Danielle Handsor
Educational Development Centre, Dillon Hall

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 It is impossible to write down everything your professor says therefore you must listen actively and distinguish the important material covered

Active Listeners
Lean forward and sit up straight
Passive Listeners
Slouch and learn back in their chairs
Make eye contact with the speaker
Listen for what is not said
Look around the room
Hear scattered information
Are patient Are easily frustrated
Leave emotions outside the discussion Get angry at the speaker
Avoid jumping to conclusions
Ask questions
Focus on the topic
Have an open mind
React to ideas
Make immediate assumptions
Speed the speaker along
Daydream
Prejudge the speaker
React to the person speaking

 Why take notes?
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To become an active part of the listening process
To have written criteria to follow when studying
 Some situations when you should be taking notes:
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When the instructor is making a major point
When the material is presented on an overhead, chalkboard, whiteboard or similar medium
If your professor distributes a handout, it is usually a good idea to take notes on it as the professor reviews.

 Tips for effective note taking:
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Attend class- there is no substitute
Come to class prepared- E.g.
Have assigned readings completed. It is easier to take notes when you are already familiar with the material that will be discussed.
Bring the proper materials-
E.g. Textbook, pen, highlighter etc.
Ask questions and participate in class!

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 Always date your notes
 Keep notes from each class separate (E.g. Use dividers)
 Use your own shorthand system
 Incorporate related handouts with appropriate notes
 Write on one side of the page only
 Mark main ideas with a star
 Take down examples that are given

 Reviewing your class notes on the same day you take them!
 Look over your class notes and make sure that they are complete and accurate
 Make note of anything that was confusing

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Based on a 1 hour lecture
Day 1- Leave the lecture knowing 100% of what you know
Day 2- If you have done nothing with the information you will have lost 50-80% of what you learned
Day 7- We remember even less
Day 30- We only retain about
2-3% of the original hour

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Day 2- If you spend 10 minutes reviewing after the lecture you will raise the curve to 100%
Day 7- It only takes 5 minutes to re-activate the material
Day 30- You will only need
2-4 minutes to reactive the material
If you don’t review it will take you 40-50 minutes to re-learn each hour of material

 Reading is an active process
 Use the Survey, Question, Read, Recite and Review
(SQ3R) reading method:
 Survey: Pre-read an assigned chapter (headings, vocabulary, illustrations, tables, chapter summary).
Surveying also includes reading the first and last sentence in a paragraph.
 Question: Who, what, when, where and why? If you cannot answer the questions, you should find the answers as you read along.

 Read: Read slowly and carefully. Cannot skip this step even though it is time consuming. Do not move ahead if you don’t understand the previous section. Take notes and highlight. Several methods of taking notes include: charts, outlines, key words, mind maps, flash cards, summaries and time lines.
 Recite: Discuss the material you just read with a friend or recite the information aloud
 Review: Survey the chapter once more. Look at highlighted areas and notes. This step will help you store and retain this information in long-term memory.

 Before you begin studying find out the format of your test and what it will cover (E.g. Is the entire exam short answer? Is the exam cumulative?).
 Go through your notes, texts, related primary sources and handouts, and then set aside materials you don’t need
 Seek information from people who have already taken the course:
 how difficult the instructor’s tests are, whether they focus primarily on assigned readings or on class notes etc.

 Prepare a study scheduleconsider your study materials, the number of days until the test, and the time you can study each day
 Use the 3Q3R reading method when reviewing your materials
 Take a pretest- E.g. Some textbooks have questions at the end of every chapter. If this is not the case create your own test questions.

 There are many benefits to studying with others- whether it is one other person or a group
 Study buddies can help you to:
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Enhance understanding of your course material
Master key concepts
Review for tests and exams
 Work with others with whom you feel comfortable and whom you believe to be dependable
 Assign work and a set schedule

 How to prepare physically:
 Get adequate amounts of sleepadequate amounts of sleep have an impact on your memory
 Eat healthy- Avoid foods high in sugar.
 Avoid large amounts caffeine-
Too much caffeine can make it difficult to focus
 3 meals a day- Eating nothing leaves you drained, and eating too much food can make you sleepy

 General strategies to help you succeed on tests:
 Write down key facts- Before you even look at the exam write down key information
(E.g. Formulas, definitions etc)
 Begin with an overview of the exam- Take a few minutes and look through the exam.
Take into consideration the number of questions in each section, and their point values. Use this information to schedule your time.

 Read test directions- (E.g.
Only answer 80 of the 100 multiple choice questions)
 Begin with the easy questions- Begin with those that seem easiest to you. You can answer these questions quickly, leaving more time for questions that require greater effort.
 Watch the clock- keep track of how much time is left and how you are progressing

 At the beginning of every semester you should drop by your professors office, during his/her office hours and introduce yourself
 Take advantage of your professor's and teaching assistants (T.A.) office hours
 If you are having difficulty with the course material meet immediately with your professor or T.A.

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The marks obtained in all courses taken at the University of Windsor are used to calculate your cumulative average
 How can you improve your GPA?
 Repeat failed or low grade courses:
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If you repeat a course the second grade counts, even if you receive a lower grade in your second attempt
You are only allowed to repeat a course once
Remember to select “Repeat” from the drop down menu when registering for courses on
SIS

 What is voluntary withdrawal (VW)?
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Students have 9 weeks at the beginning of a new semester to withdraw from a course (see important dates on the SIS system)
Students who fail to withdraw from a course before the VW date remain registered in the course and must take grades as assigned
On your transcript a VW is preferred over a low grade
Students who VW from a required course are encouraged to repeat the course as soon as possible, when the learned material is still fresh in their memory
Students who VW from an optional course may try re-taking the course with another professor in a different semester

 The Advisory Centre assists students in selecting and organizing a successful education plan. The following are some of the reasons you would meet with an advisor:
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Add, drop, or withdraw from a course
Understand and discuss your degree audit
Discuss your academic progress
Discuss changing or choosing your major
Clarification on academic policies and procedures

Marty Lowman Susan Page Barbara Niewitecka
Current Students
Advising Centre - CAW Centre (1st floor) advising@uwindsor.ca 519 253-3000 Ext. 1414
Current International Students & Student Athletes
Room 105 Cody Hall ernest@uwindsor.ca
519 253-3000 Ext. 3951
Lori Handsor
To schedule an advising appointment online with any of the above
Advisors go to www.uwindsor.ca/advising

 Website: www.uwindsor.ca/lifeline, E-mail: Danielle Handsor at danielle@uwindsor.ca
, Phone: (519) 253-3000 Ext. 3285
 Campus Life Line is a program geared towards helping students adjust to university. The workshops are held on campus and are only 30 minutes in length. The workshops address concerns and issues as they arise throughout the academic year. The workshops are FREE and every student who attends a Campus Life Line Workshop will receive a free gift.

 Sign up for the workshops by visiting the website: http://www.uwindsor.ca/steps
 The S.T.E.P.S. program stands for “Skills to Enhance Personal Success”. The interactive sessions include practical applications to help you improve your study skills. The workshops are 45 minutes to an hour in length.
 You can purchase a S.T.E.P.S. membership for $15 in the Educational Development
Centre, located in the basement of Dillon Hall
 Topics include:
 How to study smarter, not harder
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Multiple choice tests and exams
Notes and reading

 Location: 478 Sunset Avenue (next to the Grad House), Website: www.uwindsor.ca/awc , Phone: (519) 253-3000 Ext. 3405
 The Academic Writing Centre offers the following services:
 Writing advice
 Writing assessments
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Referencing help
Professors expectations
Peer Writers (currently stationed in Leddy Library)

Carter., Bishop., Kravits., Maurin. (2004). Keys to success (3 rd Canadian ed.). Toronto, ON:
Prentice- Hall Canada Inc.
Casady. (2002). Getting the college edge. Boston, NY: Houghton Mifflin Company.
Montgomery, R., Moody, P., Sherfield, R., Fraser, L., & Fraser, D. (1997). Cornerstone
building on your best (Canadian ed.). Scarborough, ON: Prentice- Hall Canada Inc.
University of Waterloo (n.d.). Curve of forgetting. Retrieved November 13, 2008, from http://www.adm.uwaterloo.ca/infocs/study/curve.html