Having help with taking notes is an accommodation many schools are able to make for learning disabilities. If you need this accommodation, check with your school’s office of academic accessibility. It may help you to record your lecture classes. Most smartphones have built-in voice recorders, or you can download a recording app. Recording a lecture will allow you to go back and hear it again.
If you wait too long to read your notes, you may not remember enough of the class to make sense of them It may help you to rewrite your notes in a more condensed way. This tests your comprehension of the material in a way that ensures you’ve really grasped the meaning.
For example, if you’re distracted by looking out the window, move your work area so that you can’t see outside from where you work. Wear headphones over your ears if you need to avoid being distracted by ambient sound. Some people benefit from using a fan facing the wall to generate white noise. This prevents distraction from random sounds. You could also download a free “white noise” app on your phone.
You might set a timer to help you remember to take a break after 45-60 minutes. Then, set another timer to remind you to return to your desk. Usually, a break of 10 minutes is a good length.
You can use these sources to supplement your work. Using visual information, graphics, videos or other media can help you understand the lectures. If the resources that you find provide information that contradicts the science you’ve learned in class, make careful notes and ask your teacher. This might provide the basis for additional discussion.
For example, if you imagine a cannon firing, you may be able to better remember Newton’s Third Law: “For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. ” But what does this mean? A cannon, being larger than a cannonball, pushes the ball a great distance when it’s fired. But at the same time, the ball exerts its own force on the cannon, so the cannon will also be pushed back few inches in the opposite direction. This is an example of Newton’s Third Law.
For instance, 10 millimeters make a centimeter, 10 centimeters make a decimeter, 10 decimeters make a meter, which is the base unit of length in the metric system. The system that most Americans use is called the Imperial system, but even American scientists use the metric system at work. It can be helpful to learn basic conversions from Imperial to metric, particularly for chemistry.
It can help to imagine the kinds of questions you might ask if you were the professor. Try finding new examples for the information you’ve learned based in your own experience or knowledge.
If you study best with a group, form a study group with others in your class. Be careful not to use this group for socializing, but as an effective learning time. If you study best alone, make sure that you’re able to remain focused on your work without getting distracted by other activities.
Even if you don’t know exactly what the professor will talk about during the class, you can at least know the general discussion that’s likely to take place. Many teachers will go over the same material you were assigned as the discussion in class. This means if you’ve read the assignment, you’ll be prepared to answer questions and engage in discussion.
Rephrase what other people are saying to make sure that you’ve understood their meaning. Ask questions when you don’t understand what’s being said. When someone asks a question to which you know the answer, raise your hand to reply. If you’re working within a small group, be an active listener. Pay attention to other students, and share your thoughts with them without dominating or demanding that they always do what you want.
Always read these notes prior to class. Bring them to class with you when you come, and refer to them during class discussions. If your teacher uses a particular image multiple times, try to get a copy of that image and label it so that you can better understand it.
Make sure your view of the demonstration isn’t blocked by someone else. Adjust your seating if you can, in order to see. If you need to stand up or move to another seat, ask your teacher for permission.
It can help to restate the problem in your own words so that you can be sure you really understand what’s being asked. Double-check your work for accuracy before you turn it in, and make sure your writing is legible.
Read the instructions for the lab prior to class. Mark places where you need clarification. You may also want to read over your notes from the last class, as the lab may correspond to the previous lesson.
Your lab may require safety goggles, gloves to cover your hands, acid-proof aprons or other safety clothing. Closed-toe shoes might be required for certain labs. It’s usually a good idea to avoid sandals, flip-flops, and other open-toe shoes.
The report must be typed, using the citation format that your instructor requires. The purpose of the report is to persuade others to accept or reject your own hypothesis. Your report will do this by showing the data you found through your research, and your interpretation of the data.
Don’t use your lab notebook to keep notes of your classwork, lectures, or other study materials. Develop a system for taking notes in your lab notebook so that all the information you will need to write your report will be easy to find. Thoroughly detailing your lab activities will make writing your lab report easier. Wearing long pants might be required for some labs.
You’ll need to be aware of the results of what others have done in the process, even if you didn’t do it yourself. Part of the learning process in a lab is to learn to work effectively in a group.
