Flash Card Reading your way into an A+

Flash Card Reading..

Reading a bunch of words that you never heard of before may seem complicated and not understandable especially if you come across words that you can even pronounce. So as you are reading a text and you see that you can't even understand it, you just keep reading; thinking that you will understand it as you go along the text. WRONG ! You have to find out what it truly means so you won't get confused in the text and concept and terms will be so much easier to understand. That is why Flash Card reading is a efficient way to recall and understand information especially when the course pattern is based on DEFINITIONS.

Who is it for ?

Flash card reading is adapted mostly for TEXT DEPENDENT Courses and it's a study aid that is used to help recall information. Not only is it designed for visual learners but as well as kinesthetic and aural learners.
*Flash card reading is best used for courses such as fashion designing, languages, public administration and architecture.

How to do it ?

There are three steps involved for the flash card reading strategies and is crucial to follow; Survey, Read, Review.

1. Survey
You basically just skim the chapter so you can find where the information is located. You may have an idea on what you will be reading about or you can see what the text will be based on by reading the introduction or sub-headings. * When you read how the information is organized and understand what the information of the text purpose is, than you will read more efficiently.

2.Read
As you reading, locate the topic that you don't understand. If you are taking a test, then summarize the reading or chunk down the main points. If you are writing a paper, then write the the page number and quote from where you used the information. Looking back will help you use it in your paper and may even create an idea for your paper as well. Making flashcards will help you learn the material as you go on reading the information in the textbook.
3.Review
After you are done reading, at the back of the flash cards; create 5 questions or more that will help answer the front of the flashcard (summary, or definition). At the end of the week, just review the cards trying to recall the information. *If you don't know the answer then that's the topic you need help in the most. If you are writing a paper, then organize your cards that will help you write the paper by setting it up in topics. This is is helpful because it can help you prepare to write a paper by brainstorming or even test preparation if it's understanding definitions.

Why did I use the Flash Cards in My Spanish Class ?

I used the Flash Cards in my Spanish 201 because the text book I'm using consists more of definitions then summary. There is so much definitions to memorize in a chapter that my teacher quizzes the class every Thursday. Making flash cards is like a test preparation for the topic that we are learning. I divide the vocabulary words into separate topics like last week before spring break, we were learning about family. I divided the sub headings into categories such as the roles in a family, personality, etc. Afterward, i just wrote the definitions under those sub- headings and quizzed myself as i was talking the bus back home or lounging on my bed watching T.V. Since i am aural learner, it helped me say the definitions out loud and recall the material faster. If i got stuck on a certain word or didn't know the definition then i will just make sure i would work on that topic specifically.

Likes

I liked using the flash cards for my Spanish class because it helped me become more confident learning the definitions and it helped me become more organized with my definitions. Instead of me taking the textbook everywhere i went, i just carry my flashcards while i go out for lunch or just run a quick errand. It's not time consuming as well.

Dislikes
None.


Why did i use my Flash cards in my Sociology Class?

I used the flash cards in my Sociology Class because this course consists of a lot of definitions. Although this class is NOT a text dependent course, it mostly involves the lecture notes. My professor puts a lot of definitions up on her lecture slides. Not only does it consists of definitions that the class has to learn but it also consists of people and theories. I had to use the flash cards because it help me recall people that were involved in whichever term they were mostly associated with.

Likes

I like using the flash cards because it helped me become more organized with my professor is trying to explain in her lecture notes. Using the flash cards made me review a lot and it made me understand the purpose of why my professor would use the specific terms. It all connected as she would use people and now that i understand the terms and the theories, it makes it so much more easier for me to not look back on the flash cards because i practically know the answer. There is no need for me to look back from the amount of times i looked back on the flash card for the answer. Again, it's a study aid that's light weight and i don't have to be carrying my notebook to every location i go.


Dislikes
None

Conclusion..

I think that this strategies benefits me in both of my classes and i would recommend it for people that are taking courses whose pattern shown that the class consists of definitions like biology, or chemistry etc. I plan on using this for the rest of the semester especially for my Spanish class which is helping me out the most.

Note Taking Stradegies: SU/Cornell Notes & Plug-In Notes

Sometimes, students go to class, copy the teachers notes, leave and never reviews the notes again. It is crucial for a student to review the notes because it helps to prepare for an exam and have an idea what the exam will be about. One possible reason the student doesn't look back on their notes is because their notes are UNORGANIZED.

If your notes are unorganized, your going to have trouble understanding or remembering the material that was said so you say," see you later" to those notes."Later" as in the last day before the exam. Well, the SU/Cornell Notes & the Plug-in Notes were the best note-taking strategies that helped me have better notes and they allow me to re
view my notes better! Here's how they worked for me...


Let's talk about the SU/Cornell Notes ...


What did i do ?.. (format)
Before class, i drew a vertical line 2 1/2 inch lines from the left side of the sheet of standard paper. That column is called the recall column. Then you trace the first horizontal line at the top paper. The box above will be your summary box. So you will have three boxes basically.


During class
On the right box = you record your notes


After class

Left box (Recall Column)= Put the information that you recall the most key points being used in that class or you can even put terms that were most used and define them.

On the top box(summary)= You summarize your class notes a day or 2 later, by writing a paragraph from what you read from your notes.


*you review the recall column and/or the summary box once a week.

Why I used SU/Cornell Notes for my Woman's Gender Class ?
I think that the SU/Cornell Notes allowed me to have better organized notes for a class that the teacher just talks in most of the time.
In general, i feel like the SU/Cornell Notes forces you to review your notes a couple of times but in easier,organized way. Honestly, it was not time consuming because it was really quick to do a summary of my notes. i just had to re-read it and write down what was the main idea. If you review week, you will learn the information more efficiently especially if you put the information in your own words. * I used the recall box as terms that were mostly used and i defined each. For my Woman's Gender Discussion, my teacher doesn't really put up notes so she shows a lot of video. I can use some of the information from the video in my papers so i just jot down the key terms being used and the main idea.


My likes
I like how the format of the this strategy forces me to put the information in my own words and also forces me to review more. Putting things in my own words allows me to understand the material of that day. I like how it didn't take too much of my time and i found a new way to take notes better because before i would just write down my notes and when i come back to it, i forget why did i write this and that.


My dislikes
Although it helps me organize my notes and this is a really good strategy for note taking, i feel like i can't just study off of this material. I need to study off of more material whether its book or readings that the teacher gave us. This just organizes my notes and helps me understand better but i can't study off this ALONE. I have to have more strategies involved, so in a way this is just a better NOTE - Taking Strategy and not a study one like i thought i would be.


Another Note-Taking Strategy..


Using Plug- In Notes ( hand written)
When taking down notes, you can just use the right side of the notebook to jot down your notes for the day. On the left side of your note book, you can use the space after class to put plug in note of the major source of information learned in that class. Whether it is a graphic organizer or chart, or illustration. * You use this because you are breaking down the major source of information.
You can use 4-10 plug in notes as much as you want to support that the main information. At the end of class you can create 5 questions from looking at your plug in notes that you think your professor will put on the exam.



Why i used the Plug-in Notes for my Sociology class?
I used the plug-in notes for my sociology because there is a lot of information to remember but it's most people to learn about and definitions. I created a graphic organizer that allowed me to chunk the information in a efficient way. Since i was learning about people's theory and their significance use in sociology, i created a chart that listed their name, theory, an example of the theory and their significance in Sociology. For the definitions that had a lot of information which i didn't like to read and figure what should i learn, i created a term chart for that as well. I listed the term, definition and an example of it.




Likes
what i liked about the plug in notes is that it helped me see visually what's the major source of information in a more organized way. The information is chunked down into categories where i can review everyday. I like that it forces me to review the notes so i can create questions from and i know most likely the definitions will be on the exams.


Dislikes
Doing the organizer takes a bit of my time but in the end, its worth it.

Preping for your test for just 20 minutes !

Do you really want have a high grade for your exam but don't know how to study ?

What you can do is possibly try the strategy that i have been using called THE 20 MINUTE TEST PREP !

The 20 minute test prep is a strategy that helps you prepare before the big day of the exam and it also pushes you to study constantly without having to study for a long period of time. With the 20 min test prep, your memory improves because reviewing the information everyday allows your memory to recall the information faster.

Most likely, the question you are asking now is " HOW CAN I DO THIS " ?
The question you should be asking is "When can i do this"?

1. After each class, you should spend at least 20 minutes reviewing the notes from lecture or reviewing your study aid, flashcards, topic outlines etc. (Doing so will develop a habit on reviewing.) If you have a back to back class then you can do at the end of the day. You can also review your notes from yesterday to refresh your memory. Always have your study aid, you can always have a little bit of time to review even if its taking a lunch break or so. Look at the syllabus as well to see what the pattern is. Ex. If it is on definitions, then focus your time studying the definitions.
2. At the end of the week, you can spend 10 minutes reviewing the week of the course work and then another 10 minutes creating questions from your notes. After you can answer the questions without looking at your notes (sort of like jeopardy). Creating questions can also be the teachers questions on the test, you can do true/false questions, multiple choice, matching definitions or a short answer response. So if you have time, go to your teachers office hours and ask him/her if the question you've created will be on the test.
3. After one to two weeks, create an outline that lists all your topics in the course that you have just learned. Review one topic at a time. This allows you to be organize and if you want you can even put the date.If you are given terms to learn, like the main topics, create study sheet that indicates the term, definition and example.

(Picture above. My best friend; Mr. Topic outline)
My experience using the 20 min test prep for my Sociology Class and Woman's Gender

Using the 20 minute test prep has forced me to review at least 20 minutes a day but not only does it help me review, it allows me to understand what the professors has said over their lecture. When I would go to my Sociology and Woman's Gender class, I would have a difficult time understanding the topics my professors would discuss and i would feel lost and confused in that class. For these classes, i created a topic outline and i listed the topics that was discussed each week, list the definitions and examples that was related to the readings as well. Using the 20 minute test prep, i would actually re-read it over and over and finally understand what the notes meant. After reviewing so many times, i wouldn't get stuck on recalling the information from before. The questions I had to create also made me think about all the concepts that i have just learned and forming to to one question which was often difficult but at the same time, it benefited for me. I would have a lot of breaks between my classes which i would use to socialize or eat. Now that i carry my study sheet or my flashcards with me, i study when i walk or when i go eat with my friends. Sometimes i even explain what i had learned in class so it can help me recall the information faster as well. For both of my classes, i would focus more on the readings and the definitions because on the syllabus it had little hints that the course would focus on those aspects. So word of advice; THE KEY TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO BE ON YOUR EXAM IS IN YOUR SYLLABUS !

MY LIKES

What i liked most about this strategy was that it didn't take to much of my time. Before i would study for 12 hours straight before the day of the exam which HORRIBLE ! This strategy prepares me with managing time and helps me get a better grade, i mean who wouldn't want that ?

DISLIKES

NONE.. seriously.

IN CONCLUSION

My sociology exam is on Monday and honestly i can say that I'm not nervous about it because this strategy has prepared me to take the exam and get a HIGH GRADE on it. Today was my last day to review so tomorrow, I'm just gonna reward myself with some relaxation and some fun time with my friends... hopefully they are not studying the last day before the exam though. Perhaps they should read this blog and put it to the test as well, wouldn't you ?