Textbook Marking     

Textbook marking is another study technique. You may find that some of your tutees are hesitant to mark up their new textbooks. However, textbook marking greatly increases recall. Here are some suggestions:

A word of caution here - your tutee should not be using this technique on everything he/she reads. Highlighting everything in pink only makes everything pink - it does not make it more understandable or make it stand out. If textbook marking is to be used successfully, it should be used with discretion, and then only after an entire section is read. Only main topic areas, vocabulary words, and items of emphasis should be noted. If your student is needing help with textbook marking, try this .pdf file:

How Can I Organize My Textbook Reading?

Memory and Concentration  

Along with note-taking, successful students learn ways to increase their ability to remember. If your tutees complain of not being able to remember what they have studied, here are a few suggestions:

Using Memory Effectively

How to Improve Your Memory

Concentration

Mnemonics (Memory-Aiding Devices)

Remembering

Paying Attention In Class

Study Environment

What type of study environment does your tutee use? Is he/she studying in the living room with the television on and two children at his/her feet fighting for control of the remote? If this scenario sounds familiar to him/her, or you find that he/she is trying to study (maybe even thinking he/she is studying) while also interacting with friends (in the campus center, during a child's soccer game, etc.), make the case for establishing a unique study place free from visual and auditory distractions. Preferably, this place should have all the necessary supplies at hand (dictionary, highlighter etc).

Duration

How often and how long is your tutee studying? Some students try to cram everything into a 3-hour study marathon. This does not work. The mind tends to remember the first and the last items covered while forgetting the middle. Had the student studied 30 minutes over a period of 6 days, he/she would have remembered more with less repetition.

If you study for longer periods, take 10- minute breaks every 20 to 30 minutes. You will soon learn your frustration level. When you are studying and feel frustrated, take a brief break. When you start back studying, your mind will have cleared away those emotions. (See also Time Management below).

Association

Associate new material with things you already know. You can also associate facts to images. This helps to make the information meaningful and aids in the organization and structure of the material. The more organized the 
information, the more successful your brain will be in locating the information.

Mnemonic Devices

One of the most successful ways to memorize information is to use mnemonics. Mnemonics are devices (usually rhymes or formulas) used to aid memory. For example, to remember the names of the Great Lakes, students use the first letter of each lake to spell HOMES (Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, Superior). If you visualize summer homes on a lake, you make this association even stronger. Modeling the use of mnemonic devices greatly increases the likelihood of your tutee using this technique.

Live a Healthy Life        

It is also very important to exercise, eat a well balanced diet, and drink plenty of water. Along with this, you should avoid alcohol, smoking, and caffeine. Also, GET PLENTY OF SLEEP (did you know lack of sleep and/or lack of quality sleep is as detrimental as being drunk or on drugs?).

Memory and concentration will probably be a common tutee problem. Here are some links for students having memory or concentration problems:

Time Management  

Surely you've heard the saying, "Work smarter, not harder". Time management allows you to do this. Students with poor time management will have problems turning in assignments on time, always seem to be running late, and are generally disorganized. Students who tend to be perfectionists also suffer from poor time management skills. They tend to be a bit more organized, but find it hard to focus on the big picture. For some perfectionists, if they can't do it "perfectly", then it's no use doing it at all. The following are some suggestions for helping your tutee overcome time management obstacles:

• Make a list of items that need to be completed, and prioritize this list. Then, decide how long it will take to accomplish each of these tasks.

• Use an organizer and assign yourself blocks of time to study. How long these "blocks" of study time should be will depend on the first step. If a task is more complicated, it will require more time. Remember, studying in shorter increments over a long period of time is better than cramming everything in over a short period of time.

• Set goals for yourself and a timeline in which to reach those goals. Remember to be realistic when setting these goals and to reward yourself when these goals are reached.

• Don't procrastinate. Do the hard stuff first. Instead of dwelling on a section, just do it and move on (the perfectionist will have more problems with this one). If you have kept to your established schedule, it will be easier to recognize when you are spending too much time on one part of the project.

Here are some other links if your student is having time management problems:

Taking Tests  

Test taking isn't fun for anyone, but for those with test anxiety or problems with the above mentioned study skills, taking tests may be an even greater obstacle to overcome. Here are some general test taking guidelines:

• Prepare and study in advance. Cramming is not studying. The more you study and prepare ahead of time, the less anxiety you will experience.

• Ask questions about the test before studying for it. Is it multiple choice, true false, essay or a combination of these?  Is there a study guide? Does the instructor have any old tests you could review so that you get a "feel" for the type of test he/she administers? Use this information as a guide for studying more efficiently.

• Arrive for the test on time (about 5 - 10 minutes early).

• Come prepared with needed test equipment (pencils, paper, calculator, etc.).

• Stay relaxed. If you are having trouble doing this, take several, slow, deep breaths to relax. Also avoid talking to other students before the test.

• Always read directions carefully.

Along with these general guidelines, there are also various ways to approach different types of tests. For more information on test taking strategies based on type of test, see these links: