Here is some advice  on Effective Study Skills by Dr. Bob Kizlik (http://www.adprima.com/studyout.htm   accessed, July 11th,  2007)

      

The SQ3R method

 

The SQ3R method has been a proven way to sharpen study skills. SQ3R stands for Survey, Question, Read, Recite, Review. Take a moment now and write SQ3R down. It is a good slogan to commit to memory to carry out an effective study strategy.

 

Survey - get the best overall picture of what you're going to study BEFORE you study it an any detail. It's like looking at a road map before going on a trip. If you don't know the territory, studying a map is the best way to begin.

 

Question - ask questions for learning. The important things to learn are usually answers to questions. Questions should lead to emphasis on the what, why, how, when, who and where of study content. Ask yourself questions as you read or study. As you answer them, you will help to make sense of the material and remember it more easily because the process will make an impression on you. Those things that make impressions are more meaningful, and therefore more easily remembered. Don't be afraid to write your questions in the margins of textbooks, on lecture notes, or wherever it makes sense.

 

Read - Reading is NOT running your eyes over a textbook. When you read, read actively. Read to answer questions you have asked yourself or questions the instructor or author has asked. Always be alert to bold or italicized print. The authors intend that this material receive special emphasis. Also, when you read, be sure to read everything, including tables, graphs and illustrations. Often times tables, graphs and illustrations can convey an idea more powerfully than written text.

 

Recite - When you recite, you stop reading periodically to recall what you have read. Try to recall main headings, important ideas of concepts presented in bold or italicized type, and what graphs charts or illustrations indicate. Try to develop an overall concept of what you have read in your own words and thoughts. Try to connect things you have just read to things you already know. When you do this periodically, the chances are you will remember much more and be able to recall material for papers, essays and objective tests.

 

Review - A review is a survey of what you have covered. It is a review of what you are supposed to accomplish, not what you are going to do. Rereading is an important part of the review process. Reread with the idea that you are measuring what you have gained from the process. During review, it's a good time to go over notes you have taken to help clarify points you may have missed or don't understand. The best time to review is when you have just finished studying something. Don't wait until just before an examination to begin the review process. Before an examination, do a final review. If you manage your time, the final review can be thought of as a "fine-tuning" of your knowledge of the material. Thousands of high school and college students have followed the SQ3R steps to achieve higher grades with less stress.

 

Reading

A primary means by which you acquire information is through reading. In college you're expected to do much more reading than in high school. Don't assume just because you've "read" the assignments that is the end of it. You must learn to read with a purpose. In studying, you may read the same assignment three or four times, each time with a different purpose. You must know before you begin reading what your purpose is, and read accordingly.

 

Getting the Main Idea

Getting the main idea in reading is central to effective studying. You must learn what the author's central idea is, and understand it in your own way. Every paragraph contains a main idea. Main ideas are perfect for outlining textbooks. Make it a habit to find the main idea in each paragraph you read.

 

Extracting Important Details

Extracting important details means that you locate in your reading the basis for main ideas. There is usually one important detail associated with every main idea. The more important details you can identify, the easier it will be to review for examinations because you have made a link between an idea and information that supports it. The more links you can make between details and ideas, as well as ideas themselves, the more powerful will be the efforts of your study.

 

Don't Read Aloud to Yourself

Generally, reading aloud to yourself does not help you study more effectively. If you move your lips while you read, you're not reading efficiently. If you read aloud or move your lips while you're reading, you are reading slowly, so stop moving your lips. Try putting a finger over your lips. Your finger will remind you not to move your lips. Make an effort to read faster and retain more - after a while, you'll be surprised how little effort it will take.

 

Taking Notes

Like reading, note-taking is a skill which must be learned and refined. Almost invariably, note taking, or the lack of it, is a constant deficiency in the study methods of many high school and college students. Learning the ingredients of good note taking is rather easy; applying them to your own situation depends on how serious you are in becoming a successful student.

 

Where to Keep Notes

You must learn to keep notes logically and legibly. Remember, if you can't read your own writing a few days after taking notes, they are of little use. By all accounts, the best place to keep notes is in a loose-leaf notebook. Use dividers to separate the different classes you take. Make it a habit of using your notebook to record ALL your notes. If you're caught without your notebook and need to take notes, always have a supply of loose-leaf paper with you. Insert your note papers into the notebook as soon as you can. Be sure to buy a good notebook, as it will get a lot of wear and tear.

 

Outlining Textbooks

First of all, don't underline. Use a highlighter. Experience has shown that text passages highlighted are more easily remembered than the same passages underlined. In outlining a text, don't just read along and highlight what seem to important words. That technique rarely works. The act of outlining works much better.

 

 

Research Notes

Any form of note-taking that requires compilation of information by categories, rather than in narrative form is best done using index cards. You can sort, edit and arrange index cards to suit your particular study needs. The most important point in using cards is to indicate the correct reference or topic at the top of the card. Use the cards for study, review, to help organize information for papers, reports, or projects. An even better idea, if you have a personal computer, is to organize your categorical information in a database. Once you set it up, finding, updating and adding new information is quite easy. If you have a printer, you can print out your notes in a variety of ways.

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Case Study-Note Taking on an article about Inverclyde

 

For this exercise you need 3 coloured pencils-blue, green, red.

Underline in blue all references to site and situation of Greenock

Underline in red all references to origins of Greenock

Underline in green all references to function of Greenock

 

Circle any word or term that you do not understand

 

Inverclyde-Extract from a recent business report on the internet

 

“Inverclyde is one of Scotland’s smallest local authority areas. It is also one of the most beautiful, set on Scotland’s west coast along the picturesque banks of the River Clyde at the point where the river widens dramatically into the Firth of Clyde.

Inverclyde lies on the western edge of Scotland’s vibrant central belt. As an integral part of the national road and rail networks, and only 15 minutes drive from

Glasgow International Airport, the area enjoys excellent communications with the major UK and overseas destinations. The M8 motorway provides access to Glasgow International Airport, Glasgow, Edinburgh and all other cities, as well as the main M74 motorway to England. Regular express bus services to Glasgow link up with intercity services throughout the UK. A frequent rail service to Paisley and Glasgow gives passengers the opportunity to interlink with mainline destinations throughout the UK. Greenock’s Ocean Terminal is one of the UK’s principal ports for container shipments. It is also a regular port of call for international cruise liners.

Originally a small fishing village, Greenock, by the mid 17th century, had an extensive herring trade and was granted burgh status in 1635. During the Industrial Revolution the harbour expanded rapidly due to transatlantic trade and growth in the shipbuilding industry. Paper, pottery, glass, barrel making and sugar refining also flourished in the town.

Greenock was shaped by heavy industries but decline in this sector meant the town had to change to meet the demands of the new electronic age and service sector industries. The harbourside areas have now been cleared to make way for modern developments like The Royal Bank of Scotland's National Mortgage Centre, a new four screen cinema complex and a state-of-the-art ice and water leisure complex.

A civic square has been created in front of the Custom House. This Grade A listed building was built in 1818 and is still used by the Customs and Excise Service, but also houses a museum devoted to the history of the Customs Service. The nearby quay was the departure point for many Scottish emigrants during the 19th century, and it is now a regular stop for the world's last ocean going paddle steamer - The Waverley.

A range of shopping is available throughout Inverclyde from charming specialty outlets in Gourock and Kilmacolm and craft shops in Quarrier's Village to familiar high street names in Greenock town centre. The main shopping area in Inverclyde is Greenock's Oak Mall; the seventies pedestrianised centre which has undergone a major transformation. It is now completely covered and the refurbishment has provided an attractive place to shop - whatever the weather!

Although the development of Greenock has been dictated by industrial growth, the legacy of this has been a wealth of beautiful civic and domestic buildings, many of which are protected by listed building status.

As well as impressive architecture, Greenock offers plenty to the outdoor enthusiast. The Battery Park boasts wide open spaces for a variety of leisure pursuits, and the Lyle Hill affords spectacular views over the Firth of Clyde and up to Ben Lomond. On the summit of the hill stands the Cross of Lorraine, a memorial to the Free French Armed Forces stationed in Greenock during the Second World War. Many of today's historical attractions in the towns of Greenock, Gourock and Port Glasgow - the museums and galleries, stately homes and castles - celebrate Inverclyde's influential maritime history and industrial past.

There's enjoyment for all the family in Inverclyde, where sports, leisure and entertainment facilities - indoor and outdoor - are among the best in