Dealing with Distractions

There really is not a lot to say about distractions except that you have to remove yourself from them.  Learning takes extended concentration.   You cannot learn if you are constantly checking your email, going on Twitter, playing a game on the computer, etc.  You have to pay attention to what you are doing – one thing at a time. 

Sometimes this is as easy as disabling Facebook for an hour, turning off your phone, going to the Library away from your friends, or turning off the television.  (I know this sounds extreme – but you really can do this!!)  You are not isolating yourself for the rest of your life, just for a short period of time.  If someone expects to be in constant contact with you via texting or Twitter, tell them you are studying for a specific length of time and then reconnect with them when you are done.

Other times the distractions are more intrinsic – inside your own mind.  These types of distractions could include family or financial worries, grade concerns, contentious relationships with friends or significant others or other problems.   These are a bit harder to deal with, but it can be done. 

*One idea is to physically write down what you are worried about the then physically set the list aside and study.  This physical act helps you set the worries aside and learn. 

*Another idea, strange as it seems, is to designate specific times when you will actively worry about the problem and then visualize yourself moving forward from the worry.  

*It might also help to think of a plan of action – when and how will you deal with this worry. 

*Finally, consider going to the Health Center at your school and talking with someone impartial – not connected with your concern.  It is a big help just to verbalize what you are worrying about and put it in perspective.

The good news is that if you eliminate distractions and pay attention to your studies, you will be more successful and more efficient – you will be done sooner!
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First Semester Success: Study Strategies and Motivation for Your First Semester (of Any Semester) of College, by Arden B. Hamer, is now available at wordassociation.com and amazon.com.

The Jello Effect

Do you know how to make jello?  Think a moment, and then read below:

1. Put powder from the box into a bowl.

2. Add required amount of boiling water.

3. Add required amount of cold water.

4. Put in refrigerator for a few hours for the jello to set and become solid.

You might be wondering why the recipe for jello is appropriate for a study strategies blog!  The answer is in step #4 – just like jello, information needs time to settle into your long-term memory and “set” or consolidate. 

Here are some ideas:

* Take a few minutes to review what you have read after finishing a textbook assignment.

* Review your lecture notes as soon as possible after class and all your notes for the next exam at least once a week.

* Take a week to prepare for an exam – not just the night before!

* Consider adding a 20 minute daily review of information that is difficult or critical.

These are simple things to add to your study routine, but they will make a big difference!

First Semester Success: Study Strategies and Motivation for Your First Semester (or Any Semester) of College, by Dr. Arden B. Hamer, is now available at wordassociation.com, amazon.com, and barnesandnoble.com.

There is No Such Thing as Multi-tasking

Everyone thinks they can do two things at the same time: listen to a lecture and text, check text messages/email and review lecture notes, read your textbook and watch television.  The truth is that your attention is just bouncing back and forth between two (or more!) things.  You are much more efficient if you do just one thing at a time, and then do the next thing.

 

Here is an experiment you can try that I do in my classes:

 

1. Write these two lines, but the first time write them alternating letters and numbers (M, 1, u, 2, t, 3, I, 4….).  Time yourself to see how long it takes to do the two tasks in this way.

 

Multi-tasking is worse than a lie.

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11….28

 

2.  Next, first write the complete sentence and then the complete list of numbers and time yourself again.  You will see how much quicker you wrote both the second time.

 

This is just a small illustration of how, when you try to do two things at the same time, you do not do either one well.   This carries over to your studies and distractions.  You need to give your full attention to your work, save the other things until you are done.

Study Cards – The What, Why and How – Part II

The previous blog explained what study cards are and why they are an effective learning tool.  This blog will give you some ideas of how to adapt this strategy to your specific courses.

HOW TO USE STUDY CARDS

Foreign Languages:  This is easy – put the English word on one side and the new word on the other.  You can vary your studying by going from new word to English of vice versa.  Also, be sure to mix up the cards so you do not learn the words in just one order.

Psychology (or any course with a lot of content-specific terms):  This course has a lot of vocabulary that is important to understanding.  Put the word on the front and definition on the back.

History: Put people, dates, events, etc. on the front and the explanation on the back. If your professor stresses chronological order, put the events on one side and the date on the other. Shuffle the cards and practice putting them in the correct order by event and then check the date.

Math: Put practice problems on the front and the solution on the back.  Then, choose a card, solve the problem and check yourself.  There may also be vocabulary in your math course where you can use the cards.

Art or Art History: Print pictures on paintings or building or color copy from a book, cut out and write what you need to know about the piece on the back.

Anatomy and Physiology: Make one card for each part of the body you need to know.  Besides using them in the normal process you can lay them out to correspond to the placement of each part in the body.

This is a powerful learning tool with endless possibilities! Be creative!  Good luck and enjoy!

First Semester Success: Study Strategies and Motivation for Your First Semester (or Any Semester) of College, by Dr. Arden B. Hamer, is now available at wordassociation.com, amazon.com, and barnesandnoble.com.

Study Cards - The What, Why, and How - Part I

Study cards (or flash cards) are an effective and efficient way to study.  Here is the information you need:

WHAT ARE THEY?

THE CONSTRUCTION

Front: Write a word, phrase, name, date, topic, etc.

Back: Write the information you need to know

Size: Can be any size from 2 ½ “x 3” (half a 3x5 card) or up to 5x7 – the bigger the card the more information you can write.

Visual: If you like color or pictures, add these to your cards.

THE PROCEDURE

Effective use requires that you quiz yourself – read the front, think about the back, check yourself, make two piles (the ones you know and the ones you don’t know), go over the ones you don’t know until you know them, tomorrow add more cards and….. repeat the process!

WHY THEY WORK

Learning happens in several ways with study cards:

* You are thinking about the material during construction

* You are physically writing it down

* When you are using them you are practicing restating the information from memory (which you will do on the test)

* You are manipulating the cards – this is helpful if you like to learn with movement

* You can mix them up so you are learning the information in a different order

* You can carry them with you for a quick review when you have a few extra minutes – this is helpful if you have a very full schedule and not a lot of time to study

 

Next blog – HOW you can use the cards with different subjects and situations

First Semester Success: Study Strategies and Motivation for Your First Semester (or Any Semester) of College, by Dr. Arden B. Hamer, is now available at wordassociation.com, amazon.com, and barnesandnoble.com.

The Importance of Words

To be an effective reader you have to possess a strong vocabulary.  Here are some tips to keep yours up to par:

There are two types or vocabulary – general and content-specific.

General vocabulary is found in your everyday life – novels, newspapers, television, etc.  You usually can figure out the meaning of an unknown word by the surrounding words.  But you need to stop and learn the word if the following happens:

*You start to hear or read the word a lot
*Not knowing the word is holding back your comprehension
*You are interested in expanding your vocabulary

Content-specific words are those you find in different disciplines of study.  These need to be learned in more detail.   Particularly in textbooks, the author usually helps you out by using context clues – the first time the word is used the author often puts the definition in the sentence and/or in the margin.  After that he or she assumes you have learned the word. 

One thing that is interesting is that some words have both a general meaning and a different content-specific meaning.  Think about the word “bug” and the various meanings: insects, espionage, computer problems, or an annoying sibling!

In both cases you can also use word parts: prefixes (at beginning of word), suffixes (at end of word) and roots (usually in the middle, the main part of the word) to decipher the meaning of a word.  In your courses, many of these word parts will be common to the discipline you are studying.  (Note the use of context clues in the above sentence!)

Once you have decided to learn a word, put the word and definition on a note card. 

*For your classes you will have a stack of cards.  Go over these on a regular basis (several times a week!) throughout the semester.  The stack will keep growing as your get more in depth in the topic.
*For general words, keep the cards on your desk and review them occasionally or when you encounter the word again.

First Semester Success: Study Strategies and Motivation for Your First Semester (or Any Semester) of College, by Dr. Arden B. Hamer, is now available at wordassociation.com, amazon.com, and barnesandnoble.com.

The Importance of HABIT

We are now a few weeks into the semester and it is a good time to review what habits you are developing.  One thing that is interesting about college is that each semester is different – different classes, different time schedule, often different buildings and routes you travel each day.   So each semester you have to develop new routines and habits of studying.

Take a look at your daily habits.  Do you have free time between classes?  What are you doing – going to the Library to review class notes or going back to your room to nap or watch TV?  Are you getting up in time to have breakfast before class?  How are you fitting in exercise?  Each semester is different and each semester you have to get into productive and healthy routines.

It is exhausting if you are deciding each day how you are going to use your time and if you are constantly making choices between studying and wasting time.   It is much easier if you are in the HABIT of making productive choices!

Remember – how you spend your time on a day-to-day basis determines the results you will earn on exams and grades.  Get into the HABIT of using your time well.

First Semester Success: Study Strategies and Motivation for Your First Semester (or Any Semester) of College, by Dr. Arden B. Hamer, is now available at wordassociation.com, amazon.com, and barnesandnoble.com.