Concentration and Memory

In order to combat forgetting, students need to review course materials regularly and purposefully.

In many colleges over 8% of the students report problems concentrating on their studies. Most of these students blame outside distractions for their problems.

   Many research studies manipulating noise levels and distractions have found that such disturbances may increase, decrease, or not even affect concentration. These researchers have therefore concluded that distracters don't cause concentration problems directly. It is the way the distracters are interpreted by the students that disrupts their study.

Creating a Study Environment

o Find a place to study and keep it for study only.

o Tool-up the environment with all study needs.

o Control noise level and the visual environment to acceptable levels.

o Avoid relaxing while working; create a work atmosphere.

When to Study

o Best during the day and early evening; you'll remember better.

o Best when there are the fewest competing activities in progress.

o Best when adequate rest periods are provided.

o Stop studying when fatigue or lack of attention occurs.

How to Study & Concentrate

o When distracters are present, become intensely involved.

o Keep a pad of paper handy to jot down extraneous thoughts that cross your mind while studying, get them out of your mind and on to paper.

o Set study goals before you begin each period of study(number of pages, number of problems, etc.

o Design adequate rewards after specified goals are attained.

o Break-up the content of study by mixing up subjects and building in variety and interest and removing boredom.

o Make the most of rest periods-do something quite different.

o Don't try to mix work and play.

o Start with short study periods and build to longer periods only as fast as you maintain concentration.

o If necessary, make a calendar of events to clear your mind of distractions.

o Realize that you won't lose friends, respect, or a "good time" just because you're studying... these will keep.

o Plan the length of your study period by the amount of material you have decided to cover, not by the clock. (Often the clock is one of the most serious distracters)

Diagnostic Matters

   It is probably necessary that you identify which subjects are related to the most serious concentration problems. You may notice that you really don't give yourself a chance with these subjects because of the time, order, or place you use to study. It may also be valuable to assess what your motives are for studying in the first place? What is your reward for your efforts?

Do the Reading

There's a big difference between reading effectively and merely skimming the text without thinking about your relationship to the material. 

To read more effectively:

o Read assigned materials before class so that you'll be able to ask questions about and have a context for understanding them.

o Take notes on the reading instead of highlighting the text. It's a more active form of learning, because it requires you to think through and rephrase the key points. Later, you can highlight the important ideas from your notes on the reading and your class notes. Having written notes apart from the text will also be a great help when it comes time to review the material for tests.

Develop Good Study Habits Early On

Here are some simple tips to help you improve your study habits:

o Have a routine for where and when you study.

o Decide in advance what you'll study, choosing reasonable

   and specific goals that you can accomplish.

o Do things that are harder or require more intense thought

   earlier in the day.

o Take breaks so that you stay fresh and don't waste time

   looking at material but not absorbing it.

o Make use of "dead" time right before and after class and in breaks between other activities.

o Get to know students whom you respect and can study with or call and ask questions.

o Keep up with the workload and seek help at the time you need it. You don't want to become paralyzed by stress or get so far behind in the work that it is too late to begin studying the material you've skipped.

Where to Study

Although studying in a dorm room is convenient, it is often a poor place to learn. The dorm has a plethora of distractions including Blitzmail, Snood, the telephone, video games, friends down the hall. Lying down on the bed to read turns into an hour long nap and a bright yellow highlighter spot on your sheets! 

If you want to improve your concentration and efficiency as a student, develop a place to study that is just that - a place where you go to work on academics. The campus is full of good spots to study. Experiment with what works best for you.

A list of common study spots on campus and includes rankings of noise level, clenliness, and availability:

o Classrooms are the best place to study with a group of people. You can take turns writing problems on the blackboard and explaining them to each other. You will not disturb other people or be disturbed by them, and there are plenty of seats for everyone.

o Outside, on the nearest patch of grass, under a shady tree, provides a good group meeting place. You can be as loud as you want and move around as much as you want (if you are preparing a skit). Of course, there are only a couple months in the school year when studying outside is practical.

Decide Where and When to Study

Come up with a specific plan for where and what you'll study during any gaps in your schedule. In addition to making use of transitional times during the day, it's generally a good idea to avoid studying too late at night, when you tend to be tired, work inefficiently, and forget much of the material you cover.

The best places to study have the following qualities:

o Good light.

o Comfortable temperature.

o Good desk space.

Beyond that, different environments have their own pros and cons. Ultimately, the decision of where to study depends on two factors:

o The environment in which you are best able to concentrate and the type of work you are planning to do. For completing problem sets or brainstorming possible test questions, you may want to study with a group or at least in a setting where others in the class are available for discussion.

o When you are reading Advance Accounting Information System or working on a research paper, by contrast, you are probably better off in a less social environment.

How to Study

Many students are surprised at the differences in studying for college courses versus how they studied in high school. Regular worksheets are replaced by vast midterms and exams which require knowledge about concepts rather than simple memorization of facts. Students frequently discover they need to adapt their study habits to the college setting.

Here are some tips for getting started:

o Study in chunks: 20-50 minute time periods followed by a brief break (5-10 minutes) is the most effective way to study.

o Use daylight hours: an hour of studying during the day is worth two at night! Do the work that requires the most concentration (typically reading) earliest in the day.

o Rank your three classes and be sure to spend time on your most challenging class everyday and early in the day.

o Study actively: ask yourself questions, review your notes regularly, discuss key concepts with peers and course professor.

There are three elements to succeeding

I. Lecture

A. Attend every lecture.

1. Everything you need to know will be covered in the lectures.

2. Go to lectures alert and awake.

3. Write down everything you can.  Anything is fair game on the exam.

4. If you miss a lecture, get notes from at least 2 people.

B. Prepare for lectures.

1. Read over the lecture outline before class.  This will help you focus.

2. Skim the reading that corresponds to the lecture outline.

C. Find a "Note Buddy".

1. Photocopy and swap your notes with someone after class every day.

2. Meet once a week and teach each other the notes.

II. Time Management

A. Start early

1. Use the first 2 weeks of the term.  Don't start snowballing.

2. Start studying for your next exam 2 days after your first one.

B. Set deadlines

1. Make a term calendar.

2. Set new deadlines.  Have all your studying done 2 days prior to the exam. This gives

      you 2 days to review.

C. Find your "Bio Hour".

1. Spend an hour a day reviewing your notes; make it part of your daily

    routine.

a. Three 20 minute sessions throughout the day

b. 40 minutes reviewing notes, 20 minutes preparing for lectures.

III. Test Preparation

A. Condense the material.

1. Make flash cards over your notes.

2. Write out answers to your cards.

B. Reading should be supplementary.

1. Use the reading to supplement all concepts covered in class.

2. Know all the figures that relate to the lecture.

C. Apply the material.

1. As you study, think of applications of the material.

2. Use old exams as guides to applying the material.

How to Take on College Studying

In college, you may be shocked by the workload you suddenly face. Read a whole book for the next class? A test on three chapters when the semester has hardly begun?

Think of college as a full-time job, in which you spend about 40 hours a week on class, labs, section meetings, and study groups, and doing homework. And you're largely responsible for deciding exactly how much time to allocate to each task. Getting organized and using your time well are key to succeeding academically.