Ultimate. Study Guide. Central Piedmont Community College. Central High
Building, Room 117. Charlotte, NC 28235-5009. Telephone: 704-330-6394.
Ultimate Study Guide Central Piedmont Community College Central High Building, Room 117 Charlotte, NC 28235-5009 Telephone: 704-330-6394 Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Visit us online at: www.cpcc.edu/triosss
Attitude is everything!
A TEXTBOOK STUDY SYSTEM Many teachers’ college reading and learning skills classes include a systematized study system for effective study and learning in their syllabi. The best known is SQ3R -survey, question, read, recite, review. SURVEY – Surveying material to be read prepares your mental processing system for learning incoming information from reading assignments and notes. If you know what to expect in advance, you can understand and store information in a much more efficient manner than if the new information is injected into your mental processing system with no forewarning. QUESTION – Self-generated questions help increase concentration, reduce the phenomenon of forgetting what was just read, and increase learning speed and recall. READ – In effective reading, you evaluate and choose the information you need to fill in answers created by the questions you formulated earlier. RECITE – As you read and study notes, you evaluate and select what it is to be recited. Thus, maximum concentration is placed upon the most relevant information in reading assignments and notes, which increases learning and recall. REVIEW – Immediate review interferes with the forgetting process and results in more complete retention. Repeated review of material to be learned is essential to learning and accurate recall and is well worth the time and effort, in terms of grades, to do regularly.
IMPROVING STUDY HABITS Where should I study? • Off campus: Set up a special study area in your home. • On campus: Find a quiet area – perhaps the TRiO-Student Support Services tutor lab – and make a habit of always studying in the same place. When should I study? • Establish a study schedule that you will keep. • Study for 30-60 minutes and then take a 10-minute break, then restart studying. Why should I study? • To keep yourself motivated. Remember you are studying to help yourself achieve your own goals! • To learn the material for the long term. • To reduce stress and anxiety at exam time. How should I study? • Challenge yourself. Set goals for each study period; concentrate on one subject at a time. • Spend 10-15 minutes reviewing your notes within 24 hours of taking them in class.
PREPARING FOR EXAMS Prior Reviewing: • Using your special study area, spend 10-15 minutes reviewing your notes daily, and 30 minutes per course reviewing your notes for the week. Investigate the exam: • Ask your instructor what the exam will cover and what type of exam it will be. • For objective exams, concentrate on definitions of key terms and list of items. • For essay exams, concentrate on understanding key concepts and their relationships. Try listing possible questions and answering them. • For problem exams in math or science, memorize formulas, and practice until you are comfortable with the types of problems covered on the exam. • Develop a study checklist and develop a reasonable schedule for studying. Remember to study over several days. Create review tools: • Make up a mock test and practice. • Make flash cards.
STRESS MANAGEMENT Stress management involves gaining control over stress so that it does not control you. When stress is effectively managed, you will feel more in control, calm, at peace, alive, refreshed and renewed. Stress Reducers: • • • •
• • • • • •
Exercise Deep breathing Eating properly, avoid caffeine and sugar Drink plenty of water; you do not need expensive bottled water, tap water is fine. Take up a hobby. Make a schedule and follow it. Focus on your positive qualities. Surround yourself with positive people. Get adequate rest. Relax and have fun.
TIME MANAGEMENT Prioritize your commitments! Make a “To Do” list and assign priorities. • • •
“A” Priorities – things needing attention NOW. “B” Priorities – things that can wait until “A” is complete. “C” Priorities – things that are not important and can wait.
Use the list: • •
Look at the list. Follow the list of priorities.
Set aside time: •
Schedule time for “A” priorities.
Use a planning guide: •
Use your TRiO-Student Support Services Academic Calendar.
Make work manageable: •
Divide work into smaller parts and do one part at a time.
TRiO – Student Support Services include: • • • • • •
Tutoring College Transfer Assistance Academic Advising Career Counseling Financial Literacy Training Social and Personal Support And More . . .
MISSION STATEMENT The mission of the TRiO-Student Support Services program is to support the mission of Central Piedmont Community College to empower TRiO-SSS students enrolled at CPCC to persist and graduate.
The TRiO-Student Support Services Staff Sara Graham, Director 704.330.6532/6394
[email protected] Cathy Curtis, Counselor 704.330.6394
[email protected] Margie Gilliam, Lab Facilitator 704.330.6394
[email protected] Betty Granger, Secretary 704.330.6394
[email protected]
