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Sunday, December 4, 2011

Successful Study Habits

By Paige Thompson

Good study habits are the building blocks of academic success and a high GPA. More importantly, effective study habits help you to store information in long-term memory, allowing you to use the learned information in a novel setting. These tips are designed to help you excel.

Dos

Keep the area around your desk neat and tidy. If you can, choose an area that is also quiet. If you can't find peace and quiet at home, the library or the park are excellent places to study as well. The library is a perfect place to have peace and quiet. The park might be a bit noisier, but the fresh air will compensate for that. If you have no access to either of these places, you can try listening to soft music.

You should create a study schedule to use every day. Remember that one classroom hour should be reinforced by two hours of studying at home.

Try to stud for a period of 45 minutes, and then take a 15-minute break to relax. Reaching small goals such as being able to sit and study for 45 minutes will increase you determination.

Think of a reward you can give yourself if you attain your small goals. For example, if you plan to study one chapter and succeed, then you may reward yourself by doing something pleasurable. Food, games and exercise are among the most popular rewards.

Make correspondences between your class notes and your textbook. This way, if you missed something in class, it will be covered.

Think of questions about the chapter. This will alert you to areas you are not too familiar with.

Include the new words and concepts in what you do and say. It is easier to remember things you actually use. This is especially true for language classes.

And, don't forget to review before you go to sleep. This will reinforce your memory of what you studied.

What you shouldn't do.

Waiting for the eleventh hour to work on your assignment. Cramming is not beneficial for producing long term memory.

Highlight. Highlighting is a cousin of procrastination. This means you must use the book twice instead of once. Instead, make careful notes to compliment your classroom notes, along with page numbers so that you can refer back to the book if necessary.

Do your homework on the computer. You are bound to be tempted to check your email or surf the net.

Leaving your cell phone turned on. No matter who is calling or texting you, usually it can wait 45 minutes. Having your cell phone on during study time can be a major distraction and is not conducive to learning.

Study after a meal. Research shows that your thinking power decreases after a meal.

Go into your own world. If you feel your mind begin to wander off, get yourself in check quickly. If you are reading, you can trace the line with your finger. The movement of your finger is enough to keep your mind engaged to see what the finger does.

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