Learning Strategies

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• How Do I Know What Instructors Expect?
• How Can I Make The Best Use Of Class Time?
• Where Are The Best Places To Study?
• Why Do Assigned Readings Before Class?
• Should I Always Take Notes During Class?
• Is There A Study Group For Me?
• Why Should I Go to Office Hours If I Understand the Material?
• Is A Planner Absolutely Necessary?
• How Can I Avoid End-Of-Term Crises?
• Do I Need To Take A Break?

Is There A Study Group For Me?

There are many types of study groups. Some might work better for you than others, depending on the course or the situation. As you may know from high school, study groups composed of your close friends often don't work well—not much studying gets done. Here are some possibilities for study groups at CSUN:

• Meet on a regular basis (often weekly) with several others to review assigned readings and material covered in specific classes or to work on a joint project.

• Meet occasionally, or during a brief period, to prepare for specific events or class requirements (e.g., tests, in-class presentations).

• Identify a central place (e.g., on your floor in student housing, at someone's home, in the Library) where everyone in a group can come when they want to study or complete class work. Although most people work independently, the joint setting promotes concentration and provides opportunities for occasional feedback or information.

• Use e-mail to exchange drafts of essays or research papers with friends or classmates. Each reader goes over the drafts sent by others and highlights passages that seem unclear or incomplete.

Said one of the interviewees about her study group: "I find it's really helpful because then you get more points of view. If you don't get something, they might get it and if they don’t get something, you might get it." Another student described how his group worked: "When we have all individually gone through the study guide and written up what we didn't know; then we will come together and like pile that altogether. We usually study for like an hour-and-a-half, two hours, up in the Library."