General Study Skills
Note Taking
Since many classes are lecture driven, effective note taking is an important skill for students. We offer one-to-one assistance , a variety of handouts and a short video on note-taking methods. The links below also provide useful note-taking tips for students.
- Lecture Note Taking
College of St. Benedict/St. John's University - Summary of 5 Note Taking Methods, With Examples
Cal Poly Academic Skills Center
Memory
Do you have problems memorizing important information? Your memory, the ability to store and recall information, can be improved to achieve the results you want. The Learning Center offers one on one assistance in memory related topics, as well as handouts and video resources. Check out the links to begin improving your memory and recall.
- Sound Memory Strategies
The University of Western Ontario - Remembering
Virginia Tech University - Using Memory Effectively
University of St. Thomas - Mind Tools (Every memory technique you could ever want!)
Mind Tools LTD
Concentration
Do you find it hard to follow lectures, concentrate on studying, or focus on your school goals? Is the TV, internet, or your roommates making it difficult to stay focused? The Learning Center offers one on one assistance, handouts, and video resources on the subject of concentration. These include ideas on how to set up a study-friendly environment, focus on lectures, and meet your academic goals. Also, check out the links on the right for ways to improve your ability to concentrate.
- Concentration, Some Basic Guidelines
Virginia Tech University - The Art of Concentration
University of St. Thomas - How to Develop Better Concentration While Studying
University of Texas at Austin
Information Processing
Understanding the way that your mind learns best is vital to being successful in both school and life. Many people don't realize that knowing what their personal learning style is can help them better organize and understand the information that they learn. The Learning Styles Survey can help you discover your personal learning style while the other links provide tips for organizing new information to fit your style. You might also find some of the Note Taking Links on this page helpful for organizing new material from lectures or text. As always, feel free to stop by the Learning Center.
- Concept Maps
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign - Visual Thinking
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign - Organizing and Integrating Information (With practice examples!)
Counseling Services - University of Victoria - Learning Styles Survey
Diablo Valley College
Study Strategies
Isn't it funny that being successful in school requires good study skills and yet no class ever really teaches you how to study? At the Learning Center, we offer tutoring and individual assistance to help you hone your study skills and work up to your potential. The web sites listed here offer some good tips to get you started.
- Nine Ways to Get the Most out of Studying
University of Dayton - The 6 Hour "D" and How to Avoid It
Psych Web