First Semester Study Strategies

Megsd, BSN, RN · Oct 7, 2006

My first day of school I sat down to read a chapter in one of my books and took exquisite notes on everything in the chapter... it took me 4 hours. I then decided this was a total waste of my time and don't do it anymore.

What I generally do is read (or at least skim) the chapter before going to lecture, listen to lecture and take extensive notes there, and then review the book later to either clarify/reinforce things gone over in class, or to look up things she mentioned we should look at in the book. Personally, I learn better in lecture than by sitting with my nose in a book, so I use the books as more of a reinforcer or information or a study guide, rather than my primary source of info. There's just not enough hours in a day to make notes on all the chapters and then change them depending on the instructor's emphasis in the course.

MySimplePlan · Oct 7, 2006

We are supposed to have all the reading completed before we go into lecture for that module. During the reading, I judiciously highlight very important points (nothing worse than going back to a bunch of yellow blobs, where nothing stands out). After that, (and this is not necessarily right away) I answer all the module objectives on loose leaf. (I find that my highlighted sentences in the book almost always answer module objectives, telling me I am on the right track for noticing the critical concepts.) To that I attach all the power points from class and glossary, which I have Xeroxed from the module. I now have a 'packet' for that module, and it is THAT I study from for an exam. So far it's working....100% on the first exam. Our second one is next week.....we'll see how it works the second time.

It's a lot of work, but everyone is working hard. I'm no genius. But I seem to be hanging on.

Daytonite, BSN, RN · Oct 7, 2006

hi, shengy!

try some of the suggestions that your nursing student colleagues at lane community college have been kind enough to share with the rest of the internet community.

http://www.efn.org/~nurses/ - this is a website maintained by the nursing students at lane community college in eugene, oregon. for study and learning tips specific to nursing students click on "tips for learning" at the left side of this home page.

welcome to allnurses! :welcome:

AggieNurse99, BSN, RN · Oct 8, 2006

I use the Cornell System, modified to have a section for the book and one for the lecture for each page. I try to only put one topic per page (yes, I am a treekiller) The day after lecture, I write the summary, and 2-3 days later, I write a summary page or two or three. Instead of only 'questions' in the left column, I also add the lecture/chapter objectives. Hope it helps. You can modify the spacings, add lines, etc by going to tables, merge/split cells.

Cornell Template.doc

Tnurse3329 · Oct 9, 2006

I am in my second semester and what I have noticed is the test seem to be more critical thinking than from the book. I read the book before lecture. While listening to the lecture, I highlight and make notes in the margins of the book that way I will remember what was being discussed when that note was made.

marilynmom, LPN, NP · Oct 9, 2006

I read over the chapter (not in depth) before class. During class I highlight and take notes. Then I go back through the chapter and study what she went over (focus on nursing interventions, etc) and make note cards on date to memorize (s/s, drugs, etc).

I've been making good grades so far with that method.