Study time and study environment
Good
habits
Interaction with others
Additional
resources
Study time and study environment
Studying regularly is important in most college courses, but it is absolutely essential for success in biology courses. Plan to spend a minimum of two hours studying for each hour spent in class. Remember, however, that spending a specified amount of time looking at your notes or your book will not necessarily bring good grades. Your goal should be to master the material presented in class and in your textbook. This may take longer than the recommended time. Here are a few things that experts suggest:
- A quiet environment with NO TV/visual media
- Short breaks (again, with NO TV/visual media) to prevent fatigue
- Regular study time planned into your day. Treat it like an important appointment.
- Know your prime study time. This is the time of day when you are most mentally alert and are most likely to retain what you study. Is your prime time early in the morning? The afternoon? Late at night?
Good habits help to bring you academic success.
- Read about lecture topics in the textbook before you hear the lecture. This "primes" your brain.
- Plan daily study time by yourself or with a study group. (Know thyself: Does group work give you an extra boost or slow you down?
- Read your lecture notes before the next lecture, doing the following:
- making sure the notes make sense to you when they are fresh
- adding words or phrases to clarify notes so that you will understand them a month or more after writing them
- highlighting important facts or "tricky" concepts
- using your textbook to fill in things you missed in class
- writing down, or marking in your notes, things you need to ask your instructor to clarify
- Study all your notes at the end of the week. (Does this mean it is good to study your notes again? Yes! Repetition is a key to mastery.) You might want to make flash cards of key terms or ideas.
- Draw pictures or diagrams of structures (e.g., draw a cell and its organelles, label all parts, and write down their functions) or processes (e.g., diagram the passage of a nerve impulse from region to region of a nerve cell's axon or the movement of blood through the heart).
Use interaction with others to improve your understanding of the course material.
- Remember that your professor is an important resource for you. Do ask your instructor questions if you don't understand something. Ask during class, after class, or during office hours. Ask for help as soon as you realize you need it.
- Outside of class, talk about facts and ideas from lectures (Did what puzzled you confuse the student sitting next to you? Should one of you ask the instructor to clarify something for the class?)
- Some people learn better in groups. Are you in this category? Then organize or join a study group! Use the telephone or Internet if you are unable to meet in person.
- Visit the Student Success Center for regular tutoring or treat a knowledgeable friend to dinner in exchange for his/her helping you.
Don't overlook the value of library books or textbooks other than the one recommended for the class. Different authors approach topics in different ways and include different illustrations. Some web sites (particularly those by educational or governmental organizations) offer excellent materials as well.
Some students like to have coloring books on the topic of the class. These are grown-up coloring books and they have text you read as you color. These books are one more way to encourage yourself to spend more time reviewing the class material. Several publishers market books like these. Look for these books at local bookstores or at booksellers' web sites. Ask bookstores to order a copy for you if you want one and the book you want is not in stock. You may want to ask your instructor to examine whatever you buy.
Also consider using CD-ROMs that come with your textbook or those available in libraries or sold in stores. These can give you a different perspective on class material and can quiz you on various topics. Also, some web sites include self-administered quizzes.
