Learning Is Different! Top 3 Hacks: #1 Study Skills

We know that reading a book to be a good student may be too much for you. Fret not!

We have compiled a few chapters from different books to get you going.

Here are two note-taking apps that we have had the experience of using in the past. We have enlisted some of the most useful features for you to make a decision which one to choose!

1. Microsoft One Note

You can drop and drag things like text boxes, pictures and even videos on a page in this app. You can create notebooks and have notes within them. You can also make use of symbols like an exclamation point, to-do etcetera. This is a free app that comes within the Microsoft Office 365 suite provided by the school. The notes are backed up on One Drive, another product under Microsoft Office 365, which provides 1 TB storage to all SMU students. Learn more about Microsoft Office 365 for Student.

2. Evernote

It comes as a free software but with restrictions. With a free subscription, you can only sync upto 2 devices and it also places a maximum limit of 60 MB on uploads every month. It has a comprehensive approach to note-taking. There are templates for notes for different purposes. You could also set reminders to add an alert to your note. You could store your notes in notebooks and create as many as you like.

It is important that you:

1. Stay focused when studying 

• Be it at home or in school, remove all unnecessary distractions such as your mobile phone if it is not required when you are studying or completing work.
• In class, be both physically and mentally present! Turn off notifications on your e-devices and close all unnecessary tabs and applications on your laptop/iPad.

2. Know your syllabus and be prepared for class 

• Read your course outline for all your modules carefully. You should know the grading components and their respective weights. The course outline can be found either on the BOSS page (where all your enrolled modules are enlisted) or you can access them on eLearn on the respective module page.
• Tip: Remember to log into OASIS regularly to keep a tab on the developments in your modules.
• Be prepared for your classes, complete your pre-readings and homework if any. These may also aid in your ability to class participate! 

3. Review assignments and activities that are due

• At SMU, professors use a variety of assessments to evaluate students. This includes class participation, individual/group assignments, and group projects/presentations among others. It is important for you to take note of all the deadlines, which are communicated either through the Course Outline or in the first few classes. 
• Tip: Maintain a calendar either on your phone, laptop or even a small diary to keep track of your submissions! 

4. Know where to find academic resources 

• Although Google is an accessible search engine to start from, we recommend finding resources from SMU Libraries that offer a wide range of databases and research guides that are relevant to your learning. If you're still facing difficulties, you can consider consulting our librarians or the peer-tutors within your school.

Taking notes in a traditional class setup never gets old, so what are some ways to do so?

1. Understand your learning styles

There are different types of learners - auditory, visual, and kinesthetic, with each type preferring a different strategy to learning.

• Auditory learners prefer to talk things or explain things by talking. They are more likely to read their notes aloud to commit them to memory.
• Visual learners prefer to draw things, making use of symbols, logos and drawings to remember things better.
• Kinesthetic learners prefer applications to theory, putting lots of examples or 'real-life' occurrences in their notes.

To know more about the different types of learners, you can visit the VARK strategies to develop effective strategies to improve learning.

2. Take effective notes

Some professors disseminate class content in the form of online documents such as a PDF file, Powerpoint etc. You may wish to consider using specific functions such as highlighting, inserting comments, and colour-coding. to better understand the content depending on your preference. You may also consider exploring the Cornell note-taking method.

Review your content after class and clarify with your professor/peers if need to! 

3. SQ4R Method:

• Survey: Review titles, subtitles at a glance
• Questions: Turn titles, subtitles into questions
• Read: Make notes of bold and italics
• Recite: Recite what you just learnt in your own words
• Write: Writing helps you remember stuff
• Review: Review the back Q&As to understand the central idea of the chapter/book/lesson