Online Study Skills Help

Ten Tips to Success at University

A Handbook for Students

Written by Student Learning Services Staff: Mary O'Malley, Ruth Stanton, Marc Leger
© Counselling and Development, Concordia University, 1998

Ten Tips Table of Contents Take Notes Effectively Learn To Read Actively Learn To Write Effective Term Papers Plan For Great Oral Presentations Use Smart Test-Taking Strategies Manage Your Study Time Balance Your Life Set Career Goals Deal With Personal Issues Know The System

We've designed this brief handbook to help you get off to a good start at Concordia. These important tips point the way to success at university through effective study strategies and life-management skills.Our goal at Counselling and Development is to help you do well in your studies and benefit from your time at Concordia. Our professional staff are available for individual appointments to help you manage your studies, plan your career and cope with life's problems. As well, we offer many workshops to meet a wide variety of student needs. Drop into our offices and pick up a copy of our workshop brochure.

You can always count on us for help. We look forward to meeting you soon.

A good set of notes can serve you well. Your notes help you remember which concepts your professor stressed and, thus, give you an idea as to what will be covered in the exam. Note taking also helps you concentrate on the lecture.

Before class

• Preview the pertinent chapter in your textbook.
• Review your notes from last class.
• Formulate questions to ask in class.
• Make sure you have plenty of paper and your favourite pen or pencil.

During class

• Listen for and write down main ideas rather than try to record everything.
• Watch for cues from your professor that help you select and organize main ideas.
• Use abbreviations wherever possible.
• Leave space to add missing ideas later.

After class

• Read your notes over and fill in missing details as soon as possible.
• Check a classmate's notes to see if you missed significant details.
• Relate your class notes to notes from your text to get the complete picture.
• Review your notes regularly and test yourself to see how much you can recall.

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Most of the material you have to learn at university is presented in written form. That's why it's so important to know an active reading technique that will enable you to learn and remember what you read.

• Survey: Before you start to read, take a few minutes to skim over the main features of the text: title, headings, introduction, summary, pictures/graphs, margin notes, etc. This will give you an idea of what the chapter or journal article is about and what the big, important ideas are.
• Question: Turn the heading of the section into a question such as "What is .....?" A question helps you read faster and remember better.
• Read: Read the section selectively to answer your question.
• Recall: When you've finished reading the section, look away from the text and summarize the answer as much as possible in your own words (out loud is best). Write a few key words in your notes or in the margin of the text for later review. Go on to the next section of the text, repeating steps 2, 3 and 4.
• Review: When you're ready to stop reading, do a quick review by looking over the main ideas you've just read to see how they fit together. Then test yourself to see if you can recall (out loud) the ideas from memory. Review again in a week or two.

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At University, term papers are very important. Your professors assign them so that they can see how well you understand the material and how effectively you can discuss the pertinent issues. Your goal is to use your papers to convince your professor you deserve the mark you want.

• Make sure you understand what the assignment requires you to do.
• If you have a choice of topics, choose one that interests you.
• If you have no choice and find you don't like the topic assigned to you, ask your professor if you can approach the topic from an angle that appeals to you.
• Start your research early: schedule your time so that you have enough time for researching, composing, and revising.

Compose

• Plan your paper: establish a thesis and select main ideas and supporting ideas.
• Write a rough draft quickly, focusing on ideas and not worrying about grammar and spelling.
• Set your paper aside for a while so that you can return to it with a fresh outlook.

Revise

• Revise in response to any new ideas you may have, making sure your ideas are clear and well organized.
• Ask a classmate, friend or family member to read your text to see if your ideas are clear to someone else.
• Revise in light of the feedback you receive.
• Finally, proofread your text for errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation and so forth.

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If you are like most people, you feel anxious about making oral presentations. With a few strategies and a bit of practice, however, you can gain the confidence you need to make a great presentation.

Before

• Organize your talk with a few main points and use them as prompts.
• Prepare an introduction (an anecdote, a question or some other device) that will immediately get your audience's attention.
• Practice your talk in front of a mirror and/or before a few friends.
• Time yourself to make sure you keep within the time limit.
• Do not memorize or read your text.

During

• Overcome nervousness by
  • -telling yourself it's okay to be nervous,
  • -taking a few deep breaths before you begin to speak,
  • -establishing eye contact with a friend or looking just over the heads of those in the back row.
• Speak clearly and not too quickly.
• Begin by telling your audience what your talk is about and identifying the main points.
• Summarize your main points at the end of your talk.

After

• Invite the audience to ask questions.
• If you can't answer a question, don't bluff; tell the audience that you will find out.
• Distribute handouts after, not before, your talk unless you want your audience to use them as guides.

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Exams can be stressful situations where you're being evaluated and have to perform under a time limit. The key to managing the stress and performing well is to be a smart test-taker.

• Learn as you go. Don't leave your studying until the night before the test. Spend time each week reviewing your class notes and readings. Try to connect the important ideas into themes or "a big picture." Then test yourself by trying to answer questions or do the problems the teacher might ask on this material.
• Practice the exam activity before an exam. Be sure you know what you will have to DO on the exam: answer questions on content details, write essays, solve problems, apply theory to cases, etc. Then prepare for the exam by practising this activity so that you can do it confidently without referring to your notes or text book.
• Use your time well on the exam. Before starting your exam, look over all the questions quickly. Do a "memory dump" by jotting down by each question key words, ideas, formulas, etc. that you'll need for the answer. As well, mark the questions that seem easiest for you. Make a time plan by allocating the same percentage of time to each question as its worth in marks. Then, start with the easiest questions to build your confidence, and respect your time plan throughout to make sure that you have time to attempt every question.

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As a student at Concordia, your schedule is likely a hectic one. Besides attending classes, doing homework and studying for tests and exams, you might also be holding down a part-time job, participating in a team sport, and looking after an apartment. You need to manage your time very efficiently if you are to keep up with your studies and finish your assignments on time.

Long Range View

• Take a long range view of the semester so that you know when assignments and exams are due.
• Set up a calendar for the semester, listing important due dates: readings, assignments, tests and so forth.

Week By Week

• List everything you must do for each of your courses; include time for study, review, assignments and tests.
• Establish your priorities and estimate the time you need for each activity.
• Make a schedule for the week; include in it everything on your list.

Remember to...

• Plan ahead.
• Include extra time for major projects.
• Break major tasks down into smaller ones.
• Alternate between a difficult task and an easy one.
• Schedule breaks.
• Reward yourself when you've completed a task.

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Devoting all of your time to school work may sound like a sure fire way to succeed in your courses, but living only for school can actually lead to burn-out. Conversely, spending too much time on leisure or other activities can lead to major stress (or even failure) when exam time comes. Finding the proper balance between time for school and time for everything else is a crucial step in achieving success.

1. Make a list of all of the roles you play in your life (student, friend, parent, worker, volunteer, athlete, etc.). Some roles will obviously demand more of your time than others. Determine how much time you're willing or able to devote to each role.

2. Strike a healthy balance allowing time for study, rest and play.

3. Schedule time to do things you enjoy.

4. Plan for exams and assignments well ahead of time so you won't be caught doing marathon study sessions and disrupting the balance.

5. Use time management strategies to organize your time.

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Setting career goals is a crucial step towards success. Career goals are the focus and the reason behind all the hard work you're doing now. When you don't have a sense of what you're moving towards, things can seem pretty pointless. Knowing how a particular assignment relates in the long run to your future career can be the motivation you need to actually do it.

• Ask yourself these questions to help you set your career goals:
  • Where do I want to be in 5-10 years time? What do I see myself doing (studying, working)?
  • How will my present studies take me there?
  • What else do I need to be doing now to get there (volunteer/part-time work)?
  • What obstacles might prevent me from achieving this goal?
  • What can I be doing to overcome these obstacles?
• Do a self-assessment using the Career Computer Lab.
• Meet with a counsellor or take a workshop to do some career planning.
• Do some vocational testing if you're unsure of what major to be in. Do some research at the Career Resource Centre to see where your major can lead.
• Gain job-search strategies at Career and Placement Services

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Life has a way of handing us ups and downs when we least expect them. This means that sometimes your life is going to get in the way of your studies. It's important to realize and accept that there will be times when you are just not able to work or study because life issues are demanding more attention. If this happens to you, be ready to seek out resources to help you deal with the situation.

• Recognize when a situation needs to be addressed.
• Deal with situations as they arise; don't let them drag on.
• Don't fool yourself into believing you can handle everything.
• Use the resources available to you:
  • Talk to a trusted friend or relative.
  • Talk to your doctor, or make an appointment at Health Services.
• Make sure your academic standing doesn't suffer:
  • Talk to your professors for possible extensions.
  • Consider dropping courses to relieve your workload.
  • Determine if you are eligible for medical exemptions.

If...

You need further help, if a situation feels too overwhelming, or if you just want someone to talk to, Counselling and Development's professional counsellors offer safe, friendly, confidential personal counselling. Call or drop into our offices to make an appointment.

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Success at university is more than just doing well in classes; it's knowing how to work with the system. There are things that you need to know that you won't necessarily be told. And with regards to university regulations, ignorance is not bliss! So be prepared to ask questions and dig a little to find out the information.

Read the University Calendar to find out:

• GPA requirements for your faculty and department.
• The method used to calculate your GPA.
• Deadlines to drop/add courses, pay tuition, apply for graduation.
• The University Writing Skills Requirement.
• Your programme requirements.
• Student Rights and Responsibilities.
• EtcŠ

Pick up a CSU Student Handbook (H 637) for further information on student services and student associations.

Use the system (here are suggestions to get you started):

• Pick up a form at Birks Student Service Centre to change your major.
• Go to Financial Aid for information on in-course bursaries, and work-study programmes.
• Visit the CSU Job and Housing Bank on the Mezzanine of the Hall Building for information on potential jobs and apartments.
• Fill in a form at the Birks Student Service Centre for a medical notation if you miss a final exam due to illness.
• Meet with an academic advisor to plan your programme of study.
• Get hooked up with a Mentor through the Office of Alumni Affairs.
• Research the requirements for applying to graduate programmes at the Career Resource Centre.

Ask professors, academic advisors, and fellow students if you have further questions.

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