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HOW TO

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SHARPEN YOUR STUDY SKILLS

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HOW TO SHARPEN
YOUR STUDY SKILLS
SIGMUND KALINA
Illustrated by
RICHARD ROSENBLUM
Is yourschoolwork getting you
down? "Take the work out of home-
work" is the cheerful advice of a
teacher and tutor, and he has writ-
ten this book to show you how.
"Dr." Kalina's prescriptions for
flagging interest and failing grades
are a tonic for good students too,

as he shows how to focus your at-

tention, schedule your work, and


be prepared for tests long before
you take them.
Memory aids and tips on taking
notes, how to be a better listener,
and how to get the most out of read-
ing, plus helpful hints on how to

handle math, science, English, and


social studies put you right on your
study target.
How to Sharpen Your Study
Skills is a practical guide of tested
methods for building good study
habits that will free you for fun.
This is the book that could change
your life, and now is the time to
begin.
371.3 * 71101
Kalina, S.
How to sharpen your study skills.
DATE DUE
OCT 07 1999
MAY 6 1995 HAR 2 3 2000

IAN 2*
DEC 1 2 19 95

S/3.-P-
___
MAR 5 1996

JULIO
APR

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1 2 1996
>**
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1 7 1996

NOV

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JAN 2 3 1998
; 1996

T99BT
4997^

JAN ? 1999

HAR-2 6 1999
PRINl El l

IN U.S.A.

JJ.1JUL1WO c\- mn-*-.v> M.i*

paid for and no books will be issued to per-


sons in arrears for fines.
How to
Sharpen Your
Study Skills
How to
Sharpen Your
Study Skills
Sigmund Kalina
Illustrated by Richard Rosenblum

Lothrop, Lee and Shepard Company


A Division of William Morrow & Company, Inc.

New York
By Sigmund Kalina

The House That Nature Built


Air, the Invisible Ocean
Three Drops of Water

Your Bones Are Alive


Your Blood and Its Cargo
Your Nerves and Their Messages

How to Sharpen Your Study Skills

Copyright 1975 by Sigmund Kalina

All rights reserved.No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized


in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photo-
copying, recording or by any information retrieval system, without per-
mission in writing from the Publisher. Inquiries should be addressed to
Lothrop, Lee and Shepard Company, 105 Madison Ave., New York, N. Y.
10016.

12 3 4 5 79 78 77 76 75

Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data

Kalina, Sigmund.
How to sharpen your study skills.

SUMMARY: A guide for building good study habits and improving


grades. Includes tips on the taking of notes, reading methods, scheduling
school work, preparing for tests and other useful topics.
1. Study, Method ofJuvenile literature. [1. Study Method of]
I. Rosenblum, Richard. II. Title.
LB1049.K333 371.3'02812 75-22295
ISBN 0-688-41718-3
ISBN 0-688-51718-8 (lib. bdg.)

SAN RAFAEL. PUBLIC LIBRARY


SAN RAFAEL. CALIFORNIA
For my son, Daniel Kalina, whose guidance counsel-
ing touches the lives of all his students at Memorial
Junior High School.
Acknowledgments
I wish to thank my colleagues for their helpful sug-
gestions in organizing the effectiveness of this study
guide.

They are: George Hudson, Chief Librarian; Cynthia


Krieg and Marjorie Miller, Media Specialists; Leo
Marcotte, of the Mathematics Department; Vincent
Mandato, School Psychologist; Stanley Aarons, Harold
Anderson, and Robert Lawson of the Guidance De-
partment; and all my students who inspired the writ-
ing of this book.
1

Contents

1 Take the Work Out of Homework 1

2 Reading Is a Study Tool 18

3 How to Develop a Good Memory 26


4 The Techniques of Note-taking 32
5 Get to Know Your Textbook 43
6 Learning Mathematics 50
7 Learning Science 57
8 English 64
9 Social Studies 70
10 Using the Library 74
11 Attack on Tests 79
12 A New Point of View 90
Index 93
Take the
Work Out of
Homework
Is your schoolwork getting you down? Is it piling up? ISTHIS
Do you find yourself watching the clock, ever waiting YOU?
for the bell to ring? "Work, work . . . nothing but
work" keeps running through your mind. Do you al-
ways have the feeling there is too much to do and
wonder how you will ever get out from under?
Each time you sit down to your homework, do your
eyes spin an invisible bridge between the clock and
your work, or to that certain picture staring back at

you? Are you up again raiding the refrigerator, or


investigating some imaginary sound? Do you make a
million excuses not to get started?
A thousand groans and sighs later, you are still

struggling with your work. It is like digging in the

sand at the water's edge: the deeper you dig, the more
the sand caves in. There seems to be no end.
Would you like to know how to get your work done WHAT YOU
in less time, do it better, pass with good grades, and CAN DO
have more time for yourself? Keep reading this book.
It is packed with hints on how to study, do better on

11
tests, and take the work out of homework. It will show
you how to manage your time and make your school-
work less of a drag.
Do you wonder where your time goes? It seems to
play tricks on you. Whenever you are busy with some-
thing that you enjoy, the time steals away without
your knowing it. However, when you are impatiently
waiting for the school day to end, time seems to stand
still.

There is just so much time in a day. It is like the


waters in a rushing stream. Just as the waters cannot
flow back again, you can never recapture the hours
once they have ticked away. So make your time count.
KEEP A The secret in dealing with time, as with money, is to
TIME keep track of it. Find out how much is yours to spend.
RECORD Make a record of how much of your time is taken up
with after-school activities such as sports, clubs, and
social activities.

12
Jot down how long it takes you to get home from
school. Do you stop for pizza or a soda? Do you visit

a friend or walk directly home? Perhaps you ride the


school bus? No matter what you do, keep an account
of where your time goes.
When you arrive home, do you spend hours on the
telephone? How much time do you spend watching
TV, working on a hobby, or doing anything that you
might be occupied with other than schoolwork? Add
all these activities to your time record.
When you begin and end your homework, make
note of the time devoted to each subject. In this way
you will know how long it takes to do all your home-
work. This record will also show you which subject
requires the most, and the amount of time. Bear
least,

in mind that whether your homework assignment is


writing, reading, or reviewing, it is all homework. A
time chart to keep track of where your time goes could
be very useful.
Once you have a record of your time, you can tell MAKE YOUR
how it is being consumed how much of it is helping TIME COUNT
you with your schoolwork and how much you are
wasting. Time is a powerful tool; use it wisely and
make work for you to increase and improve your
it

study skills. Here is a hint. Borrow some of it from


the fun things and apply it to your schoolwork. Then
notice how your grades begin to climb!
You might think of your time-keeping record as a
kind of balance scale. When more time is spent for fun
things than for study, this holds your grades down.
When time is taken away from the fun things and
added to your study time, your grades begin to rise.

13
Although you are setting aside more time for your
study, you still have time for the fun things.
As you get into the habit of applying yourself to
your schoolwork, your hours used in study begin to
pay off in many ways. A good feeling of accomplish-
ment wells up inside you. Your schoolwork becomes
more interesting and less boring.
SCHEDULE Try reminding yourself to keep your schoolwork ap-
YOUR TIME pointments with yourself by keeping a schedule with:

Time for written assignments


Time for reading assignments
Time for review and
Time to relax

Following a time schedule does not mean that you


must study hour after hour to get your work finished
at a definite time. It does not mean that your work
will become dull and boring. You are not a slave to
your work.
It does meanjumbled thoughts will no longer
that
float through your mind. One by one they will fall

into place, first things first. You know what you want
to do and you do it. It is not how long you force your-

self to sit and study that counts, but wasting no time

and getting started with no fuss or bother. Organizing


and sticking to a time schedule gives you a step-by-
step system to take the work out of homework.
DON'T DO It is good planning to divide your homework into
ALL YOUR two intervals: one to work at before dinner, the other
HOMEWORK AT you can have a study break
after dinner. In this way,
ONE SITTING and give your mind a rest between the two sessions.
However, be careful not to let the study intermission
stretch into your after-dinner study time. Don't give

14
way to the temptation of watching television. Remem-
ber, you have a schedule; stick to it.

It is a good idea to prepare a study kit for your BEGIN


schoolwork. It could simply consist of a clipboard, WITH A
pencils, pens, a ruler, and any other things you would STUDY KIT
need. Or perhaps a larger kit would be more to your
liking; if so, you can obtain any number of plastic or

cardboard containers which can easily be used to set

up your own arrangement of storage compartments.


Plan on having a portable kit so that it can readily
be moved from place to place, wherever you might be
doing your homework, whether you share a table or
desk, work in a corner of a room, or have your own
den.

15
KEEP YOUR The important thing is to arrange to have your study
STUDY THINGS materials together and as near you as possible. This
HANDY will help you to keep your mind on your work, since
it will not be necessary to interrupt your thinking
whenever you might need something. Being so organ-
ized is a great time saver, not just for schoolwork,
but for any activity in which you might be engaged,
from hobbies to odd chores at home.
To obtain the most from your studying, you should
choose a straight chair. Then there will be no chance
of slumping, no slouching, no leaning backward, and
no drowsing off to sidetrack you from your study
course. A good light will help focus your attention.
The place you choose to do your homework should
be a location where no one will bother you. It should
be an area where you can occupy yourself with plan-
ning and carrying out your school matters. It will be
your own quiet nook where you can read, collect your
thoughts, and study.

16
No work is easy, but knowing what to do, how to do
it, and when to do it, makes your work much easier,
less frustrating, and more interesting.
As you acquire the habit of doing your schoolwork
as part of your daily routine, you will be surprised to
find that you are consuming less time and using less

effort with your studies all because you have a plan.

Your system is working.


A good working system should have room for CHANGE YOUR
change. There will be times when you may have to SCHEDULE
rearrange your study schedule. When sports, music, or WHEN YOU
club meetings keep you late at school, it will be helpful MUST
to alter your plan of study. On these days, it is wise
to do first those subjects in which you have a written
assignment due the following day. Handing your
written assignments in on time shows the teacher
that you are doing your job and you care about your
schoolwork. How can you help but get better grades!

17
Reading
Is
a Study Tool

STUDYING A good many students look upon studying as just

IS MORE THAN reading. They think that all one must do is simply
READING read the number of pages assigned. However, studying
ismore than reading. It is understanding and re-
membering the material that you are reading. You
know that you are studying when the words you read
linger in your mind. Do not make the mistake of con-
tinuing to read sentence after sentence while your
mind wanders. That truly is a waste of time!
ALL READING You might regard reading as an essential study tool,
IS NOT and as with any tool, you must learn to use it. All
THE SAME reading is not alike. Some passages you can easily
skim and still understand: that is, you can read quickly
and grasp the main ideas without slowing down for
details. This method of reading is very effective when
you are looking for background information from
magazines, booklets, or newspapers. It is a good time-
saving device.
There are other times when you achieve good results
if you read sections of your study assignments out loud.

18
ftp

Laboratory research shows that repeating something


more than once in your own voice is much better than
reading it silently. When you read out loud, you use SOMETIMES
two pathways to your mind your eyes and your ears. READ ALOUD
Talk to yourself, even whisper. This makes it harder
for the words to escape your mind. You will remember
more and forget less. This type of reading works well
when you are required to memorize poetry or learn
new words in a foreign language.
There will be other occasions when you will do SOMETIMES
much better to slow down, reading certain paragraphs SLOW DOWN
over once, twice, or as many times as it takes for you
to learn the exact meaning so that you can explain it
to someone else. When you are able to do this, it will

show that you really understand what you are reading.


You will find this kind of reading very helpful in
studying selections in science and math. This reading
technique is very effective when you are learning some- GET
thing for the first time. THE MOST
Studying and reading go together. The secret of OUT OF
getting the most out of your reading is to learn to READING

19
recognize the style of reading which works best, the
type of reading which puts you right on your study
target. This requires practice.
Try your skill with the following paragraphs. What
kind of reading would work best to study the selection
below?

READ THIS One of the first things you probably do in the


morning is to look outdoors to see what the weather
is. You look at the sky to see whether the sun is

shining, at a how warm or cold


thermometer to see

it is, and at the trees to see how hard the wind is

blowing. If you have a newspaper, you may read


the weather forecast. And you may listen to the
weather report on the radio or see it on television.

Many people need to know the weather forecast


to carry on their daily work. Bad weather delays
trains, buses, ships, and airplanes. It can stop prep-
arations for shooting a rocket into space. Power
^ companies get ready to repair their wires if an ice

storm is forecast. Unseasonable frosts may ruin


fruit crops unless the growers can protect their
orchards. Farmers must fit their everyday work
into sunshine and rain.

Do you have a mental picture of what you have just


finished reading? Do you find the material familiar?
Is it easy to understand? What kind of reading do you
think is most effective with this material? Now read the
next selection.

NOW, One commonest kinds of igneous rock is


of the
READ THIS granite. Granite is very hard and can be polished
until the surface is smooth and shiny. Because

20
:S^>

different minerals crystallize in granite, it is found


in shades of green, gray, or blue. One mineral,
mica, may be dark or clear and usually glistens.
It is soft and flaky and can be scratched with the
point of a knife. Quartz, another mineral, looks
like dull glass but is too hard to scratch with a
knife. The third kind of mineral most often found
in granite is called feldspar. It is duller and less

transparent than quartz or mica.

Let us compare the two reading samples. Which WHAT KIND


selection do you think requires more time to study? OF READER
Do you believe the shorter the paragraph, the easier ARE YOU?
it is to read? Would you use the same reading method
for both examples?
The paragraphs dealing with the weather present
information easily without lots of scientific facts and
data. Because of this, you can skim smoothly over them

21
and get the over-all feeling of the importance of the
weather in our everyday living.

SKIMMING IS It will be well worth your time to cultivate the


HELPFUL habit of using this skimming technique. It is especially

useful when you are confronted with lengthy reading


assignments with few specific facts to remember.

In the second passage you are given information


about a particular type of rock. In addition, you are
told about the different minerals that make up this

kind of rock formation. Each succeeding sentence ac-


quaints you with more facts about the minerals found
in the rock, granite.
THINK Reading like this requires going over several times,
WHILE YOU so you can absorb the seemingly isolated facts and re-
READ latethem to one another in a meaningful pattern
which will tend to remain memory. Reading
in your
experts suggest that from time to time you backtrack
over the first part of your reading. You will be amazed
to discover how much of it you have forgotten after

ten to fifteen minutes of reading time.

22
Here is a suggestion which will help you study and
remember more about what you are reading. Make a
list words you think are important. Write
of those
them down. Look at them. Study them. Think about
them. Doing this will impress those terms on your
mind so they cannot escape you.
Here are more ways to sharpen your reading skill: SHARPEN
Practice getting ideas from groups of words, rather
YOUR READING
SKILL
than reading single words for their own meanings.
Don't move your lips when reading. It slows you
down. Read faster. It will help.

Don't read word by word, following along with


your finger; let your eyes do the "walking."
Try not having to reread sentence after sentence,
as this tires you easily.

Reading is thinking. Attempt to keep your mind


on the subject matter.
Plan to have as many practice sessions as you can.
Get into the habit of reading all kinds of material.
Set up a suitable reading schedule to fit your own
time and stick to it!

Relax while you read and you will find that the READING
more you read, the more you will like to read, and IS FUN
the more you like to read, the more you will want to
read. When you enjoy reading, you will become
more interested in reading for many purposes for
the rest of your life, not just for school. Reading will
open many worlds to you.

There is a third kind of reading skill you will READING


need throughout your studies. This is the ability to INSTRUCTIONS
follow instructions which may involve:

directions for solving problems or taking tests

23
directions for carrying out science experiments
directions for fitting parts together, as in con-
structing models
directions for following recipes for making any-
thing from food to paper-mache.

Reading directions is good training for both school-


work and activities outside the classroom. The ability

to follow instructions will help you to:

organize your work and carry it out step by step


pay attention to details
avoid errors before you begin working on a par-
ticular project, so you do not have to do it over again.
avoid making mistakes when taking tests, by know-
ing exactly what a question is asking.

Once you learn how to read and follow directions,


you will then be able to give directions to someone
else. You know and understand what you are reading!

When you return home from school, there may be a


report due for English, a map to make for social

studies, questions to answer in science, and math prob-


lems to work out. There is so much to be done. What
do you do first?

BEGIN WITH It is a good idea to begin with your worst subject,


YOUR WORST the one you find the most difficult. Do not save it for
SUBJECT last, since it will require the most time, your best
efforts, and the most energy.
As with all your subjects, first look over your notes
to refresh your memory. Each time you do this, it is

as though you are crossing over a bridge between your


classwork and your homework. It helps you understand
whatever is coming next. Practice this with your class
notes.

24
On Monday, review your notes for that same day. REVIEW
On Tuesday, go over the notes for Monday and Tues- YOUR DAILY
day. On Wednesday, study Monday's, Tuesday's, and CLASS NOTES
Wednesday's notes. Continue doing this with the notes
taken Thursday and Friday. Each time you repeat this,

you remember more and forget less. This is a sure-fire

method to learn the material and to be ready for tests

whenever they come.

25
How to
Develop
a Good Memory
REPETITION Repetition is another good study tool, if you know how
HELPS to put it to its best use. Specialists in learning tell us
that you should have repeated study sessions spread

over a period of several days for material that you want


to be able to remember for a long time.
The way to remember something is to go over it

more than once. Each repetition adds more to the


learning and helps get your mind ready for those study
periods which are to follow. Do not make the mistake
of thinking that the remaining study sessions are a
waste of time. Those later practices are very important.
They stamp the studied material longer in your mem-
ory. They make it stick!
HAVE SHORT You will soon discover that spacing your study times
STUDY SPURTS is more effective than studying at one sitting. When

you attempt to learn too much at one time, incoming


ideas do not have enough time to find a place in your
memory bank. They do not stick. This is why cram-
ming is not good!
Having long study sessions, hour after hour, makes

26
you bored and tired. Before you are aware of it, fatigue
overtakes you and meaningful learning ceases. When TAKE AN
you begin to feel this way, it is wise to take a short EXERCISE
break. Get up and walk about, stretch your legs, or BREAK
perhaps do some calisthenics. The point is, do some-
thing different that will give your mind a rest. How-
ever, do not make the mistake of using these breaks as

an excuse not to study.

You should strive to work out your own best length


of study periods. It is important that you do not per-
mit too much time to elapse between intervals of
study, lest you drift out of your learning mood. A good
pattern to follow is to have frequent study practices, BUT STAY
and each study session should be somewhat longer than
WITH IT
the one before it. Do a little each day; if possible, plan

not to miss a day of some study time.

27
This method of learning is known to produce good
results when you begin a new topic of study, when the
material is difficult to understand, or when there is a
great amount of subject matter to remember.
USE Suppose you are having difficulty learning the lan-

FLASH guage of the metric system. You might use flash cards
CARDS to help you.

Obtain a supply of 3 by 5 cards. Print the different


terms on separate cards. On the back of each card, write
the meaning of the term or its prefix. Your cards could
look like this:

kilo (Front side)


hecto

kilo means 1000 (Reverse side)


hecto means 100

Your cards could have English and metric equiva-


lents, such as 1 meter = 39.37 inches; 1 kilogram =
2.2 pounds. At first make it a point to study the cards
several times in one day. The next day, test your mem-
ory and keep a record of your score. few days later, A
go over the cards again. This time, space your sessions.
Repeat these practices several times a day for three
days. Test yourself again. Compare both your scores.
What do you find?
PUT YOUR Try using
flash cards with the different subjects of
CARDS your schoolwork. Such cards have been proved to be
TO WORK very convenient and effective, especially when learning:

28
vocabulary lists

special words in a foreign language


important events and dates in social studies
names of government departments
names of famous people
new terms in science
formulas in math and science
principles and laws in science

They will also lend themselves to a variety of other


uses as you carry out your school assignments.
In the seventeenth century a French philosopher
named Descartes suggested to his students that they
think of the mind as a room kept neat and tidy,

where each thought or idea is tucked away in its own


place. Today, in a similar manner, one can imagine
the brain as a human computer storing bits of informa-
tion in its memory bank with each new experience.
The important thing is to be able to get at the WAKE UP
stored knowledge when it is needed. People with a YOUR MEMORY
good memory can do this. Here are some pointers to

improve your memory:

Be interested in what you are learning. When the ma-


terial you are reading appeals to you, you remember it

better. If you do not find the subject to your liking,


become an actor and pretend that it is interesting; for
interest leads to understanding, and understanding
leads to an efficient memory.

Search for something useful in what you are studying.


This could mean learning new words which will help

improve your writing. You might come upon a method


of making more outstanding maps. You might discover
a new trick to help you check your math problems.

29
Your searching is bound to help you learn, and the
more you learn, the more rewarding your studies will
be.

MEMORIZING Do not confuse memorizing with learning. When you


IS NOT try to memorize something without understanding,
LEARNING you think you are learning, but you cannot be sure of
it because the material is not meaningful to you. It is

dangerous to memorize word for word. You might re-

member mistakes. The secret in developing a memory


that works is to remember facts in your own way and
in your own words.

ASSOCIATIONS Whenever you know you will need to recall isolated


ARE ideas, associate them with some fact that you already
MEMORY know or have experienced. In this way, you provide
HOOKS a mental "hook" from which it will hang in your
memory.

30
Here are some suggestions for building associations
or "memory hooks." When you have many things to
remember such as lists, names, or things to do, try
putting them into small groups according to:

letter ideas, grouping with the same first letter,

(cheese, coffee, cake, candy, corn)


alphabetical order.
(Alabama, Colorado, Delaware, Florida)
having something in common.
land animals (mice, deer, rabbits, snakes)
water animals (fish, clams, shrimp, eels)
chain method, linking things which go together, LINKS IN
(ham and eggs, salt and pepper, pail and shovel) A CHAIN
word hooks. In music, the spaces of the treble staff
reading upward are f, a, c, e, which spell the word
"face." The first letters of "north," "east," "west,"
and "south" spell the familiar word "news."
sentence hooks. Make phrases or sentences that will A GOOD
help fix information in your memory bank. To re- IMAGINATION
member which way to turn the clock at the start BUILDS
and end of Daylight Saving Time, remember that STRONG LINKS
you "spring" forward and "fall" backward.

To strengthen a memory hook, it is a good idea to


stamp it with interest, secure it with concentration,
and polish it with many repetitions.

31
-^4
The
Techniques
of Note-taking

Your homework actually begins in the classroom. It


starts with your note-taking. As you go over your notes,
there may be portions that puzzle you; you cannot
quite understand the notes you took in class. What can
you do? Learn to take better notes and you will begin

to take the work out of homework.


The trick in taking good notes is being alert. When-
PRESCRIPTION ever your teacher is lecturing or explaining things
FOR TAKING you listen,
GOOD NOTES you concentrate,
you think, and then
you write.
In this way, you have a much better chance of under-
standing whatever you may be writing.
LISTEN The first thing to do is practice how to listen. This
may seem odd or unnecessary, but most people never
learn how to listen. Listening is a skill; it can be im-
proved by practice and training. Researchers testing
thousands of persons have found that most people use
about twenty-five percent of their total ability to listen.

32
It is as though you were to listen to your favorite rock
group on stereo with only one speaker, turned up half
way. Most people do not listen as much as they can.

The thing to do is make your ears work for you.


Do not let the words pass in through one ear and out
the other. To be a good listener, you must concentrate CONCENTRATE
that is, hold onto your thoughts so they do not
wander. Learning to concentrate requires lots of prac-

tice. Whenyou concentrate, you are collecting and


directing information along one roadway into your
mind. It is like focusing the hot sun rays with a mag-
nifying glass into a burning pinpoint of light. The
more you concentrate, the deeper the thoughts ''burn"
into your mind.
While you are listening, think about the words com- THINK
ing at you. Do they make sense? Do they follow one
another so you can easily understand their meanings?

33
Or do they suddenly make a detour so that you lose

track of the thought? What can be done about this?

Follow the words closely. Do not write down every

word you hear. Wait and listen for the familiar ones,

those words which bring the lost message onto the


main road. Now, once again, the incoming words are
making sense and you understand what you hear. You
now know what you are writing. You are truly listen-

ing.

LISTEN FOR It is a good idea to notice the speaker's emphasis.

THESE CLUES He or she will clue you in. Catch such expressions as:

"Listen to what I am saying"


"This is important"
"Because of this"
"Let us go over this again"
"These results are"
"Don't forget this"
"What does this mean?"

GET READY Get to know your teacher. You will begin to recog-
FOR THEM nize a pattern of words he or she uses. Be on the look-
out for such words as "therefore," "in summary,"
"thus," "as follows," and many others. They are all
good note catchers.
Train your ears for these word signals. Your teacher
will spend more time on those ideas which he wants
you to know and remember. He will repeat them from
time to time. His voice will accent them. Listen for
such cues. They are important!
Listen to the pitch of the speaker's voice when it

sounds higher or becomes lower. Listen for a change


ofpace when it speeds up or slows down. He is tuning
you in. Try not to miss the end of a sentence. It is like

34
tying up a message into a neat package. Being aware
of such signals is a good sign that you are paying at-

tention.
Have your notebook open and hold onto your pen YOUR PENCIL
or pencil, ready for action. In this way, you will be IS A GOOD
constantly reminded to catch the important phrases NOTE
coming your way. Just as a baseball player at bat con- CATCHER
on one thing, hitting the ball, you too direct
centrates
your attention to one purpose, taking good notes.

You might try this next activity. It will give you prac- TRAIN YOUR
tice in listening. Have a friend or a member of your EARS TO
family read a selection from one of your textbooks out LISTEN
loud while you take notes. Once you have taken your
notes, set them aside. Then have the passage read a
second time. In this reading, instruct the person to
accentuate those words they think important. Take
notes again. Remember to have your pencil ready and
listen for the clues.

35
Compare both readings. Is there any difference in
your notes between the two readings? Are the accentu-
ated words of the speaker recorded in your notes?
PRACTICE If you have a tape recorder, you can use it to practice

WITH A this listening technique so you can increase your skill

TAPE in taking notes. This time, choose a section that has


RECORDER been assigned for homework. This will serve a double
function. You will be studying your homework and,
at the same time, getting practice in note-taking.
Imagine you are the teacher lecturing to the class.

Read each sentence, word for word, into the tape


recorder. Stress the terms and facts you think are im-
portant.Be on guard not to speak too rapidly. Slow
down at commas and underlined words. Think about
the words you are reading out loud. When you have
finished, play back the tape recording and take notes
while you are listening to your voice. Repeat this as
many times you care to. Are you improving? Can you
tell?

Keep in mind that the important idea behind taking


good notes is to be able to read them back.
It is very useful to have a colored pencil or yellow
felt-tip pen for highlighting key words and ideas but
only in books you own or workbooks assigned to you.
UNDERLINING Underlining a particular term or phrase makes it stand
out from the rest of your notes. A colored pencil can
be useful in another way. Use a colored dot to mark
individual ideas that have no numerical order.
Very often while you are taking notes, time seems to
be breathing down your neck hurry hurry . . . . . .

Fears that you will not catch


all the words keep racing

through your mind. Don't become panicky. It happens


to everyone. How can you avoid this? Develop your

36
own shorthand system of taking notes. A skillful method WORK OUT
will beat it all the time. It pays to work at it. Better YOUR OWN
grades will be yours. SHORTHAND
You might regard your note-making system as send- SYSTEM
ing clear, sharp messages to yourself. Good notes are
eye-catching. Use as many signs and symbols as you
can. They will prove very helpful, since they are good
note markers and time savers.
One of these is parentheses. Use them to enclose USE
equivalents and to group related words together. PARENTHESES

Many students have found out that they can borrow BORROW SIGNS
a number of signs from mathematics and science. FROM MATH
These signs take the place of word phrases and at the AND SCIENCE
same time spotlight their meanings.
The symbols for the terms "number," "greater,"
and "lesser" can often speed up your note-taking.

# = number
> = greater SIGNS THAT
< = lesser COMPARE
37
USE ARROWS Another time and space saver is the arrow, which
can be pictured in several ways to show direction.

-> = going or leading into


- = going or coming out of
t = moving upward
i = moving downward

Using arrows is very effective when you wish to show


the orderly arrangement from the smallest unit to the
whole. For example, this book is made up of letters,
which are put together to form words. The words form
sentences, the sentences paragraphs, and the para-
graphs fill the pages, which make chapters.
You can capture this same idea with a graphic "flow
chart" and in this way have a more vivid mental pic-

ture of the makeup of a book from letters.


BOOK
t

CHAPTERS
t

PARAGRAPHS

SENTENCES
t

WORDS
t

LETTERS
PLUS AND When
you add or subtract, you use a plus or minus
MINUS SIGNS Sometimes those signs can take the place of words.
sign.

Here are some illustrations. The (+) sign expresses


such ideas as:

38
to add to or onto something
to increase in size
to increase in quantity
to increase in age
to gain

The ( ) sign conveys such ideas as:

to take away
to decrease in size
to decrease in amount
to get what is left

to lose

Just as you can make use of the plus and minus THE EQUALS
signs, you will discover the equals (=) sign a good SIGN
space saver.Such words as "similar," "identical,"
"alike" and many others usually can all be indicated
with the equals sign.
Often, it will save time to substitute this sign for
phrases like these:

as good as in balance with


the same as on a level with
look like keep even with
the equivalent of equal with

39
TRY ROMAN Do you recall learning Roman numerals? How often
NUMBERS do you work with them? Most students outline their
topical notes with I, II, III, and so on. Include them
in note-taking. They are especially useful in showing
numbers ending in zeros. It is a good idea to consider
employing some of these basic symbols. Here are a few:

X = 10 M = 1000
C = 100 MM = 2000
D = 500 V = 5000

USE A good many students find it to their advantage to


ABBREVIA- abbreviate certain words. Frequently, they invent their
TIONS own shortened forms. When
working out your system
of abbreviations, be certain that you know the exact
spelling of the particular term you are shortening. At
the same time, be careful not to have the same abbrevi-

40
ation for more than one word as this can be very con-
fusing.
Another hint in taking good notes is not to crowd SPACE OUT
one sentence after another as though you were writing YOUR NOTES
Leave plenty of space between each
a personal letter.
line so you can easily read back whatever you are
writing.
Once you have your notes, do not lock them up in STORE THEM
your notebook and forget them. Review them; store INYOUR
them in your memory so you can get to them whenever MEMORY
they are needed.
It is essential to have clear meaningful notes to en-
able you to take sharp pictures of them with your
"mind's eye." Producing good notes helps take the
work out of homework and pays off with satisfying and
rewarding dividends: better grades and, even more
important, a better understanding of your subjects.
Do you remember how you first learned to ride a
bicycle? You practiced over and over again, and before
long, bicycle riding came easily as walking. Note-taking
is no different: practice and learning go together.

Your notes belong to you, and putting them on


paper is the same as writing messages to yourself. As
the school term progresses, they keep adding to your
notebook and before long it becomes heavy and clumsy.
It doesn't make sense to carry all these notes with you.

They may easily tear loose and get lost. It is wise to


remove the earlier ones, those for which you have no
You can
KEEP THEM
immediate need. Store them in a file folder.
IN A FILE
purchase these in your neighborhood stationery or
FOLDER
variety store. Plan to have a separate folder for each
of your subjects.
It is good practice, when storing this overflow of

41
notes, to be certain that each page is labeled and num-
bered in the same order they are withdrawn from your
book. That way you will avoid having your notes
mixed up and out of place. Section after section will
follow along in proper sequence and you will always
know where to find them. Carry this out with all your
subjects.

Just as important papers are kept and stored in good


safekeeping order in a business office, you should re-

gard your notes as valuable study papers. Dividers are


very useful to set apart the different papers inside a
folder.

Here are some summing-up ideas that could be put


to good use. Try them and see if they work for you:

TIPS FOR Take notes on a full-size sheet; do not use small


GOOD NOTE- pieces of paper.
TAKING Take notes with a pen or a pencil that will not
smear or smudge.
Use signs, symbols, and abbreviations which you
understand and recognize.
Keep your mind on the central ideas.
Keep margins for jotting side notations, so they
do not clutter up your main notes.
Keep each subject's notes together.
Have each page in your notebook numbered,
dated, and subject titled.

They are your notes. Take pride in them. And re-


member that taking notes is not just for the classroom.
It is equally important when studying from a textbook.

42
Get to Know
Your Textbook
Another worthwhile study tool is your textbook; learn
to cultivate its use. When a textbook is put together,
chapter after chapter is carefully planned so you can
easily follow and understand the subject matter.

A textbook is a bank of information. Here are some


keys to help you get at the many ideas and facts pre-

sented in the book.


In front of the book is the table of contents, which

43
READ THE lists the chapters or sections in the book. Rather than
TABLE OF glance through the pages in a hit-or-miss fashion, turn
CONTENTS to the table of contents. You might also see other chap-

ters which would interest you.

Examining the table of contents gives you a quick

idea of what the book is all about. If each chapter is

divided into subheads, you can tell at a glance which


topics are covered. This is a great help when you want
to find something quickly.
DISCOVER An even more useful guide to the contents of your
THE INDEX textbook is the index, an alphabetical listing at the
back of the book. Using the index is a quick method to
spot just what you are looking for.

'MB>&%1
When consulting the index, you will often find "see
also" after the term in question. That indicates where
you will find more information on the subject. Librar-

44
ians call this system of helpful clues "cross reference."
Sincemany words have more than one meaning, it EXPLORE THE
is important that you understand how the author is GLOSSARY
using a particular term. Does it have a special meaning
in the topic where it appears? To help you with your
reading, many books include a glossary a listing of
words with their explanations as they are used in the
text. But do not confuse a dictionary with a glossary.
Each one has its use. A dictionary first shows the most
frequently used meaning of a word, whereas a glossary
lists that particular meaning or sense which fits the
subject matter in the text.

Using a textbook is like reading a road map. On a

road map, the main towns and shown in large


cities are

print. In a textbook, the principal topics and ideas are

set off in boldface print, which is blacker and heavier

than the rest of the print. Just as a map guides you


from place to place when you are traveling, a textbook
leads you from one topic to another with bold printed
subheads introducing paragraphs with new ideas.

This boldface type acts like a signpost alerting you to


what is coming Get into the habit of observing
next.
bold-style headings and you will benefit more from your
textbook readings.
Notice the subheads introducing the topics in this USE YOUR
book. Thumb through the pages of the book and you TEXTBOOKS
will discover more of them. They are like news head-
TOPIC GUIDES
lines flashing messages about what is coming. Reading

them gives you the feeling of following the clues along


a nature trail. They help direct your thoughts as you
go from one paragraph to the next.
As you continue to explore the pages of different BOLDFACE
textbooks, you meet boldface words in the middle of a

45
paragraph, in the middle of a sentence, or anyplace
where there are key words that you should impress upon
your memory.
ITALICS Boldface is not the only type designed to draw your
attention to certain key words. As you read sentence
after sentence, your eyes follow the words along the
printed lines. Suddenly the text is interrupted with
print that looks different, like script rather than print-
ing. This style of type is known as italics. It is an indica-
tion that the word or sentence is important. It is a hint
for you to pay particular attention to the meaning.
Look for words printed in italics. Observe that they are
used sparingly; otherwise they would lose their pur-
pose and go unnoticed.
CHARTS Throughout most textbooks, you usually find a vari-
AND TABLES ety of charts and tables. Do not pass over them. They
present, in a vivid, graphic manner, important data
from which conclusions can be drawn. They form a
meaningful picture showing how facts and ideas are
related to one another.
At first glance, these charts and tables may appear
complicated. Take time to study them and you will be
amazed at how simple they really are.

Putting facts and ideas in boxes helps you see how


they belong together. Did you make a time record
chart as suggested in the beginning of this book? Look
at it. You can readily see the amount of time being
consumed by your different activities. A chart of this
kind is very helpful. It connects words and numbers
into meaningful ideas.
There are times when books use graphs to explain GRAPHS
certain facts with numbers. A graph is a chart that il- PICTURE
lustrates how numbers affect other numbers in a defi- IDEAS
nite relationship. Many graphs are constructed to show
numbers by means of lines of different lengths. Graphs
can be presented in many ways.
When facts shown in graphic form,
and ideas are
they are easily understood and make a more lasting
impression. This is why you will meet a variety of
graphs in school texts. Learning to read them helps
take the work out of homework.
Very often a textbook will finish each chapter with END OF
flashback study cues reminding you about the main CHAPTER
points in the chapter. You will discover these chapter CUES
end cues under headings often printed in bold or
brightly colored type. These headings may read:

In Summary
Checking up
Main Ideas to Think About
Words to Remember
These are all designed to dissect out the important
facts from the various paragraphs. They help get at the

"skeleton" of the chapter.

47
No matter what the words, they direct your attention
to the key points covered by a particular chapter. You
will also find, at the end of each chapter, questions
about those key concepts. The questions are there not
to catch you, but to let you determine how much of the
CHECK UP chapter's content you really know. It is a way for you
ON YOURSELF to check up on yourself under such headings as:

Testing Your Understanding


Do You Remember?
What Do You Know?
Questions To Answer

If you follow these suggestions at the end of each chap-


ter, you will automatically be reviewing your home-
work assignments and so will meet each day's work
with more ease and confidence. Higher marks will
bolster your ego. You know what you are doing and,
more importantly, you are learning.
As you continue your tour through this book, take
a closer look and see how these study tools can keep you
up at the top. Knowing how to use a tool is the first
step in getting good results. Discover how you can put USE YOUR
these learning tools to work with each of your subjects, STUDY TOOLS
so you can do a better job. Let us begin with an attack
on mathematics, a puzzle to many students.

49
Learning
Mathematics

TAKE NOTES A good many students think that because mathe-


matics is mainly numbers, there is no need for taking

notes. They math class is a


believe note-taking in a
waste of time, and merely sit there and watch the
teacher do examples or work out problems on the board.
They let the teacher do all the work and fail to think
along with the teacher. This is one of the main reasons
why many students find mathematics a stubborn sub-
ject to master.

Mathematics, more than your other subjects, re-

quires practice. Work out for yourself the examples or


problems explained in class.

Doing examples or solving problems is a step-by-


step process. The important thing is to understand
how each step leads to the next. Do not memorize it.

Think it through!
Suppose the lesson for the day is learning how to
figure averages. As your teacher explains the method
of arriving at averages, an example is worked out on
the board for you. This is a signal for you to get it
down in your notes.

50
Write each step as it appears on the board, and at
the same time, concentrate on what you are doing. It

is a good idea to list each step, one below another, so


you can check for any errors right on the spot.

In copying any example from the board, it is very LABEL THE


helpful, wherever possible, to label the numbers at the STEPS
end of a step. In this way, you will be able to know
exactly what the number answers stand Doing this
for.

will keep you on the right track in solving or working


any similar example or problem.
Often, your teacher will instruct you to turn to cer-
tain pages of your book and continue figuring addi-
tional examples. This is a cue for you to note these

page numbers in the margin of your notebook. Your


class notes could look like this:

AVERAGING
TEST MARKS 74
77
70
Pages
ra kk (1) Add numbers + 71

(2) divide by 4 292


73 = Test Average

Your notes will show that when finding averages, you


first add the number of items, which in this instance

is four tests. You then divide the total by the number


of tests. Notice the step numbers inside the parentheses.
Observe that your answer is labeled.

The numbers in the left margin refer to the pages

in your math book where you will find this kind of


example. You now have two places where you can
look up computing averages: your notes and your text-

book. Thus, if your notes are not clear, you can quickly

51
check your math book where a sample problem is

usually worked Whatever you learn in class


out. will

help with your homework, and your homework will

help you recall the things that you learn in class.


In mathematics, the term "operation" is used to
mean addition, subtraction, division, or multiplication.
You can think of these operations as the working steps
to solving problems in mathematics.
WATCH OUT Many students are often surprised at the mistakes
FOR CARELESS they make when doing a simple operation such as ad-
MISTAKES dition. Usually, these are careless errors. Here are some
tips to help you avoid making these common mistakes:
GRAPH PAPER When adding numbers, always place them in the
KEEPS YOU correct column. Train yourself to keep your figures
IN LINE in line by practicing on graph paper, placing each fig-

ure in its proper box.


Here is another trap you might look out for. When

52
you add fractions, you must first decide whether you PRACTICE
are working with like or unlike fractions. Like frac- WORKING
tions all have the same denominator. In adding like WITH
fractions, only the numerators are added. The denomi- FRACTIONS
nators are not added. Remember this. It will keep you
from making foolish mistakes.
You cannot add unlike fractions unless they are
changed to like fractions. First change each fraction
into a like fraction, then add all the denominators, as:

JL, = JL + i_ .- il
3 4 12 12 12

The careless error is the villain that prevents you

from getting the correct answer. This is particularly KEEP THE


true when you are working with decimals. When ad-
DECIMAL
ding decimals, carefully place each decimal point be-
POINT
low the others. Only this way will you list each number
WHERE IT
BELONGS
in the correct column. Before you begin adding, first

53
insert the decimal point in the answer space. Follow
this rule and you will make fewer mistakes!
Remember that the order in which numbers are
added makes no difference. First add the numbers
downward and then upward. If you arrive at the same
sums, your answer is correct. This is a handy way to
check your addition.
MULTI- When you multiply, you are actually doing addi-
PLICATION tion. When four is multiplied by five, it is the same
as adding the number 4 five times, or adding the num-
ber 5 four times.
As in addition, the order of the numbers makes no
difference when multiplying. The products or answers
are the same whether you multiply the top number by
the bottom or the bottom number by the top. You
could use this idea as a quick method to check your
multiplication.
Forming mental images of ideas in mathematics is

very useful. Keep this hint in mind. When whole num-


bers are multiplied, the product is always greater than
any of the numbers being used, except when a number
is multiplied by 1 or zero.
DIVISION Division is the opposite of multiplication. Multiply
2 times 4 and you get 8. Divide 8 by 2 and you get 4;
divide 8 by 4 and you get 2. In this way, you can con-
sider division as the opposite of multiplication and use
multiplication to help check your division.
Division is often used to show comparisons:

6 is 2 times greater than 3


means 6 divided by 2 = 3
9 is 3 times greater than 3
means 9 divided by 3 = 3

54
12 is 4 times greater than 3
means 12 divided by 4 = 3
Many students become confused about the meaning
of the division sign. The mathematical symbol is -r-

which indicates divided by, not divide.


"Divided by"
can be expressed in several ways. Here are three ways
to write 21 divided by 7:

21 21/7 7 I 21

There will be occasions when you might be solving


problems dealing with all words and no numbers.
These verbal problems make you feel as though you
are lost in the woods without any signs to help you find
your way. The secret in working these problems is to
recognize those key words which show you which
mathematical operation to use.
Once you have a problem solved, get into the habit
of doing it over again. Work it out without referring
to your book or notes. Do it on your own and make a
point of knowing exactly what the problem is asking
you to find out. The more you practice, the easier it is

to recognize the key pattern in similar examples. Learn


to spot the gist of it, and when you meet it again there
will be no mystery about finding the solution to a par-
ticular type of problem.
Here are some other study hints: FOLLOW
THESE STEPS
Check your answers.
ALONG THE
Be accurate.
STUDY TRAIL
Learn to read mathematics.
Understand the terms and signs used.
Talk out loud. Ask yourself what the problem or
example is asking you to find.

55
Wherever possible, picture the problem with a
diagram.
Work out more than one example. Do not merely
change the numbers.
Work out your homework problems on scrap
paper before copying them into your notebook.
Make it a practice to do your homework long be-
fore coming to class.
Do your homework assignments every day.

There is no magic math problems. The


in solving
trick is knowing which operation to use and reasoning

out the problem, step by step. When you can do this,


you are taking the work out of mathematics.

56
Learning
Science

Most students, at one time or another, begin to wonder


about their school subjects. The same old questions
keep poking at them. Why do I have to study this

subject? Do I really need it? Will I ever use it?

Learning in all subjects is like putting a jigsaw puzzle

together. Just as each piece must fit alongside another


so that you can complete the puzzle, whatever you
learn in one subject helps with another. The method
that you apply in mathematics is very useful in study-
ing science. In mathematics, you learn to work with
numbers and formulas. In science, you become ex-
posed to ideas and laws which are often explained with
numbers and formulas.
SCIENCE IS There is no mystery about studying science. It is

A CHAIN OF not necessary to possess a special talent to master this


IDEAS subject. You need not be a motor "bug" to know elec-

tricity. A chemistry set will not teach you to under-

stand the atom. Collecting rocks will not get you an


"A" in earth science, nor will raising tropical fish make
you pass biology. Having a hobby is not studying
science!
LEARN TO A good science student is curious. Keep questioning
LINK THEM What . . . How . . . Why and you will begin to see
how things relate to one another. Develop the skill of

seeing the continuing thread which runs through all

your science lessons. When you do this, science will


become more meaningful and your understanding of
the subject will increase.
Understanding science requires recognizing and in-

terpreting ideas in an orderly manner. In science, every


idea follows another. You might even visualize each
idea as "growing" out of another.
QUESTIONS The trick is to pick out the key ideas or principles.
SEARCH FOR One way to accomplish this is to flash questions through
MEANINGS your mind. This helps you search for reasons and
meanings. Once you recognize the key facts, you can
easily understand how they relate to one another.
you can diagram these ideas to show how they
If

affect one another, you will be able to form a much

58
clearer picture of how they work together or in op- DIAGRAMS
posite directions, whichever the case may be. SHOW
Very often science lessons include a variety of dia- RELATIONSHIPS
grams which are important in understanding a par-
ticular lecture, experiment, or classroom activity.
A diagram is part of the lesson and you are expected
to know it. To many students, the puzzling thing
about a diagram is, how does one go about studying it?

Tracing and coloring a diagram is not learning it. It

is essential that you see and fully understand whatever


it is showing, whether it diagrams structures or science
principles at work.
There are occasions when it might be necessary to

59
DIAGRAMS reproduce a diagram from memory or recognize and

ARE PICTURED identify several structures shown in the diagram. This


CLUES kind of activity is very common in studying the life

sciences. A familiar example of this is learning the


parts of a flower. Looking the diagram over and just

reading the labeled figures will not lock this informa-


tion into your memory bank. Copying the drawing
with painstaking art work will not insure your under-
standing and recalling the flower and its parts.

Here is a threefold plan of attack to help you recog-


nize and remember structures belonging to plants or
animals:

STEP 1. Learn the name of the structure.


STEP 2. Learn the structure s junction.
STEP 3. Fit the structure into the scheme of living
things.

Studying a diagram with this method is like mailing


a letter. You stamp it with the name of the structure,
make it stick with its function, address it with its place

60
in the lesson, and mail it off into your memory. Doing
it way, you take the work out of homework.
this

Many
students have difficulty in science because they
simply do not see science as a network of related ideas.
A good attitude to adopt when studying science is to
imagine yourself as a detective trying to solve a mys-
tery. Just as one clue leads to another, to bring about
the solution to the mystery, each lesson is another link
which helps you form a strong chain of understanding
science.
Studying science is new language. All
like learning a LEARN THE
through your lessons you will meet new words, and LANGUAGE
others that take on a different shade of meaning a more OF SCIENCE
specialized meaning than the common one with which
you are familiar. You are not expected to memorize
these terms; it is more important to understand their
scientific usage.

As with any language, the more words you know, MAKE YOUR
the easier it is to read and understand it. One way to OWN SCIENCE
build your science vocabulary is to put together your DICTIONARY
own science dictionary.
You could build a 3 by 5 card system. On each card
print a science term. Next to it write its scientific defi-
nition. If you wish, you can have an example of its
scientific usage on the reverse side. Your cards can be

set up this way:

(Front side) EVAPORATION


The changing of a liquid
to a gas.

61
(Reverse side) EXAMPLES
A wet towel dries in the sun,
Puddles of water disappear
into the air.

It will be helpful to use one card for each science term.


This way, you can easily arrange additional new words
in their proper alphabetical order.
USE YOUR Do not make the mistake of storing your file cards
SCIENCE away without ever looking at them. It is a good idea to
VOCABULARY learn at least two words each day. Make it a habit to
use these words whenever you are explaining some-
thing in class or doing written homework assignments.
The more familiar you become with your new vocab-

62
ulary, the easier it will be for you to think in scientific
terms and understand science.
Here are some good rules to help with your science
studies:

Always have your pen or pencil ready.


Study one paragraph at a time.
Look for the key words in each paragraph.
Jot these key words down.
Study them before continuing with the next para-
graph.
Follow the main ideas from paragraph to para-
graph.
Where helpful, make quick diagrams.
Know the difference between a process and the
results of that process.
Do not substitute examples for definitions.

Very often studying science involves demonstrations


of a particular principle which you are learning. You
might be carrying on an experiment in the classroom
or doing your own investigations at home. Whatever
your project is, an oral or written report is usually
required. It is important to gather as much detailed
information as you can. Your school textbook doesn't
give you enough information. What should you do?
Begin by going to your school and local libraries. You
will be amazed at how helpful they can be. See page 74.

63
vr8
English

COMMUNICA- When you are speaking, listening, writing, or reading,


TION you are giving or receiving information. You are in-
volved in the process of communication. This is what
studying English is all about.
It is the aim of this section of the book to help

sharpen your study skills in the mechanics of com-


munication, such as doing a homework assignment,
answering a test question, writing a composition, or
preparing a book report.
Let us take a good look at the building blocks you
use in making yourself understood namely, words.
You might think of each word as having not just its
own meaning, but its own personality.
WORDS ARE Words are tools of language. You think with words,
THE BUILDING you speak with words, and you write with words. Can
BLOCKS OF you say just what you mean? Are you able to write
LANGUAGE exactly whatever you wish to say?
Once you study the meaning of a particular word
and learn how to use it, the word will belong to you.
It will become part of your active vocabulary those
words which you use daily.

64
Have a mental image of words before you write SPELLING IS
them. Pay close attention to their spelling. This is very IMPORTANT
important because the words you put on paper indicate
the kind of person you appear to be. A misspelled
word shows people that you do not know the spelling,
you are careless, or you do not think spelling is im-
portant.
The best way to be certain of the spelling of a word USE THE
is to consult a dictionary. Since you are not sure of its DICTIONARY
spelling, looking it up might present a problem, but
the first two or three letters will probably be enough
for you to find the word in the dictionary. Then use it!
Here are some spelling tips. Try them they work. SPELLING
HINTS
Know the meaning of each word you use.
Know how to pronounce the word. Hearing it

helps with writing it.

Study the word you misspell. Pay close attention to


the part of the word that gives you trouble.

65
Make a list of all the words you have difficulty

spelling. Keep it in a separate section of your note-

book.
Study the rules of spelling. Practice them.
Don't be careless when writing your vowels. Make
them look like as, es, i's, o's, and u's, and not like

one another.
Get into the habit of proofreading, so you can spot
a misspelled word.
Keep up to date with your spelling and vocabulary
words.

An effective approach to the spelling of troublesome


words is: read the word, think about it, say the word
out loud, listen to it, then write the word.
There will be many times when you will be required
to write a composition right in the classroom. Too
often the word "composition" triggers off: a desperate

MAKE scramble to grab words from your vocabulary bank.


DEPOSITS Fears and doubts tie you up in knots. You just cannot
IN YOUR find the right words. They are not there. The remedy
VOCABULARY is to improve your vocabulary so that you can say just
BANK what you mean. Try these ideas:

Remember all the new words you read and hear.


Add them to your list and study them.
Read a variety of materials. In this way, you will
meet many new words. Notice those which appeal to
you and use them as much as you can.
Develop an interest in words. Learn more than

one meaning for each word.


Each time you discover a new word, find a syn-
onym, a substitute word that can take its place.
Get into the habit of noticing new or unfamiliar

66
words in newspapers, magazines, and even in com-
mercial signs and slogans.
Search for little words inside big ones.
Acquire a feeling for the exact meaning of words.
Make a habit of using the dictionary to add more
words to your vocabulary bank.

By improving your vocabulary, you will sharpen


your writing skills and have less trouble putting your
thoughts on paper. If you learn five new words a day,
in one year your vocabulary will increase by nearly
two thousand words!

Would you like to do better with your written work? IMPROVE


Would you enjoy seeing your compositions come alive YOUR WRITING
with more punch and interest? Try some of these sug-
gestions. They will improve your writing.
Certain words can do more harm than good. This
is especially true of the little word "and." Too often
students use this word as a link in an endless chain.
They keep connecting one idea after another into long
sentences. There seems to be no end to the string of
"ands."
Here is how you can avoid this flaw in your writing.
Omit the "and." Put a period in its place. For example:
The man came to the door and asked for help

67
and I quickly ran to the phone.
Try it this way:
The man came to the door and asked for help.
I quickly ran to the phone.
Notice that one long, boring sentence suddenly be-
comes two sentences bristling with action.
Another word which traps you and the reader is

the constant repetition of thepronoun "I." Sentence


after sentence beginning with "I" makes for dull and

monotonous writing.
Another technique you can try to create more va-
riety in your sentences is changing the word order.

For example, the sentence "You can find many shells


at the water's edge" can be arranged this way: "At the
water's edge, you can find many shells."

Make your sentences sparkle with variety and your


teacher will become intrigued with your writing, while
you become intrigued with your rising grades!
On occasion, you will be asked to write on a subject
in only one paragraph. Here is a line of thought you
might follow:
Imagine you are the author of a "mini" play, and
each sentence is a scene in the play. The first sentence
is the opening scene. It tells what is going to be
discussed in the paragraph. The sentences which fol-

low will add more information, just as each scene con-


tinues the story of the play. The last sentence ends
the play. It reaches back to capture and restate the
main idea written in the opening sentence.
PLAN YOUR In many English classes, students must hand in a
BOOK REPORT term book report. They are usually given a list of
books from which to choose. It will be to your advan-
tage to organize a plan for this project and allow a

68
reasonable amount of time for its preparation before
the due date. This plan should include the following
steps:

choosing the book


getting information about the author
reading the book
taking notes
preparing a first draft of the report
writing the final report.

When choosing a book, you should try to select one


that interests you. You might prefer a particular author,
or a certain story. No matter what takes your fancy,
keep in mind that the report is not a boring chore that
you must get done. Think of it as an exciting adven-
ture with other people.
When you write the report, "speak" when you write. LET YOUR
Be yourself. Don't try to show off with big words OWN STYLE
which you are not sure of. Use simple but effective SHINE
words. Let them be honest and straight to the point. THROUGH
Your writing should be like your signature, with a
style all its own.

69
Social
Studies

What does social studies mean to you? Is it just a

parade of unfamiliar people and places, dates, and


events faded with time? Is social studies merely a read-

ing subject for which you are expected to read some


assigned pages, answer a few questions at the end of
each chapter and continue on to the next one, just
as you move from class to class until the school day is

over?
SEARCH FOR Social studies is much more than that. It must be
HIDDEN IDEAS studied with a searching mind, so you can understand
how events and ideas are related. You must learn to

70
tie in the facts about which you are reading to those
ideas that you already know. Let the questions how
and why guide your reasoning when reading social
studies.

Reading in social studies requires your full atten-


tion. Keep in mind that all reading is a thinking
process.
One important ability you should acquire to be suc- BRANCH OUT
cessful with social studies is to train your mind's "eye" WITH YOUR
to capture a broad, far-flung view of what has happened THINKING
and is happening in society not just in one country,
but all over the world. Studying social studies is like
standing high on a mountaintop, looking out in every
direction and seeing what is taking place everywhere,
all at the same time.

Here are some suggestions that can be helpful in


learning this broad and ever changing subject. Let us
begin with history.
When you study history, focus your attention on HISTORY IS
how occurrences in the past influenced today's world, YESTERDAY,
which in turn will shape the future. The dates, the TODAY, AND
events, and the people you read about have made his- TOMORROW
tory. Learn about them.
In measuring the passing of time in the history of
peoples and countries, it ismore meaningful to think
of blocks of time than to memorize exact dates. In this
way you can follow the gradual unfolding of the past
without stumbling over individual dates. To avoid
making careless errors when referring to centuries, BE SURE OF
remember that: CENTURIES
1700-1799 is the 18th century,
1800-1899 is the 19th century, and
1900-1999 is the 20th century.

71
Terms such as social, political, economic, and geo-
graphical are key words that appear over and over
again. It is important that you know how they are used
soyou can understand the lesson. It is hard to think of
one of these key words without the others. Each idea
in social studies has an effect on the others.

The secret of how to sharpen your study skills in

social studies is to have your mind's "eye" spread its

sights a little wider, each time you have another lesson


to cover. Here are some suggestions as to how you
might do this:

Study the things that happen or change as part of

a period in time, not just as isolated events.


Do not memorize dates by themselves. Link them
with other dates so they will wind more deeply into
your memory.
Try remember events in the order in which
to
they occurred. They will lead one after another
straight into your memory.
Pinpoint the location of any country, state, or city
and paint a mental picture of it. This helps to tie in
the inside happenings of a society with its surround-
ings.

Ask yourself questions while you are reading. This


will help you "read between the lines." Then you
will be thinking along with the author and his mes-
SUMMARY sage in the lesson will shine through. Questions like
SIGNALS these will keep you on target:
KEEP YOU What is happening?
ON TARGET Do I understand it?
Do I need more information?
What am I supposed to learn from this section?

72
Finally, read summary headings at the end of the
chapter. "Words to know," "See for yourself," "Check-
ing up," or "Review these ideas." They will show you
what you really know and how much you do not know.
In searching for answers to your questions, you LEARN TO
should keep in mind that your textbook is to be used COLLECT
as a guide. Unlike your textbook for science or mathe- FACTS
matics, it does not teach everything about the subject.
You must acquire the habit of getting more informa-
tion, to supplement what your textbook gives you.

73
10
Using
the Library

THE LIBRARY A library is much more than just a storage place for
ISA books. A library is a reservoir of ideas. Think of it as
RESEARCH a research center filled with a variety of useful mate-
CENTER rials other than books. A vast amount of information
is contained in special maps and charts, all types of
magazines, newspaper clippings, filmstrips, microfilms,
photographs, recordings, pamphlets of special informa-
tion. Indeed, you will find the library a gold mine of
information of all kinds.
GO TO THE The first thing to do is locate that part of the library
CARD where you can find books about your topic. To do this,
CATALOG you should consult the card catalog, which contains
the titles of all the books in the library.
The card catalog lists books by subject, title, and
author. Thus there are three kinds of cards from which
you can obtain the listing of a particular book. Each
card contains the same information: the title of the
book, the call number, the name of the author, and
the publication date of the book.
Notice that each card is printed with a number in
the upper left-hand corner. This is the call number,

74
which will guide you to the precise location of the
book, unless some other person has taken it out. This
number is important in another way: it can help you
discover other books dealing with the same subject.
All books on the same subject are shelved together.
All libraries use a system of grouping most non- BECOME
fiction books according to subject. A set of numbers ACQUAINTED
identifies each group according to the Dewey decimal WITH DEWEY
system, named after a famous librarian, Melvil Dewey. DECIMAL
These numbers are coded into the call number of
NUMBERS
each book. Understanding call numbers will prove to
be very useful in doing library research, whether it is

gathering information for school assignments or satis-

fying your own needs on any subject that may interest

you.
CHECK THE A on many subjects is
great deal of information
VERTICAL printed in pamphlets, newspapers, and magazines
FILE which are kept separately in what is called a "vertical
file." Ask the librarian to direct you to it.

In all of your courses, you will be expected to know


how to collect information, whether for a particular
lesson, an oral report, or a term paper. The best way
to do this is to use the library's reference section,
where you will find a variety of books containing spe-
cialized information on most subjects.

When doing this library research, it is a good idea


to start with an encyclopedia, which contains articles
about every field of knowledge arranged in alphabeti-

cal order.

Consulting an encyclopedia will furnish you with


skeletal information a quick, short account of facts.

From there, make it a point to find more detailed in-


formation from other books.
REFERENCE In addition to the many books devoted to general
BOOKS information, you will discover specialized reference
sources. Suppose your assignment requires biographi-
cal data, information about the lives of statesmen, ex-
plorers, presidents, scientists, or other well-known
people. Try the dictionaries of biography recom-
mended by the librarian.
MAPS ARE Just as history describes what has taken place, ge-
GOOD STUDY ography shows where it has happened. Get into the
TOOLS habit of using maps. Maps are effective study tools
which many students fail to use. They show direction,
distance, topography, and location and relative size of
political and geographical divisions. Learn to consult
an atlas, which is a book of maps, or a geographical
dictionary to find the answers to your questions.
There will be times when you are required to re-

76
search very specialized and exact information. You
might have to report about the national debt, the
exact amount of money owed, from the time of the
thirteen colonies to the present fifty states. At another
time, a mission to the library helps you find the exact
number of members in the President's cabinet.
In both instances, the best reference to check is the
World Almanac. This is a book of facts. In its pages
you can discover an enormous amount of information
from the past to the present.
Not all information appears in books. Magazines, or
periodicals, often contain articles that can be most
helpful with many of your projects. Most libraries

have a section devoted to back and current issues. But


how do you find out which ones have articles on your
topic?
In the library there is a set of vplumes called The
Reader's Guide to Periodical Literature. It is actually

a huge index of magazines. The subjects of the articles


are arranged in alphabetical order.

77
As you consult the encyclopedia, the "World Alma-
nac, The Reader's Guide to Periodical Literature, you
will find it convenient and time saving to gather your
facts on a set of file cards. Make it a point to print a

separate heading for each topic in your report. Be cer-

tain to number all your cards as you go. In this way,

you will be well prepared for the next step, organizing


and putting the material together.
ORGANIZE Read your notes and sort out the cards with the
YOUR NOTES different headings. Does each topic lead to the next,
so you can clearly explain the facts which you hope to
report? If so, you are well organized!

78
11*-*
Attack
on Tests
Can you imagine a football game, tennis match, or
bowling tournament with no one keeping score? Any
sporting event without scores would be dull, and point-
less in more ways than one. There would be no in-
centive to win and no goal to reach. There must be
some method of scoring.
Just as sports and keeping score go together, so do
school and taking tests. Tests are not designed to trap
and confuse you into making mistakes. A test is not a
battle of wits between you and the teacher. There is
no winner and no loser.
Testing is one method of keeping score of your WHY TAKE
schoolwork. It is a much fairer way to grade you than TESTS?
guessing. The teacher uses tests to determine the pro-
gress you are making in a particular subject. Students

usually get whatever marks they earn. There are no


favorites.

You might regard examinations as especially de-


signed "barometers," made to measure your school-

79
work progress, which both you and the teacher can
read. Think of them this way: tests are for you.

TESTS They show how much you know.


HELP YOU They show how much you don't know.
They show what you should know.
They show where you make mistakes.
They show you and the teacher whether you need
help.
They show you and the teacher whether you are
improving.
They give you practice for the next test.

Very often you will hear students telling each other

that they get "butterflies" at the thought of taking a


test. Others talk about the feeling of having "knots"
inside their stomachs. No matter how one describes
this condition, all agree it is the fear of taking tests
that brings on these sensations of having the jitters.
This is a normal feeling, since no one really enjoys
testing.
Why not put your sharpened study skills to work
to organize a successful plan of attack for taking tests?

The first thing to do


is to get ready for the examination BE PREPARED
by laying the groundwork for the expected questions.
Being prepared lightens the burden of fear.
As soon you know of a scheduled test, get started!
as

Do not delay. Give yourself enough time to prepare


for the examination. Thumbing quickly through your
notes, the last fifteen minutes before a test, is not a
good practice. It tends only to confuse you. To be well
prepared, you should:

Arrange to have an early review.


Remind yourself of the things you think the test
will cover. FIND OUT
Find out what you don't know, or whatever you WHAT YOU
are not sure of. DON'T KNOW
Make short summary notes. Study them.
Focus in with clear thinking by having plenty of
sleep. Do not sit up late before the test. Be rested
and calm. Don't forget to have your breakfast. You
will need all the energy you can muster.

A. Essay Questions

The term "essay" should not be a signal for you HOW TO TAKE
to write hundreds of sentences; that does not mean ESSAY TESTS
that one sentence is all you need for an answer. Essay
questions require that you discuss ideas. No matter
what kind of essay question is put before you, you
must plan and think out your answer. Here are some
tips that will arm you with your attack when con-

fronted with an essay test.

The first thing to do is read all the questions, to see

81
READ, PLAN, the different kinds of questions included in the test.

THINK This is important. It will help you decide where to


begin.

Now plan your attack. First answer those questions you


know best. Save the hardest question, or the one about

which you know the least, for last. It is a good idea to

pencil in the order you intend to follow in answering


the questions.

Be sure that you understand what the question is ask-

ing. Focus on the heart of the question. Know exactly


what is wanted.

Find the key word or phrase which will clue you in to

how to answer the question. Such words as "explain,"

"compare," "list," "describe," and "give the reasons"


are all hints telling you what to do.

Underscore those words. It is a good idea to begin your


answer with those key words or phrases appearing in
the question. By doing this, you direct your thoughts
to the target in getting the facts down and, at the same
time, you make it easier for the teacher to follow your
answer.

82
Try to say the most in the fewest words. Your answer
should be clear and to the point. However, be careful
to write enough to answer the question fully.

Take a moment to stop and check your writing. Are


you on the right track? Are you sticking to the ques-
tion? Are you answering all that is required?

Allow more time for the most difficult question. When


you do this, it is a comfortable feeling to know that
you still have time to collect your thoughts. It is better

to write something than completely omit the question.


You never know; you could be lucky. And perhaps you
know more than you think you know.
Leave time for review. Do not be lazy. Do not be so CHECK IT
sure of yourself that you think this is a waste of time. OVER
Review helps everyone. An escaping thought might
suddenly come home and give your test mark a boost.
Keep in mind that your teacher has to mark hun-
dreds of papers and, like you, can easily become tired.
Why not help with the grading of your paper? Pin-
point the facts and ideas for which the teacher may be
searching. Try the following suggestions they work.

Underline the facts or ideas in your answer. GET THE MOST


Underline the reasons shown in your answer. OUT OF YOUR
If examples are asked for, call attention to them ANSWERS
with "an example is," or "here is an example."
Remember that examples are not definitions. It
never hurts to give an example after first writing the
definition. Thus:

Definition: Vertebrates are animals with backbones.


Example: A fish is a vertebrate. It has a backbone.

83
Be sure that thenumbers of your answers corre-
spond to the numbers of the questions.
Don't cross out words with scribbling; instead
block them out neatly. Anyone can make a mistake,
but being sloppy is another matter. You can avoid
this by thinking before writing. Jot down those ideas

you intend to cover in your answer and follow your


plan.

Since essay questions require answering in some


depth, there are fewer questions on this type of test

than on short-answer tests. Each question therefore


will be worth quite a few points. This is why it is im-
portant to allow plenty of time and enough thought for
each of your answers.

B. Short-answer Tests

All through your schooling, you will meet a variety


of test questions other than the essay type. Tests that
require short but definite word answers are known as

objective examinations.
COMPLETION Let us consider the completion or fill-in kind, which
TESTS most often calls for one- or two-word answers. You can
easily recognize this type of question by the directions:

Fill in the blanks with the word or words which best


complete the sentence.

(Question) The capital of the United States is

(Answer: Washington, D.C.)


The same statement may appear this way:

is the capital of the United States.


When working with fill-in questions, count the

84
w mm
number of blanks and be sure to supply a word for
each one:
The southern border of Texas is on the
of
This is answered by writing "Gulf" in the first

blank and "Mexico" in the second blank.


Usually you will find more questions in this kind of
examination than in the essay test. A word of caution:
don't rush. Take your time. Read each question care-

fully. You must still think out your answers!


Another kind of objective test includes multiple- MULTIPLE
choice questions or statements. You are given answers CHOICE
and you are expected to choose the correct one. The TESTS
important thing to remember is that there is only one
correct answer. Read all four answers, choose the one
you think is right, and then test it by reading the

statement it completes.
Here are some useful tips:

Be careful of those statements which only seem to

be correct.
Don't be tricked into selecting a sentence which
has a false phrase, yet reads as though it were true.

85
Eliminate those statements that you immediately
know are not correct. This usually leaves two
choices.
Now use reasoning and carefully think out the
correct answer.

There will be times when you will be confronted


with matching questions that ask you to link two
terms, facts, or ideas that are the most closely related.
Usually you are shown two columns, each having its

own set of ideas or terms. Your job is to match the


items from one group to the items in the other group.
It could look like this:

To each of the examples in column A match the


proper word from column B. Use the capital letter

for your answer.

COLUMN A COLUMN B
.1. migrating birds A. plant
.2. floating seaweed B. mineral
.3. marble chips C. animal
.4. ripened fruit

86
C. Matching Tips TIPSFOR
Read the directions carefully.
MATCHING
QUESTIONS
Read both columns. Notice that column A has 4

items, whereas column B has 3 items. This means


that you must use a capital letter more than once.
Work the easy ones first.

Don't be sloppy. Keep track of what you are do-


ing. It is very easy to get mixed up.

True-false questions are frequently given in most of TRUE-FALSE


your subjects. Usually, they are short statements that TESTS
seem fairly easy to answer. However, you must read
them with much care. A simple word can easily trick
you into giving the wrong answer.
Watch out word traps: all, never, always,
for these
and no one, which usually make a statement false.
When reading true-false statements that have two
parts, carefully study each part. If one of them is true
and the other is false, the answer is always false.

87
GUESSING At one time or another every student wonders, is
GOOD OR BAD? guessing good or bad? It all depends on the directions
and how your teacher marks tests. In most cases, you
are expected to answer all the questions. If you do not
know the answer, it will do no harm to chance a guess,
and perhaps your hunch will be lucky.
TEST TIPS Here are some final suggestions:
THAT BRING Be there. Don't give in to any excuse.
SUCCESS
Bring all your equipment (pen, pencil, eraser,
etc.).
Pay close attention to all oral instructions.
Be sure you understand the test directions.
Keep track of your test time.
Don't dwell on the things you don't know.
Relax and think of what you do know.
Change your position from time to time. It pre-
vents fatigue and could give you a new point of view.
Do your best!

If you do not do well, it will do no good to sulk or YOUR BEST


get angry. Why not look at it this way: poor grades CAN BECOME
simply indicate that you are not working up to par. BETTER
You are not doing your best, so you can improve. The
sharper your study skills, the better prepared you will
be to use whatever you learn. Remember, every teacher
wants to give high grades, but the teacher needs your
cooperation.

89
A New
Point of View
You are now nearing the end and still reading this
book. This is a good sign. You are determined to
sharpen your study skills so you can improve. Perhaps
by this time you are adopting a new point of view
toward your school work.
THE The classroom is a place to learn many things, in-
CLASSROOM cluding what you will want to do on the outside. You
IS FOR YOU might think of all your classes as working together to
help you find out who you are and what you hope to
become. The classroom is for you. The time you spend
there can be a drag or it can be exciting. The secret is

in making work for you.


it

MAKE THE A profitable way to have your classroom life become


MOST OF IT meaningful and give you a rewarding feeling of doing
well is to be aware of what your teacher expects of
you:

Be on time. This shows that you are responsible.

Bring your tools with you. This includes pen, pencil,

90
and notebook, and possibly your textbook. You never
know when you might use them.

Stop talking when the bell rings. This is a signal for


both you and the teacher to get started.

Have your notebook open. This shows that you are


ready.

Listen for instructions. It could be about a homework


assignment, a special report, or an approaching test.

Jot it down. Don't depend on your memory!

Hand in your written work on time. This indicates


that you know you have a job to do and you are doing
it.

Raise your hand when you have something to say. Don't


speak out whenever you decide to. This is rude. It

interrupts the teacher and the class.

Don't shrug your shoulders when you are called upon TAKE PART
for an answer. Say something. This shows the teacher IN THE
you are thinking. LESSON

Your questions should be about the lesson, not some-


thing else as though you are trying to waste time. It is
always a good idea to show an interest in your work.
This shows that you care. Asking for help is another
way to tell the teacher that you are honestly concerned
about your school progress.
All teachers are human and have their own way of

conducting a class. Going along with the teaching


methods of a teacher is a step in the right direction.

Just as you feel that your teacher should help you

91
master a subject, the teacher expects yok to do your
part in learning the subject.
PICK UP Listen to all your teachers and you will gather bits

STUDY CLUES of study aids from each one. These will guide you to-
FROM YOUR ward your goal. Tie them together and fit them into
TEACHERS your way of doing things.
Have you ever heard of a self-sharpening tool? It
becomes sharper each time you use it. Think of your
study tools in the same way. Get into the habit of
putting them to work and,
your school work will no longer pile up,
your groaning and sighing will disappear,
you will get at your work without any fuss,

you will know what you must do,


you will be following your time schedule,
and begin climbing the ladder.

Keep it up and you are bound to reach the top.


LEARNING It makes no difference whether you are working on

IS A SKILL a job, practicing a sport, or attending school, always


YOU CAN do your best. Sharpening your study skills is good
MASTER training for doing things after school, and the rest of
your life. Perhaps someday you, too, willshow some
other person how to sharpen his or her study skills and
meet with the same success as you.

92
Index

abbreviations, 40, 42 Descartes, 29


addition, 52-54 Dewey decimal system, 75
associations, 30, 31 diagrams, 55
studying, 59, 60
boldface type, 45-47 dictionary, 45, 46, 65, 67, 76
book report, 68-69 division 54-55

call number (of library book),


English, 64-69
74, 75
errors, 24, 52-53, 71
card catalog, 74-75
centuries, 71
charts, 46 fatigue, 37, 89

communication, 64 flash cards, 28


composition, 64, 67, 68 fractions, 53
concentration, 31-33, 51
cramming, 26 geography, 72, 76
cross reference, 44 glossary, defined, 45
grades, improving, 11, 13, 17,
dates, 70, 71, 72 41, 48, 68
decimals, 53 graphs, 47

93
history, 71, 76 your own system of, 37-40
homework, 11-15, 32, 36, 41,
47, 48, 52, 56, 61, 64 portable study kit, 15

reviewing, 48 practice, 20, 50, 80


and learning, 41
index, 44 in listening, 32, 34
italics, 46 in problem solving, 55
in reading, 20, 23
key ideas, 58 in remembering, 26-27
key words in spelling, 66
highlighting, 36 proofreading, 68
in essay tests, 82
in mathematics, 55 reading, 18-24
in science, 63 enjoyment of, 23
in social studies, 72 kinds of, 18, 22, 23
reading aloud, 19
labeling, 51 repetition, 19, 25-26, 31, 36
learning, 24, 28, 29, 30, 41, 57, reviewing, 2425, 41
60
library, using, 63, 73 school work, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16,

library research, 74-78 17


listening, 32, 34, 36, 38 science, 57-63
vocabulary for, 61

maps, 76 skimming, 18, 21, 22


mathematics, 50-56 social studies,70-73
careless errors in, 52-53 spelling, 65-66
memorizing, 19, 50, 61 study hints
memory, 24, 26, 29, 30, 41, 61 in mathematics, 55-56
building associations, 31 in reading, 23
developing, 26-31 in science, 63
improving, 29 in social studies, 71, 72-73
multiplication, 54 study kit, 15
study sessions, 26-28
notes, 32, 35, 42 study tool, 48, 92
reading back, 36 reading as, 18
review, 24-25, 41 repetition as, 26
spacing, 41 synonym, 66
storing, 41-42
note-taking, 32-42 table of contents, 43
in mathematics, 50-51 tables, 46
on cards, 61-62, 78 tape recorder, 36

94
tests, 79-89 vocabulary, 64-67
completion, 84-85 active, 64
essay, 80-83 improving your, 66-67
guessing on, 88 lists, 29
matching, 86-87 science, 61-62
multiple choice, 85-86
preparing for, 81 word patterns, 34
short-answer, 83-87 word phrases, 37
suggestions for taking, 88- word problems, 55
89 word traps, 87
textbook, 43-48 words, 33, 64-68
chapter-end cues in, 47-48 and signs, 38
time, 12-15 as building blocks, 64-65
keeping track of, 12-13 as language tools, 64
schedule, 14, 15 misspelled, 65
new, 61-62, 66-67
writing, 66-69, 83
underlining, 36, 83
improving your, 29, 67-68
skills, 67
vertical file, 76 written assignments, 15, 17, 91

95

/
About
the Author

Sigmund Kalina writes from personal experience as


a teacher and tutor of many subjects. He is certified

as a teacher of biology, chemistry, and general sci-

ence, and writes filmstrips on those and other sub-


jects in addition to teaching school on Long Island
in New York. Writing is his recreation, and How to

Sharpen Your Study Skills is his seventh published


book. He and his wife are the parents of two grown
children a daughter, who is a nurse, and a son, who
is a guidance counselor.
SIGMUND KALINA writes from

personal experience as a teacher and


tutor of many subjects. In addition
to his teaching career he writes

books and filmstrips and supervises


science workshops. He has won
high

praise from reviewers for his flair


for explaining complex subjects
father of
simply. Married and the
grown children, he lives in Valley

Stream, Long Island, New York.

Also by SIGMUND KALINA


Built
The House That Nature
Air, the Invisible Ocean
Three Drops of Water
Your Bones Are Alive
Your Nerves and Their Messages
Your Blood and Its Cargo

ISBN 0-688-41718-3
0-688-51718-8 (lib. bdg.)
ISBN

LOTHROP, LEE & SHEPARD CO.


A Division of WILLIAM MORROW & Co., Inc.

NEW YORK

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