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Yuba College Science Division

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STUDY HINTS

One of the key skills you are developing right now is the ability to effectively process, store, and analyze information.  Everyone does this in a slightly different way and it is up to you to figure out the studying strategies that are most effective for you.  These strategies will include when you study, how long your study sessions last, where you study and what you actually do during these study sessions.  Ask your self the following questions:
Do you study better in a quiet or noisy environment?
Are you more focused in the morning, afternoon, or evening?
Is studying more effective for you in many short bursts or in one long period?
Do you remember information better after hearing it, reading it or writing it?

Use the answers to these questions to start developing your own study-style.

The next hint I can give you is to use all your resources!!
Ask me questions, either in class, through email or in my office hours.
In lecture, we may not be able to cover every topic completely, so the text is an important part of this class.  The required reading will often give you more detail and examples to illustrate the concepts we discuss in class.  Also, at the end of each chapter and on the textbook website, there are review questions; take some time to review these questions to see if you understand the material. 
Another good way to study for any class but especially for biology is to make and use note cards.  This can be a really effective way to learn the required information, plus you can hold onto the cards from each exam and use them to study for the final. 
Finally, one of the best ways to study for a class like this is to get to know a couple of your classmates and develop “study partners.”  You can meet outside of class to compare notes, discuss questions, work on study guide questions, or study for exams.  Teaching each other is one of the best ways to master the material presented in class and you get to know some interesting people at the same time!