There are some basic study tips that can help you do your best in your coursework. Each person has his or her own way of studying. Read these sections in order to discover some study skills that can help you while you are in school.

Time Management

Being aware of how you use your time will help you to study more effectively and be more efficient.

Define Your Priorities

Make a list of your priorities for how you spend your time: schoolwork, paid work, volunteering, child care, etc. Be sure to include leisure-time activities, such as spending time with friends or watching TV.

Study Time

Set aside times to study when you know you will be most effective. For example, if you get tired after 9 p.m., try to finish your work before then. If you are most creative in the early morning hours, write the first draft of your papers then.

Assignment Calendar

Make a monthly calendar of all your major assignments that are due each term. A monthly calendar will help you plan ahead and prepare for major assignments.

Managing Assignments

Major assignments can become manageable when you break them down into smaller pieces. Try to stay ahead instead of falling behind. Be sure to talk with your instructor early on if you don't understand or are having trouble with an assignment, if you want some feedback on your initial work, or if you foresee that you will need some extra time. Most teachers are impressed if you approach them early on with any issues you may have.

Working on Assignments

Try to vary your work -- working on the same thing for a long time can be tiresome and might make you work less efficiently. Take periodic breaks to stay alert, and eat something every few hours to help maintain your focus.

Motivation

As you study, remember that your academic success will help create career opportunities for you.

Make Use of Free Time During the Day

Free time during the day can be an ideal time to study, use the library, talk with your instructors, go to the tutoring center or have a study group. Try to find a quiet study space where you won't get distracted -- you can always ask a teacher if he or she knows of any empty classrooms where you can work.

Be Consistent

If you keep up to date on assignments and do some work each day (including weekend days), the work will seem much less overwhelming.

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Reading

Important things to look for while you are reading:

These techniques will help you become more focused on your reading:

Schedule time to read.

Try to schedule enough time for your reading. It may be helpful to break your reading down into 30- to 60-minute blocks.

Determine the purpose of the assigned reading.

Before you start reading, ask yourself, "What does my teacher want me to get out of this reading?"

Set aside times to read when you know you will be most alert.

For example, if you have your best mental energy in early morning hours, aim to do most of your reading then.

Keep an assignment calendar.

Read the questions first.

If your teacher gave you reading questions, read them before starting and keep them in mind as you read. You may even want to write down notes as you find the related answers in the text.

Focus your reading.

If you don't have assigned reading questions, make some for yourself. Look over the introductory paragraphs and the sections that you will be reading. From this brief overview, write down a few questions that you will try to answer during your reading. These reading questions will help you guide and focus your reading.

Find the main idea.

As you read, try to gather the main idea from each paragraph. Write it down in your own words. Every few pages, stop to think about what you have just read. Ask yourself, "What is the main point of what I just read?" and, "How is this reading relevant to the course?"

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Preparing for Class

Before going into class, you should prepare so that you make the most of your time. There are a few things you can do that will ensure that you learn something worthwhile from class:

Review Your Syllabus

If possible, check the syllabus or class outline in advance so that you will know what the topic of the lecture will be.

Review Your Notes

Look over the notes you have already taken -- especially the ones from the previous class -- so you can remember what has been covered and anticipate what might be covered in class today. Use a highlighter to note the main ideas -- this will help you study later on.

Review Your Reading Assignments

Skimming the assigned readings can prepare you for what might be covered in class in the future.

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Notetaking

Taking notes during class is a good way to make sure that you stay engaged in what the teacher is saying. Taking notes also ensures that when it's time to study for a test you will have a good record of what was said in class. The assigned reading is often background information to what your teacher presents in class.

Notes can help you when you're writing a paper or taking a test by giving you details that help you explain main ideas and key concepts, tie themes together and compare and contrast information.

When you take notes, you should try to do the following:

Be Selective

You can't write down every word, so record what seem to be the most important points and take good notes.

Be Concrete and Specific

Use examples to describe and explain the topic being presented so that when you review your notes you can remember topics more easily.

Use Your Own Words

It is better to write your notes in your own words rather than recording what the teacher says word for word. When you do this, you become more involved in what you are hearing, and it is easier to remember what was presented in class.

Write Your Own Questions

In the margin or on a separate piece of paper, write down any questions you have about the reading that you want to ask a teacher, tutor or classmate.

Use Different Ways of Presenting Information

Use a variety of methods to write down the material you need to know. Some examples of effective methods are graphs, words and diagrams.

Develop Some Key Abbreviations

For efficiency, use abbreviations of words (such as "w/o" for without, "b/c" for because). Using abbreviations will save you time as you are taking notes.

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Test Preparation

When you have a test to take, it can be difficult to know how to prepare for the test. People have very different ways of studying, and these may vary for each subject. Here are some general tips that can help you find your own best way to study.

Make Time to Study

Leave plenty of time to review your notes and readings before each test. Try to schedule studying time over several days or weeks.

Keep Up With Assignments

Keeping up with assignments will help you better prepare for tests because it will help you avoid last-minute cramming.

Find a Study Group

Talk with classmates about the material you learn in class. Find a group of people with whom you can study effectively. Discuss the material and test one another. Get the phone numbers of a few of your classmates so that you can call them if you have any questions.

Write Down Key Topics

Create a list of key topics so that you know the themes you need to cover. Use your notes to fill in the details of these important concepts.

Condense Your Notes

Make a condensed set of notes based on your class notes, readings and discussions with your teacher and classmates (i.e., take notes on your notes). This will help you to decide on the most important topics and ideas. Rewriting your notes will help you remember the material.

Practice Problem Solving

For problem-solving tests in classes such as math, science and economics, look at the different types of problems you have covered and then identify the strategies you should use in solving each type. Find sample problems -- even if you have done them before for homework -- and practice until you know how to approach each type of problem.

Make Practice Essay Questions

For essay tests, think of questions that would be logical for your teacher to ask. Talk with other students in your class about what types of questions might be asked on the test. Outline answers to questions you create about each of the major themes covered in class -- even if that specific question isn't asked, you will be able to write about the main theme that is being addressed. In college, talk to your friends who might have old tests from the same class.

Do Sample Questions

For multiple-choice, true/false or fill-in-the-blank tests, write sample questions with your study partners and practice answering them.

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