The SQ3R method

The SQ3R method has been a proven way to sharpen study skills. SQ3R stands for Survey, Question, Read, Recite, Review. Take a moment now and write SQ3R down. It is a good slogan to commit to memory to carry out an effective study strategy.

Survey - get the best overall picture of what you're going to study BEFORE you study it an any detail. It's like looking at a road map before going on a trip. If you don't know the territory, studying a map is the best way to begin.

Question - ask questions for learning. The important things to learn are usually answers to questions. Questions should lead to emphasis on the what, why, how, when, who and where of study content. Ask yourself questions as you read or study. As you answer them, you will help to make sense of the material and remember it more easily because the process will make an impression on you. Those things that make impressions are more meaningful, and therefore more easily remembered. Don't be afraid to write your questions in the margins of textbooks, on lecture notes, or wherever it makes sense.

Read - Reading is NOT running your eyes over a textbook. When you read, read actively. Read to answer questions you have asked yourself or questions the instructor or author has asked. Always be alert to bold or italicized print. The authors intend that this material receive special emphasis. Also, when you read, be sure to read everything, including tables, graphs and illustrations. Often times tables, graphs and illustrations can convey an idea more powerfully than written text.

Recite - When you recite, you stop reading periodically to recall what you have read. Try to recall main headings, important ideas of concepts presented in bold or italicized type, and what graphs charts or illustrations indicate. Try to develop an overall concept of what you have read in your own words and thoughts. Try to connect things you have just read to things you already know. When you do this periodically, the chances are you will remember much more and be able to recall material for papers, essays and objective tests.

Review - A review is a survey of what you have covered. It is a review of what you are supposed to accomplish, not what you are going to do. Rereading is an important part of the review process. Reread with the idea that you are measuring what you have gained from the process. During review, it's a good time to go over notes you have taken to help clarify points you may have missed or don't understand. The best time to review is when you have just finished studying something. Don't wait until just before an examination to begin the review process. Before an examination, do a final review. If you manage your time, the final review can be thought of as a "fine-tuning" of your knowledge of the material. Thousands of high school and college students have followed the SQ3R steps to achieve higher grades with less stress.

Reading

A primary means by which you acquire information is through reading. In college you're expected to do much more reading than in high school. Don't assume just because you've "read" the assignments that is the end of it. You must learn to read with a purpose. In studying, you may read the same assignment three or four times, each time with a different purpose. You must know before you begin reading what your purpose is, and read accordingly.

Getting the Main Idea

Getting the main idea in reading is central to effective studying. You must learn what the author's central idea is, and understand it in your own way. Every paragraph contains a main idea. Main ideas are perfect for outlining textbooks. Make it a habit to find the main idea in each paragraph you read.

Extracting Important Details

Extracting important details means that you locate in your reading the basis for main ideas. There is usually one important detail associated with every main idea. The more important details you can identify, the easier it will be to review for examinations because you have made a link between an idea and information that supports it. The more links you can make between details and ideas, as well as ideas themselves, the more powerful will be the efforts of your study.

Don't Read Aloud to Yourself

Generally, reading aloud to yourself does not help you study more effectively. If you move your lips while you read, you're not reading efficiently. If you read aloud or move your lips while you're reading, you are reading slowly, so stop moving your lips. Try putting a finger over your lips. Your finger will remind you not to move your lips. Make an effort to read faster and retain more - after a while, you'll be surprised how little effort it will take.

Taking Notes

Like reading, note-taking is a skill which must be learned and refined. Almost invariably, note taking, or the lack of it, is a constant deficiency in the study methods of many high school and college students. Learning the ingredients of good note taking is rather easy; applying them to your own situation depends on how serious you are in becoming a successful student.

Where to Keep Notes

You must learn to keep notes logically and legibly. Remember, if you can't read your own writing a few days after taking notes, they are of little use. By all accounts, the best place to keep notes is in a loose-leaf notebook. Use dividers to separate the different classes you take. Make it a habit of using your notebook to record ALL your notes. If you're caught without your notebook and need to take notes, always have a supply of loose-leaf paper with you. Insert your note papers into the notebook as soon as you can. Be sure to buy a good notebook, as it will get a lot of wear and tear.

Outlining Textbooks

First of all, don't underline. Use a highlighter. Experience has shown that text passages highlighted are more easily remembered than the same passages underlined. In outlining a text, don't just read along and highlight what seem to important words. That technique rarely works. The act of outlining works much better.

Taking Examinations

Objective Examinations

Surveying

Survey any objective examination to find out what types of questions are being asked. Surveying helps you to know what to expect.

Knowing the Ground Rules

Always read directions! Indicate your answers exactly the way the directions state. Make sure your answers are clear. Determine what the scoring rules for the test are and follow them to your advantage. For example, if wrong answers are penalized, don't guess unless you can reduce the choices to two

Answering Easy Questions First

Answering easy (to you) questions first is the best strategy. If you stumble over difficult questions for too long a time, you may not be able to complete the exam.

Picking out Key Words

Objective examination questions usually contain one or more key words. A key word or group of words are those on which the truth or falsity of a statement hinges. Learn to spot the key words in the statement that define the meaning. If a statement contains two clauses, one of which is false, the whole statement is false. Usually, two-statement true-false questions are either both true or both false.

Reading Multiple-Choice Questions

Multiple choice questions are essentially true-false questions arranged in groups. Usually, only one alternative is correct. Your job is to pick the alternative that is more nearly true than the others. Read multiple-choice questions the same way as for true-false. Eliminate obvious false choices.

Reading Other Types of Questions

The methods used to answer true-false and multiple choice questions apply to matching questions as well. Always scan the entire list of alternatives before matching any. As in the other types of questions, try to identify key words in each list and test them. Completion questions require you to provide a word or phrase. When you encounter completion questions, choose your words carefully. If you don't know the answer, give it your best guess, as often times such responses get at least partial credit.

Essay Examinations

Planning your time in answering essay questions is more important than in objective type tests. The general rule is not to get carried away on one or two questions to the extent that you cannot answer that other questions in the time allowed. Read through the entire examination first. Get a feel for the questions you are expected to answer. If the exam allows you to choose from a number of questions, be sure to number your answers exactly to match the questions.

When you follow directions for an essay exam, pay attention to the key words the instructor has included. Such words as "list," "describe," "compare and contrast," and "outline" have special meaning. Don't "write around" the question but answer it directly. If a question asks you to list something, don't write a narrative about it. Answering essay questions directly is always the best policy.

After scanning the list of questions to be answered, choose the ones you know most about. A good idea is to prepare an outline of your answers. The outline will help you remember important ideas and facts to be included in your response. Another technique is to do a "memory-dump." This technique is discussed in the last section of this guide, "Power Study Tips."

Good handwriting is an absolute essential. If your cursive writing is very hard to read, try printing instead. Most instructors value clear handwriting. Grammar, punctuation, and spelling also count. Well-written grammatically correct answers almost always receive higher grades than poorly written grammatically incorrect answers, even though the answers themselves are the same.

Study Habits

Tip: Begin study no less than 30-90 minutes after a meal.

Tip: Never study within 30 minutes of going to sleep.

Tip: Prioritize! Make a list of what you intend to study, prioritize the list, and stick to it!

Tip: If possible, study no more than 30-40 minutes at a stretch. Many students retain more by studying for short periods with breaks in between. It all depends on what you're trying to study, but generally, after a period of study, take a break.

Tip: Take study breaks away from your desk or wherever you are studying. Let the break be a time to think about other things. Use some break time to reflect, not constantly review what you have just studied.

Last Minute Exam Help
Tips to help you survive at university!

Are You Ready for Exams?
Exam time is here… and you are in one of two positions:

v You’ve worked fairly hard all term, but now have three exams in five days. This gives you only a few evenings to review already-learned material.*

Exam anxiety at this level can take the form of nervous anticipation or even fear. You may think that you're not prepared enough, but feel fairly confident that you'll do okay.^

v You’ve slacked off and are now in PANIC mode.*
Panic is the final stage of anxiety and can lead to breakdown in thought processes. You feel disorganized and out of control, which results in loss of memory.^

No matter where you're at, you need to dedicate the next fews days and evenings to get through the material. The following strategies will assist you to be as prepared as possible, given the last-minute nature of your studying.

(*Adapted from UW Counselling Services. 2004. Cramming. Retrieved August 31, 2004 from http://www.adm.uwaterloo.ca/infocs/Study/cramming.html.)

(^Adapted from Longman, D. G. & Atkinson, R. H. 1988. College learning and study skills. St. Paul, MN: West Publishing Company.)

Last Minute Tip 1

Find Out Exactly What is Going to be on the Exam

A good class syllabus will identify that for you – check it out and note the readings that go along with the exam topics. Some professors will provide a list of lectures and chapters that will be covered. Gather all pertinent information and materials.

Last Minute Tip 2

Identify the Main Themes and Prioritize the Material

Look at the topics or themes you have identified and list them. Identify the sub-themes of each theme and list them. List the important details you need to know about each sub-theme for the exam. Use your notes and the textbook or readings as resources for identifying important information such as ideas, definitions and processes.

For many students, it is useful to develop a visual map of the material for the exam as part of a study guide. This involves placing the themes into an upside-down “tree” diagram, and adding important information from there.

Last Minute Tip 3

Identify the Important Concepts for Each Theme

At this point, you have to be selective about what you concentrate on. Resist putting isolated bits of information that look important into your study notes. Concentrate on facts that flow from the themes and sub-themes.

Last Minute Tip 4

Now Concentrate on the Material

You may feel like you need to continue searching for information you may have missed, but at this point, you have to admit that it is too late to try to learn everything. Your goal now is to try to master the information you have*:

v Read each piece of information and develop a question for it.* Write down the questions and use them to test yourself.
v Look at examples from your lecture notes or textbook and identify the concepts that they relate to and why. Don’t spend time memorizing the examples.
v Develop your own examples and rationale for each concept.
v Summarize the key concepts in your own words and map out the related principles and ideas.

Last Minute Tip 5

Repeat, Repeat, Repeat

Now all that’s left to do is to memorize the study material you have developed. Use every memory trick that you know – word association (mnemonics), rhymes, sentences from acronyms, etc.

Last Minute Tip 6

Take Care of Yourself

Make sure you take care of yourself physically and mentally during this time. Take frequent short breaks and go easy on the caffeine and sugar. Don’t stay up all night to study. Regular sleep is one of the best ways to control stress. Aim to do your very best because that’s all you can do now.

Last Minute Tip 7

Plan to Never Short-change Yourself Again

Avoid these stressful study marathons by making sure you review daily and start your studying early. Contact our office for help in setting up regular and exam study schedules.

(*Paul, Walter. 1993. How to study in college. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Company.)

p/s :-

*A sharing from mdm Nor Hidayah(advisor of YTM scholarship holders for MMU student)
*best of luck to my friends n seniors who will sitting for their final examinations next week
InsyaAllah dipermudahkan..ameen :)
*Rabbi yassir wa la tua'ssir * amalkan ayat ini,insyaAllah Allah akn sentiasa mempermudahkan segala urusan kita *
*amaran keras : last minute study is strongly prohibited!it is a serious offence! huhu :P