Study Skills

Good time management makes schoolwork feel more manageable. It also helps you avoid trying to complete everything at the last minute.

Use a planner

Record:

• Homework assignments
• Weekly reviews
• Projects
• Quiz and test dates
• Materials you need to bring
• Personal study goals

Check your planner before leaving school and again when you begin working at home.

Break large assignments into smaller steps

A large assignment can feel overwhelming. Divide it into tasks that can be completed one at a time.

Decide what to do first

Ask yourself:

• What is due first?
• What will take the most time?
• What do I find most difficult?
• Is there anything I need help completing?

Begin with an important task while you still have the energy to think carefully.

Study over several days

Several shorter study sessions are usually more effective than one very long session. Reviewing information on different days helps your brain remember it.

Try to review important material:

• On the day you learn it
• A day or two later
• Again before a quiz or test

A useful study space does not need to be perfect. It should help you focus.

Before beginning:

• Gather your notes, pencil, calculator, and other materials.
• Clear unnecessary objects from the work area.
• Silence notifications.
• Put your phone somewhere that will not distract you.
• Choose a place with enough light.
• Have water nearby.
• Decide what you want to accomplish.

If you have trouble staying focused, work for about 20 to 25 minutes and then take a short break. During the break, stand up, stretch, or get water. Set a clear time to begin working again.

Good notes are not a copy of every word that was said or written. They record the ideas you need in order to understand, remember, and use the lesson later.

Useful notes may include:

• The lesson's main idea
• Important supporting details
• Definitions and vocabulary
• Formulas and rules
• Worked examples
• Diagrams, tables, and graphs
• Questions
• Connections to earlier lessons
• A short summary

Choose a note-taking method

Different lessons may require different kinds of notes. The best method is the one that matches the lesson and helps you understand the information.

Active reading means thinking while you read. Simply reaching the bottom of a page does not guarantee that you understood it.

Preview before reading

Look at titles, headings, diagrams, captions, questions, and bold words. This gives you a reason to read and helps you recognize important information.

Ask questions

Turn headings into questions.

Read to find the answer.

Identify the central idea

Ask:

• What is this section mostly about?
• Which details support the main idea?
• Which examples are most important?
• How does this connect to something we already learned?

Annotate carefully

Useful annotations may include:

• A short summary
• A question
• A definition
• A connection
• A label
• A brief note explaining why an example matters

Do not highlight entire paragraphs. If everything is highlighted, nothing stands out as important.

Use the SQ4R reading process

1. Survey: Preview the title, headings, visuals, and questions.
2. Question: Decide what you are trying to learn.
3. Read: Read carefully to find the important ideas and answers.
4. Reflect: Connect the new information to examples and previous learning.
5. Recite: Close the material and explain the important ideas from memory.
6. Review: Return to the material, correct misunderstandings, and summarize what you learned.

Handle unfamiliar vocabulary

1. Read the entire sentence.
2. Look for context clues.
3. Look for familiar prefixes, suffixes, or roots.
4. Check a glossary or dictionary if needed.
5. Write the meaning in your own words.
6. Use the word in a sentence or example.

Rereading can make information look familiar without showing whether you can remember or use it. Strong studying requires you to do something with the information.

Space your practice

Study the material during several shorter sessions instead of one very long session.

Practice retrieving information

Retrieval practice means trying to remember something before looking at the answer.

You can:

• Write everything you remember on a blank page.
• Answer questions without notes.
• Use flashcards.
• Explain the lesson aloud.
• Cover a worked example and recreate it.
• Solve a problem before checking the example.

Afterward, use your notes to check what you remembered. Correct any missing or inaccurate information.

Mix problem types

Practicing the same type of problem repeatedly can make the work feel easier because you already know which method to use. A mixed set makes you decide which method fits each problem.

For example, a mixed decimal practice set might include:

• Addition
• Subtraction
• Multiplication
• Division
• Estimation
• Word problems

This helps you practice recognizing the structure of a problem, not just repeating a procedure.

Explain how and why

Do not stop after getting an answer. Ask:

• Why does this method work?
• Why did we choose this operation?
• What does each number represent?
• How can we check the result?
• How is this problem similar to an earlier problem?
• How is it different?

If you can explain a method clearly to someone else, you probably understand it.

Use examples and visuals

Connect abstract ideas to:

• Number lines
• Tables
• Diagrams
• Area models
• Graphs
• Equations
• Real situations

A visual should help show the important mathematical relationship. It should not be added only as decoration.

Mathematics is learned by thinking, practicing, checking, and correcting. Watching someone else solve a problem can help, but you must also solve problems independently.

1. Review one example

   Choose a worked example that matches the skill you are practicing. As you read it, ask:

   • What information was given?
   • What was the goal?
   • Why was this method selected?
   • What happened during each step?

2. Close the example

   Try a similar problem without copying the steps. If you become stuck, identify the exact step that is causing trouble before reopening the notes.

3. Practice a mixed set

   Complete a small group of different problems. Decide which strategy or operation each one requires.

4. Show the necessary work

   Your work should allow someone to follow your reasoning. Depending on the problem, this may include:

   • An equation
   • Aligned calculations
   • A table
   • A labeled diagram
   • Units
   • A written explanation
   • A concluding statement

5. Check the result

   Use a check that fits the problem. You might:

   • Use the inverse operation.
   • Estimate.
   • Substitute the answer into the original equation.
   • Compare the answer with the diagram.
   • Ask whether the answer is reasonable.
   • Solve the problem a second way.

6. Correct mistakes

   Do not erase a mistake and forget about it. Determine why it happened. Ask:

   • Did I misunderstand the question?
   • Did I choose the wrong operation?
   • Did I copy a number incorrectly?
   • Did I make a calculation error?
   • Did I forget a unit or label?
   • Did I use a rule incorrectly?
   • Did I stop before answering the actual question?

Keep a mistake log

Reviewing old mistakes can prevent you from repeating them.

Good test preparation begins before the night before the test.

Several days before

• Check the test date.
• Make a list of the topics.
• Gather notes, assignments, reviews, and practice materials.
• Mark topics as confident, developing, or needing help.
• Create a short study plan.
• Ask questions early.

During each study session

• Begin by recalling information without notes.
• Complete practice problems.
• Mix several problem types.
• Check your answers.
• Correct mistakes.
• Explain important methods.
• Record questions for the teacher.

Use a Ticket to the Test

A Ticket to the Test is evidence that you actively prepared. It might include:

• Completed practice problems
• Corrected mistakes
• A finished review
• Flashcards
• A blank-page memory check
• A topic checklist
• Questions you asked and answered
• Notes you reorganized or summarized

Reading the same page several times is not enough. Your preparation should show that you practiced remembering and using the material.

The night before

• Complete a short final review.
• Avoid trying to relearn an entire unit at once.
• Gather the materials you will need.
• Set an alarm.
• Get enough sleep.

During the test

• Read the directions carefully.
• Preview the questions.
• Begin with a problem you understand.
• Show the required work.
• Label answers and include units.
• If you become stuck, mark the problem and return to it.
• Check that you answered every part of each question.
• Use remaining time to review your work.

If you feel nervous

Feeling nervous does not mean you are unprepared. Try this routine:

1. Pause.
2. Take a slow breath.
3. Read one sentence at a time.
4. Identify what the problem gives you.
5. Identify what you need to find.
6. Begin with one step you know how to complete.

Focus on the problem in front of you instead of the entire test.

Organization saves time and makes it easier to find the information you need.

Organize your binder

• Use a section for each subject or unit.
• Date and title every page.
• Place papers in the correct section.
• Keep notes in lesson order.
• Remove unnecessary papers during a weekly cleanout.
• Keep important reference pages where they are easy to find.

Organize digital materials

• Use folders with clear names.
• Give files descriptive titles.
• Keep related materials together.
• Avoid creating many copies of the same file.
• Check that an assignment was actually submitted.

Complete a weekly reset

Once each week:

• Clean out your binder and backpack.
• File loose papers.
• Check the calendar for upcoming assignments and tests.
• Review missing or incomplete work.
• Refill needed supplies.
• Choose one academic goal for the next week.

What to do if you miss class

1. Check the class website.
2. Read the lesson notes.
3. Find the assignment and due date.
4. Ask a classmate what was completed.
5. Try the examples and practice problems.
6. Write down specific questions.
7. Ask the teacher for help with anything that remains unclear.

Do not say only, “I was absent. What did I miss?” Show what you have already checked and explain what help you still need.

Asking for help is part of learning. A specific question makes it easier for someone to help you.

Bring your attempted work whenever possible. Your work helps the teacher see what you understand and where the difficulty begins.

Work with a study partner

A study partner can help you learn when both students participate.

You can:

• Compare notes and fill in missing information.
• Take turns explaining a method.
• Quiz each other.
• Check answers.
• Discuss why different strategies work.
• Identify questions to ask the teacher.

Do not divide the work so that each person completes only part of what they need to learn. Both students should think through the entire task.

Good habits develop gradually.

Choose one small improvement at a time, such as:

• Checking the planner every afternoon
• Reviewing notes for five minutes
• Putting the phone away while studying
• Correcting every missed practice problem
• Organizing the binder every Friday
• Asking one specific question when confused

Track the habit for several weeks. When it becomes consistent, add another.

Progress matters more than perfection.