Chapter One The Evolution of Psychology

E. Application: Improving Academic Performance

Research from educational psychology forms the basis for the following discussion of how to developed better study habits.

1. Developing Sound Study Habits
2. Improving Your Reading
3. Getting More out of Lectures
4. Improving Test-Taking Strategies
5. Web Study Skills Information

Contents

Developing Sound Study Habits

Hard fact of Life: Good grades are the result of hard work -- and even then it is kind of chancy.

The Program

Set up a schedule for studying

• Identify the best times each day for concentrated study

• Each week develop a working schedule with week's assignment

• Break up major assignments into manageable components

Find a place to study where you can actually concentrate.

• Rule of thumb: Remember, be honest with yourself when making this decision -- you are not trying to snow your parents about how you can really concentrate while listening to a 120 decibel CD in the middle of the student union during rush hour. Your instructor will nail you on the first exam, and the Dean may not be too sympathetic when she hauls you in for being on academic probation.

Reward your study

• If you don't have any good ideas, the Application Section of Chapter 6 has some good suggestions.

Improving Your Reading

Your textbook isn't a coloring book, and there are some strategies that are alot more effective than highlighting. The SQ3R is one of the better ones.

Getting More out of Lectures

Another hard rule of college life: "Absence makes the grade point flounder."

Note taking Principles

• Active listening

• Read ahead

• You are not a human tape recorder

  

• Ask questions during lecture because it:
  • Keeps you actively involved.
  • Can clarify points you don't understand.
  • Keeps you awake.
  • Surprises the heck out of the instructor.
  • Slows down rapid fire instructors who are trying to finish the book in one lecture.
  • Provides amusement for your classmates.
  • If done correctly, can lead the instructor's perception of you to shift into the 'this student is brilliant' range.

• Review your notes right after the hour because it is easier to understand the parts of the lecture once you've heard the whole story (We'll cover this in our discussion of Gestalt theory later on).

Improving Test Taking Strategies

This is a very useful section. It really can't be summarized -- it must be savored and pondered. These are very profound suggestions that even the Web Wizard cannot improve upon.

Testwiseness

• Myths of Test Taking - Never Change Answers?
• General Tips -- read this section carefully
• Multiple Choice Exams -- read this section 3 or 4 times
  Essay Exams

	Study Skill Guides I

Developed by the Colleges of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University, Minnesota. These study guides typically cover topics like Time Management, SQ3R, Listening, Notetaking, Skimming, Underlining/Highlighting, Rehearsing, Test-Taking, Stress Management.

	Study Skills Guides II

Dartmouth University Academic Skills Center

	Study Skills Guides III

Virginia Polytechnic Insitute's Counseling Center

	Learning Strategies Database

The Center for Advancement of Learning, Muskingum College, has complied a comprehensive database covering a wide variety of skills. In addition to covering the traditional study center offerings above, this includes topics such as the use study groups, problem solving, and critical thinking. A four star rating!

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