Study Tips

The Social Sciences Department provides this web page because we want to help you be successful here at Clackamas.  Some of the tips on this page involve your "can-do" attitude toward learning, while other tips advise you against problems we've seen occur with other students.  We intend for this page to offer practical advice, so we've organized the page around comments we've heard from other students.

"Wow. What a lot of reading!"

No doubt about it -- classes in the social sciences are very demanding of your time and effort. Typically, a single course requires you to read more than 350 pages of complex material. You'll quickly discover that reading a textbook is considerably different than sitting down with a novel. First, you're actually expected to remember details. Second, you're expected to master the connections between different ideas.

Whether you're coming directly from high school or you're returning to school after a number of years, you'll find that your success in college is tied to your success in reading. Two aspects of reading are especially important:

• Vocabulary. When you run across a word you don't know, don't just skip over it. If it seems to be a special word for the subject you're studying, check your text's glossary. If it's not in the glossary, check in the dictionary that you keep by your side whenever you read. (Yep! Keep a dictionary within reach. Your instructors do, and undoubtedly the authors of your textbook do, too.) Do this for EVERY word that's unfamiliar.
• Concentration / attention. Sorry, subliminal tapes don't work any better than wishful thinking! The only way to master material is to concentrate on it -- to pay close attention to it. Any activity that interferes with your ability to concentrate is cheating you out of successful reading. Here are nine hints about how to tune out distractions and get in your reading "zone":
  1. Reduce interferences.
  • If you live in a noisy setting (family, friends, or roommates are likely "culprits"), take your books with you to the library or another quiet spot.
  2. Attack your hardest subject first.
     • Although you may be in the habit of putting off (and dreading) your hardest reading, you really need to study that subject when you have the MOST energy. In other words, read your hardest stuff first.
  3. Study when you're awake!!!
  • It's a safe bet that you shouldn't attempt reading ANY college text when you're tired. You won't remember it well, if at all.
  4. Take frequent breaks.
     • Especially if reading is not your favorite pastime, give yourself a break. If you're not a very good reader, take a break every 15 to 20 minutes until you feel confident you can go longer without a break. If you're a good reader, take a break every 30 to 45 minutes.
  5. Preview chapters before you read them.
  • Look at the structure or organization of the material before you actually read it. This will help you understand how all the parts are related.
  6. Turn all subject headings into questions, then look for the answers.
     • This trick actually works; try it!
  7. Wait to underline or highlight material.
  • Everything seems important the first time you read it, so wait until you've read what the author has to say before you decide what is most important for that section, THEN do your highlighting.
  8. Slow down!
     • Are you so anxious to get to the end of your reading that you find yourself skipping over or racing through the material? Your anxiety in this case is interfering with your concentration. Paradoxically, if you slow down, you become more efficient and better able to attend to the written word.
  9. Spaced vs. "massed" studying.
     
     • You'll do better reading a little bit every day (or every other day) than you would if only reading once per week, even if your "once-weekly" reading is the same page count. Psychologists who have studied this phenomenon explain that studying a little bit regularly apparently helps readers "consolidate" material better, and this "spaced" versus "massed" studying results in better scores in tests of reading comprehension.

"But I read the whole chapter and understood everything. Why can't I do better on tests?"

Every year, every term, some students are bewildered at their inadequate performance. Having memorized what they consider are the required definitions and having committed some dates or names to memory, some students assume that they're prepared for a test. Frequently, that level of preparation results in a very disappointing grade. Here are five tips to help you avoid that disappointment.

• Actively look for the relationships between the details and the "big picture."
  • Some students try to memorize details but neglect the overall picture. Conversely, other students rely on their general understanding without being able to recall any details. To avoid both of these problems, consider writing notes in the margin describing the relationships between the details and the larger picture, and invent questions for yourself that quiz you on those relationships.
• Ask yourself how the class lectures and discussions tie in with the readings.
  • Classes frequently focus on material beyond your text, and your instructor assumes that you will integrate the class experience with your text and assignments. Your best bet is to read the material ahead of time so you'll be able to see how the lecture ties in with the text. If you're running a bit behind in your reading, at least preview the text and scan the material before each class.
• Prepare ahead of time for some of those inevitable college-type essay questions.
  • Typically, you'll be expected to:
    • Compare and contrast various concepts and theories;
    • Discuss details that support or refute particular theories;
    • Trace the development of ideas; and
    • Apply theory to real-life examples.
• Study with another serious student.
  • Make up questions for your study partner, and have your partner do the same for you. First answer the questions by using your notes, then answer questions from memory...and have your study partner check your accuracy and completeness. Then do the same for him or her.
• Ask questions and ask for help when you need it.
  • Your instructors want you to understand the material, and they also (usually) know about support services provided by the College. Ask them for help or clarification. You will find your instructor's contact information on your syllabus. (If you lose your syllabus, ask for another copy.)

"I can't do all the reading and homework for all my classes -- my instructors are unreasonable!"

Sometimes, students find themselves over-committed because they enthusiastically sign up for lots of courses. Instructors frequently listen to students explain how they're taking five (or six) courses, working part-time (or full-time!), raising their family, and participating in theatre or sports, and "there's just too much reading in this class!" We instructors empathize...but we rarely change those assignments. Instead, we try to help you set realistic goals and priorities.

We at Clackamas very much want you to succeed, and one thing we've learned is that sometimes less is more. You might want to take fewer courses each term so that you can spend more time on each course. Clackamas has counsellors to help you sort through your options, and you might also want to talk with the faculty advisor for your chosen subject area. Clackamas will be here whenever you want to take those fun and interesting courses!

"There must be an easier way!"

We wish. Each of us has wished for exactly the same thing -- an easier way. Let us know when you find one. :)   We want to reassure you that educating ourselves requires an amazing amount of effort, but it is SO worth it. What an incredible personal accomplishment you'll have achieved when you walk or wheel down the aisle at graduation with that diploma or certificate in your hand. We'll be there to congratulate you; meanwhile, we're here to help you get there!

--Brought to you by the Social Sciences faculty. Click to view the Social Sciences department's page; click here to comment on this page.