Student Success Section 2 - Performance & Study Skills

Performance & Study
Skills

Anxiety
ANXIETY is something that every one of us experiences to some
extent in any stressful situation. All of us feel some effects of
anxiety associated with exams, projects, deadlines and so on.
Effects of anxiety can range from a nervous feeling and
sweating, nausea, forgetting and blanking out, to actually
becoming physically ill. Most people don’t experience anything
worse than a nervous feeling.
Athletes, actors, singers, public speakers and so forth count on
having some anxiety to be able to perform their best. And so
should you! Anxiety becomes a problem when it begins to
adversely affect your performance…when this happens,
PREPARATION is key to your success!

Tips for managing test anxiety
Mental Preparation
Be thoroughly prepared
Review the material
Arrive to the exam location early
Physical Preparation
Develop good study habits
Location! Location! Location!
Relaxation
Go for a walk
Don’t discuss the exam with others
Breath
Stretch

Test-Wise: Your Plan for Taking a
Test
Remember some initial tension is normal. Generally when you receive a
test, stop for a moment, take several deep breaths, relax, and then start
reviewing directions and test items.
In a timed test, make a schedule for answering questions. Allow more
time for a higher point question. Pace yourself to get as many questions
as possible answered. Knowing how well you’re progressing will eliminate
anxiety over whether or not you will finish the exam.
Don’t spend too much time on any question. If you can’t come up with
the answer, move on. You can always come back if you have time.
Higher scores will usually result from trying all items.
If you get stumped on a question or series of questions, move onto
questions you can answer. This will get your mental process and
concentration ready for more difficult questions.

Tips for Different Exam Types
Multiple Choice
If two answers seem similar, except for one or two words, choose one of these answers.
In general, if answers cover a wide range (10, 29, 160, 800), select a number near the middle.
True/False
If any part of a true-false statement is false, the answer is must be false
Look for key qualifiers such as all, most, sometimes, never, or rarely
Short Answer
Typically, testing of this kind asks that you provide definitions or short descriptions, often
amounting to a sentence or two
If you find yourself in this learning situation flash cards may help with key terms and phrases
Open Book
Highlight information not worth remembering,
Write notes in the margins of the books
Use color coded page tabs to identify where you will find key information in the book

Tips for Essay Exams
Be clear from the outset what the question seems to require
Take it apart: Look for loaded or ambiguous terms that may carry
hidden assumptions
Provide an informed response that demonstrates the practical
boundaries of the essay
Bring generalizations into line with concrete particular evidence that
flows nicely together
Your response will be assessed on substance, strength, subtlety, and skill
Aim to write with simplicity and sincerity
Well-written response usually involves taking a position on a meaningful
issue and defending it in detail with appropriate argument, evidence,
and examples

Memory
In order to understand what study skills will work
most effectively for you and to truly learn for a
lifetime, you need to understand how your
memory stores information

Memory
Information is acquired and encoded == leads to
storage in the brain == leads to the possibility of later
retrieval
Sensory memory (1-3 seconds)
Short-term memory (about 7 items for 20 seconds)
Long-term memory (almost permanent)

If You Don’t Encode, You Can’t
Retrieve it!
Without moving information into Long-Term memory, you will not be successful in
retrieving that information for the test or on the job. The following tips will help
improve the quality of your studying and moving information to long-term memory
Practice time: Distribute your studying over time
Depth of processing: Spend ‘quality’ time studying
Verbal mnemonics: Use rhyming or acronyms to reduce the amount of info to
be stored
Overlearn: review the material even after you think you have it mastered
Study in the same physical environment as much as possible
Study right before bed and review right before the exam
Place items you need to remember with similar topics in your memory bank

Tips for improving your memory
Practice
The more you practice, the better you get
Distribute your studying over time, don’t cram!
Depth of Processing
Quality study time, no mindless drills
The more time you spend engaged, the more you remember
Verbal Mnemonics
Create rhymes and acronyms
Play memory tricks to retain information
Example: “I” before “E” except after “C”

Tips for improving your memory
Overlearn Information
Keep reviewing even after you think you have mastered the information
Methods of Loci
Mentally associate and place items in familiar locations
Study before Sleeping
You will recall things better
Interference
Review information right before the exam
Context Reinstatement
Study in the same environment and mood in which you will take the
exam

A.S.P.I.R.E! A Study System to
Succeed
A: Approach/Attitude/Arrange
Arrange your schedule to eliminate distractions; approach your studies
with a positive attitude. Choose where you like to study for this exercise:
S: Select/survey/scan
Select a reasonable chunk of material to study
Survey the headings, graphics, pre- and post questions to get an
overview
P: Piece together the parts:
Put aside your books and notes & Piece together what you've studied,
either alone, with a study pal or group: summarize what you understand

A.S.P.I.R.E! A Study System to
Succeed…cont.
I: Investigate/inquire/inspect:
Investigate alternative sources of information you can refer to: other text
books, websites, experts, tutors, etc.
Inquire from support professionals (academic support, librarians, tutors,
teachers, experts) and other resources for assistance
Inspect what you did not understand.
R: Reexamine/reflect/relay
Reexamine the content, Reflect on the material, Relay understanding
E: Evaluate/examine/explore:
Evaluate your grades on tests and tasks: look for a pattern
Examine your progress: toward achieving your goals
Explore options: with a teacher, support professional, tutor, parent if you
aren’t satisfied.

SQ3R Reading System
Survey! Question! Read! Recite! Review!
Before you read, Survey the chapter
Question while you are surveying
When you begin to Read, look for answers to questions that have
been identified
Recite after you've read a section
Review an ongoing process

Reading Difficult Material
As you read, practice the look-away method
Make connections and associations
Look up words
Read to the end
Organize your notes by connecting ideas
Do not confine yourself to words! Use pictures, graphics, etc. to help
you grasp ideas you are reading