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Study Skills

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General Study Rules and Preparation

These are just a few tips to improve your study sessions.

-> Exercise regularly. It improves blood flow and thus ensures plenty of oxygen to the brain. Do not exercise right before bed.

-> Pick a place to study. Not the dinner table or bed, but a desk you sit at only to study and think.

-> Read newspapers, magazines, books, and anything else you can get your hands on. It will expand your mind and improve your vocabulary.

-> Engage in hobbies and activities that stimulate your interest and
creativity.

-> Spend plenty of time with your loved ones and friends.

-> Study regularly - devote 20 minutes every day to each subject. Try to stay ahead of the class so that lectures will serve to reinforce information you all ready know.

-> Never procrastinate!

-> Listen to classical music while you study. Some research indicates that the musical qualities of Mozart may encourage the growth of new synapses in the brain.

-> Drink plenty of fluids and eat many small nutritious meals throughout the day. Six small meals are better for you than three big meals.

-> Learn to juggle, write with your off-hand, paint, speak a foreign language, write poetry - anything that will stimulate unused parts of your brain. Learn to use your whole brain.

-> Let your imagination run wild sometimes. Imagination is the key to knowledge.

-> Question everything. Always ask why, how, what does it mean. Never stop learning.

-> Experiment. Apply your knowledge.

The Secret Study Method

General Studies

1.) Preview the material by reading the introduction and summary. Flip through the chapter and examine all of the headings, keywords, pictures, charts, diagrams, and captions. Ask yourself questions about the material to answer later when you read the chapter.

2.) Read the chapter section by section. After each section, close your eyes and picture a large class. You are the instructor teaching the information you have just read. Draw things on the chalkboard in your mind. Allow the students in the class to ask questions. After your "lecture," reread or scan the section to see if you left anything important out.

3.) Review the chapter by once more examining the introduction and summary. Do any practice problems provided. You may wish to do another imaginary lecture summarizing all of the information in the chapter. It is okay to refer back to the chapter summary during this lecture.

4.) An information web or mind map may be created to make future reviewing easier. Write the main topic of the chapter in the center of the page with secondary topics and details branching out in all directions. Use a lot of different colors and draw little pictures. Glance at the sheet in the morning when you get up and at night before you go to bed.

Learning Lists of Difficult Terminology

1.) Make flash cards of the words and their definitions.

2.) Develop humorous or memorable associations with the words that immediately bring their definitions or meanings to your mind.

Important Pictures and Illustrations

1.) Psychic Snapshot. Examine the picture carefully. Close your eyes and picture the image in 2D in your mind. Open your eyes and review the picture. Close your eyes again and make any necessary adjustments to your image.

2.) Psychic Modeling. Try to make the image fill out and become three-dimensional. Rotate the image and examine it from all angles; reach out and touch it. Feel the texture of the object.

3.) Psychic Video. If the picture is of a place or a group of people, try to imagine yourself in the setting. Interact with your surroundings as much as your imagination allows. If the subject is an inanimate object, shrink yourself down and explore the object in detail. You may have to review the actual picture a number of times during the whole procedure. You should try to label all of the structures that you see during your mental "tour." When you are finished, try to draw or sketch the picture from memory. Compare your artwork to the original.

The Key

1.) Remember - the secret of these techniques is that they require you to use imagination. The more of your brain you use, the longer this stuff stays with you.

Taking Better Notes

- Watch and listen for clues about what information the instructor thinks is important.

- Read the chapters ahead of time so that you will have a feel for the subject and will not be confused by tricky terminology.

- Do not attempt to record every word; listen for names, dates, places, terms, etc.

- Create a form of shorthand for common words. Example: between = b/t.

- Leave plenty of room in your notes to add short comments as thoughts come to you.

- Rewrite your notes within 24 hours to reinforce the information and to check for any discrepancies.

- Add personal thoughts, drawings, or mnemonics to facilitate future reviewing.

Mad Scientist

Reward: $1,000,000 for information leading to the capture of the mad scientist. He is considered radioactive and dangerous so don't try to be a hero! If he is spotted conducting strange and pointless experiments in your area, contact your local International Scientific Secret Agent (ISSA) agency for immediate assistance. Thank you and be well.