Learning and Study Skills

How to Learn More and Make Better Grades: Overview and Links

Make Better Grades with Good Learning and Study Skills

Index

Information
Advice
Internet Links
Reading Textbooks, Comprehension,Memory, etc
Note Taking Tips
Test Taking Tips
Test Anxiety, Confidence, and Concentration

CSULB Referrals

INFORMATION 
Many students think that they are not as smart as other students who make better grades when in fact all they lack is good learning skills and study habits.  Learning more and making good grades helps get better jobs and achieve more in one's career.  

Good grades are necessary to get into graduate school.  Many students as freshmen don't think they would ever want to go to graduate school, but later change their minds after doing poorly their first year or two in college.  You can never take away poor grades, they will always affect your grade average!  So don't wait, start improving your learning skills and study habits now.

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ADVICE 
The basic requirements for making good grades follow:
1. Take courses that you have the proper background for.
2. Spend an adequate amount of time outside of class studying efficiently.  For a course that is "easy" for you,  that may be about 1 hour outside of class for every hour in class or less to make an "A". For a harder course it may take 2-4 hours outside of class for every hour in class to make a "B" or "A".
3. Take good class notes.  See below for help.
4. Talk with your instructor and other students to get help when needed (but don't rely upon them to do your thinking or learning for you.
5. Learn good learning and memory skills (this is what makes some students appear smarter and get more done in less time).  See below for help and go to the page on Reading help to improve textbook comprehension and memory.
6. The last three weeks of the semester are the most important (most points are due then and instructors tend to give better grades to those who improve or do well at the end--not those that go down). During the last three weeks, put other activities on the back burner and pour your efforts into studying.

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==> START HERE?  Free Study and Learning Skills and Academic Motivation Questionnaire to help you identify key factors that may be interfering with your ability to maximize your grades and academic success.
GO TO  http://www.csulb.edu/~tstevens/success  (Learning, study skills, and academic motivation are main areas of SHAQ assessment, and can be taken without the other SHAQ parts.)

INTERNET LINKS 
Many of these sites can be helpful.  If you are not making good grades despite adequate study time, start by reading our guide.

Learning and Study Skills

C=> Improve Comprehension and Memory for Better Grades
This guide has been used by hundreds of students to study more efficiently and improve their grades. It is especially for those who study hard, but don't do as well as they would like. Tom G. Stevens PhD, CAPS, CSULB
http://www.csulb.edu/~tstevens/LEARN.htm

Dr. Carolyn Hopper, Study Skills Coordinator for the Developmental
Studies Department at Middle Tennessee State University. Two sites:
****(1) Study Help Web Links
http://www.mtsu.edu/~studskl/index.html
***(2) Memory Principles
http://www.mtsu.edu/~studskl/mem.html

Textbooks--Understanding and Remembering the Material
(Click here to get help in addition to above links)

Note-Taking Tips

***Survival Strategies for Taking Tests 
Dr. Carolyn Hopper
http://www.mtsu.edu/~studskl/teststrat.html

Test Anxiety Help

Problems with "mind going blank," fear of failure, inability to recall material you think you know:
GO TO: http://www.csulb.edu/~tstevens/h87focus.htm   How to get these thoughts out of your mind.

GO TO: http://www.csulb.edu/~tstevens/LEARN.htm   Learn powerful methods to increase self-confidence and to overpower the anxiety and recall material even when you are  anxious.

Use of self-desensitization and systematic relaxation to ease test anxiety.  A method strongly supported by research.

GO TO: http://www.csulb.edu/~tstevens/Desensit.htm

ADDITIONAL LEARNING AND STUDY SKILLS SITES

www.d.umn.edu/student/loon/acad/strat/study_strat_enr.html  University of Minnesota Study Skill assessment and self-help

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CSULB REFERRALS

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CSULB Student Services:

CSULB Learning Assistance Center
The LAC provides a variety of services to help students succeed in their classes including workshops,  individual study skills help, self-help materials, tutoring referrals, supplementary instruction referrals, and more. Library East Room 12; (562) 985-5350; csulblac@csulb.edu.

CSULB Writer's Resource Lab 
Language Arts Building (LAB) Room 212; (562) 985-4329; Department of English, California State University, Long Beach. Individual tutoring available. On-line handouts include: Essay Structure Essay Introductions Parts of Speech Fragments, Revision Checklist Terms Used in Essay Test Questions Writing a Summary, Comma Splice & Run-On Sentence Article Use (a/an & the) Writing Book Reviews, plus new ones being added, Check their website:

CSULB Mathematics Assistance Center
Mathematics Tutoring: FO3-200B for many regular math classes and in Mathematics Education (MTED) Tutoring In LA5-259 for student taking mathematics courses for elementary teachers. 

For Workshops, Test Anxiety, and Motivational or Concentration Problems

Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS)
CSULB students can obtain free counseling from licensed psychologists for almost any type of personal problem including relationships and family problems; stress, anxiety, depression, anger, grief; academic-related concerns; career decision-making; crises; and almost any type of self-development issue.  We offer individual and group counseling, workshops, and self-help materials including this website. Brotman Hall, Room 226; 562-985-4001; website: www.csulb.edu/~caps

Other student services and student organizations may also be helpful
Go to CSULB student information page for a comprehensive list of student services and activities

Self-Help and other resources on this website (and site map)