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By Gene Grzywacz

Effective study habits are essential for achieving and maintaining a high GPA. More importantly, effective study habits help you to store information in long-term memory, allowing you to use the learned information in a novel setting. Applying the following rules for studying will aid you in earning excellent marks in school.

Do:

1. Keep the area around your desk neat and tidy. If possible, the area should also be quiet. If you are having trouble finding a quiet place to study, try the local library or park. The library is a perfect place to have peace and quiet. The park may not be as quiet, but the fresh air can make studying less nerve-racking. If these options are unavailable, then try listening to some music while studying.

2. Have a scheduled study time for each school day. Remember that one classroom hour should be reinforced by two hours of studying at home.

3. Sit down for 45 minute intervals, followed by 15 minute breaks. Having an easily attainable goal, like sitting for set duration of time, is effective for increasing motivation.

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4. Reward yourself if and only if you have met your goal for that study session. For example, if you plan to study one chapter and succeed, then you may reward yourself by doing something pleasurable. Examples of positive reinforcement are: food, exercise, videogames, etc.

5. Make correspondences between your class notes and your textbook. This will help you to fill in any background information not covered in class.

6. Prepare questions about the chapter that will be discussed in the following class. This will help you identify areas that you don’t understand.

7. Put any new words or concepts to use. The more you use the learned information, the more likely you will be to remember it. This is especially true for language classes.

8. Finally, review what you have studied just before you go to bed. You will find that you will remember the words very strongly the next morning.

Don’t:

1. Procrastinate. Cramming is not beneficial for producing long term memory.

2. Highlight. Highlighting is a form of procrastination, because you are saving note taking for later. This means you must use the book twice instead of once. Instead, make careful notes to compliment your classroom notes, along with page numbers so that you can refer back to the book if necessary.

3. Study on the computer. You are bound to be tempted to check your email or surf the net.

4. Leave your cell phone on during study time. No matter who is calling or texting you, usually it can wait 45 minutes. Having your cell phone on during study time can be a major distraction and is not conducive to learning.

5. Study just after you have eaten. Studies have shown that thinking is slower after having a meal.

6. Space out. When you feel your mind begin to wander, remind yourself to concentrate. If you are reading, using your finger is a good way to keep your mind on track. The movement of your finger on the page forces you to pay attention to what you are doing.

About The Author

Gene Grzywacz is dedicated to teaching college study skills to serious students and is author of The Brute Force Study Guide. To learn more visit: http://bruteforcestudyguide.com/page4.html

By Celia Webb

When you study English, you will probably reach a point where you feel you are no longer making progress. Once you can talk and read well enough to do common tasks, what do you do if you really want to be able to carry on a conversation naturally? Perhaps you wish to write well or read easily at a higher level. How do you get better? Read the tips below to perfect your English skills.

Ask for help. Your best resource is a native speaker who can tell you how to correctly pronounce a word or show you the way to use words in a sentence. Perhaps you know someone who would be willing to help you. If so, be brave and ask for their help. If you do not know anyone, you can find ESL teachers willing to help at “Dave’s ESL Cafe’s Student Discussion Forums“.

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Practice, practice, practice. You will lose your English language skills if you do not use them. Make it a daily habit to practice your skills. You can find fun and interesting ways to practice on websites with a variety of learning activities. Try “Interesting Things for ESL Students” . Search on the keyword “ESL” to find more helpful websites.

Study for the TOEFL. The Test of English as a Foreign Language or TOEFL is the standard way to measure a student’s understanding of and ability to use English. The test is normally taken by people wishing to attend an English university. Even if you do not plan to attend a university, you might want to try studying for this test because the process of studying for the test will improve your use of English. You can find all sorts of study tips and help on the internet by searching on the keyword “toefl”. You can also check out study guides from local libraries or purchase study guides from a bookstore or over the internet.

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Keep a vocabulary notebook. Building vocabulary is a key way to improve your use of English. Add at least one new word to your vocabulary each day. The word can come from something you read or from a “Word a Day” service which you will find on many websites. Dictionary.com is one such source and you can sign up for their free e-mailing service which will send the word directly to you. Study your new word. Look closely at how it is spelled. Read the definition. Write it out. Post it on your desk. Try to use the word in a sentence. Write it in your vocabulary notebook. The more times you use a word, the more likely it is you will remember it for future use.

Read English every day. Read newspapers, novels, travel guides, or websites. Read anything which is interesting to you and written in English. Keep your dictionary handy for the inevitable words you do not know, but challenge yourself to spend at least 30 minutes a day reading. You will gain reading speed, new vocabulary, and insight into the use of English.

Using the ideas above will lift your understanding of English to the next level. Study hard!

About the Author

Celia Webb is an author, illustrator, and company executive. She and her husband, Mack H. Webb, Jr., founded Pilinut Press, Inc., publishing advanced readers for children and ESL students. Their website http://www.pilinutpress.com offers more free articles on developing reading-related skills, word games and puzzles, and activity sheets for their entertaining and educational books.

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