Learning Right
Learning how to take notes effectively during classes and lectures is a college student’s first step to making the transition from school to college easier. Once you master the art of taking notes, preparing for exams will become considerably less taxing and significantly more enjoyable.1. Come prepared to class
Work with a three-ring binder instead of a spiral or bound book. It’s easier to remove pages for reviewing.
Bring highlighters to class. Professors will typically make comments like, "this is an important concept" or "make sure you understand this". These are important hints that this content will more than likely be on an exam and highlighting them will remind you of this later.
2. Improve your listening skills
Make a conscious effort to pay attention.
Try not to zone out when a lecture takes an unexpected detour, for instance, if a student asks a question you aren't particularly interested in. You may take this opportunity to tune out, but before you know it, the lecture gets back on track, and you’ve missed important information that should have been noted.
3. Organize your material for easy reference
Start each new lecture on a new page; date and number each page for easy reference later.
Write on one side of the paper only. You can set them out side-by-side for easier reviewing when studying for an exam.
Leave blank spaces as this will allow you to add comments or questions later.
Develop a system of abbreviations and symbols you can use wherever possible.
Mark or underline all unfamiliar words or concepts. This will remind you to look them up later.
4. Pay close attention to content
Knowing precisely what and how much to note down is sometimes difficult. Rely on some of the following tips for what to include in your notes.
Always include details, facts, or explanations that expand or explain the main points that are mentioned. Don't forget to include examples.
Make a note of definitions, word for word.
Jot down enumerations or lists of things that are discussed.
5. Go over and edit your notes
Reviewing and editing class notes is the most important part of note taking.
It is extremely important to review your notes within 24 hours while the concepts are still fresh in your memory.
Edit words and phrases that are illegible or don't make sense and write out abbreviated form for more clarity.
Note anything you don't understand by underlining or highlighting it to remind you to get a clarification from the professor.
Consider rewriting or typing up your notes.
ETIQUETTE FOR GROUP DISCUSSIONS
- Juhi Dua
Almost all post graduation colleges and even some graduation colleges have group discussions as an essential part of their admission process. Group Discussions enables the jury to judge the student’s ability to think, communicate, solve problems and react to a particular situation or a subject. It is here that they will judge how well you can interact with your peers and how well you dodge an argument or take to opposition. Thus, it’s important to be aware of the unwritten rules of group discussions to court success.Tips for success in group discussionsKeep these dos and don’ts in mind and you are unlikely to go wrong. Speak enough and effectivelyFirst, there is nothing wrong with being quiet. At the same time, you don't want to be too quiet. Speaking is important for being noticed but speaking too much is not recommended. It is important to make sure the statements you make are concise and to the point so think before you shoot out your words. You don't want to give the wrong impression by making statements that are not clear and you don’t want to reflect thoughts contrary to your belief either. So be careful about what and how much you speak. Do not be over assertive or disrespectfulNever ridicule the comments or ideas of others. If you disagree with a statement made by another member, voice your disagreement in mature, respectful way. Instead of saying "that doesn't make any sense," say "I don't know if I agree. Could you elaborate?" This will not be as offensive as the other statement. On the other hand, if you do not allow others to speak or cut them down incessantly or speak rudely or sarcastically, you are likely to be perceived as disrespectful and arrogant and no one wants disrespectful and arrogant students in their college. Listen before you reactIn a group discussion, listening to the others views and assimilating what they have to say is as important as speaking out. If you speak out something without understanding the other person’s views, you are bound to come across as foolish and stupid. So listen carefully to where the discussion is going and then react. Don’t speak for the heck of itSpeaking more is not considered smart but is looked at as attention gathering technique. You will be appreciated more for speaking sense rather then speaking more. So stay away from the habit of speaking for the heck of it. Avoid conflict statementsAvoiding conflict in a group discussion is crucially important. Once a conflict has started, it is very difficult to control it. Everyone is different and will have strong beliefs about a topic that may differ from others. That does not mean you go all out and bash others for their different views. Never tell a member of the group that they are wrong. Instead, disagree with them by using phrases such as "it may be better to...." or "may be we should do it this way?" You are there to make it through the admission process and not to change a person’s thinking style. So stick to your goals! Tackle trouble with tactIf someone is trying to argue with you just to pull you down, dismiss the argument with a smile and a firm statement. Say something like, “I respect you for your view but don’t really adhere to it” or something like, “I like the passion with which you believe in your views but I would still like to stick to my opinion. Maybe we both are right.” The idea is to try and end an argument politely so as not to make it a one to one verbal bashing match.Always remember be precise, be comprehensive, be focused on the issue and you will be able to hit the nail.
Learning Right
First impressions last and handwriting makes that first impression on the reader. Whether it’s the examiner reading your answer sheet or your professor checking your answers, the reader is stimulated and impressed the minute they see a neatly presented sheet in front of them. On the other hand, a messy notebook or answer sheet has the ability to put off just about any one. If your scores are dropping in spite of your always correct and well-articulated answers, then you know where you are loosing out.Improve now!It’s never too late to improve your handwriting. A bit of practice, determination to improve and above all, understanding of the right techniques together can help you make those letters on the paper look good, enabling you to score better, in exams and in life as well. Here are some tips to help you improve:1. Use the right muscle groups instead of writing with fingersPeople who invariably have handwriting problems write with their fingers and do not use the right muscle groups. They "draw" the letters instead of writing. Such a finger-writer puts the full weight of his/her hand on the paper. His fingers form the letters and he picks his hand up repeatedly to move it across the paper as he writes. The result is writing that looks like frenzied chickens let loose on the page. On the other hand, people with cleaner handwriting usually rest their hands fairly heavily on the paper and let their forearms and shoulders move as they write. Their writing has a rhythm and elegance that shows they’re using at least some of the right muscle groups. They don’t draw the letters with their fingers. The fingers serve more as guides. Master this art of not writing with the fingers consciously and you will have started on a tirade to improve.2. Get a good handwriting sample to learn from Once you have figured the good handwriting technique, its time to get down to practicing it. Keep in mind the rule to use your right muscle groups and not to write with your fingers. Find an example of handwriting you like and find worthy of imitating. Treat this sample handwriting as a goal you want to reach at.3. Practice makes a man perfect, so gather the right tools and start practicingGet some lined paper in a rule you're comfortable with and choose a pen or pencil you like using. Remember that a costlier pen doesn't necessarily mean it's better for you. It could be anything you are comfortable writing with. Also remember that perfecting your handwriting will be an ongoing process. You will have to patently work towards your goal for days till you unconsciously start practicing improving your handwriting.4. Hold the pen properlyThe best position to hold the pen is at an angle of 45 degrees to the paper. Hold it lightly and don’t pressurize or strangle it with your grip.5. Begin with single lettersBegin with individual letters and practice writing them to perfection, following the style of your chosen writing sample. Concentrate on overall letter formation, the slant and form of each letter, and beginning and ending strokes.6. Progress gradually and learn to give correct word spacing Move on to complete words once you have finished practicing individual letter writing. Keep in mind the space between the characters, how you join letters to form words and the space between words. To write readably, you must give enough space between words and between lines. The space should not be too much or too little but there must be at least the space of a 'u'.7. Try slanting your handwriting and avoid capitalsStraight handwriting is not very easy to read whereas slant handwriting is pleasing to the eye. Try to slant the letters to the right rather than to the left. Avoid capitals. Many children continue to write in capital letters thinking it is more readable which is exactly opposite to the truth. Capital letters are less readable than small letters.8. Highlight your headlines and essential pointsWhile writing for exams carry a ruler and a highlighter and underline and highlight the headlines and essential points in the answer. This will enable the examiner to know in one glance the flow and crux of your answer.9. Anytime, anywhereUtilize left over time during boring lectures, commuting time, doctor's office visits and so on to practice your handwriting instead of doodling or staring into space. This will accelerate your handwriting improvement process.There is nothing practice can’t perfect so never give up and you will soon reap the benefits of your determination and hard work. Happy writing!
From the best primary schools to the outstanding B schools of India, the implementation of speeches and presentations is ever increasing and becoming almost mandatory. Here are the top 10 tips which will ensure a captive audience.Tip 1- Work heavily, write and rewrite the material in your own vocabulary until it sounds completely correct to your own ears. Use simple words that are not difficult to enunciate. Use everyday language so that your audience can understand your message easily. Avoid technical terms or keep them to a minimum level as much as possible.Tip 2- Use descriptive phrases so that you get an opportunity to delve deep into the minds of your listeners and so that they get an understanding of what you are talking about. People don't like to get informed. It’s always better to give a mental picture to your audience while delivering a speech.Tip 3- Avoid using a lot of statistics that will put your audience asleep in their chairs. Just keep the vital statistics in your speech to a minimum amount.Tip 4- At times humour can be an effective method to get undivided attention from your audience or to drive them to a certain point, or simply help to keep their attention on you. Humour can also effectively lessen tension, especially yours. Use short jokes or personal anecdotes for this purpose. Just make sure your entertaining material is appropriate for the audience you are speaking to.Tip 5- Your speech will probably either inform or persuade your listeners to take particular action. Be sure to include localized information in your speech that pertains to your audience's specific needs.Tip 6- Read your speech out loud several times to hear how it will sound to your audience. Rehearse giving your speech in front of a mirror. Visualize that way you are able to see how you are going to look at the audience. This technique will help you to relax and feel more comfortable.Tip 7- Make sure to speak a little louder than your normal pitch. Avoid yelling into the microphone, but speak loud enough so that you can be easily heard by the entire audience, not just the first few rows.Tip 8- When you are delivering a speech to your audience, remember to slow your pace down a little bit and don't rush through the words. Make sure to enunciate and don't slur your words either.Tip 9- Flyers, brochures and other single-sheet handouts are useful visual aids which you can circulate among the audience before, during, or right after the end of your speech. This way the audience will have all the necessary written information to take home with them and review afterwards.Tip 10- Remember to be an appreciative speaker and do thank the people who have asked you to deliver the speech. At the end of the speech feel obliged to thank the audience for listening to you.
• When a new subject is being introduced in class, try and recollect previous knowledge on the subject and relate it to the current topic. • Concentrate on what is being taught in case you do not have any previous knowledge on the subject. • Sit at a place from where instructions are audible and cogent. Ideally this would mean sitting in the front row of the class. • Pay heed to main issues and take notes whenever you feel unsure. • Review notes post class and relate it to what was taught in class. • Rewriting notes also helps in remembering subjects. • Highlighting or underlining important topics and vocabulary is a good method to memorize a topic.
Bright ideas have a habit of cropping up at the least expected of times, in the shower, amidst a traffic jam, while just nodding off to sleep are a few examples of such places and times. And before you know it—poof… it vanishes, leaving you with that nagging feeling of having found a gold mine but lost it. Well let’s repair the situation: Make a habit of jotting down ideas as they come to you.
Keep a ready supply of pencils and small notepads/ sheets of paper around the house, in your pockets, so that you don’t drop jotting down an idea due to the lack of writing materials. Later on you may discard several of these hastily jotted down thoughts, but it is the few that work that make all the effort seem worthwhile.
Even when you may be listening to a lecture, notes can come handy. Concise notes can capture the entire gist of a topic and help you recall all the salient points.
So make it a habit to taking down points and ideas. They can be immensely helpful.
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