Olin Library: Study Skills & Academic Success   Tags: assignments, bibliographies, essays, exams, learning, online, plagiarism, presentations, projects, research, styles, time  

Whether this is your first semester, your last or you are just taking a few classes, this Study Skills section can be very helpful. It will help point you in the right direction. It has information on classes, tips on writing and more.

I would like to give thanks and credit to the Curtin University Library (located in Australia) for allowing  me to draw inspiration and information from their great library help site.

Whether it's a classroom, convo or 'lab', here are some tips to help you make the most of your class.

• Be there. It is tempting to skip a few classes during the semester, but you may regret it at assignment and exam time. If you must miss a class, arrange to get the notes from another student or talk to your instructor.
• Be on time. Before the session starts, instructors can provide handouts or other important information about the assignments, exams, cancelled classes or timetable changes.
• Be prepared. Do you have a pen (and a spare?), your calculator, paper, laptop - how about a storage disk? If you do the recommended pre-reading and prepare some notes of your ideas and questions this can help you to understand and contribute to any discussion that is held.
• Be in the right place. Finding the right room on any campus takes some planning and did you know that being in the right place in the room makes a difference? Sitting near the front enables you to see and hear everything and helps you to concentrate. It's easy to become distracted if you are at the back and out of eye contact with the instructor.
• Help save everyone's sanity and turn off your cell phone before any class.

Concentration and Memory:

• Strategies for Improving Concentration and Memory - Virginia Tech
• I Just Can't Seem to Concentrate! - University of Pennsylvania
• Increasing Motivation - University of Victoria
• Improving Your Memory - Texas A&M University

Study Tips:

• Basic Study Techniques - Texas A&M University
• Study Hacks - Blog created by Cal Newport
• Ten Traps of Studying - University of North Carolina
• Top 11 Study Skills - Stanford University
• Study Environment Analysis - Virginia Tech
• Study Skills Checklist - Virginia Tech
• Putting Your Extracurricular Skills to Use in Your Studies – Princeton University
• How to form a successful study group – Duke University

These links are taken from the great learning site at Dartmouth University. See there Academic Skills site for more great information.

Learning Strategies Inventories: Assess How You Learn

The Olin Library

• The Commons Area, main floor
• Chalk Rooms, second floor. Great for group study
• Individual carrels placed around the main & second floor

FSC

Springfield Hall Lab

The Felder's Index provides an immediate assessment of your learning style that requires no username or password to take the survey. It is a 44 question survey that assesses your study habits.

To take this survey, click on the following link:

http://www.engr.ncsu.edu/learningstyles/ilsweb.html

Developed by: Barbara Soloman and Dr. Richard Felder, both from North Carolina State University.