techniques you can take steps
to learn and remember information more quickly
and effectively
Most memory techniques require that you change
or organize the information that you need to
learn. Repeated reading of text and notes is often
not enough.
youve learned
Pick five concepts that you will be required to
know in a class
Apply any memory technique that weve
discussed to each concept
Lesson 5: Note taking
what to do before, during, and after class
picking out main points in a lecture
the Cornell Method
mind mapping
What to do before class
Pick the right notebook
there are numerous advantages to picking a 3-
ring binder
handouts can be inserted into the relevant sections
pages of notes can be removed and replaced
dividers can be used to separate sections or topics
Read your textbook
reading your textbook can help you to
understand what is being discussed in lecture
Skim the notes from the last class
this will refresh your memory and focus you for
the next lesson
Make a commitment to attend all classes
You may be getting only a partial set of notes if
you copy from other students
Note taking is a skill and you may be copying
from someone who is a poor note taker and not
realize it
What to do during class
Try to sit in the front, center portion of the
classroom
fewer distractions
can see and hear better
less likely to doze off
You will need to identify the visual and verbal
cues given by the professor that indicate an
important topic is being addressed
examples of visual cues: gesturing, writing on board,
underlining
examples of verbal cues: repetition, summaries, listing
Identifying important points
Think of three additional verbal cues that would
indicate an important point
Think of three additional visual cues that would
indicate an important point
Use a method of note taking
Use Cornell Method
Create Mind maps
The Cornell Method
Split page method of note taking
Allows space for possible exam questions
Allows space for student reflections and summary
Good for self-testing
Practice using the Cornell Method
Download a sample page of notes using the
Cornell Method
Recopy a page of your notes using the Cornell
Method
Mind Mapping
Pictorial representation of ideas
Good for visual learners
Shows how topics and ideas are related
Uses both sides of your brain
Steps to mind mapping
Identify the topic of the lecture or reading, place
in the center and circle it
Branch out the main ideas, each stemming from
the main topic
From each branch, mark key words and examples
Dont be afraid to personalize it with pictures or
symbols
Mind Mapping Practice
Download a sample mind map
Practice creating a mind map
Identify possible exam questions
Use them to self-test yourself later
What to do after class
Review your notes within 24 hours
Are they complete?
Do they make sense?
What to do after class
Identify any questions that you may have and find
the answers
Re-copy or re-organize if necessary
Note Taking Practice
Watch this short lecture and use the note taking
strategies we discussed
Summary
Class notes will be a better study tool for you if
they have the proper content (the main points of a
lecture) and are organized in a way that makes
sense. Try using the methods that we discussed
to accomplish those two crucial aspects of note
taking.
Lesson 6: Reading Textbooks
previewing
annotating
Why preview?
improves concentration, memory, and
understanding
only takes 5 minutes to preview an entire chapter
if you dont have enough time to read before
class, previewing may give you enough
information to understand what is being
discussed
Steps to previewing material
(1) Read the chapter title
The title announces the topic or subject. Try to
remember what you already know about the
topic.
(2) Read the introduction or first paragraph
This is a lead-in to the material and will often
itemize what the chapter will cover. If it is long,
read only the first 5 or 6 lines.
(3) Read the closing paragraph or chapter
summary
These sections are often used to draw conclusions
based on the facts that have already been
presented or to restate key ideas.
(4) Read questions or vocabulary at the end of the
chapter
This section is used to test your knowledge of the
material. Reading them beforehand alerts you to
what is most important within the chapter.
(5) Read each boldface heading
Headings separate chapters into main divisions
and indicate important concepts. By looking at
these headings, you can detect the organization of
the chapter and the general approach of the
author.
(6) Look at any pictures, graphs, or charts
Pictures, illustrations, or captions may help you
clarify ideas and give direction to your thinking.
Why annotate?
Have you ever felt that youve been reading for
hours and cant remember what youve read?
annotating can keep you focused
annotations tell you WHY important points are
important
download a sample page of annotated text
Steps to Annotating Text
First, preview a chapter or subunit of text
Next, read one or more paragraphs. Then stop
(the amount will vary, so judge according to your
texts difficulty and organization).
After reading, go back and underline the key
word, phrase, or idea to which your annotation
will refer.
These key ideas often occur as: definitions,
examples, lists, causes/effects, characteristics,
similarities/differences, and names/dates.
Check your annotations to be sure that they make
sense and that you are not merely copying the
text into the margins.
In order to be most effective, your annotations
must be in your own words, except in the case of
technical definitions.
If you have no annotating, you should have no
underlining.
Go on to the next paragraph or section.
Remember, not every section of text will have a
key concept that should be annotated, but every
page or section usually does.
Summary
Reading your text numerous times is often not
enough to insure that you have understood and
retained the information covered.
You must actively participate in the reading
process by thinking about what you already
know, identifying topics that you dont
understand and picking out important points that
are likely to be on a test.
Homework assignment: Apply
what youve learned
download text
Lesson 7: Exam Preparation
key elements of exam preparation
creating and using note cards
the Eight-day study plan
What problems are you currently
having with preparing for exams?
Take a moment to complete Exam Prep: A Self
Check
What areas could you improve on?
Key elements of exam preparation
Know what the exam will cover
If you dont know, then ask. Visit instructors
office hours or ask over e-mail.
Know what type of exam will be given
Match the method of study to the kind of exam
you will be given
(hint: you wouldnt use note cards to study for an
essay exam)
Avoid procrastination
If you wait until the last-minute to study, youll
remember less and stress more
Use memory techniques
Remember the techniques we discussed?
Make sure youve taken adequate notes and read
the text
Get any notes that youve missed
Have the proper attitude
Monitor your anxiety level
A little anxiety is good, but a lot will hurt your
performance
Remember what we talked about in the stress
management lesson?
Dont be afraid to ask questions
Ask during class, over e-mail, at tutoring and in
your study group
Look for (or create) practice tests and questions
Creating and Using Note Cards
When note cards are a good idea
when you are a visual learner
when you will be given an objective test
Creating and Using Note Cards
Using them the right way
frequently shuffle the cards to keep from learning
them in order
use only one concept per card- they arent designed to
hold more
use your own words- by putting concepts in your own
words, youre actively learning while you create them
take out the ones you know until the final review-
dont waste your time studying things you already
know
The Eight Day Study Plan
download the Eight-Day Study Plan
Summary
Re-reading your text and notes is often not
enough to prepare you for an exam. You will
need to have good study strategies and a good
study plan.
Its also important that you know where to go for
additional help, including instructor office hours,
tutoring centers and preceptors.
youve learned
Complete the Eight-Day Study Plan for one of
your classes
Download the Eight-Day Study Plan Sheet
Lesson 8:Test Taking Strategies
general test taking strategies
how to take different kinds of tests
learning from your mistakes
what to do when you dont know the answer
General test-taking strategies
Try to ignore other test takers (before and during
the test)
Sit in your usual seat, if possible
Bring all necessary materials
Listen carefully to directions
If something is vague or hard to read, stop and
ask the instructor for clarification
Answer the easiest questions first, mark and
postpone the harder questions
Change your answer only if youre absolutely
sure the second answer is correct
Look over the test and budget your time
accordingly
Leave time to review your work
Suggestions for objective tests
Circle or underline clue words like all, every,
none, always, etc.
Watch for negatives
Suggestions for answering essay
questions
use pencil or erasable pen
read the questions carefully and underline key
words
create an outline in the margin of what youd like
to say
begin your answer by rephrasing the question
in the next sentence announce what youll be
saying in the rest of your answer
devote a paragraph to each of the main points
Suggestions for answering essay
questions
save time to check for the following:
completeness and clarity
punctuation and word usage
spelling
neatness
did you answer the question?
Suggestions for computational
exams
as soon as you receive your test, jot down any
formulas you needed to memorize
try drawing a picture if youre stuck
try to estimate the answer
After the test..learning from your
mistakes
dont just look at WHAT you missed, but look at
WHY you missed it!
mastery of information: you didnt study properly and
dont know the material
thinking gap: you misunderstood what you were being
asked
method of test taking: you made some bad mistakes
like reading too quickly and missing key words
reaction to situation: test anxiety got the better of you
Correcting mastery of information
mistakes
Go back and look at how you studied. What do
you need to change? Did you give yourself
enough time? Are there other study strategies
that would work better?
Correcting thinking gap mistakes
Next time, raise your hand and ask your
professor or t.a. to rephrase the question. Keep
asking until you feel that you fully understand
the question.
Correcting method of test taking
mistakes
Read/listen to the directions carefully
Force yourself to slow down and read the
questions carefully
Identify the key words in the questions
Read all answers before you select one
Stress reduction and management
have a study plan
get some exercise
proper nutrition
keep a positive attitude
get enough rest
What can you do when you dont
know the answer?
look for wording in the question that may give
you an idea
see if the answer appears somewhere else in the
exam
try to eliminate some answers before guessing
plug in numbers to see if they generate a possible
solution
Summary
You should approach different kinds of tests in
different ways. Even if you dont know the
answer, effective test-taking strategies can
increase your chances of guessing it.
If you are not getting the grades that you
expected, check to see where you are making
mistakes.
youve learned
get a copy of a test that youve already taken
code your mistakes using the categories weve
discussed
write a plan of how you plan to address these
mistakes in the future
Lesson 9: Internet Resources
how to conduct a search
some of our favorite sites
How to conduct a search

Some of our favorite sites

youve learned
Pick five course topics and find a related website
information for each. Make sure to write down
the web address for each.

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