BIOLOGY STUDY SKILLS
While many of you will find this class to be easy, at least at times, others will find “Biology” to be a demanding subject. But with some work, everyone should be able to succeed in this course. The following are some hints/helps for you to try if you find yourself struggling to earn the grades you want. Read them, try them, and if you work at it, you should be successful. I must first, however, remind you that this is a college prep class. That means that the work is more demanding than a general course, and that the responsibility for your success or failure is yours alone! I can only make suggestions to you, but ultimately it’s your responsibility to get the job done! For some of you that may mean rearranging your priorities to make studying for this class a higher priority! For others it may mean using your study time more wisely. Regardless, the days of simply passing just because you show some effort are over! Your efforts have to show some results as well!
Part I - Know Your Learning Style
Everybody learns in their own unique way. However, psychologists have identified certain groupings into which nearly everyone falls. To determine which group you belong to, complete the Learning Styles Inventory at the end of this packet. The group which has the most check marks is the group to which you belong. Please note that many people check at least one item in each group, and/or that you may have a tie between two or more groups. That’s normal. What’s important is that you identify your learning tendencies and that you try the following techniques listed for your group(s) if you’re struggling in class.
On the back of this page are suggestions for studying for each group. Try them! If you find that they don’t work, then read the suggestions for the other groups and try some of those. Just don’t keep doing the same thing if you aren’t getting results! Try something different, and don’t ever give up!
Group 1 - Reading
If reading is one of your preferred learning styles, you take in, store, and retrieve information more easily when you can see it and read it yourself. Here are some suggestions for how to take advantage of this style:
1. Read the chapter as soon as we start it. Do this before you hear the teacher
lecture about it!
2. When you watch demonstrations or perform labs, take good written notes.
Later, you can refresh your memory by reading your notes.
3. Read your notes, worksheets, and study guides over and over again.
Make yourself some flash cards, particularly of key vocabulary terms and
read those over and over again.
4. Read directions, information, and definitions yourself rather than having
someone tell you this information. You’re more likely to remember it this
way.
5. Consider reading out loud to yourself or someone else. It will help you to
remember what you read.
Group 2 - Writing
If writing is one of your preferred learning styles, you take in, store, and
retrieve information more easily when you write it down. Here are some suggestions for how to take advantage of this style:
1. “Pencil read” by reading with a pen/pencil in your hand. Take notes as you
read. “Talk to yourself” in writing. Place post-it notes in any book that you
can’t write in.
2. Take good lecture notes, and then recopy them in your own handwriting or
type them on the computer.
3. Choose to do written reports instead of giving speeches whenever possible.
4. Write down the steps you need to follow in order to complete a project.
5. Keep track of your assignments with a calendar system and write down
commitments.
6. Write lists of things to do.
Group 3 – Listening/Auditory
If listening is one of your preferred learning styles, you take in, store, and retrieve information more easily when you hear it. Here are some suggestions for how to take advantage of this style:
1. Try not to miss class. Listening to the information you have read about will
help you to understand it better.
2. Tape the class so that you can listen to it again later.
3. Read out loud the information you are studying
4. Have another person read your notes to you.
5. Study with other people. Discuss ideas and give each other oral tests.
Group 4 - Speaking
If speaking is one of your preferred learning styles, you take in, store, and retrieve information more easily when you talk about it. Here are some suggestions for how to take advantage of this style:
1. Try not to miss class. That way you can ask questions about what is said.
2. Dictate into a tape recorder or computer what you need to study.
3. Ask yourself questions out loud while studying.
4. Study information by saying it out loud and discussing it with yourself.
5. Study with other people so you can discuss the information.
6. Study for a quiz/test by asking questions out loud and then answering them.
7. Repeat things right after you hear them to help you remember them.
8. If you are having trouble spelling a word, spell it out loud before you write it.
Group 5 - Visualizing
If visualizing is one of your preferred learning styles, you take in, store, and retrieve information more easily if you can picture something in your mind’s eye. Here are some suggestions for how to take advantage of this style:
1. Close your eyes and practice “seeing” what you need to remember.
2. As you read something, picture how it would look if you were seeing it on
TV.
3. Watch demonstrations closely so you will be able to visualize them later.
4. As you study diagrams, close your eyes and “see” them again.
5. Close your eyes and “see” a word you need to spell before you write it.
6. Visualize your tasks to more clearly understand what you need to do.
Group 6 – Manipulating/Kinesthetic/Hand-On
If manipulating is one of your preferred learning styles, you take in, store, and retrieve information more easily if you can handle things and/or change your environment. Here are some suggestions for how to take advantage of this style:
1. Watch someone do what you need to learn before trying it.
2. Type your notes on a computer or typewriter.
3. Make sure your work area allows you to move around while you study.
4. Construct concept maps or flash cards of the information you need to learn.
5. Build models of cells, cell parts, and DNA molecules to help you learn these
structures and how they operate.
Part II – Get Organized
With any course, it’s very important to know what is due and when. This is where your agenda (pass) book can be very helpful. Write down your homework assignments, particularly long-term ones, in your agenda book. Utilize the calendar to keep track of tasks you need to complete.
It’s also important to keep all your papers in one place. Put all the papers you get in class in your notebook. Don’t just shove them into your book bag or into your textbook. If you keep everything in your notebook it will make it easier to find the papers you need when you need them!
Part III - Use Your Textbook Effectively
This course will require you to do a lot of reading. We will discuss many of the concepts in class, but often times your textbook can give you a more in-depth view of the concept, and/or explain in a better way something we discussed in class.
The first thing you should do with your textbook is to skim the table of contents and read the “Dear Student” section on pages xxi – xxii. Look at Chapter 1 and see how it’s organized. Look for the “Big Idea” and “Chapter Mystery” at the beginning of the chapter. Look for the “Key Questions” and “Vocabulary” at the beginning of each section. Note the “Assessment” and “Standardized Test Prep” questions at the end of the chapter. These can help you as you review for tests/quizzes. Then go back to the appendices in the back of the book and review what information they contain. Find the glossary and skim over this section. Finally, look at the index and try to find a few of the items listed. All of this will help you to realize that your textbook is a great resource for learning – Use it! Many of the answers to your questions can be found here as long as you know how to find them.
Once you’ve been given a reading assignment, it’s often a good idea to use the SQ4R method of study-reading. Many of you are already familiar with this method and, if used properly, it can be an especially effective way of learning through reading. If you’re not familiar with this method, here’s a summary of how it works:
1. Survey -- Quickly preview your reading assignment. Look at the title,
subheadings, visuals, and key words. Read the first paragraph.
Then read the first sentence of each of the other paragraphs.
Finally, read the last paragraph. This step will help to give you
a glimpse of what you’re about to read.
2. Question -- In order to become actively involved in the actual reading
process, you need to read with a purpose in mind. In other
words, you need to read to answer questions. Before you
read the section, look at the section review or the study guide
questions. This way, when you actually read the section,
you can start looking for the answers to these questions right
away. Research has shown that this leads to an improvement
in comprehension and retention. These first two steps should
take you about two to three minutes.
3. Read -- Now read the section you’ve been assigned. But this time read
it as an active reader with the goal of answering questions as
you go along. If it’s a lengthy reading assignment, work one
subsection at a time. You’ll be surprised, if you use this method,
at how much more you’ll get out of your reading assignment,
and you’ll feed good when your reading reveals answers.
4. Reflect -- In a notebook or journal, make some notes on what you just
read. You can write about something you learned or questions
that may have arisen as you were reading. If you find a word
you’re not familiar with, jot it down and look it up when you’ve
finished reading.
5. Recite -- Now go back and look at the questions again. Can you answer
them? If not, skim back over the reading to find the answers.
For some of you (particularly those of you who have a “writing”
learning style), this is a good time to stop and make up question
cards, note cards, or an outline of the reading. If you’re an
auditory learner, explain aloud to yourself, or someone else,
what you’ve just read.
6. Review -- This is the final step in the SQ4R method. Reread any material
you think necessary to clear up or reinforce information. Close
the book and see how much you can recall. Then go back over
important details that you forgot. When you’ve finished the
entire reading assignment, page through it recalling each of the
main ideas in each of the subsections. Think of how they go
together to form the main ideas of the chapter. Finally, review
this section at least every other day to help you retain it!
Part IV – Learn the Vocabulary
The reason that many students struggle in science class is because they don’t know or understand the vocabulary. There is a reason for all those strange words! Science is about precision, so scientists have developed a vocabulary that helps them to know exactly what other scientists are talking about. For example, to most people, knowing that a particular animal is called a frog is good enough. But there are actually several hundred different types of frogs. For a scientist who is trying to explain and describe one unique type of frog, they have to be more precise. Thus each type of frog has it’s own particular name. That way, when a frog scientist (herpetologist) is speaking to another frog scientist, and they’re talking about their work, when they mention the species name each will know exactly what the other is talking about.
This use of a special vocabulary is not unique to science. We find the same thing in other career fields. Lawyers, doctors, chefs, auto mechanics, and even teachers all have a vocabulary that’s unique to their particular field. Learning that vocabulary is essential if one is going to be successful. Thus, as we discuss various units in biology class this year, it is important for you to learn and be able to use the appropriate terms.
To help you accomplish this, at the beginning of each chapter I’ll be referring you to a list of important vocabulary terms that I’ve created on Quizlet.com. It’s very important that you join my Quizlet group and start learning these words. After a couple of days I’ll quiz you on these terms. Be prepared for this quiz! Use the methods listed previously under the learning styles to help you memorize the meaning of each term – print out the terms, use the on-line tools that Quizlet has to learn and review the words, make your own flashcards or graphic organizers. Make sure to pronounce the words out loud as this will also help you to learn it. Keep in mind that this takes time; don’t wait until the night before the quiz to start studying! Once you actually learn the terms, you’ll find that it’s easier to understand each of the main concepts in the chapter and you’ll get more out of class discussions.
Part V - Prepare for Tests and Learn How to Take Them
For some of you, the tests and quizzes in this class will be easy. Consider yourself fortunate! For others, you’ll find that doing well on tests and quizzes will take a little more time and effort. And that’s the key -- Giving yourself time to prepare, and putting forth an effort in an effective way!