Successful

strategies to do
well in college
Introduction to Social Science Research (IR)
 Today’s objectives
● Bloom’s taxonomy or learning objectives
 Apply this taxonomy to the development of test questions

● Things you should do to be successful in a college

○ Remember and understand successful strategies to do well in college
■ Read textbooks, note-taking, time management, study skills, test-taking skills
○ Apply these strategies to your own college experience
 College skills: Reading a
textbook
Two common mistakes:
- Not reading assigned chapter before coming to class

- attempt to read text continuously

 What should be done?
SQ4R method – How to tame a
textbook
Survey: Look at assigned chapter; then:
- Skim through a chapter before you read it: Take a look at the outline at beginning
of chapter, as well as opening questions, learning objectives, or other material that
tells you what the chapter is about. You can also skim through “section” by
section…
- Flip through chapter and read headings of each section; look at tables, graphs,
figures and cartoons to get an idea about the kinds of things you will be learning
- Quickly read through chapter summary
 SQ4R method of reading text
Question:
- Going ONE section at a time, read heading of section
- Try to think of a question based on the heading that the section should answer as
you read
- So, you are reading to find an answer (much easier to remember information later)
- EXAMPLE: Psychology’s Goals: How many goals are there? Why are there
more than one goals? Etc.
 SQ4R method of reading text
1. Read
- Read the section, looking for answers to your questions
- Take notes by making an outline of main points and terms in the section
- Don’t just “highlight”
- For tougher sections, read one paragraph at a time…
 SQ4R method of reading text
2. Recite
- Recite out loud (or write notes) on what you can remember from the section
you’ve just read. Try and summarize the section.
- It forces you to put information in own words
- If you cannot summarize in your own words – skim again!
- Repeat the process for each section
- Give yourself 10-20 minutes to rest between sections (there are some “Study
Break” sections in the chapter)
 SQ4R method of reading text
3. Reflect

- As you read, try to relate to new facts, terms, and concepts to information you
already know well or to your own experiences (personally meaningful)
- The more genuine interest you can bring to your reading, the more you will learn
(Hartlep & Forsyth, 2000).
 SQ4R method of reading text
4. Review

- When done reading: skim quickly over the chapter again and/or read your notes
- Take practice quizzes
- Read chapter summary in detail and make sure you understand everything in it.
- Go back and reread sections that you don’t fully understand
Skill-building: Reading a textbook
practice sheet
● On Moodle (homework for next week)
 College skills: Effective note-
taking
●
Good students take notes!
Don’t just print out the PowerPoint slides or listen to the recordings (this is a
BAD, idea!)

● Don’t try to write everything down word for word

 Effective note-taking –
Good students take notes!
- Be an active listener: avoid distractions, and gather your ideas
LISAN
- Lead. Don’t follow. Try to anticipate what the teacher.. Ideas. Every lecture is based
on a core of ideas
- Signal words. What is the direction your teacher is taking? Examples.
- Actively listen (I will try to assist you with this this semester).
- Note-taking. Good note-taking= good testing!
Skill-building: cornell note-taking
worksheet
● On Moodle
PROCRASTINATION – Avoiding
the last-minute blues
- Procrastinators work only on pressure, skip classes, give false reasons for
late work, and feel ashamed of their last-minute efforts. They also tend to
feel frustrated, bored, and guilty more often than other students (Blunt &
Psychyl, 2005).
- Why? Students often equate grades with their personal worth (Beck,
Koons, & Milgrim, 2000).
 Procrastnation
MYTH: No evidence to support the idea that procrastinators do their “best work under
pressure”.
- Perfectionism = related problem.
- When expecting the impossible (super high standards), it’s hard to start an
assignment. Often times, students will end-up with all-or-nothing work habits.
 Solutions to procrastination: i-
Time management
● Weekly and term schedule: Include all the dates of your assignments, free time, exams,
papers, etc., special events
● Don’t multi-task: Focus on one thing at a time and prioritize.
● Set up your virtual office
● (almost) no distractions: on your phone: forest and website: StayFocusd (chromeO), self-
control (MAC)
● Breakdown your work: Pomodoro method. (25+5)*4, +15, repeat
https://www.toptal.com/project-managers/tomato-timer
● Sleep
 Semester at a glance
● On Moodle
 Solutions to procrastination: 2-
Goal setting
● Active learners set specific goals for studying – clear-cut and measurable.
● set reminders for yourself to complete these tasks.
● Time-blocking: give yourself a certain amount of time for each task before
moving on to the next one and setting a timer to keep you accountable.
● Check in periodically throughout the term, and look at how you’re spending
your time.
 Assignment planning (University
of waterloo)
● On Moodle
Study Strategies – making a habit
● Create a “Study Corner”
of success
(Godden,& Baddeley, 1975)

● Stay organized
● Spaced practice: much more efficient (Anderson, 2005) than massed practice

● Test yourself: great but not a substitute for studying

● Overlearn: continue to study even after you learned and relearned the material so
that it comes naturally to you.
● Make the material relevant to you
 Test-taking skills
● Read all directions and questions carefully
● Quickly survey the test before you begin
● Answer easy questions before spending time on more difficult ones
● Answer ALL questions
● Use your time wisely
● Ask for clarification when needed
 For multiple-choice questions
● Relate the question to what you know
● Read all choices
● Look for “free info”
● Eliminate certain alternatives
● Myth: First choice is NOT always right
● Choose the best answer (even if flawed)
● Circumstance that “always” or “never” occur are rare
Review