Scheduling Your Time

To aid in establishing regular daily study habits, keep a schedule of your time.  After blocking out time for work, classes, eating, sleeping, and leisure activities, there should be enough time left to schedule at least two hours of study for each hour of class.  You should schedule uninterrupted periods of at least one hour for study.  If the periods are long, plan for short breaks (5-10 minutes only).

Schedule review periods at the end of each week to go over materials covered in that time period.  This will greatly decrease the need to cram before major exams.

Methods for Effective Study

Effective reading takes concentration, and this may require some mental warming up.  First, you might reflect on the importance and relation of the assignment to the whole pattern of the course.  Make sure you know just what the reading assignment is, and review any comments your instructor may have made about it.  If you are clear about the exact nature and purpose of the assignment, you will know what main points to look for as you read.

1.  The SQ3R Method

A method which can be very useful in developing the habit of reading systematically is called SQ3R (Survey, Question, Read, Recite, Review).  The steps are:

Survey

Take time to read introductory and summary paragraphs.  Then read everything in bold print and all headings.  In this way you will determine the general content and sequence of the topics. 

Question

Convert headings or topics into questions which you expect will be answered as you read.  Ask what evidence will support statements and what facts are used to develop ideas.

Before reading also ask yourself what you already know about the subject.  Relating new materials to old landmarks makes it easier to grasp the new materials.

Read

Read the sections or paragraphs consecutively to answer your questions.

As you read, look for key ideas which are usually built around topic sentences.  Identifying these ideas and moving from one to the other in your reading keeps continuity and aids in comprehension.

Along with key ideas, watch for transitional words and phrases.  They reveal relationships between facts and ideas.  These are words such as first, second, because, consequently, for example, finally, etc.  They can be very valuable in pointing out the direction the author is going.

Read for facts, ideas, and relationships.  How does all the material fit together in a pattern?

Try always to keep the author’s purpose in mind.  Don’t get bogged down in difficult words or sentence structure.  If you do, go back to the topic sentence and try to strip the material of all the modifying phrases.  Until you get the sense of the material, the “trimmings” may just confuse you.  If you are taking notes, wait to do so until you can thoroughly understand the material and can condense it in your own words.

Recite

Ask yourself the questions you had before you read the material and answer them—out loud if you like.  This is the time to fix in your mind any facts that can be visualized:  the battle or the map or the diagram or the mathematical relationship.  Verbal recitation can be a very effective way of fixing the material in your mind.

Review

From time to time, go back over a section of your textbook or reading notes, practice recalling as much as you can; then look again at your book to see where you were right, where you made mistakes, and what you left out.  Continue this process until you have mastered the material.

2.  Outline 

This method involves selecting and organizing in your own words the essential ideas of the material.  Writing them down can be an aid to effective learning.  Outlining can be used effectively with recitation.

3.  Underline

This method should be used only after the material has been read through.  There is a temptation to do too much underlining.  Don’t underline entire sentences or paragraphs, just the major ideas and key words.  As in the outline, only the essential material should be underlined.

Other Suggestions

Try to have a special place for studying, well-lighted and away from noise and distractions.  If you are unable to study at home, schedule regular times in a quiet corner of the library.

Make sure you have allowed plenty of time for sleep and adequate recreation.

Return to Reading Department Home Page