Learning and Study Skills
How to Learn More and Make Better Grades: Overview and Links
Tom G. Stevens PhDPsychologist/Professor Emeritus, California State University, Long Beach
Send Feedback/Questions to: Tom.Stevens@csulb.edu
You Can Choose To Be Happy:
Site dedicated to enhancing human happiness, self-development, and success
Go to: Choose To Be Happy Checklist
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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
Books-Media
CSULB ReferralsOTHER
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.
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.
==> 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://home.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.
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://home.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)
***Survival Strategies for Taking Tests
Dr. Carolyn
Hopper
http://www.mtsu.edu/~studskl/teststrat.html
Problems with "mind going blank,"
fear of failure, inability to recall material you think you know:
GO TO: http://home.csulb.edu/~tstevens/h87focus.htm
How to get these thoughts out of your mind.
GO TO: http://home.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://home.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
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
Dr Tom G Stevens' BOOK: You Can Choose To Be Happy:
"Rise Above" Anxiety, Anger, and Depression
(with Research Results)
Go to Free BOOK DOWNLOAD
pdf
Go to BOOK CONTENTS
Go to RESEARCH SUMMARY CHAPTER
SELF-HELP INFORMATION + SITE MAP:
FREE SELF-HELP MATERIALS on this web site (click here to see list)
Free SHAQ QUESTIONNAIRE: Go to:
Success and Happiness Attributes Questionnaire (SHAQ)
to assess yourself on many factors--including your
HQ-Happiness Quotient
ORDERING the BOOK:
How to ORDER You Can Choose To Be Happy
Web site created and maintained by: Tom G. Stevens PhD,
Psychologist/Professor Emeritus, California State University, Long
Beach Counseling and Psychological Services
URL of this web site:
http://home.csulb.edu/~tstevens/index.html
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