Study Skills for Undergrad

[tickytacky23]

Anyone want to post some effective study skills/habits that they have?

 

I'm in desperate need of a new note-making system, as I find that I spend way too long to make study notes, and this is leaving me very little time for actual studying.

 

I've been using my current ineffective system for too long, and it's time for a change.

 

Idea's?

[shannn]

I used to take notes religiously for each course.

 

Then I screwed up and didn't have enough time to do it for about 3 midterms that I had within a small time frame. Just ended up reading the material in an engaging way, then reading it a second time to let it sink in and still managed the same marks.

 

In the end, it's about effective studying, not about putting in X amount of hours. See what works for you, maybe you don't even need to take notes. Maybe you just need highlighting or even just reading it a couple times?

[tickytacky23]

That's exactly my problem. I do take really good notes, but I spend so long making them that I don't leave enough time to actually study them.

 

I also am a compulsive highlighter...rather than highlighting key words, I highlight entire sections. I'm so annoyed with myself! Problem is, I've been doing this for soooo long, it's hard to not do it. I feel like it's the only way I know how to study:eek:

 

I'm think I'm going to try the outline system and see how that works out...

[lovestruck]

This is how I study too. I kept the general formula (still take notes) but adapted it to be more time effective.Try to take really good notes during class if you can, so you don't need to go home and work on notes. Also, when I'm studying, I'll take Post-its and write key little notes on those and stick them in my binder/book. These are just little quick notes, instead of writing everything all out. Also, if you are going to take notes, do it immediately after every class instead of letting it all pile up!

[spiderpig]

Before (like 1st year), I used to take really detailed notes also. But like you, I didn't end up having enough time to review them. So the only benefit was learning it well the first time I read it. I had to change my method.

 

If you study from a textbook or printed slides - this is what I do. I highlight directly into my textbooks. I used to not want to devalue my texts by doing this, but in the end I realized it's worth it.

 

I have a colour-coded system for highlighting, that I find is really effective - not only while reviewing later, but also for categorizing the information as I'm reading it.

- I use Green for formulas and stuff.

- Blue for any pointless detail I need to memorize like names or dates.

- Orange for keywords.

- Pink for main topics - like titles/headings, or even in-paragraph sentences that summarize well.

- Yellow for descriptive stuff. I try to do as little of this as possible, for example, if it's a definition of a keyword, I'll highlight just enough of the sentence to get the gist and important points.

[tickytacky23]

Before (like 1st year), I used to take really detailed notes also. But like you, I didn't end up having enough time to review them. So the only benefit was learning it well the first time I read it. I had to change my method.

 

If you study from a textbook or printed slides - this is what I do. I highlight directly into my textbooks. I used to not want to devalue my texts by doing this, but in the end I realized it's worth it.

 

I have a colour-coded system for highlighting, that I find is really effective - not only while reviewing later, but also for categorizing the information as I'm reading it.

- I use Green for formulas and stuff.

- Blue for any pointless detail I need to memorize like names or dates.

- Orange for keywords.

- Pink for main topics - like titles/headings, or even in-paragraph sentences that summarize well.

- Yellow for descriptive stuff. I try to do as little of this as possible, for example, if it's a definition of a keyword, I'll highlight just enough of the sentence to get the gist and important points.

 

Awesome idea. Definately going to try this - I'll get my highlighting fix, but it will actually make sense!

 

I'm so paranoid that I'm going to miss something relevant, so I try to study everything, but only do a mediocre job at it. I feel like if I could find an easier way to determine what is important, I'd be able to study a lot better because I wouldn't be trying to learn everything. It's easier to determine what is important for courses that you have to sit through in a lecture, but correspondence courses...not so much. I'm doing 2 right now, and I feel like I'm drowning in useless knowledge.

[spiderpig]

Awesome idea. Definately going to try this - I'll get my highlighting fix, but it will actually make sense!

 

I'm so paranoid that I'm going to miss something relevant, so I try to study everything, but only do a mediocre job at it. I feel like if I could find an easier way to determine what is important, I'd be able to study a lot better because I wouldn't be trying to learn everything. It's easier to determine what is important for courses that you have to sit through in a lecture, but correspondence courses...not so much. I'm doing 2 right now, and I feel like I'm drowning in useless knowledge.

 

There is one caveat to this method that I've found. If I don't highlight something the first time around (like a formula or detail that I think is unimportant), I end up completely ignoring it. I mean, any future time that I need to find info from the textbook, I end up have blinders on for anything that isn't highlighted. I guess it's just the way my mind works. I've run into a couple of problems because of this, so beware.

[rogerroger]

I wrote on this topic back in 2008 just before I started medical school.

 

You can see the old post here: http://premed101.com/forums/showpost.php?p=264235&postcount=6

 

 

Note: This "formula" worked super well in undergrad when life moves sloooowly. But from my pre-clerkship experience it is totally irrelevant and unrealistic for studying once you are in medical school. But for undergrad I would be very confident in recommending this technique.

[panda__eyes]

I did well in my undergraduate studies because I was able to figure out what the professor expected. I also rarely went to lectures or listened to lecture recordings. If I did not understand something or felt that a more detailed explanation was required, I would do my own research on that topic. How long I spend on a certain topic was based on my own judgment. Mind you, this learning method is very self-directed and may not necessarily work for everyone and every course.

 

After running through the lectures and doing my own research, I would slowly read the lectures and try to figure out how different concepts connected. Afterward, I would pretend to give a lecture on the topic to myself. If textbook readings were necessary, how much I focused on them also depended on my own judgment of the professor's expectations. For some students, their learning methods may involve making notes, listening to lectures, etc - figuring out a method/formula that works for them. For me, learning how to adapt my learning strategies to different course expectations was what got me through undergrad. Again, not going to class and not listening to recordings does not work for everyone.

[nemesis]

...SMASH PBL!

 

...If I did not understand something or felt that a more detailed explanation was required, I would do my own research on that topic. How long I spend on a certain topic was based on my own judgment. Mind you, this learning method is very self-directed and may not necessarily work for everyone and every course...

[panda__eyes]

...SMASH PBL!

 

Now I just have to make sure I go to these tutorials now

[I Heart Rural Med]

I did well in my undergraduate studies because I was able to figure out what the professor expected. I also rarely went to lectures or listened to lecture recordings. If I did not understand something or felt that a more detailed explanation was required, I would do my own research on that topic. How long I spend on a certain topic was based on my own judgment. Mind you, this learning method is very self-directed and may not necessarily work for everyone and every course.

 

After running through the lectures and doing my own research, I would slowly read the lectures and try to figure out how different concepts connected. Afterward, I would pretend to give a lecture on the topic to myself. If textbook readings were necessary, how much I focused on them also depended on my own judgment of the professor's expectations. For some students, their learning methods may involve making notes, listening to lectures, etc - figuring out a method/formula that works for them. For me, learning how to adapt my learning strategies to different course expectations was what got me through undergrad. Again, not going to class and not listening to recordings does not work for everyone.

 

+1

This is pretty much exactly how I studied in undergrad too. I would write out detailed summary notes for myself once I'd gone through everything as well. Writing out notes as if they are to explain everything to another person was a great way to learn.

 

By halfway through 2nd year I realized that I learned much better going through things with friends or on my own than by going to lectures, so I saved myself lots of time by hitting the library instead of heading to class. Something to consider, but proceed with caution because as Panda Eyes says, it doesn't work for everyone!

[deeman101]

Hehe. My strategy is quite simple. Slack off and cram. People thought I never studied, lol. The day before an exam I know nothing. The hour before the exam I know almost everything. I'd just disappear into a small, lonely room and cram my notes. Cramming is a wonderful thing.

 

Oh yes and I'd go to lectures, though not always. And I avoided text reading as much as possible. I either read the text book once or read and made notes so I'd never have to re-read the book. I hated text books! Sooo much time spent reading what notes can summarize in a few pages.

 

EDIT: I also made good notes. That helped. People sometimes offer to buy my notes, lol. Thats before they realize I give my notes out for free.

[tickytacky23]

lol I love how all you self-directed learners are going to Mac!

[nemesis]

lol I love how all you self-directed learners are going to Mac!

 

Yeah, this is 'self-selection' at work!

[hailey_medschool]

I do like some tips, I will try some.

[tickytacky23]

Yeah, this is 'self-selection' at work!

 

Now if I can teach myself to teach myself I'm a shoe-in.