Study Prof

This blog over at ShiftingCareers is aimed at business professionals, but much of it applies directly to students.

McMaster University has put together a nice little video on how to get info from the text book into your long term memory. It’s only 4 minutes long and well worth your time. (But what’s up with him standing in the locker room?)

[ Flash (large) | Flash (small) | Windows Media | mp3 | Quick Time | iPod Video ]

Double-click any word for the dictionary reference. Check back every day for more words.

abjure
acrid
affront
amenable
anonymity
apprehend
ashen
autocratic
barrister
besiege (more…)

Good tools make life easier. Here are several online tools that can keep you on schedule…

Are you using Gcal, Google’s online calendar? Check it out. Gcal gives you an easy way to track not only your big semester events but also daily schedules. Features I value most…

• color entries by user-specified categories
• auto-reminders for events, sent via text message (a real life-saver for me)
• integrates seamlessly with many other fantastic online tools (gmail, of course, but also many others)
• share calendars with friends, family, and organizations

PingMe is a fantastic reminder tool that I sometimes use in addition to or instead of Gcal’s reminders. You can configure reminders for one time or repeating events. Reminders can be sent to your email or text device. I like to use it for recurring events–like bills-due and weekly events such as remembering to put the garbage out by the curb–that I don’t necessarily want cluttering up my online calendar.

I’ll be tweeting the latest and greatest study tips and tricks as well as asking for your input on your academic trials and tribulations.

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Double-click any word for the dictionary reference. Check back every day for more words.

abject
acquittal
affluence
ameliorate
anomaly
appreciate
aseptic
authoritative
barrage
beset (more…)

So far in this series (other posts in the series can be found at the bottom of this post) we’ve looked at six of the nine aspects that characterize what psychologists term the “flow” state; that conscious state of high concentration and focus where we lose all track of time and perform at peak levels. We’ve looked at ways to bring each of those aspects into our studies. What about those last three?

(7.) A sense of control. In order to really get into that high concentration groove you’ll need to feel like you are in control of your studying. That can be really tough if you feel overwhelmed. You may feel that there is just so much to do you don’t know where to start or that the material or task is too difficult. (more…)

Double-click any word for the dictionary reference. Check back every day for more words.

abide
acquiesce
affliction
ambush
anomalous
appraise
ascribe
authoritarian
baroque
beseech (more…)

Part 3 in the series “Getting Into the Study Groove” – See the end of this post for more segments in the series.

So far we’ve talked about the first four characteristics of that perfect state of academic zen; the state where we are at one with our studies, losing all track of time and all sense of self and getting completely focused on the task in front of us. The next two items that typify the flow state are…

(5) Direct and immediate feedback. To hit that perfect zone of zen-like concentration you need instant feedback. A kindergartner with a coloring book has that sort of immediate feedback; “Am I coloring (more…)

Double-click any word for the dictionary reference. Check back every day for more words.

abhor
acoustics
affirmation
ambulatory
anoint
apposite
authenticate
bargain
berserk
bludgeon (more…)