Study techniques

Have the students make several sheets of paper using the following directions:

1. Create a Recall Column by drawing a vertical line down the page about 1” from the margin.
2. Create a Summary Area by drawing a horizontal line across the page about 1” from the bottom.

Have students take notes in the main area of the page, leaving the left and bottom blank. Ask them to take notes, using this format, during the next lecture.

At the next session, you could use the Note Review strategy to ensure all students have the same important information in their notes. Then have them make up cue questions to put in the Recall Column. These questions should get at the important information in the notes to the right. Be sure students include both general and specific questions in the Recall Column so that they can test themselves on all of the information. Finally, have the students write a brief summary of the important material in their notes.

Read more on Cornell notes on Wikipedia

The critical exam review helps students tailor their study methods and test‐taking strategies to the cognitive levels of questions asked on the exam.

How?

Bloom's Taxonomy provides a useful structure in which to categorise levels of cognition (LOC) of test questions (i.e. recall, conceptual, application etc.). Ideally, this activity should be done before students receive the correct answers to exam questions.

• Begin the activity by asking students to categorise questions they missed according to Bloom’s LOC. The SI-PASS Leader should do the same for each exam question.
• Then, for each question they missed, identify why they think they missed the question (did not study that material, careless mistake, did not read the question carefully, vocabulary difficulties, did not understand what the question was asking etc.).
• Finally, have the students look for patterns in the types (LOC) questions they missed and why they think they missed the question. This should lead to a discussion of the most effective way to study for the next exam.

Each student should leave with a written study plan for the next exam.

Read more about Bloom's Taxonomy on the Vanderbilt University's website

Create a set of incomplete lecture notes by making an outline with some of the parts missing.

Example

Events that led to the start of WW1:

The groups must then work through their notes to figure out how to fill in the outline.

The incomplete outline is an excellent means of helping the students recognise the main points and the organisational pattern of information given in the lecture. It can also be used for the textbook information. Determining the major points can help to sort information and locate the ideas being communicated, making connections easier to find and understand. It helps the students figure out what is important.

Working in pairs, ask students to jot down guidelines for how they currently mark their textbook. In a large group, discuss the following specific to your course: Why read the chapter? What are your goals for reading the chapter? Why mark the text? What do you do with your markings? Ask students what they think are the good techniques for marking the text.  Pick a chapter from their text and have them read a few pages and apply the suggestions. Have the students compare their markings and develop their techniques based on this experience.

Note cards can be used for vocabulary, formulas, concepts, questions, etc. Take a stack of index cards with you to your session and have the students construct the cards during the session. Be sure to show the students how to make them and how to use them during your session.

Write the cue or question on one side of the card and write the definition, description, or answer on the other side.

Note cards are also portable and can be used as a quick review before tests and exams. Encourage the students to place the relevant cards in a place where they can see them regularly to assist them in remembering important information.

You can also construct note cards (flashcards) in an app during your session and share them with participants. Use an app that allows for spaced repetition to optimise memorisation of the targeted course information.

Examples of flashcard apps: Anki, Brainscape, cram.com

This is a method of getting the students to work together to review and augment their lecture notes in an organised way. In small groups, have the students take turns reading a portion of his/her notes. Encourage other students to interject with details missed or questions about the topic.

Give students time to add information to their notes between turns. Follow up with a short discussion in which students share what note-taking strategies they find effective.

Suggest that when students take notes in the lecture they include an “SI-PASS questions” in the margin for the aspects in the lecture they would like to discuss in the SI-PASS session. Sometimes it is difficult to recall what those questions were if SI-PASS sessions are not right after the lecture!

Have students work in groups of 2–4 to make an outline using the headings from an important chapter in the text. Be sure to point out that the size and the placement of the headings of the chapter are important for determining the main ideas and supporting details.

After you have this “skeleton” outline of the chapter, have the students read to determine the important points under each heading. If the students have trouble determining the important points, have them turn the headings into questions and then read to find the answers. 

The answers are (most likely) the important points. Good questions to begin with are:

• Who?
• What?
• Why? 
• When?
• Where?

Have groups compare important points with other groups.