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:
Donna J. Scott, PhD
ADBF 1035
509-335-4607
djscott@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
