AUDIO: Take some time to think about your study habits.
"The purpose of this presentation is for you to ask yourself the question "Do You Study?". For some of you it might be an easy answer. For others that think they are studying, you might be surprised to find out that you are not really doing anything and truly wasting time!"

AUDIO: (pauses in-between each question)

-When was the last time you studied?
-Why do you study?
-What does your studying look like?
-Is there a purpose to your studying?

AUDIO: (pauses in-between each question)

-When you study, what else is going on?
-Do you listen to music?
-Have your phone close at hand?
-Simply read over your notes or text?
-What is the environment like?

AUDIO: Memory itself cannot be developed, rather it is developing certain habits to use our memory to it's fullest potential. We must be aware of how we are using our memory to learn and study. It is not about how often, but how we use it.

Since memory is a purposeful action that must be practiced and focused on think about this:

1. Cultivate the habit of close attention to the thing you wish to remember.
2. Try to Visualize It.
3. Intend to Remember
4. One of the most important of all aids to the remembering process is the habit of associating a new idea immediately with facts or ideas that are already firmly lodged in your mind. (END)


Resources
Pauk, Walter. How to Study In College, 2nd edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1974.

AUDIO: Repetition deals with rehearsing information that you are trying to get from your short term memory into your long term memory. It is critical to find ways that help you to rehearse information and create neural connections to create lasting memory. Note cards, puzzles, and songs are ways to repeat information in a way that develops connections. (END)




Photo Courtesy of Wikipedia Commons

Resources:
"10 Habits of Highly Effective Students"-- Education Corner.
Retrieved from http://www.educationcorner.com/habits-of-successful-students.html

AUDIO: Staying Organized is essential in reducing the amount of cognitive overload for your brain. Take away all the distractions and interruptions to your learning. By minimizing what is on your desk and the information in front of you will allow you to focus on the material and reason you are there. The more distractions for your brain and sensory inputs, the harder it is to study! (END)



Photo Courtesy of Wikipedia Commons

AUDIO: Finding your quiet zone or spot to study is important. Is there a room in your house where it is peaceful, quiet, away from all the distractions? Is it a park with no distractions? Some people enjoy the peace of a library?

Whatever your "sweet spot" is it is imperative that you find it. This is a spot where there are no distractions, allow you to focus, and is easily accessible. (END)




Photo Courtesy of Flickr

AUDIO: If you have trouble remembering items, try and find ways that connect the information to your life. This is called "Applied Learning". Essentially you are trying to find ways to tie the information you are learning to something you already know. This helps to create neural connections with other information in your long term memory that creates an easier process for your brain to take the new information and process it. (END)



Photo Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

AUDIO: One thing that is common in studying is trying to do it all in one night. This is a huge misconception and cannot be done! You will be able to store some information in your short term memory, but will not truly place that information into your long term memory where you will be able to retrieve it down the line. Another misconception is the notion that if I study for 2 hours tonight I will remember it all. However, the opposite is true. You will overload your brain and it will only remember certain bits of information.

If you truly want to process information for recall, then study in small increments daily. Focus 20 minutes of quiet and intention each day. This will ensure that the night before the test you do not have to "cram". (END)


Picture Courtesy of Flickr

AUDIO: Now it is time to go out and apply those skills during class! These will help you to be effective students in any class and to achieve success. These skills will be something that will help you for the rest of your life, so learning and practicing them now will prove important!