I had to put in a lot of hours at work this week, and also had a great deal of studying to do. My wife and little boy were also sick, so I've been having to squeeze in some major late night study sessions. I'm sure it will all pay off in the end. Thank God for coffee....
Plus, the focus of my online learning course this week actually helped me tackle all of that studying, and spend less time doing it. We really focused on getting back to the basics of studying.... reading, taking notes, getting and staying organized, doing homework and researching. Not only did I refresh myself on these topics, I learned how to do them more effectively. I also learned about some new techniques that I think will seriously help with my future study sessions.
I learned about S-RUN-R, a reading and studying system. I really liked a lot of the tips I picked up from my readings on this system. And, I am sure I can apply them to my studying and benefit from them. Here are the basics of that system:
Survey the entire chapter: page through the chapter paying attention to headings as well as any text or subjects highlighted by the authorRead – write down each heading 1st in your notes or in the margin of the book - this helps you focus your reading on the topic. Read the section for comprehension.Underline (or hilight) – after reading each paragraph, mark the important info
Note taking – Take notes on the key info in each section.
Review – when you finish the entire chapter, recite key points, write answers to questions, make a self-test. Look at the end of the chapter for a sections on 'key terms', 'review' or similar. Answer end of chapter questions/problems. Read over your notes one more time.
I also learned about the Cornell Note Taking System. This is basically a system that helps you to format your notes to fully utilize the 5 R's of note taking (record, reduce, recite, reflect and review). Here is a sample of a page set up using this system:
At the end of the day, there is no right or wrong way to take notes. Everyone has a preferred method that works best for them. I am glad I was able to refresh my memory on these basics of studying, as well as learn some new information!!
