UWMC Freshman Seminar
STUDYING
These notes have been prepared by © Keith Montgomery,
Department
of Geography and Geology.
Select a topic:
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What studying isn't.
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Tips on studying.
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Individual subjects (math etc.).
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Study groups.
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"Homework".
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Procrastination.
What studying isn't .....
If you think that studying is something you do in preparation for an
exam tomorrow, then you are in for a major surprise at university!
Of course you have to prepare for exams, but for good students this consists
simply of a review of material they have already worked at understanding
and learning. If you have to work at understanding and learning lecture
notes and text chapters the night before an exam (or even a couple of days
before the exam) then you are 'way behind! All that should have been done
the day you were first presented with the material and by subsequent review
in the weeks following. Any problems in understanding have long been cleared
up by asking questions in class or during office hours.
So, "studying" is something you are doing constantly during the semester
as you attempt to master (understand and learn) the material. To do
this you have to work with your lecture notes and text readings. Before
an exam you merely review what you already know.
Tips on studying.
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Attend class, listen, take notes.
This will save you loads of study time and help prepare you better
for exams (see "Attending class").
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Schedule regular study time and place each day and get down to
it at the assigned time.
At the very least you've got lecture notes to review and chapters to
read each day, plus those other assignments .... you'll use the time up
fast enough! (see "time management" for scheduling
techniques).
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Plan each session.
Use your list of things to do and set a realistic goal for each session.
Do the toughest stuff first. Don't start a session without a game plan.
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Don't study for longer than 50 minutes without a break.
Take a ten minute break every hour, otherwise your work will drop off.
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If there is a problem you really can't figure out .... move onto
something else and go and see the instructor as soon as possible for help.
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When you are assigned a project .... figure out immediately what's
required, break it down into smaller parts and schedule these as part of
your study time. Don't delay starting a major project: remember, a term
paper is a term project and cannot be completed adequately in a couple
of days. (see "time management" for scheduling techniques).
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Use your best time well.
Everyone is better prepared to work during the day -- use this time
for tougher tasks such as reading a chapter of a text or doing math problems.
Evenings might be better for review of existing material.
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Review regularly.
Repetition helps retain information. Be sure to use small bits of
time for rapid review of familiar material.
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Say "No" to socializing that doesn't fit with your study plans.
School comes first -- if you don't stay on top of the work it will quickly
become overwhelming. Try scheduling study at school as a way to avoid friends
dropping in on you at home or getting in touch with you with offers.
Advice on different subjects
Advice on studying for math classes is available here.
Study groups
Study groups can be a useful aid to study, if you can hook up with one
or two like-minded students. You can quickly review a lecture you have
just attended or use the group to review problems and other material for
exams. The problem is forming the group .... you might be lucky and hit
it off with the person sitting next to you, or perhaps you recognize someone
from another class and can approach him or her, or maybe you see someone
in the library you recognize working on the same material, or you could
ask the professor to make an announcement asking for interested students
to remain behind for a minute or two at the end of the class etc.
Whichever way you can accomplish it, talking with someone else about
the class can be a big help, so you might like to give it a try. Done properly,
it can be a very efficient and challenging way to review material. But
be sure to stick with the rules (above) and stay on
topic. Don't continue with the group if someone is not serious about
studying or if they join just to bum answers off everyone.
"Homework"
There is no "homework" in university in the same sense as you encountered
it in high school. For example, in a math class the instructor might
suggest or assign certain problems to be completed by the next class. The
idea is that doing these problems will help you further understand the
concepts s/he has just being talking about and will help you gain experience
in doing problems (which improves reasoning skills, and helps you tackle
new problems in exams). However, when you show up to the next class you
find that the instructor goes over the problems on the board (perhaps after
giving you some time to discuss them among yourselves), but does not take
it in for grading, or go around to check you did it, or give you a "pop
quiz" on the material! So, you think, "Next time I'll skip doing the 'homework'
and just get the answers from the board!" WRONG! By just sitting there
passively you are not really testing your understanding or ability to reason,
and so you will not do well on the test in three weeks time (or whenever).
"But why doesn't s/he grade the work I do and give me credit for it?" Well,
you have give yourself credit for it, and know that you will do far better
on tests (when they come) for having done the work. Then you will see the
value of it. This is all part of the self-discipline of being a student.
Also, remember that you have chosen to attend university seeking a higher
education -- unlike the majority of your previous schooling, there is no
law that requires you to enroll and attend. In high school, teachers have
to force many students to complete the work -- here, it is assumed that
you want to learn.
Everything that has been stated above also applies to the chapters
you are assigned to read alongside those geography (or whatever) lectures,
or the material you have to read for that special discussion. If you
choose not to do it because no-one is checking up on you, that's entirely
your business (not the instructor's), but don't expect the best of
grades at the end of the semester. Students who don't keep up with the
"homework" usually fail or drop out. "Doing the homework" is also vital
to maintaining your interest in classes.
Procrastination
If you have trouble getting down to starting work, then see some of the
tips in time management.