Tips to Study More Effectively?

Question

In today's modern world we have the wonderful option to take many college courses online. One battle I am having is how to study effectively in these non-lecture courses. Though I read all the required materials, take notes, study notes (I spend at least 2 hrs studying/week for each credit, so a 4 cr class is 8 hrs), etc. Yet I find myself getting confused when trying to answer multiple choice questions and find myself making stupid errors. While this is also true for me in standard college lecture-based courses, this issue is more prevalent in my non-lecture online classes. I am still successful in my online classes, but I strive for the best and I know I could improve my reading/studying/test taking skills.


So what techniques or habits can I adapt to improve my reading and studying skills for primarily online classes?


There were previous questions/answers related to this but they did not provide the answer that I was looking for. Thanks!

Answer 1

I am going to guess that you are trying to remember too much material and in the process are getting confused.
My suggestion is the following method of studying.
Get you a highlighter to mark your pages as you read .Read a paragraph and then stop and ask yourself what is the one sentence that is really important and only mark that one sentence.At the end of the page reread your sentences and see if that sums up the page.When you have finished reading your book write a summery of only your highlighted sentences.
You will learn to look for the real meanings . I like to take this one step further by reading my notes back into a tape recorder and listen to see if I have grasped the meaning the author intended.This worked for me.

Answer 2

On-line learning is not easy as you are finding out - because it takes more discipline - but many of the basics still apply - first make sure you have read and understand the syllabus - if have questions ask the deliver of the material (teacher, lecturer, etc.) if there are rubrics print them out and use them as guidelines in highlighting and indexing key concepts of the course -calendar key assignment dates and exams (Outlook is a good tool so is the traditional planner) - schedule study time - in a place that if not distracting - stick to your schedule - make it a habit - prior to taking a test be well rested - don't try to cram - your mind will work more effectively - read each question thoroughly and answer - do not go back and change answer - we more often change correct answer -

Answer 3

The reason why most people give up or don't understand their material is basically a SINGLE word that wasn't understood. If you come across a word that you don't understand and continue reading on, nothing thereafter will be absorbed. In order to stop your confusion, look up the word immediately, and go on. You will find that your understanding of the subject is easier. This may sound like a simple solution, but try it out - it's effective! Good luck!