In This Issue:
 Stop Procrastination
Becoming A Successful Student
AUGUSTA TECHNICAL COLLEGE
COUNSELING CENTER
 Memory Improvement
Spring Semester
Learning Styles: What Are They?
 Studying for the Sciences

 Textbook Reading Strategy: SQRW
 Reading Comprehension: The REDW Strategy
Edited by: Amy Laughter
Academic/Career Counselor
[email protected]
A Successful Student Controls Procrastination
What is Procrastination?
Procrastination is putting off or
avoiding doing something that
must be done. It is natural to procrastinate occasionally. However,
excessive procrastination can result
in guilt feelings about not doing a
task when it should be done. It can
also cause anxiety since the task
still needs to be done. Further,
excessive procrastination can cause
poor performance if the task is
completed without sufficient time
to do it well. In short, excessive
procrastination can interfere with
school and personal success.
Why Do Students Procrastinate?
There are many reasons why students procrastinate. Here are the
most common reasons:
1. Perfectionism. A student’s standard of performance may be so high
for a task that it does not seem
possible to meet that standard.
2. Fear of Failure. A student may
lack confidence and fear that he/
she will be unable to accomplish a
task successfully.
3. Confusion. A student may be
unsure about how to start a task or
how it should be completed.
4. Task Difficulty. A student
may lack the skills and abilities
needed to accomplish a task.
5. Poor Motivation. A student
may have little or no interest in
completing a task because he/
she finds the task boring or lacking in relevance.
6. Difficulty Concentrating. A
student may have too many
things around that distract him/
her from doing a task.
7. Task Unpleasantness. A student may dislike doing what a
task requires.
8. Lack of Priorities. A student
may have little or no sense about
which tasks are most important
to do.
How Do I Know if I
Procrastinate Excessively?
You procrastinate excessively
if you agree with five or more
of the following statements:
1. I often put off starting a
task I find difficult
2. I often give up on a task
as soon as I start to find it
difficult.
3. I often wonder why I
should be doing a task.
4. I often have difficulty
getting started on a task.
5. I often try to do so many
tasks at once that I cannot do
any of them.
6. I often put off a task in
which I have little or no interest.
7. I often try to come up
with reasons to do something
other than a task I have to do.
8. I often ignore a task
when I am not certain about
how to start it or complete it.
9. I often start a task but
stop before completing it.
10. I often find myself thinking that if I ignore a task, it
will go away.
continued on page 4...
Reading Textbook Strategy: SQRW
A Strategy for Reading Textbooks
SQRW is a four-step strategy for
reading and taking notes from
chapters in a textbook. Each letter
stands for one step in the strategy.
pate in a class discussion and
again when you study for a test.
Using SQRW will help you to understand what you read and to prepare a written record of what you
learned. The written record will be
valuable when you have to partici-
Survey.
Surveying brings to mind what
you already know about the topic
of a chapter and prepares you for
learning more. To survey a chap-
Read to learn what to do for
each step in SQRW.
ter, read the title, introduction,
headings, and the summary or
conclusion. Also, examine all
visuals such as pictures, tables,
maps, and/or graphs and read
the caption that goes with
each. By surveying a chapter,
you will quickly learn what the
chapter is about.
continued on page 4...
Page 2
BECOMING A SUCCESSFUL STUDENT
Learning Styles: What Are They?
There are many types of learning styles.
Each of us has a different style or combination of styles. Though the majority of us
have the capacity to use most modes, we
tend to rely on or prefer certain styles.
Hopefully, these are the styles that have
brought us success in the past. We all
learn differently but we can all learn effectively. It is important to understand your
own learning style and use it to your best
advantage in the classroom.
There are also many teaching styles. We
do best when our learning styles match
with an instructor's teaching style. Below
is some information about learning styles,
teaching styles, and how to bridge the two.
Eyes or Ears
Do you remember best what is said to you
or what you read? Do you prefer television or newspapers as your source of
news?
Some people learn best by reading. They
need to see something to remember it.
Others learn best by listening. Information sticks once they hear it.
If you have a visual style, you may have
difficulty with an instructor who believes
telling people what to learn and know is
enough. Handouts, reading assignments,
and writing information on the blackboard
are most helpful to you.
On the other hand, if you have an auditory style, you may be in trouble with an
instructor who writes a lot and assigns
reading that is not discussed in class. Class
discussions and study groups are a better
way for you to learn.
Movement
Does it help you to rewrite your notes or
take notes as you read?
Some people's learning is enhanced by
motor movement. In other words, they
learn as they write notes in class. Or when
they are reading an assignment, they remember the content best if they take
notes as they read. Sometimes the act of
highlighting important information that is
read works in the same way.
Group or Solitary
Do you find you remember more when
you study in a group or alone?
Some people draw their energy from the
outside world, that is, interacting with other
people, activities, or things. This is often
called extraversion. Others prefer to gain
their energy from their own internal ideas,
emotions, or impressions. Some people call
this introversion.
If you tend to be more extroverted, you
communicate freely and like to have other
people around. Thus, working in groups and
talking material over with others helps you
understand and process new ideas more fully
and completely. You may be impatient and
distracted working on your own. You like
instructors who are active, energetic, and
enthusiastic. You also prefer a more friendly
and personal approach. In addition, you
probably find larger classes exciting.
If you are more introverted, you probably
work contentedly alone and don't mind
working on one project for a long time without interruption. As such, you may be quiet
in the classroom and dislike classes with a lot
of oral presentations and group interaction
and work. Sometimes having to communicate with others is hard. You work best if
you read lessons over or write them out before discussion, think before participating,
and ask questions before completing tasks or
exercises. You may dislike a professor with a
more personal style of attention and closeness. A quiet and tactful style works best for
you. Smaller classes are your preference.
Practical or Innovative
Do you like to follow an established way of
doing things? Or would you rather follow
your inspirations?
Some people prefer to take information in
through their five senses, taking note of
what is actually there. They want, remember,
and trust facts. They are sometimes called
practical types. Others prefer to take information in through a "sixth sense,” focusing
on what might be. These people like to daydream and think about what might be in the
future. One could call them innovative.
If you are a practical type, you probably like
an established, routine way of doing things.
You prefer using skills you already know
rather than new ones. Taking note of details,
memorizing facts, and reaching a conclusion
step by step is your ideal. You learn best if
you have clear directions to follow. Films,
audiovisuals, hands-on exercises, and envi-
sioning practical examples are most
helpful. You learn best when instructors
are factual and thorough, working out
details in advance and showing you why
things make sense.
If you are more innovative, you probably like to solve new problems. You may
dislike doing the same thing repeatedly
and may be impatient with routine details. You may also find yourself daydreaming during factual lectures. You
work best when you can see the big
picture, have independence and autonomy, and incorporate new approaches
into your work. You like enthusiastic
instructors who indicate challenges,
point out future benefits, and let you
figure out your own way.
Thinking or Feeling
Do you respond more to people's
thoughts or feelings?
Some people prefer to organize information in a logical, objective way. If you
are such a person, emotions play less of
a part in your life, decisions, and interactions with others. You work best if you
can organize and outline a subject, know
your objectives and goals, get to the
task, and receive rapid feedback. You
are most motivated when you can see a
logical rationale for studying certain
material or working on a particular project. You probably prefer teachers who
are task-focused, logical, well-organized,
less emotional, and who offer feedback.
Other people prefer to organize and
structure information in a personal, value-oriented way. You probably learn
best if you can identify with what you
are doing and have an emotional connection to it. You like an environment
with little competition and with opportunity to respond more personally. You
probably prefer teachers who are personable, friendly, and easy to work with.
You also like a teaching style that is positive, tells you why what you are doing is
valuable, and supports your personal
goals.
Open-ended or Closure-driven
Do you like to get things settled and
finished? Or would you rather leave
things open for alterations?
...continued on page 3
Page 3
BECOMING A SUCCESSFUL STUDENT
Nine Ways To Aid Your Memory
It is more natural to forget something
than to remember it. If you intend to
remember something, apply as many of
the following techniques as possible.
1. Be flexible.
Experiment with many learning procedures. Be willing to abandon outmoded and faulty learning procedures
so you will be free to acquire new and
more efficient methods.
2. Over-learn.
In order to retain anything learned,
you must practice and reorganize it
into your current ongoing activity.
One way to do this is to incorporate
the learned material as part of your
present habit system. Use it in speaking and writing. Act out the material
as a rehearsal of a part in a play-a
process known as role-playing. This
is especially helpful in learning a foreign language.
3. Schedule.
Schedule your study time so that the
time at which something is learned or
relearned is close to the time at which
it will be used.
4. Rephrase and explain.
Try a little role-playing. Take the
point of view of the teacher, for a
change. Rephrase and explain the
material, in your own words, to a
5.
6.
7.
classmate. Allow your classmate to
criticize your presentation. Then let
the classmate be the teacher, while you
criticize. If you can't explain something, you don't really know it.
Eliminate accidental and unrelated
associations.
A study situation in which a phone is
constantly jangling produces breaks in
the mental association process. Remove the receiver. The only suggestion that can be made for the elimination of television during the study period is to donate the set to a family that
is not involved in higher education.
Eliminate previous mistakes.
Take note of all previous mistakes and
make every effort to eliminate them
from future practice. It has been
shown experimentally that consciously
reviewing mistakes, making note of
exactly why they were incorrect, helps
to reinforce the correct response. This
process is sometimes referred to as
negative practice.
Decide on an order of importance.
Some things are more important than
others. In a particular study unit, decide what these are and organize the
important material into an outline or
framework. "Over-learn" this particular framework.
8.
9.
Become emotionally involved.
Assume the attitude that you fully
believe the viewpoint of the author.
Strive for perfection. You may never
achieve it, but you will most certainly
improve your performance. Learn to
discuss your current beliefs calmly
with people holding different attitudes. Cite authorities to back up
your position.
Use mechanical memory aids.
When material is complicated, it may
be necessary to use mechanical
memory aids. For example, suppose
you had reason to believe that a certain table showing all of the endocrine glands of the body with their
secretions and functions would be
called for in an examination. In order to be sure that you would be able
to recall all of the glands, you memorized the first letter or syllable of
each gland, and organized them into
three very strange words: Anpothy
Paramed Adcorpan, the novelty of
which aided recall. This could be
deciphered as follows: An=anterior
pituitary, po=posterior pituitary,
thy=thyroid, par=parathyroid,
amed=adrenal medulla, adcor=adrenal cortex, pan=pancreas,
etc.
© Dartmouth College
Learning Styles continued...
Some people prefer to live a planned and
organized life. They go on vacation and
plan out all of their activities before they
go. Other people like to be more openended, living more spontaneously and
flexibly.
If you need closure, you probably work
best when you can plan your work and
follow that plan. You like to get things
finished and do not like to be interrupted.
In an effort to complete a task, however,
you may make decisions too quickly. You
probably prefer instructors who are structured, timely, precise, and organized. You
also like specific performance guidelines.
For those who are more open-ended, you
probably like change and undertaking
many projects at once. You may have
trouble making decisions and may post-
pone unpleasant jobs. You gravitate toward instructors who are more open, creative, spontaneous, and informal. You dislike deadlines and too much direction,
wanting to follow your own path.
What if your learning style and a teaching
style are mismatched?
It is tempting to respond to this dilemma
with the outlook- "If people would only
change their approach, my life would be
much easier." However, this doesn't get
anyone very far and there are better solutions.

Try to get as much as you can out of
every course.

Try to "translate" the material into a
form you understand.

Be open to a new way of learning.
Adapt to the instructor's style and see
what you can learn. You may be surprised.
If you are successful, you will add a new
dimension to your skills without giving up
what you already do well.

Ask questions. Talk to the instructor.
Ask for what you need (i.e. more structure, more freedom, additional readings,
clarification of course goals). A clear, direct, respectful, and responsible communication is optimal. Remember that communication is both verbal and nonverbal.

The other piece of this puzzle is studying. We all have to study. No one likes
doing it.
Adapted from the Pace University Counseling Services Website
Page 4
SPRING SEMESTER
Reading
Comprehension:
REDW Strategy
REDW is a good strategy to use to
find the main idea in each paragraph
of a reading assignment. Using this
strategy will help you comprehend
the information contained in your
assignment. Each of the letters in
REDW stands for a step in the strategy.
Read.
Read the entire paragraph to get an
idea of what the paragraph is about.
You may find it helpful to whisper
the words as you read or to form a
picture in your mind of what you are
reading. Once you have a general idea
of what the paragraph is about, go on
to the next step.
Examine.
Examine each sentence in the paragraph to identify the important words
that tell what the sentence is about.
Ignore the words that are not needed
to tell what the sentence is about. If
you are allowed to, draw a line
through the words to be ignored. For
each sentence, write on a sheet of
paper the words that tell what the
sentence is about.
Decide.
Reread the words you wrote for each
sentence in the paragraph. Decide
which sentence contains the words
you wrote that best describe the main
idea of the paragraph. These words
are the main idea of the paragraph.
The sentence that contains these
words is the topic sentence. The other words you wrote are the supporting details for the main idea.
Write.
Write the main idea for each paragraph in your notebook. This will
provide you with a written record of
the most important ideas you learned.
This written record will be helpful if
you have to take a test that covers the
reading assignment.
Use REDW to help you understand
the information in your reading
assignments.
How-to-study.com
A Prescription For Success
Studying for the Sciences
Knowing how to approach the material is the
first step in succeeding in a science course.
The amount of material covered, and the speed
at which it is covered, may seem overwhelming; but if you follow these guidelines, your
stress level will decline as your success increases. There are three elements to succeeding in a
science course: Lecture, Time Management,
and Test Preparation.
I. Lecture
A. Attend every lecture.
1. Everything you need to know will
be covered in the lectures.
2. Go to lectures alert and awake.
3. Write down everything you can.
Anything is fair game on the exam.
4. If you miss a lecture, get notes from at
least 2 people.
B. Prepare for lectures.
1. Read over the lecture outline before
class. This will help you focus.
2. Skim the reading that corresponds to
the lecture outline.
C. Find a "Note Buddy".
1. Photocopy and swap your notes
with someone after class every
day.
2. Meet once a week and teach each
other the notes.
II. Time Management
A. Start early
1. Use the first 2 weeks of the term.
Don't start snowballing.
2. Start studying for your next exam
2 days after your first one.
B. Set deadlines
1. Make a term calendar.
2. Set new deadlines. Have all your
studying done 2 days prior to the
exam. This gives you 2 days to
review.
C. Find your "Bio Hour".
1. Spend an hour a day reviewing
your notes; make it part of your
daily routine.
a. Three 20 minute sessions
throughout the day
b. 40 minutes reviewing notes, 20
minutes preparing for lectures.
III. Test Preparation
A. Condense the material.
1. Make flash cards over your notes.
2. Write out answers to your cards.
B. Reading should be
supplementary.
1. Use the reading to supplement all concepts covered in
class.
2. Know all the figures that
relate to the lecture.
C. Apply the material.
1. As you study, think of applications
of the material.
2. Use old exams as guides to
applying the material.
© Dartmouth College
Page 5
BECOMING A SUCCESSFUL STUDENT
SGRW Strategy…(cont. from page 1)
Question.
You need to have questions in your mind as you read. Questions
give you a purpose for reading and help you stay focused on the
reading assignment. Form questions by changing each chapter
heading into a question. Use the words who, what, when, where, why,
or how to form questions. For example, for the heading "Uses of
Electricity" in a chapter about how science improves lives, you
might form the question "What are some uses of electricity?" If a
heading is stated as a question, use that question. When a heading
contains more than one idea, form a question for each idea. Do
not form questions for the Introduction, Summary, or Conclusion.
Read.
Read the information that
follows each heading to find
the answer to each question
you formed. As you do this,
you may decide you need to
change a question or turn it
into several questions to be
answered. Stay focused and
flexible so you can gather as
much information as you
need to answer each question.
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Write.
Write each question and its answer in your notebook. Reread
each of your written answers to be sure each answer is legible
and contains all the important information needed to answer
the question.
As you practice using SQRW, you will find you learn more and
have good study notes to use to prepare for class participation
and tests.
HINT: Once you complete the Survey step for the entire
chapter, complete the Question, Read, and Write steps for the
first heading. Then complete the Question, Read, and Write
steps for the second heading, and so on for the remaining
headings in the chapter.
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Controlling Procrastination…(cont. from page 1)
11. I often cannot decide which of a
4. Reward yourself whenever you com-
12. Take breaks when working on a
number of tasks I should complete first.
12. I often find my mind wandering to
things other that the task on which I am
trying to work.
plete a task.
5. Work on tasks at the times you work
best.
6. Break large tasks into small manageable
parts.
7. Work on tasks as part of a study group.
8. Get help from teachers and other students when you find a task difficult.
9. Make a schedule of the tasks you have
to do and stick to it.
10. Eliminate distractions that interfere
with working on tasks.
11. Set reasonable standards that you can
meet for a task.
task so that you do not wear down.
13. Work on difficult and/or unpleasant tasks first.
14. Work on a task you find easier after
you complete a difficult task.
15. Find a good place to work on tasks.
What Can I Do About
Excessive Procrastination?
Here are some things you can do to control excessive procrastination.
1. Motivate yourself to work on a task
with thoughts such as “There is no time
like the present,” or “Nobody’s perfect.”
2. Prioritize the tasks you have to do.
3. Commit yourself to completing a task
once started.
Above all, think positively and get going.
Once you are into a task, you will probably find that it is more interesting than
you thought it would be and not as difficult as you feared. You will feel increasingly relieved as you work toward its
accomplishment and will come to look
forward to the feeling of satisfaction you
will experience when you have completed the task.