BEING A STUDENT

JANUARY 17, 2019

PSYC 101
BEFORE WE GET STARTED, TAKE SOME TIME AND
ANSWER THE QUESTIONS IN THIS QUESTIONNAIRE.
 TIPS FOR NOTETAKING
• Read the textbook chapter before coming to class
• Ask questions in class if you have them
• Do NOT try to write down everything the professor says.
• PPTs in my class will be posted online prior to class time.
• In other classes, try to listen for the main points (textbook reading helps you here)

• Look over your notes later that day.

• Take TEN (two minutes to clean out bags, etc. & organize papers; eight minutes
to review notes and handouts from the day)
CONTROVERSIAL MOMENT – BE WARNED.

• Poll – is it better to take notes on a computer or by hand?

• Mueller & Oppenheimer, 2014
• Students who wrote their notes on paper learned more than those who
typed their notes (processing)
• Students who took nots on a computer took MORE notes, but retained less.
(transcription)
• Students who use computers in class tend to spend 40% of class time
doing something other than taking notes. Things unrelated to the class.
POLICY ON LAPTOPS – I ALLOW THEM. BUT I NEED
YOU TO KNOW THE RESEARCH.

• If taking notes by hand feels overwhelming, take notes on a

computer.
• Tips
• Turn off the wifi in class. Don’t work on other classes or tasks.
• After class, transfer notes from computer to paper.
ANOTHER CONTROVERSIAL MOMENT.
LEARNING STYLES
• Neil Fleming and the VARK Model
• School inspector in New Zealand in the 1990s; Observed 9,000 different classrooms
• Why were students performing differently?
• Visual, Auditory, Reading, Kinesthetic – how do people like information to be presented

• Husmann & O’Loughlin, 2018

• Over 40% of students score strongly in all 4 categories
• No significant differences in course scores based on learning style identified by VARK
questionnaire
LEARNING STYLES/PREFERENCES

• Knoll, Otani, Skeel, & Van Horn, 2017

• People have preferences for how information is presented, but this has no bearing on whether
they remember information better.

• Moral of the Story: People have different abilities, not styles.

• You can use these abilities and your preferences to help you study.

• Fleming (2006) – “VARK tells you about how you like to communicate. It tells you
nothing about the quality of that communication.”
TIPS FOR STUDYING

• When you read the textbook or your notes, be an active reader.

• Generate real-life examples to apply the material.
• What are you reading? What is the main point of this section?
• How is this material similar or different from what you already know?

• Review the information. Close all materials and try to remember what you’ve
read.
• Use a study partner. Practice explaining the material to each other and quiz each
other.
 The Study Cycle
344
Reflect
Review
Reflect
Preview Preview before class – Skim the chapter, note headings and boldface words, review
summaries and chapter objectives, and come up with questions you’d like the lecture to
answer for you.

Attend Attend class – GO TO CLASS! Answer and ask questions and take meaningful notes.

Review Review after class – As soon after class as possible, read notes, fill in gaps and note any
questions.

Study Study – Repetition is the key. Ask questions such as ‘why’, ‘how’, and ‘what if’.
• Intense Study Sessions* - 3-5 short study sessions per day
• Weekend Review – Read notes and material from the week to make connections

Assess Assess your Learning – Periodically perform reality checks

• Am I using study methods that are effective?
• Do I understand the material enough to teach it to others?
Intense Study Sessions
1 Set a Goal 1-2 min Decide what you want to accomplish in your study session
2 Study with Focus 30-50 min Interact with material- organize, concept map, summarize, process, re-read, fill-in notes, reflect, etc.
3 Reward Yourself 10-15 min Take a break– call a friend, play a short game, get a snack
4 Review 5 min Go over what you just studied

Center for Academic Success

B-31 Coates Hall ▪ 225.578.2872 ▪www.cas.lsu.edu
TIPS FOR STUDYING

• Avoid distractions (listening to music, watching TV, texting, social media, getting on the
internet)
• Don’t spend too much time on memorizing key terms.You also need to think about
applying the information.
• Do NOT stay up all night cramming for an exam.
HOW TO STUDY VIDEOS

• Stephen Chew
• Watch all 5 videos and write a 2-3 paragraph response to these videos.
• Summarize the videos (paragraph 1)
• What did you learn?
• Did anything surprise you?
• Will the information in these videos change the way you study, etc? Why or why not?
• Anything else you are thinking in response

• If you submit this, you will receive 10 bonus points added to your final grade. Due February 4.
at midnight.
• Assignment available on Moodle.