Academic Assistance Links

Sometimes, a little help is all you need---and here are some sites that offer great assistance. Check them out. What you need is probably right here.

IN-CLASS STRATEGIES:
Listening and note taking are key skills to getting the most out of the time you spend in class.  Here are some tips to help you with both.

LISTENING     
Be an active listener; it’s a skill you can learn! http://www.usu.edu/arc/idea_sheets/pdf/active_listening.pdf

Listening: The TQLR Strategy: https://casc.byu.edu/listening-in-class

NOTE TAKING
Taking good notes in class can make studying easier.  Here’s a good place to start. http://www.studyskills.soton.ac.uk/studytips/lecture_notes.htm

Here are 6 clear steps to better note-taking. http://www.ctl.ua.edu/CTLStudyAids/StudySkillsFlyers/Miscellaneous/lecturenotes.htm

Here are a few more tips to make note-taking less painful. http://www.lacitycollege.edu/services/learningskills/lecturenotes.html

The Cornell Method is a style of note taking proven to be effective.  Here are two different explanations (both have pictures!)
http://www.century.adams12.org/Cornell%20Notes.htm http://www.umfk.maine.edu/trio/study/notes/default.cfm

And finally, how to take notes while doing research (because you need to take notes then, too, if you want your research to be productive!): http://www.writing.utoronto.ca/advice/reading-and-researching/notes-from-research

INTERNET SEARCH
The Internet is full of useful stuff, but how do you find it?  EBSCOHost will help you find scholarly articles from periodicals, but what if you want reliable websites?  That’s where subject directories come in!  Subject directories are search engines for other websites or databases.  Below you’ll find a list of helpful subject directories.

First, start with this Recommended Subject Directories webpage.  It lists several subject directories with information about each one to help you choose the right one.   It also includes information on how to find subject-specific directories. http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/Guides/Internet/SubjDirectories.html

Academic Info http://www.academicinfo.net/subject-guides

Infomine http://infomine.ucr.edu/

The Internet Public Library http://ipl.org/

Intute http://www.intute.ac.uk/ 

LEARNING STYLES
We all learn in different ways.  Some students need to try something themselves before they can master the knowledge; others can sit through a lecture and ace the test.  Knowing how you learn can help you succeed in the many different kinds of college classrooms in which you may find yourself.  Here are two tests that can help you determine how you learn. 

Vark – A Guide to Learning Styles. http://www.vark-learn.com/english/index.asp   

A Learning Style Survey for College. http://www.metamath.com/multiple/multiple_choice_questions.html

MATH HELP
For some, math can be scary, but there’s help!  When you can’t get to a math tutor in the Academic Resource Center, visit these helpful websites.

Here you’ll find help on how to work problems in Prealgebra, Algebra I and II, Geometry and Trigonometry, Calculus, Data Analysis and Statistics, and Real World Math. www.webmath.com

Does math make you want to crawl under the covers of your bed and never come out again?  Check out this website with helpful tips about math anxiety.  http://frank.mtsu.edu/~dotts/HtGCmbtngMathAnx.html

MEMORY
Memorizing is a skill that can be practiced.  Actors don’t naturally memorize more than the average person; it’s a skill they work on developing, and you can, too.  Here are some tips on how to work out your memory muscles!

This is an interactive, 3D model of the brain with descriptions of how the brain works.  Check it out! http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2007/11/memory/brain-interactive

Here’s a list of strategies with descriptions to help your memory (because memory is not about inborn talent). http://www.lacitycollege.edu/services/learningskills/memory.html

Here are several memorizing tricks, including mnemonics and the alphabet technique. http://www.mindtools.com/memory.html

This website lists seven different memory strategies along with practices to help you perfect each strategy. http://www.studygs.net/memory/

READING COLLEGE MATERIAL
Reading a textbook is different from reading a novel or even reading a textbook in high school.  Here are some ways you can improve the effectiveness of your reading.

What’s this SQ3R thing?  A reading strategy for college textbooks to help you get the most out of your time spent reading. http://www.ucc.vt.edu/lynch/TextbookReading.htm

Here’s another clear explanation of how SQ3R works. http://ccis.edu/departments/writingcenter/studyskills/sq3r.html

What is critical thinking?  And why do I need to know how to do it? http://www.tc.umn.edu/~jewel001/CollegeWriting/READSPEAKTHINK/READ/HowToRead.htm#Critical

How to read an article (because sometimes your professor will want you to read a few of those, too): http://ycdl4.yukoncollege.yk.ca/~agraham//guides/aguide.htm

While you’re reading, you might want to take notes in your book.  This website explains useful ways to mark up what you’re reading.  You bought them; you can write in them! http://academic.cuesta.edu/acasupp/AS/609.htm

And here’s a picture of what it could look like: http://academic.cuesta.edu/acasupp/AS/610.htm

So I read it, but now how do I remember it? This website suggests these strategies. http://www.csbsju.edu/academic-advising/help/remembering-what-you-read.htm

STUDY STRATEGIES AND AIDS
Studying is just as important as attending class!  Did you know that for every hour you spend in class, you should be spending two hours studying outside of class?  Here are some tips and strategies to help you make the most of your studying.

The key to a good study session is the condition of your studying space.  This website lets you evaluate up to three of your regular studying spaces to see which one is the best for you. http://www.ucc.vt.edu/stdysk/studydis.html

Here are some tips on how to control your study environment, from the physical qualities of the space to your own attitude and mental blocks. http://www.ucc.vt.edu/stdysk/control.html 

Want to evaluate your own study skills?  This checklist lets you pinpoint any weak areas you might have, such as time scheduling, concentration, listening, and reading. http://www.ucc.vt.edu/stdysk/checklis.html

Study Stack – here, you can make your own online flashcards, or choose from hundreds of already created decks. http://www.studystack.com/

Quizlet – This website helps you make your own quizzes and flashcards or lets you choose from ones that other members have already created.  http://quizlet.com/

TEST ANXIETY
Tests can make anybody uneasy!  Here are some websites that list helpful ways to beat the fear and make testing less scary:

Here’s a website that explores how to avoid anxiety through test preparation, test-taking approach, and test review. http://www.studygs.net/tstprp8.htm

Test Anxiety Management – tips on managing test anxiety. http://www.usu.edu/arc/test_anxiety/

Here you can find information about test anxiety, as well as tips on how to be prepared, how to relax, and how to control your anxiety. http://www.utdallas.edu/counseling/selfhelp/test-anxiety.html  

You can find helpful hints for dealing with anxiety and the feeling of being overwhelmed on this website.  There is also a helpful checklist where you can identify negative thoughts you might be harboring. http://ub-counseling.buffalo.edu/stresstestanxiety.shtml 

TEST TAKING STRATEGIES
So, besides getting a good night’s rest and eating a balanced breakfast, how else can you boost your test scores?

Read 15 steps towards success on tests here. http://www.arc.sbc.edu/testpreparation.html

Another list of helpful tips to remember while taking an objective test. http://www.lacitycollege.edu/services/learningskills/objective.html

This website is a lesson on how to be better at taking multiple choice tests (because there are strategies to help you guess when you have no idea).  It starts with a 10 question multiple choice test filled with nonsense questions.  Then, after you’ve failed the test (don’t worry – we did the first time we took it, too), you can read about strategies and clues to help you pick the right answer.  Then take the test again, and see how much you’ve learned! http://www.lacitycollege.edu/services/learningskills/mctest.html

Here are ways to prepare for the test and what to do when taking the test.  There’s also an interactive slide show, and at the top of the page are links to test strategies for specific kinds of tests, such as true/false, multiple choice, short answer, essay, and open-book. http://www.studygs.net/tsttak1.htm

Ten Commandments for Finals – a few tips to remember during that stressful test! http://www.lacitycollege.edu/services/learningskills/10commandments.html

TIME MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION
For some, the key to success or the cause of failure can be found in time management and organization.  Get your ducks in a row to ensure you have enough time to go to class, do your homework, make a paycheck, and even relax a little.

First of all, what is time management, and why is it so important?  Read this list of what, why, and how of time management and organization. http://www.nlight.com/Success/Study/3organize.html

Here’s an easy to use website about time management, including sections on “Before You Begin”, “Planning Your Time,” “Staying on Track,” and “Controlling Procrastination.” http://www.learningcommons.uoguelph.ca/guides/time_management/

Where Does Time Go? – A schedule calculator that shows you how much time you spend on different activities and how much time you have left over each week.  http://www.ucc.vt.edu/stdysk/TMInteractive.html

Want to know how you should be breaking down that big assignment?  Use this AWESOME assignment calculator to get a list of what you should be doing and where you should be every day until the project is due. http://www.lib.umn.edu/help/calculator/