General Study Resources and Strategies
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How to Study Math at Bates
Taking Notes
Truly effective note-taking involves three parts: the work you do before class, the work you do during class, and the work that you do after class. Learning how to develop effective note-taking skills helps you stay organized, helps you make connections and helps you notice and clarify points of uncertainty.
- Before Class:
- READ! Even math texts!
- Write down headings, definitions, theorems. Think about translating the heading to a question. Look at the end of the section; what types of questions are you going to be expected to answer?
- Neuroscience tells us that this pre-reading has value, even if you don’t understand what you are reading.
- Write down questions that come to mind.
- In Class:
- Take notes! Some examples:
- After Class
- Re-read. Do you understand your notes? Annotate your notes (use a different color!) with any questions that you have. Highlight important points that were made.
- Re-write your notes if they are messy.
Study Skills
- The Study Cycle (pdf)
- Exam-Ready checklist
- Post-Exam Audit template for assessing pre-exam study strategies for effectiveness.
- eBook: Teach Yourself How to Learn: Strategies You can use to Ace any Course at any Level. By Saundra Y. McGuire & Stephanie McGuire. Stylus Publishing, LLC, Sterling, Virginia, 2018.
Time Management
Use this Weekly Planner Calendar to keep up with your weekly responsibilities.
How to “Scan” Handwritten Homework for Upload to Lyceum
Is your prof asking you to “scan” your handwritten work for upload to Lyceum or to email them a pdf? No worries! You can use your smartphone to do this. Better yet, there’s no need to spend money on a third-party “scan to pdf” app!
- iPhone/iPad users can use the native Notes App that comes pre-loaded on the phone. Check out this online tutorial.
- Android phone users can use an Android phone and the Google Drive App. Check out this online tutorial.
Tips for Successful Group Work
- Benefits of Group Work
- How Diversity Makes Us Smarter (~10 minute read)
- Group Work Challenges and Solutions
Thanks to Lindsey Hamilton, Director of the Center for Inclusive Teaching and Learning, for sharing these resources!
Tutor-Created Resources
Check out these resources created by our student tutors.