Learning Strategies

Strategic Learning for Medical School

2005-08-17T11:16:00.000-07:00

Strategic Learning for Medical School

Best practices for learning and studying:

Ø While studying, look for those parts and concepts that "don't fit"

Ø Capitalize on the "medical problem solving process" for learning basic science with a "clinical orientation"

Ø Write down concepts and information you don't understand in the form of questions; then look for answers in your textbooks, listen for answers in lecture, and discuss the questions with study partners

Ø Study at least one half hour each day

Ø Study regularly with a productive, compatible group of around 4 students

Ø Use the preview, review method for new topics

Ø Get an overview of the scheduled topic before class when possible

Ø Study fact-based and process-based topics together, for example, study anatomy with physiology, pharmacology with biochemistry

Ø Use concept maps, cognitive maps, or charts to organize study materials and course notes, link the main concepts by defining their operational relationships and/or links

Ø Discuss your maps with study partners, explain your thought process in creating the map

Ø It's difficult to memorize everything, try "chunking" bits of information together as a concept and memory aid

Ten Traps of Studying

2005-07-26T11:19:00.001-07:00

Ten Traps of Studying

1."I Don't Know Where To Begin"

Take Control. Make a list of all the things you have to do. Break your workload down into manageable chunks. Prioritize! Schedule your time realistically. Don't skip classes near an exam -- you may miss a review session. Use that hour in between classes to review notes. Interrupt study time with planned study breaks. Begin studying early, with an hour or two per day, and slowly build as the exam approaches.

2. "I've Got So Much To Study . . . And So Little Time"

Preview. Survey your syllabus, reading material, and notes. Identify the most important topics emphasized, and areas still not understood. Previewing saves time, especially with non-fiction reading, by helping you organize and focus in on the main topics. Adapt this method to your own style and study material, but remember, previewing is not an effective substitute for reading.

3. "This Stuff Is So Dry, I Can't Even Stay Awake Reading It"

Attack! Get actively involved with the text as you read. Ask yourself, "What is important to remember about this section?" Take notes or underline key concepts. Discuss the material with others in your class. Study together. Stay on the offensive, e specially with material that you don't find interesting, rather than reading passively and missing important points.

4. "I Read It. I Understand It. But I Just Can't Get It To Sink In"

Elaborate. We remember best the things that are most meaningful to us. As you are reading, try to elaborate upon new information with your own examples. Try to integrate what you're studying with what you already know. You will be able to remember new material better if you can link it to something that's already meaningful to you. Some techniques include:

Chunking: An effective way to simplify and make information more meaningful. For example, suppose you wanted to remember the colors in the visible spectrum (Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet); you would have to memorize seven "chunks" of information in order. But if you take the first letter of each color, you can spell the name "Roy G. Biv", and reduce the information the three "chunks".
Mnemonics: Any memory-assisting technique that helps us to associate new information with something familiar. For example, to remember a formula or equation, we may use letters of the alphabet to represent certain numbers. Then we can change an abstract formula into a more meaningful word or phrase, so we'll be able to remember it better. Sound-alike associations can be very effective, too, especially while trying to learn a new language. The key is to create your own links, then you won't forget them.

5. "I Guess I Understand It"

Test yourself. Make up questions about key sections in notes or reading. Keep in mind what the professor has stressed in the course. Examine the relationships between concepts and sections. Often, simply by changing section headings you can generate many effective questions. For example, a section entitled "Bystander Apathy" might be changed into questions such as: "What is bystander apathy?", "What are the causes of bystander apathy?", and "What are some examples of bystander apathy?"

6. "There's Too Much To Remember"

Organize. Information is recalled better if it is represented in an organized framework that will make retrieval more systematic. There are many techniques that can help you organize new information, including:

Write chapter outlines or summaries; emphasize relationships between sections.
Group information into categories or hierarchies, where possible.
Information Mapping. Draw up a matrix to organize and interrelate material. For example, if you were trying to understand the causes of World War I, you could make a chart listing all the major countries involved across the top, and then list the important issues and events down the side. Next, in the boxes in between, you could describe the impact each issue had on each country to help you understand these complex historical developments.

7. "I Knew It A Minute Ago"

Review. After reading a section, try to recall the information contained in it. Try answering the questions you made up for that section. If you cannot recall enough, re-read portions you had trouble remembering. The more time you spend studying, the more you tend to recall. Even after the point where information can be perfectly recalled, further study makes the material less likely to be forgotten entirely. In other words, you can't overstudy. However, how you organize and integrate new information is still more important than how much time you spend studying.

8. "But I Like To Study In Bed"

Context. Recall is better when study context (physical location, as well as mental, emotional, and physical state) are similar to the test context. The greater the similarity between the study setting and the test setting, the greater the likelihood that material studied will be recalled during the test.

9. "Cramming Before A Test Helps Keep It Fresh In My Mind"

Spacing: Start studying now. Keep studying as you go along. Begin with an hour or two a day about one week before the exam, and then increase study time as the exam approaches. Recall increases as study time gets spread out over time.

10. "I'm Gonna Stay Up All Night 'til I Get This"

Avoid Mental Exhaustion. Take short breaks often when studying. Before a test, have a rested mind. When you take a study break, and just before you go to sleep at night, don't think about academics. Relax and unwind, mentally and physically. Otherwise, your break won't refresh you and you'll find yourself lying awake at night. It's more important than ever to take care of yourself before an exam! Eat well, sleep, and get enough exercise.

Improving Reading Speed

2005-07-26T11:19:00.000-07:00

SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVING READING SPEED

Improvement of Reading Rate

It is safe to say that almost anyone can double his speed of reading while maintaining equal or even higher comprehension. In other words, anyone can improve the speed with which he gets what he wants from his reading.

The average college student reads between 250 and 350 words per minute on fiction and non-technical materials. A "good" reading speed is around 500 to 700 words per minute, but some people can read a thousand words per minute or even faster on these materials. What makes the difference? There are three main factors involved in improving reading speed: (1) the desire to improve, (2) the willingness to try new techniques and (3) the motivation to practice.

Learning to read rapidly and well presupposes that you have the necessary vocabulary and comprehension skills. When you have advanced on the reading comprehension materials to a level at which you can understand college-level materials, you will be ready to speed reading practice in earnest.

The Role of Speed in the Reading Process

Understanding the role of speed in the reading process is essential. Research has shown a close relation between speed and understanding. For example, in checking progress charts of thousands of individuals taking reading training, it has been found in most cases that an increase in rate has been paralleled by an increase in comprehension, and that where rate has gone down, comprehension has also decreased. Although there is at present little statistical evidence, it seems that plodding word-by-word analysis (or word reading) inhibits understanding. There is some reason to believe that the factors producing slow reading are also involved in lowered comprehension. Most adults are able to increase their rate of reading considerably and rather quickly without lowering comprehension. These same individuals seldom show an increase in comprehension when they reduce their rate. In other cases, comprehension is actually better at higher rates of speed. Such results, of course, are heavily dependent upon the method used to gain the increased rate. Simply reading more rapidly without actual improvement in basic reading habits usually results in lowered comprehension.

Factors that Reduce Reading Rate

Some of the facts which reduce reading rate: (a) limited perceptual span i.e., word-by-word reading; (b) slow perceptual reaction time, i.e., slowness of recognition and response to the material; (c) vocalization, including the need to vocalize in order to achieve comprehension; (d) faulty eye movements, including inaccuracy in placement of the page, in return sweep, in rhythm and regularity of movement, etc.; (e) regression, both habitual and as associated with habits of concentration; (f) faulty habits of attention and concentration, beginning with simple inattention during the reading act and faulty processes of retention; (g) lack of practice in reading, due simply to the fact that the person has read very little and has limited reading interests so that very little reading is practiced in the daily or weekly schedule; (h) fear of losing comprehension, causing the person to suppress his rate deliberately in the firm belief that comprehension is improved if he spends more time on the individual words; (i) habitual slow reading, in which the person cannot read faster because he has always read slowly, (j) poor evaluation of which aspects are important and which are unimportant; and (k) the effort to remember everything rather than to remember selectively.

Since these conditions act also to reduce comprehension increasing the reading rate through eliminating them is likely to result in increased comprehension as well. This is an entirely different matter from simply speeding up the rate of reading without reference to the conditions responsible for the slow rate. In fact, simply speeding the rate especially through forced acceleration, may actually result, and often does, in making the real reading problem more severe. In addition, forced acceleration may even destroy confidence in ability to read. The obvious solution, then is to increase rate as a part of a total improvement of the whole reading process. This is a function of special training programs in reading.

Basic Conditions for Increased Reading Rate

A well planned program prepares for maximum increase in rate by establishing the necessary conditions. Four basic conditions include:

Have your eyes checked. Before embarking on a speed reading program, make sure that any correctable eye defects you may have are taken care of by checking with your eye doctor. Often, very slow reading is related to uncorrected eye defects.
Eliminate the habit of pronouncing words as you read. If you sound out words in your throat or whisper them, you can read slightly only as fast as you can read aloud. You should be able to read most materials at least two or three times faster silently than orally. If you are aware of sounding or "hearing" words as you read, try to concentrate on key words and meaningful ideas as you force yourself to read faster.
Avoid regressing (rereading). The average student reading at 250 words per minute regresses or rereads about 20 times per page. Rereading words and phrases is a habit which will slow your reading speed down to a snail's pace. Usually, it is unnecessary to reread words, for the ideas you want are explained and elaborated more fully in later contexts. Furthermore, the slowest reader usually regresses most frequently. Because he reads slowly, his mind has time to wander and his rereading reflects both his inability to concentrate and his lack of confidence in his comprehension skills.
Develop a wider eye-span. This will help you read more than one word at a glance. Since written material is less meaningful if read word by word, this will help you learn to read by phrases or thought units.

Rate Adjustment

Poor results are inevitable if the reader attempts to use the same rate indiscriminately for a-1 types of material and for all reading purposes. He must learn to adjust his rate to his purpose in reading and to the difficulty of the material he is reading. This ranges from a maximum rate on easy, familiar, interesting material or in reading to gather information on a particular point, to minimal rate on material which is unfamiliar in content and language structure or which must be thoroughly digested. The effective reader adjusts his rate; the ineffective reader uses the same rate for all types of material.

Rate adjustment may be overall adjustment to the article as a whole, or internal adjustment within the article. Overall adjustment establishes the basic rate at which the total article is read; internal adjustment involves the necessary variations in rate for each varied part of the material. As an analogy, you plan to take a 100-mile mountain trip. Since this will be a relatively hard drive with hills, curves, and a mountain pass, you decide to take three hours for the total trip, averaging about 35 miles an hour. This is your overall rate adjustment. However, in actual driving you may slow down to no more than 15 miles per hour on some curves and hills, while speeding up to 50 miles per hour or more on relatively straight and level sections. This is your internal rate adjustment. There is no set rate, therefore, which the good reader follows inflexibly in reading a particular selection, even though he has set himself an overall rate for the total job.

Overall rate adjustment should be based on your reading plan, your reading purpose, and the nature and difficulty of the material. The reading plan itself should specify the general rate to be used. This is based on the total "size up". It may be helpful to consider examples of how purpose can act to help determine the rate to be used. To understand information, skim or scan at a rapid rate. To determine value of material or to read for enjoyment, read rapidly or slowly according to you feeling. To read analytically, read at a moderate pace to permit interrelating ideas. The nature and difficulty of the material requires an adjustment in rate in conformity with your ability to handle that type of material. Obviously, level of difficulty is highly relative to the particular reader. While Einstein's theories may be extremely difficult to most laymen, they may be very simple and clear to a professor of physics. Hence, the layman and the physics professor must make a different rate adjustment in reading the same material. Generally, difficult material will entail a slower rate; simpler material will permit a faster rate.

Internal rate adjustment involves selecting differing rates for parts of a given article. In general, decrease speed when you find the following (1) unfamiliar terminology not clear in context. Try to understand it in context at that point; otherwise, read on and return to it later; (2) difficult sentence and paragraph structure; slow down enough to enable you to untangle them and get accurate context for the passage; (3) unfamiliar or abstract concepts. Look for applications or examples of you own as well as studying those of the writer. Take enough time to get them clearly in mind; (4) detailed, technical material. This includes complicated directions, statements of difficult principles, materials on which you have scant background; (5) material on which you want detailed retention. In general, increase speed when you meet the following: (a) simple material with few ideas which are new to you; move rapidly over the familiar ones; spend most of your time on the unfamiliar ideas; (b) unnecessary examples and illustrations. Since these are included to clarify ideas, move over them rapidly when they are not needed; (c) detailed explanation and idea elaboration which you do not need, (d) broad, generalized ideas and ideas which are restatements of previous ones. These can be readily grasped, even with scan techniques.

In keeping your reading attack flexible, adjust your rate sensitivity from article to article. It is equally important to adjust you rate within a given article. Practice these techniques until a flexible reading rate becomes second nature to you.

Summary

In summary, evidence has been cited which seems to indicate a need for and value of a rapid rate of reading, while at the same time indicating the dangers of speed in reading, as such. We have attempted to point out the relationship between rate of reading and extent of comprehension, as well as the necessity for adjustment of reading rate, along with whole reading attack, to the type of material and the purposes of the reader. Finally, the factors which reduce rate were surveyed as a basis for pointing out that increase in rate should come in conjunction with the elimination of these retarding aspects of the reading process and as a part of an overall reading training program where increase in rate is carefully prepared for in the training sequence.

Adapted by permission of RSSL, University of Maryland

Tips for Public Speaking

2005-07-26T11:18:00.000-07:00

PUBLIC SPEAKING

HELPFUL HINTS

¨ avoid reading straight off a sheet

¨ good posture (shoulders back, head up, neck straight, hands out of pockets, weight on both legs)

¨ eye contact – pan around room slowly and frequently…don’t focus solely on one person!

¨ emphasize key words

¨ add tone/inflection to voice – avoid monotone drone

¨ have introduction and close with thank you

¨ no gum

¨ slow down – be deliberate in speech

¨ take a deep breath

¨ mean what you say – the words and subject should mean something to you so use emotion if warranted

¨ do not shift weight from foot to foot

¨ do not fidget

¨ avoid the dreaded “um” “uh” and “like”

¨ relax…you can smile up there

¨ add humor, ask a rhetorical question

Mind Power

2005-07-26T11:14:00.000-07:00

Mind Power & Brain Waves: Is there a connection?

Brain Waves are the “rhythm” your Brain is in. Knowing how to use this information can aid in building your own mind power. Mind Power is also affected by your natural aptitude, self-discipline, and attitude.

Your heart has a rhythm, your breath has a rhythm and your brain has a rhythm. A rhythm means a wave. Up and down, back and forth. Waves have power. Brain waves = Brain Power! Thus the fastest waves, known as beta waves, represent us in our most focused state. Alpha waves, which are usually attributed to the “ideal learning state” is somewhat slower. If you want to learn faster, learn how to get in the Alpha state or what Author Ed Strachar refers to as the Genius Zone.

When you operate in rhythm everything just seems to flow. Learning to get in the right rhythm or brain wave is very helpful...and it's as easy as sensing your breath and your heartbeat.

Brain waves — 4 Classifications:

Beta Brain Waves (13-30 cycles per second)
The fastest , representing the most intense state of alertness. The result of heightened mental activity, typically show rapid oscillations with small amplitudes. Learn to use this state for maximum mind power.

Alpha Brain Waves (8 to 12 cycles per second)
This brain wave indicates a relaxed state of mind or meditative mind. It is a state of relaxed alertness, good for inspiration, learning facts fast. The left and right brain are said to be working together here. Alpha Brain waves are very effective for learning and test taking. Learn this and your mind power increases significantly as the mind then taps into its “antenna” like qualities. Psychic/mental states of mind can occur - visions, powerful ideas, mindless creation of the incredible.

Theta Brain Waves (4 to 8 cycles per second)
Deep meditation. This is associated with life-like imagination and a high state of mental concentration. A magical mind state, this is best for suggestibility and inspiration.

Delta Brain Waves (0.5 to 4 cycles per second)
Deep dreamless sleep and deep relaxation.

Try this Alpha Brain Waves Exercise:

Step 1: Take a deep breath and hold it.

Step 2: Sense you heartbeat without your hands.

Do step 1 & 2 again, only know – 3 heartbeats between each exhalation/inhalation.

Once you feel a calm...quiet tranquil state...That is the alpha Brain wave state! Congratulations! Your mind power is enhanced, you can learn faster and do many other things. Learn More about this.

In summation...The brain is a powerful tool. It pays to learn how to use it. The human mind has infinite power and is your most fundamental resources. Learning abut brain waves can certainly expand your mind power when you know how.

M.U.R.D.E.R. Study System

2005-07-26T11:13:00.001-07:00

"M.U.R.D.E.R." A Study System

"M.U.R.D.E.R."
A Study SystemStudy is nothing else
but a possession of the mind
Thomas Hobbes
1651 English

Mood:
Set a positive mood for yourself to study in.
Select the appropriate time, environment, and attitude

Understand:
Mark any information you don't understand in a particular unit;
Keep a focus on one unit or a manageable group of exercises

Recall:
After studying the unit,
stop and put what you have learned into your own words

Digest:
Go back to what you did not understand and reconsider the information;
Contact external expert sources (e.g., other books or an instructor) if
you still cannot understand it

Expand:
In this step, ask three kinds of questions concerning the studied
material:
If I could speak to the author, what questions would I ask or what
criticism would I offer?
How could I apply this material to what I am interested in?
How could I make this information interesting and understandable to
other students?

Review:
Go over the material you've covered,
Review what strategies helped you understand and/or retain information
in the past and apply these to your current studies
Adapted from Hayes, John R., The Complete Problem Solver, Lawrence
Erlbaum Publishers, Hillsdale, NJ: 1989. ISBN: 0805803092

Improving Memory

2005-07-26T11:13:00.000-07:00

IMPROVING MEMORY

In the previous section, we have discussed memory processes and introduced you to some basic concepts of memory. What we have presented, however, is just the tip of the iceberg. If you review research on memory and learning, you will find that there exist a vast amount of information on the subject. But in learning to become more personally and academically effective, you are probably most interested in seeing how this knowledge can be put into practice. In other words, how can it help you improve your memory. Thus, we focus on memory techniques and strategies.

1. PULLING IT ALL TOGETHER. Organizing and ordering information can significantly improve memory. Imagine, for example, how difficult it would be to remember a random list of 62 letters. On the other hand, it would not be difficult to memorize the first sentence in this paragraph (consisting of 62 letters). Similarly, learning a large amount of unconnected and unorganized information from various classes can be very challenging. By organizing and adding meaning to the material prior to learning it, you can facilitate both storage and retrieval. In other words, you can learn it better and recall it easier. The following concepts can help you pull various information together in order to increase understanding and organization. This can mean organizing material on paper, such as when you make an outline or idea web, or simply organizing material in your memory, such as learning it in a particular order or making intentional associations between ideas.

2. THE FUNNEL APPROACH. This means learning general concepts before moving on to specific details. When you study in this manner, you focus on getting a general framework, or overview, before filling in the details. When you understand the general concepts first, the details make more sense. Rather than disconnected bits of information to memorize, such as history dates, the material fits together within the overall framework. Seeing how the smaller details relate to one another, you process the information more deeply (which helps you store, and later retrieve, it from memory). This idea is probably familiar--there are many learning strategies based on the funnel approach. For example, the approach is used in previewing a chapter for the major ideas as a way to enhance your comprehension of details contained in the chapter. You may also notice that many textbook chapters are organized in a "general to specific" format. Finally, you probably use this type of approach when studying from an outline, matrix, or concept map. Because of their organization, these tools are particularly well-suited for learning general to specific.

3. ORGANIZING THROUGH MEANING AND ASSOCIATION. Earlier, we discussed the concept of making intentional associations in order to improve learning retention. What do we mean by "intentional associations"? When learning, a person continually makes associations. We make associations between what we are learning and the environment we are in, between the information and our mental states, and between the information and our stream of thoughts. When things are associated in memory, thinking of one helps bring the other to mind. Have you ever actually retraced your path when you have forgotten where you put an object such as your keys? Often, as you approach the place where you put them, you are suddenly able to remember the act of laying them down on the table or putting them in your gym bag. This is association. The memory of putting the keys down was associated with your memory of things in the environment. You can make associations work for you by making them intentional. When you are having difficulty recalling new material, you can help bring it to mind by thinking about what you have associated it with. In other words--retrace your mental path. We will return to this idea later when we discuss specific strategies.

a) Deep processing--relating the material to yourself. One way to process information more deeply, and also to create meaningful associations, is to think about how the information can be personally meaningful. You might think about how the new material relates to your life, your experience, or your goals. If you can link new information to memories already stored ("mental hooks"), you'll have more cues to recall the new material.

b) Grouping. This idea is probably best explained with an example. Before reading ahead, take a moment to complete the following exercise.

EXERCISE: GROUPING

Read the following list of sports one time. When you are done, write down as many of the sports as you can without looking back at the list.

Snow Skiing Basketball Tennis

Long Jump Bobsledding 100-Meter Dash

Hockey Baseball Ice Skate

Discus Golf High Jump

Volleyball Javelin Soccer

Luge Curling Cricket

Decathlon Hurdles

Note the number of sports you remembered correctly. We will return to this exercise later.

You can organize material by grouping similar concepts, or related ideas, together. Arranging the material into related groups helps your memory by organizing the information. For example, in the exercise you just completed, you could have grouped all of the sports into one of the following categories: a) Winter sports, b) Track and Field sports, and c)Sports using a ball. Keeping these categories in mind, try the exercise again. If your are like most people, you will be able to remember more of the sports.

Of course, in this instance, we created a list with the intention of demonstrating grouping; thus, there were 6 or 7 sports in each category. Still, with a little thought, this strategy can be used in a variety of ways. For example, can you think of other ways that these sports could be grouped? There are individual sports, team sports, sports you may enjoy, and sports you may dislike. There are sports requiring a great deal of equipment, and sports requiring little or none. When you are trying to remember lists for a test, the concepts and words may or may not have a natural organization. Therefore, you may need to be creative when making associations. Finally, the process of organizing a list into groups can often help you to understand the relationship between the concepts better.

4. VIVID ASSOCIATIONS. We have already discussed the idea of associations: aiding storage and retrieval of new information by intentionally pairing it with something familiar. When learning something new and unfamiliar, try pairing it with something you know very well, such as images, puns, music, whatever. The association does not have to make logical sense. Often times it is associations that are particularly vivid humorous, or silly that stay in your mind. Some people remember names this way. For example, they may remember the name "Robert Green" by picturing Robert playing golf (on the green), wearing green clothes, or covered in green paint. Or suppose for your anatomy course you have to recall names of the veins in the human body, and the first one on the list is "pancreatic" followed by "right gastroepipeloic" and "left gastroepipeloic" and so on. You can picture a frying pan being creative--maybe painting a picture with bright paints and bold strokes. If the frying pan is working in a studio, picture gas pipes with little padlocks on them (gastroepipeloic) in the left and right studio corners....

VIVID ASSOCIATIONS: LEARNING THE NAMES OF CLASSMATES

1. Pick names of classmates with whom you are unfamiliar.

2. For each name, brainstorm some words or ideas that you can associate with the name. For example, if one student's name is Teresa Martinez, you might think of Mother Teresa, a Martin (a type of bird), Mars the planet, a Martini (the drink), the word "terrific," Martinique, etc.

3. Once you have brainstormed several ideas, you can begin to think of ways that some of the associations can be combined to remember the name. In the above example, you could create a visual association by picturing Mother Teresa standing on the beach at Martinique.

4. Do this for each person, and you will have a great way to remember the names of your new classmates!

5. ACTIVE LEARNING. You will notice that the term "active learning" has come up frequently. Active learning facilitates your memory by helping you attend to and process information. All of the memory techniques we have discussed require active learning. Even if you attend every lecture and read every assignment, there is no guarantee that you will learn and remember the information. Although you may passively absorb some material, to ensure that you remember important information requires being active and involved, that is attending to and thinking about what you are learning.

6. VISUAL MEMORY. Some people remember information best when it is encoded visually; if that is the case for you, then code information in this manner. But even if you do not consider yourself specifically "a visual learner," you may find that including visual memory can still help. After all, it is one more way of encoding and storing information--and one more way of retrieving it for a test.

There are many ways of visually encoding and retrieving information. We have already mentioned the strategy of associating concepts with visual images. But other aids to visual memory include diagrams, tables, outlines, etc. Often these are provided in texts, so take advantage of pictures, cartoons, charts, graphs, or any other visual material. You can also draw many of these things yourself. For example, try to visualize how the ideas relate to each other and draw a graph, chart, picture, or some other representation of the material. You may even want to make it a habit to convert difficult material into actual pictures or diagrams in your notes, or to convert words into mental images on the blackboard of your mind.

Finally, using your visual memory can be as simple as writing out vocabulary words, theories, or algebraic formulas. This allows you to not only practice (repeat) the information but also to see the way it looks on the page (developing a visual memory that you may be able to retrieve later). Another advantage is that it helps you take an active role in learning the material. When you draw your ideas on paper or write down things you are trying to remember, you have the opportunity to think about the information more deeply.

7. TALK IT OUT. When trying to memorize something, it can help to actually recite the information aloud. You might repeat ideas verbatim (when you need to do rote memorization), or you can repeat ideas in your own words (and thus ensure that you have a true understanding of the information). Repeating information aloud can help you encode the information (auditory encoding) and identify how well you have learned it. Some students have told us that they know the test information and are surprised when they "freeze" and cannot give adequate responses. For some students, this "freezing" may be a result of test anxiety. For others, however, it may be a result of overestimating how well they know the material. If you recite the information aloud from memory (answering questions, defining words, or using flash cards), it is often quite clear how well you know it. If you stumble in your responses, have to look up answers, or can only give a vague response, then you know that you need to study more.

Although reciting aloud can be a helpful memory technique, some people avoid it out of fear of appearing foolish ("what if someone sees me talking to myself?"). If this applies to you, work with a friend or study group. Another advantage of working with someone else is that they can inform you when you are missing important concepts or misunderstanding an idea. Keep in mind, however, that studying with others does not work for everyone. For example, some students may become anxious or intimidated in study groups and would be more comfortable studying alone.

8. VISUALIZE YOURSELF TEACHING THE MATERIAL. An effective way to enhance recall and understanding of dense material is to teach it to an imaginary audience. By doing so, you are forced to organize the material in a way that makes sense to you and to anticipate potential questions that may be asked by your students. Moreover, by articulating your lecture aloud, you will uncover gaps in your comprehension (and recall) of the material. (Far better to discover those "weak" areas before a test than during it.) After you have mastered a particular section from your textbook, try delivering an organized lecture on any topic from that section. Then check for accuracy. Don't forget to anticipate questions that students might ask about the material as a way of anticipating potential test questions.

Relaxation Techniques

2005-07-26T11:12:00.001-07:00

Brief Relaxation Techniques

This is a series of relaxation techniques that you can do almost any where and any time. They do not take very long to do. Do not force yourself to relax - just let it happen.

BREATHING:
2-Step breath - Fill the bottom of your lungs first, then add the top as you breathe through your nose. Breathe out slowly. Feel the tension flowing out.

TENSE-RELAX MUSCLES:
Tighten the muscle that you want to relax. Focus on and feel the tension where you have tighten. Now let the muscle become loose and limp. Feel the relaxation flow into the muscle.

BODY SCAN:
With your mind briefly scan every muscle in your body from the tips of your toes to the top of your head. If you sense a tight muscle, just let it become limp and relaxed.

LIMP RAG DOLL:

· Do the 2-step breath two times.

· With your mind imagine that you are a limp rag doll. Feel your mind and body become limp and relaxed.
*** You may use whatever image you like best **

MIND QUIETING:
In order to quiet your mind first, focus on your breathing. As you breathe in say slowly to yourself "I am" and as you breathe out, say slowly to yourself "calm". When your mind feels calm, focus only on your breathing with no other thoughts.

SHOULDERS, ARMS AND HANDS HEAVY AND WARM:
Put your mind into your shoulders, arms and hands - imagine and experience them becoming heavy, relaxed and warm.

Test Anxiety

2005-07-26T11:12:00.000-07:00

Test Anxiety

Introduction
Most students experience some level of anxiety during an exam. However, when anxiety begins to affect exam performance it has become a problem.

What Causes Test Anxiety

Lack of preparation as indicated by:

cramming the night before the exam.
poor time management.
failure to organize text information.
poor study habits.

Worrying about the following:

past performance on exams.
how friends and other students are doing.
the negative consequences of failure.

Physical Signs of Test Anxiety
During an exam, as in any stressful situations, a student may experience any of the following bodily changes:

perspiration
sweaty palms
headache
upset stomach
rapid heart beat
tense muscles

Effects of Test Anxiety

Nervousness:

Having difficulty reading and understanding the questions on the exam paper.
Having difficulty organizing your thoughts.
Having difficulty retrieving key words and concepts when answering essay questions.
Doing poorly on an exam even though you know the material.

Mental Blocking:

Going blank on questions.
Remembering the correct answers as soon as the exam is over.

How to Reduce Test Anxiety

Study and know the material well enough so that you can recall it even if you are under stress.
Learn and practice good time management and avoid:

laziness
procrastination
day dreaming

Build confidence by studying throughout the semester and avoid cramming the night before the exam.
Learn to concentrate on the material you are studying by:

generating questions from your textbooks and lecture notes.
focusing on key words, concepts and examples in your textbooks and lecture notes.
making charts and outlines which organize the information in your notes and textbooks.

Use relaxation techniques, for example, taking long deep breaths to relax the body and reduce stress.

The Immediate Environment

The environment in which you study can have a big effect on how efficient your study time is. Check your place of study for the following conditions:

Noise
Interruptions
Lighting
Temperature
Neatness
Comfort
Equipment

Minimize distracting noise. Some people need some sound and some like silence. Find what works for you.

Culprits are family and friends. Consider a "do not disturb sign" and turning on your answering machine. You can catch up with folks later.

75 watt bulbs are best, but not too close and placed opposite the dominant hand.

Better cool than warm.

Have plenty of room to work; don't be cramped. Your study time will go better if you take a few minutes at the start to straighten things up.

A desk and straight-backed chair is usually best. Don't get too comfortable--a bed is a place to sleep, not study.

Have everything (book, pencils, paper, coffee, dictionary, typewriter, calculator, tape recorder, etc.) close at hand. Don't spend your time jumping up and down to get things.

Preparing for or Anticipating Test Anxiety

What is it you have to do? Focus on dealing with it.
Just take one step at a time.
Think about what you can do about it. That's better than getting anxious.
No negative or panicky self-statements; just think rationally.
Don't worry; worrying won't help anything.

Confronting and Handling Test Anxiety

Don't think about fear; just think about what you have to do.
Stay relevant.
Relax; you're in control. Take a slow, deep breath.
You should expect some anxiety; it's a reminder not to panic and to relax and cope steadily with the situation.
Tenseness can be an ally, a friend; it's a cue to cope.

Coping with the Feeling of Being Overwhelmed

When the fear comes, just pause.
Keep the focus on the present; what is it you have to do?
You should expect your fear to rise some.
Don't try to eliminate fear totally; just keep it manageable.
You can convince yourself to do it. You can reason your fear away.
It's not the worst thing that can happen.
Do something that will prevent you from thinking about fear.
Describe what is around you. That way you won't think about worrying.

Reinforcing Self-Statements

It worked! You did it!
It wasn't as bad as you expected.
You made more out of the fear than it was worth.
You're getting better. You're learning to cope more smoothly.
You can be pleased with your progress.
You like how you handled it. You can be proud of it.

List of Self Verbalizations
The list below contains some common thoughts and worries which many test anxious people have. Check those which you can identify with most. Feel free to add statements which more accurately reflect what usually goes on in your head. Then study your list and see if you can change any of your worrying thoughts. Ask yourself: How rational is each thought? How much evidence do you have for such a belief? Can you change your thought to something reasonable?

Top of Form

A. Worry About Performance
I should have studied more...I'll never get through.
I just want to finish and get out of here and hope for the best.
I don't know anything...what's the matter with me.
My minds a blank...I'll never get the answer...I must really be stupid.
I can't figure out what the professor wants...no way I'll do well on this test.
I can't remember a thing...this always happens to me...I never do well on anything.
Only 10 minutes left...there are so many questions...I'll never get through everything.
I just can't think...why did I ever take this course.
It's no use...might as well give up.
I knew this stuff yesterday...what's wrong with me.
My mind's a blank...I'm just not cut out for this.
I have to get an A...smart people always get A's.
This stuff is easy...I should get everything right.
This is terrible, absolutely the worst test I've ever had.
I'm just a no good, terrible, worthless person.

B. Worry About Bodily Reactions
I'm sick...I'll never get through.
I'm sweating all over...it's really hot in here.
My hands are shaking again...can't even hold the lousy pen.
My stomach's going crazy...churning and jumping.
Here it comes...I'm getting really tense again...normal people just don't get like this.

C. Worry About How Others Are Doing
I know everyone's doing better than I am.
I must be the dumbest one in the class.
I'm going to be the last one done again...I must really be stupid.
No one else seems to be having trouble...am I the only one?

D. Worry About Possible Negative Consequences:
If I fail this test, I'll:
flunk the course
be kicked out of school
never get into graduate school
have to get A's on the midterm and final
have to go to summer school
never get a good grade
never graduate on time
never get the kind of job I want
my family (or friends, boyfriend/girlfriend, teacher, etc.) will really be disappointed in me...I'll never be able to face them again
everyone will think I'm stupid...I'll really be embarrassed

Bottom of Form

Goal Setting

Be sure your goals are your own. It's your life. Do what means most to you. Self-set goals are better motivators than those imposed by others.
Put goals in writing. This will lessen the odds of losing sight of your goals in the shuffle of daily activity. Writing goals also increases your commitment.
Make your goals challenging but attainable. Good goals are neither too easy nor impossible. They should cause you to stretch and grow. A challenging, attainable goal will hold your interest and keep you motivated.
Goals should be as specific and measurable as possible. Don't say, "I want a better job." Ask yourself: What kind of job? Making how much money? In what industry? Living where? Requiring what kind of skill? By when? Specify clearly what you want and you will save an enormous amount of time and effort.
Every goal should have a target date. Never think of a goal as a goal until you set a deadline for accomplishment.
Check your major goals for compatibility. Don't fall into the trap of setting major goals where the achievement of one will prevent the attainment of another.
Frequently revise and update your goals. As a growing person your needs will change over time, and this means goals will have to be modified, discarded and added from time to time. Plan flexibly. Don't think of your goals as carved in stone.

Test Anxiety

2005-07-26T11:11:00.000-07:00

5 Tips for Concentration, Pacing & Test Anxiety

Tip 1

Some weeks or days prior to the exam, use an index card to list several of your greatest personal strengths and attributes. Examples: I am an intelligent and caring person. I react well under pressure. I am going to be a great (fill in career goal). Keep the card handy so that whenever negative thoughts intrude while you are studying or practicing, you can pull the card out, read each statement and reflect on your abilities. Luxuriate in the calm, positive feelings that are associated with each of these true statements. Fairly soon, you won’t even need the card because you will know the statements by heart and be able to mentally review them as an antidote to the welling up of negative thoughts.

Tip 2

Keep a master tally sheet nearby each time you sit down to study. Make a tally or hash mark each time you find yourself engaging in negative thinking, daydreaming or otherwise mentally escaping from the study situation. For many students, the mere act of tallying reduces the frequency of these behaviors and they find that their daily tally decreases over time. This is really a mild form of behavior modification that you can apply to your own study behavior. Though simple, it works well for many people.

Tip 3

Months (or at least a few weeks) prior to the exam, spend some quiet time thinking back in your life to recall an event in which you were the hero of the situation. Perhaps you walked in on a serious fight between two friends and were able to bring it to a peaceful resolution. Perhaps you administered CPR successfully to someone or orchestrated a successful fundraising event for a charitable cause during high school or college. Whatever life event you select, it must be a situation in which your abilities and actions solved a problem or saved a bad situation. Now spend at least 10 minutes each day in a quiet place reliving this event, trying to bring back the memory in as much detail as possible. What time of year/day was it? What were you wearing? What was the setting like? As you practice, it will take less and less time for you to get back the memory in graphic detail. The purpose of this exercise is to allow you to mentally revisit the event quickly, because stored with this event memory are all of the associated feelings of being in control, being a successful problem solver, being confident, being a winner. When used as part of a time-out in an exam, these associated emotions then act to counteract the negative emotions associated with the test-taking process.

Tip 4

During the actual test, have a thought-through pacing plan that you used in practice testing in the final week or two. By knowing what time you have to complete each section of a test, you can mark the items corresponding to the 1/4, 1/2 and 3/4 points before you even begin answering questions. Then, when you reach a time marker item, check your time use. Worrying about running out of time contributes to anxiety and often leads to time-wasting behaviors such as checking the clock every couple of minutes--a nervous habit that actually increases the time it will take you to finish the booklet because frequent glances at the clock continually interrupts your thought process and often results in the need to re-read once you look back at the question.

If you do run short of time toward the end of a booklet, use question "triage." In other words, scan the remaining items to find ones that are easier and mark these on your grid sheet first (taking special care to find the right bubbles to mark). Then return to the remaining items and mark an answer for all of them. Remember that no answer is an automatic error, so never leave items blank. Pacing problems will be far less likely to occur if you work through lots of sample tests during your preparation. With practice, you will sense the right pace and so be able to walk in on test day confident that you can handle it because you have already done so in practice mode. If you do this, the test setting will feel more familiar and less strange, and the more familiar it feels, the less anxious you will be.

Tip 5

If you feel anxiety welling up during the exam that is interfering with your ability to concentrate on the questions, shut your eyes, lean back, roll your neck and rotate your shoulder muscles. Take several slow, cleansing deep breaths and exhale slowly. This "mental time out" helps break the cycle of anxiety and will usually help you return to the task at hand with a greater sense of calm and better concentration.

Note:

If you experience significant anxiety symptoms such as muscle twitching, insomnia, nausea, or chest tightness when you think about taking exam or during them, then these tips may not be enough to help you overcome the problem. If this happens, seek professional help from either a psychiatrist or a cognitive psychologist who is experienced in helping people overcome situational anxiety. Therapies can include anti-anxiety medications, self-hypnosis instruction, etc. But don’t delay because each of these treatments requires time to become effective. In seeking a professional to help you, don’t see just anyone. The professional needs to have experience in treating this type of problem, so not just any therapist will do.