SOME TIPS TO STUDENTS TO DO WELL IN B.TECH PROGRAMAND ALSO LATER IN PROFESSIONAL CAREER

GO TO CLASS REGULARLY 1. Attendance is crucial. 2. A positive correlation exists between class attendance and

marks. 3. The higher the attendance rate, the higher your marks are

likely to be. 4. Most Teachers believe that their lecture material is very

important. 5. If you miss class you miss what is important to the Teacher;

hence, what is most likely to end up on the test.

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PARTICIPATE IN CLASS. 1. In order to learn more in class, be involved and

participate in class discussions. 2. Asking questions for clarification and maintaining eye

contact with your teacher can increase your involvement and enhance concentration of the class discussion.

3. Use active listening skills. This means listening to what your teacher is saying understanding the content and trying to anticipate what he or she is going to say next.

4. Another important hint: If your course material is difficult, be sure to read the material prior to class. This may help you understand and follow more closely. 2

IF YOU NEED TO MISS A CLASS: If you have to miss class,  let your teacher know. Make yourself aware of what happened in the class in your absence. It is very helpful to have a reliable classmate from whom you can get the notes. Exchange phone numbers so that you can rely on each other for notes and for any other purpose in case of an emergency. TAKE GOOD NOTES: Proper  note  taking  skills  can  facilitate understanding  of  lecture  material.  Don't  be  a  human  tape recorder! Try not to write everything down. Be concise and sum up lecture material in your own words whenever possible. Write down unfamiliar terms. Review your notes as soon after class as possible. You can fill in details that you missed and review the material while it is still fresh on your mind.

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USE YOUR TEXTBOOK: Some teachers follow the book closely.  In this case it may be helpful to take the book to class and highlight important topics or terms and write notes in the margins. TALK TO YOUR TEACHER: If you are struggling in your class, talk to your teacher. He or she may be able to assist you or guide you in the right direction to get the resources you need. However, do not wait until the last minute. Most teachers have little sympathy for those students who become concerned about  failing only during the last few weeks of the semester.

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FORM OR JOIN A STUDY GROUP • Get study groups together, choose those students

who seem interested in the class. • Make sure everyone is familiar with the material

before meeting as you do not want to spend time re-teaching material to someone who has not learned the material. It helps if these study groups serve to review material already learned or to clarify problem areas.

• Make sure everyone is motivated. • Beware! Sometimes groups can become chatting

sessions, just make sure you all remember your purpose: to learn class material.

• After the test, reward yourselves with a snack and conversation. 5

START AT THE BEGINNING• Start studying from the first day that is DAY

ONE. • Be ahead in the reading material.

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Note TakingWhy take notes? • Teachers  share  information  which  on  many  an 

occasion  is  not  available  in  textbooks,  and  they make connections to the concept explained. 

• Notes are a storehouse of information for later use, e.g.  when  you  take  more  advanced  courses  in future.

• We remember more when we write things down. • Taking  notes  helps  you  listen  attentively  and  think 

critically. • Note-taking is a skill required in many jobs. • Studies  show  that  people  may  forget  50%  of  a 

lecture within 24 hours, 80% in two weeks, and 95% within one month if they do not take notes.  7

Observe1. Be prepared for success 2. Complete outside assignments - reading assignments, 

or homework Bring the right materials - notebook, pad, pencil, pen, highlighter, etc.

3. Try to sit in the front and in the center (Avoid backbenches as far as possible)

4. Review previous class notes and be prepared to ask questions that would clarify your doubts and help you understand better.

5. Be present in class and participate in class activities6. Relate the class to your goals

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7. Think critically about what you listen8. Postpone debate - if you disagree with a statement, 

allow the instructor to finish before you ask a question or make your argument 

9. Watch for Clues (how speakers show importance) and be alert to repetition

10. Listen for introductory, concluding and transition words or phrases

11.Watch the board or overhead projector - if the instructor takes time to write it down, it is likely to be considered important

12.Watch the instructor's eyes directly which are direct towards the student and notice the interest level of the instructor 

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Record• Outline Format • Use Key words, diagrams or pictures• Copy material from the board, Label, number and date

all notes• Use standard abbreviations• Leave blank space• Use complete sentences when material is important• Take notes in different color, use symbols to organize

or show importance • Ask questions to clarify if you feel lost• If the teacher uses a lot of overheads and you cannot

copy them down, the instructor may be willing to email you the document or allow you to copy it later.

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Review• Review within 24hours • Edit note and fill in key words in left-hand column •Use the key words as cues to recite • Conduct short review periods • Ask “what makes this important”?

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Reading Strategies• Along  with  the  very  important  skills  of  managing  time  and 

making effective notes in college is the task of reading. • As you make the transition to university learning, changes in the 

way you must structure your time are apparent;  there  is much to  do  and  you may  quickly  realize  that  you must  take  on  the responsibility  for  structuring  study  and  leisure  times  to  be effective. 

• Often, too, the transition to large lecture halls and note-making from lectures may be new to you; you have made notes in class before,  but  keeping  up with  the  pace  and  volume  of material presented can be a real challenge. 

• For  many  students,  though,  the  changes  required  are  not  so obvious as the sharp increase in reading load and difficulty. 

• The transition I mean here is from the kind of reading we have been  doing  all  our  lives  to  a  new  way  of  approaching  the reading. 

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• As you enter  college,  reading  takes on a  central  role as part of  your approach to  learning.  It  is very  important to read  independently and effectively to learn significant portions of a course of study. 

• It  may  be  the  case  that  you  have  failed  to  develop  strong  reading skills.  You hope  that  the  reading approaches  you have used up until this point will work for you. Sadly, too many students read passively, failing  to  construct  accurate  comprehension  with  the  guidance  of  a purpose or goal for reading. 

• The result is that too many students begin to dislike their reading and come to view it as a necessary evil. 

• Reading doesn't  have  to be an onerous  task  that  you dread. But,  to avoid  these  ill  feelings about  reading,  you will  need  to  invest a  little time to develop more active reading strategies. 

• This  may  be  the  first  time  that  you  consciously  use  a  strategy  for reading and so it may feel awkward for a period of time. However, our experience  shows,  and  reading  specialists  know,  that  an  active approach to reading will likely be more productive and interesting for you.

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• Reading actively actually means a series of things. • Perhaps most importantly is that active reading

means reading with an awareness of a purpose for reading.

• Far too often students read aimlessly, hoping that the key ideas will somehow “sink in” and then eventually “surface” when they need to.

• Having a purpose is another way of saying that you have set goals for your readings.

 A Popular Active Reading Strategy is known as the SQ3R Reading Method.  This  approach  to  reading  primes  your brain input information readily while reading.

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Test Taking Strategies• Preparing for the Exam - You know it’s coming! So...what do

you do first? • Establish good study habits early! Get a planner and map out

what needs to be done for the semester, and then plan your weekly and daily goals ahead of time. This will keep you from needing to cram because you didn’t prepare early enough.

• Read before each class. Going in prepared helps you retain the information better.

• Review your notes after class or later that evening. • This helps solidify the information. • Do a weekly review of each of your classes and build weekly

reports from there. • Begin an intensive review one week prior to the exam. By this

point, you have already completed the reading and pretty well know the material. This is a time to finalize not cram!

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• Visit your teacher at least once before the week of the exam. This connection will help you better understand the objectives of the course (hence, what you will need to know to do well!), and show the teacher that you are planning to make a serious effort in the course. Visiting him/her for the first time the day before the exam will not get you bonus points!

• Find out what type of exam the teacher will give. Multiple choice? Essay? True/False

• Find out what the exam will cover. Your teacher probably won’t give you exact information to study, but can probably provide some guidance as to the main ideas. Does the teacher make sample tests available?

• Study Smarter...

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Multiple Choice Exams#1 Mistake: Fooling yourself into believing that you don’t need to study as hard because you’ll be able to recognize it on the exam. (Does this really work?) NO!

#1 Solution: Study for a multiple-choice exam as you would study for  an  essay  exam.  Be  prepared  to  provide  the  information yourself--don’t rely on the answers provided!

Descriptive/Essay Exams• Identify concepts and relationships. Don’t worry about the 

details at first. • Make a general outline and gradually make it as compact as 

possible. • Fill in the concepts with details. • Develop practice questions for yourself and write down 

answers. This will help you better grasp the information as well as practice formulating answers.  17

General Suggestions for Taking Tests• Plan  your  arrival  so  that  you have plenty  of  time. Be 

sure to check your test taking material prior to leaving for the exam. (Showing up for an exam late or without a pen  is a sure way to focus unfavorable attention on yourself.) 

• Read  all  directions.  Underline  key  words  in  the directions that give indication as to how your answers are to be recorded and how they should be worded. 

• Budget  your  time.  Survey  the  test  to  determine  the type  and  number  of  questions  to  be  answered. Determine  where  you  will  start  on  the  test.  Check yourself  at  15  or  20 minute  intervals  to  determine  if you are progressing at an acceptable rate. 

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• Be aware  that you may have problems  remembering from time to time. If you find yourself blocking, move on to the next question. 

• Ask  for help  in  interpreting  test questions which you do not understand. 

• Be  aware  of  any  negative  statements  you  are  telling yourself  about  the  test.  Such  statements  as  “I'm failing, I didn't study for this, and the test is too hard for me” are sure ways of increasing anxiety. 

• Do  not  be  concerned  with  what  the  other  students are doing.  (Another  sure way of  increasing anxiety  is to  tell  yourself  that  you  are  the  only  one  having trouble). 

• As a general rule answer the easy questions first. 19