Self-Help Information: Concentration and...
Reading
It is often difficult to concentrate during your studies. Here are some
techniques that many students have found helpfu
Asking Yourself Questions
Getting the Most from Your Reading
Read the
Ideas
Asking Yourself Questions
The key to maintaining focus is to stop periodically and ask yourself
questions, such as
How does this relate to what I already know?
If this is true, what else follows?
What else could these facts mean?
What assumptions are being made?
What's the evidence for this?
Can I think of a good example of this?
What are the unique points of this?
Getting the Most from Your Reading
Check off (with a light pencil mark) each paragraph that you completely
understand. If you start to get lost in the reading, you will know exactly
where: just after the last check!
If a section is too difficult for you, try
reading in a whisper. Hearing what we read is like reading it a second time.
Similarly, it is good to stop regularly and summarize out loud what you have
just read.
Try to link new information with the information you already
know. Ask yourself, ``how do I already know this?'' You can also ask
yourself questions such as the focus questions above. Active linking creates
powerful memories.
Take a few seconds to visualize what you have just read.
Don't forget to jot down key words and concepts. If you read, `rite, and
recite (``3Rs''), you've got a better chance of retaining crucial
information.
After taking a short break from studying, and before you start
up again, take a few minutes to review the information you have just
learned. This will give you a sense of progress and motivate you to continue
on.
Read the Ideas
When you are reading
Stop at the end of each
Paragraph, Page, and Main Section
Close your book Recall the ideas from memory Recite the ideas out loud in
your own words
Your Body
SURELY...the pressure of deadlines and expectations may make you ignore
your body's needs... BUT...if you don't take care of your body, you may lose
interest in your studies, and fatigue may cause anxiety, which can limit
performance.
THROUGHOUT THE SEMESTER maintain good habits of diet, exercise, sleep and
rest.
Take 10 minutes to relax before meals; eat well-balanced food slowly;
make mealtime an opportunity to calm down.
Choose an exercise you
enjoy...jogging, swimming, yoga, etc....and build up gradually until it's a
regular part of your week.
Schedule 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night and
plan a regular bedtime.
EACH TIME YOU STUDY plan to use your body to help you concentrate.
Choose or create a study environment with a straight but comfortable
chair (but not too comfortable or too relaxing) that fits you, a desk with
all the equipment you need, daylight or indirect light, which is bright
enough but doesn't glare on your book or in your eyes.
Study according to
your biorhythms: schedule your most difficult subjects when you are at peak
mental efficiency (after 10PM? early morning?) and plan to do easier tasks,
like compiling a bibliography at the library, when you are mentally at low
efficiency.
Know and respect your own concentration span. When you begin a
study session, gather your materials, relax, and plan what you want to
accomplish and energetically begin. When your mind wanders, call yourself
back to the task. But when you find yourself consistently daydreaming or
working without comprehension, stop and TAKE A BREAK. For 5 to 10 minutes,
talk to someone, take a walk, daydream, and relax. Then repeat the cycle and
begin studying again.
DURING DEADLINE AND TEST STRESS don't let pressure cause you to ignore
your body!
Make every minute count by turning meals, time spent traveling by bus or
car or walking across campus into opportunities for relaxation and exercise.
During long study sessions, drink lots of fluids, increase caloric intake,
and eat frequent small meals. Use only coffee, tea, soft drinks in
moderation. Some people cannot tolerate much caffeine, so be careful and
don't take in too much.
Plan breaks to include light exercise to help you
stay awake and revitalize.
Don't oversleep; if you must cut down on sleep,
try going to bed at your regular bedtime and getting up early.
If you are
keyed up or anxious, relax yourself periodically. If you can't sleep,
exercise during the day and plan to spend 30 minutes relaxing before you go
to bed.
Need Additional Help?
Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine
Counseling and Wellness Services offer free individual counseling for these
and related issues for veterinary students (WSU Veterinary Students ONLY).
For more information or to schedule an appointment call or e-mail:
Carolyn Wyatt PhD
ADBF 1035
335-0774
cwyatt@vetmed.wsu.edu
NOTE: The information contained in these self help
documents is not to be used as a substitute for professional care. Neither
the authors, Washington State University nor the College of Veterinary
Medicine assume liability for injury incurred by following the information
presented in these self-help documents
Last Edited: Mar 07, 2007 1:57 PM
