The Next Step in Your Learning – Study Guides

Besides going to class, reading the textbook and reviewing your lecture notes, what else can you do to increase your learning?

One strategy is to create study guides.  There are a variety of formats:

• Outlines
• Study cards
• Question and Answer
• Concept maps of mind maps
• Review charts
• Time lines
• Venn Diagrams (for compare and contrast only)

 Study guides are versatile.  They can be made from any or all of the following:

• Textbook chapters
• Lecture notes
• Combination of the two above
• Small sections of material you are having difficulty with
• All of the material to be covered on an exam
• Any material you need to organize and understand more clearly

Making the study guide is one major learning session.  Then studying and reviewing from the guide using recitation is another.   If you are making a study guide for an exam, start early and then have several days to review.   Other guides, such as outlines, study cards, and Q and A, can be made as you are learning throughout the weeks.

Keep in mind that you are not limited to just one.  You can do as much as you need to do to be successful in your learning.  The sky is the limit!