MCAT Advice

5 easy tips to make the teacher like you

1. Greet every time. "Good morning sir". It sounds really simple, but the teacher does notice you 'That is nice he said that'. Simple, and it works.
2. Make your homework. Of course, you already should be doing that, but sometimes, you just can't do it because.. But you SHOULD do it. Cause if he asks 'who did do their homework' and you can raise your hand, he will notice you positively again!
3. Ask how he is doing. Just an extension to number 1. Also simple, but you have to do it in a 'later stadium'. When you said 'good morning' a couple of times you can do this. Ask how he's doing, how was his weekend, vacation, whatsoever.
4. If you want to know something about the stuff you need to learn, and you won't see him the rest of the week, email him! You show interest, and he will notice that.
5. And the last, and maybe the least, cause you might be busy enough. Ask for extra work. Say you want to improve yourself, and the work that is given now isn't enough.

FAU Non-PreMed

Students who are Pre-med and plan to go to medical school need not major in Biology, Chemistry or related fields. They may do any concentration at the Honors College, such as Anthropology, Art, English, History, Math, Philosophy, Physics, Political Science, or Psychology, so long as they also take the following courses:

• 8 Credits of Biology (while any 8 are acceptable to most medical schools, the ones which will help the most with the MCAT are Biological Principles, Genetics, Anatomy & Physiology, and Cell Biology)
• General chemistry 1 & 2 with labs
• Organic Chemistry 1 &2 with labs
• General Physics 1 & 2 with labs
• Calculus I and II (required for Physics 1 & 2)

In addition, the following courses are recommended to assist with MCAT preparation:

• Biochemistry (required by some medical schools, be sure to check on the individual requirements of schools to which you apply)
• Genetics
• Cell Biology
• Anatomy and Physiology

http://www.fau.edu/divdept/honcol/academics_majors_premed.html

25 Words to Improve Your Writing

• Anomaly (noun): out of the ordinary; irregular; something different from the norm
• Circumscript (adjective): limited; confined
• Cogent (adjective): convincing; compelling; relevant
• Conundrum (noun): a riddle or puzzle, typically involving a pun or play on words; a difficult problem or decision
• Dichotomy (noun): a division into two groups; two-sided; two things or conditions that are complete opposites
• Disparate (adjective): containing different, incongruous, or distinct elements
• Dogmatic (adjective): inflexible or rigid; stubbornly holding strong opinions
• Equivalent (adjective): equal; similar in value or meaning
• Expiate (verb): to make a reparation or atonement; to make amends
• Euphemism (noun): a word or phrase used to place something that is more offensive or tasteless
• Expedient (adjective): fast; simple; convenient
• Facet (noun): piece or component of something larger; aspect of something bigger
• Germane (adjective): relevant; appropriate
• Gestalt (noun): an integrated collection of phenomena that creates a unified concept or theory that is greater than the sum of its individual parts
• Maven (noun): someone who is experienced, knowledgeable; a self-styled expert
• Nuance (noun): minor or subtle distinction; fine detail
• Paradigm (noun): broadly accepted way of thinking or framework; system of assumptions
• Paradox (noun): a theory that is contrary to popular opinion or common sense, and yet may be true; an idea that can only be true if it is false –- and vice versa
• Plethora (noun): an abundance; wide variety; excess
• Postulate (verb): to theorize; claim as true; to assert as reality
• Recapitulate (verb): to summarize; restate concisely
• Superfluous (adjective): excessive; more than what is required
• Tacit (adjective): consent by silence; implied, but not expressed in words
• Tenuous (adjective): having little substance or strength; lacking in importance
• Ubiquitous (adjective): omnipresent; widespread; everywhere at once

How to Get a Good Letter of Recommendation for Medical School

1. Give your letter writers at least four weeks to write and send the letter of recommendation. Remember, your professors and premed advisors have many students to write letters for. To increase your chances of a good letter, be the first to ask for one.

2. Step 2

   Tell your letter writer that you would appreciate a one to two page letter of recommendation for medical school. To help them fill in content, provide them with your resume (or CV), GPA, and personal statement for medical school. These will inform your letter writer of your commitment to a career as a doctor and your personal motivation for entering the field of medicine.

3. Step 3

   Write a list of three to five experiences you want your letter writer to include in the letter of recommendation. Choose wisely and appropriately, and do not write the same experiences for all of your writers. There can be some overlap, but you don't want every letter to sound the same. For a professor, be sure to include academics. Other good choices are clinical experience, volunteering, leadership, teaching, and community service.

4. Step 4

   On your list, expound on each experience as if you were writing a recommendation yourself. Do not copy and paste from list to list. Each time you write about an experience, make it unique. The content can be the same, but the wording must be different. For example, for one letter writer, you may write,
   
   'Academics: I am a strong student who enjoys learning so
   that I may use the knowledge for my future in medicine and
   in life in general. As a result, I take my studies
   seriously and excel by virtue of desire, not competition.'
   
   For another letter writer, you may write,
   
   'Academics: As a student, I strive to gain as much
   knowledge as possible from teachers, classmates, books,
   and assignments. My success in my studies is motivated
   by the belief that knowledge will be my most powerful
   tool as a future doctor.'
   
   Be detailed and specific when writing about these experiences. They should fill up one or two pages.

5. Step 5

   Ask your letter writer to include any personal experiences that you shared with him/her that shows your strong character, altruism, and potential to be a compassionate physician. The strongest letters of recommendation are the ones that use highly detailed descriptions of the applicant's personality and the positive experiences the letter writer shared with the applicant.

6. Step 6

   Give each of your letter writers a stamp and a pre-addressed envelope for the letter service you are using. Do not affix the stamp to the envelope in case your letter writer chooses to use his/her own stationary.

7. Step 7

   Request that your letter writer keep a copy of the letter. Often, letter services do not receive the letters of recommendation in the mail. When this happens, you are responsible for getting your letter writer to reprint and resend the letter.

8. Step 8

   Once they have written and sent the letter, give your letter writers a thank you card and/or small gift. You should always thank those who help you on the road to your future career as a physician.

Timeline
The timeline for the letter of recommendation cannot be understated, a delay here can completely derail your whole application. Tell your recommenders upfront when you would like to have your letters complete. Since we are allowing 3 to 4 months to write, I believe it is good to send a friendly reminder 1 to 2 months before the deadline to check in on their progress.

When doing this, you will find most writers will say either they have not started or the letter is complete. I had to push my recommenders in the last three weeks to complete the letter which they had agreedto write. Please use a lot of tact and discretion in prodding your recommenders to complete a letter because you don't want to be pushy, yet you must have the letter complete by the deadline: its your medical school application on the line.

http://www.premed101.com/refs.html
http://www.doctorpremed.com/letter-of-recommendation-advice.html
http://www.scribd.com/doc/12077472/Premed-Rec-Letter

Study List Priorities

1. Semester Prep: (1) Textbook separation, (2) 3 ring binder s/up, (3) Google Calender, (4) Time Mgt sheets, (5) Syllabus Review, (6) Each Subject skills review + Cheat Sheets, (7) Blank Cornell sheets, (8) Review study method (Cornell and self-study), (9) Review Cornell brainstorm Essay outline (for each writing project)
   
2. 2008 Word: http://www.uwsp.edu/it/ApplicationSupport/appSuppDocsImages/referenceGuides/word-quick-reference-2008.pdf
3. Learn a Short-Hand method - http://kitty-alana.blogspot.com/2009/09/easyscript-shorthand.html
4. Learn Medical Prefixes/Suffixes - http://www.pullins.com/BookViews/BV9781585102952.pdf
5. Read study skills on Bio, Algebra, English - http://www.muskingum.edu/~cal/database/content/
6. Learn Cornell Note Taking - http://kitty-alana.blogspot.com/2009/11/cornell-map.html
   
7. Mentally recall & verbalize (from sentences) Cluster Map (practice)
   
8. Learn to outline an essay, brainstorm, and prioritize (write a killer thesis, collect # evidences, write a drop-dead intro sentence) - preliminary research, Google question format to collect arguments to back evidences) - http://kitty-alana.blogspot.com/2009/11/essay-outline-essay-is-about-making.html
   
9. 10 Key Typing: http://kitty-alana.blogspot.com/2009/10/10-key-typing-course.html
10. Overcoming Shyness: http://thinksimplenow.com/happiness/20-ways-to-attack-shyness/
11. Mnemonic Devices To Improve Memory: http://kitty-alana.blogspot.com/2009/09/mnemonic-devices-to-improve-memory.html

College Classes Specific Study Skills

1. Biology Roots: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/asu/download/Study-RememberingScientificTerms-FlyerJun09.pdf
2. Biology Videos: http://www.learnerstv.com/animation/animationcategory.php?cat=biology
3. How To Study College ALGEBRA: http://www.wtamu.edu/academic/anns/mps/math/mathlab/col_algebra/index.htm
4. College Composition: http://commhum.mccneb.edu/argument/summary.htm
5. HOW TO READ A COLLEGE TEXTBOOK: http://www.ocean.edu/ReadColText/HowToReadCollegeTextDrJohnWeber.htm
6. Calculus cheat Sheet: http://tutorial.math.lamar.edu/pdf/Calculus_Cheat_Sheet_All.pdf
7. Algebra Cheat Sheet: http://tutorial.math.lamar.edu/pdf/Algebra_Cheat_Sheet.pdf
   

How to Ace Algebra

For each algebraic concept, solve a problem with all the steps outlined. This is your blueprint problem to solving all practice sets

If you want to do well in a technical class all you have to do is develop insight for every single concept covered in lecture. Solving the problem and knowing what it means is the key!

Keep a running list of every concept taught so far in the semester. Mark the ones that you have an insight for and the ones you don’t understand. It helps to see clearly exactly what insights you still need.

Memory Techniques

Making up mnemonics memory techniques may be fun as well as beneficial. For example, if you need to remember the 12 cranial nerves you can take the first letter of each nerve and make up a sentence where each word begins with the first letter of each nerves.

HOW TO STUDY FOR BIOLOGY II

The information in a typical biology course may be divided into four categories: definitions, lists, diagrams, and relationships or equations. Examples follow.

Define the term 'prokaryotic'. What are the two basic cell types? Show the structure of a general amino acid. What is the relationship between phagocytosis and intracellular digestion? What is the equation for a saturated non-cyclic hydrocarbon?

In your study effort, concentrate first on the definitions of terms. If you come into an exam with only these committed to memory you may still be able to achieve a grade of to 60–70%. Add lists and you may, barring mistakes, get a 70–80%. Diagrams, equations, and relationships will round out your perfect score (as always, barring mistakes).

On the other hand, if you come to the exam with full knowledge of the diagr ams, equations, and relationships but none of the terms and lists you are bound to fail. When you make flash cards bear this in mind and concentrate on the terms and lists first. Only when you have these committed to memory should you worry much about the diagrams and relationships.

http://msjensen.cehd.umn.edu/1135/Help/HowToStudyDW.htm

How to Study Biology

by Jessica Lee '08 and Chensi Ouyang '08

Lectures

• Go to all lectures. If you miss any, get notes from a friend or find the PowerPoints online.
• Be an active listener.
• It is important to be alert and concentrate on what is said in lecture.
• Take full and comprehensive notes.
• Ask the instructor questions before, after, or during class.
• Do not allow yourself to miss classes and fall behind or the entire course will become an effort and a struggle for you.
• Review lecture material that night to solidify the concepts in your brain.

Reading

• Do all pre-reading for a lecture. This being MIT, many students don't. If you miss a reading, make sure to play catch up as soon as possible. DON'T save all your reading for the day before a test.
• Reading is often your best bet to get confusing concepts in lecture clarified. Don't hesitate to Wiki/Google things either: these are great sources for students.
• Highlight/take notes/be an active reader. Tabbing the book with Post-Its® is also extremely helpful.

Recitation/TAs

• Find a GOOD TA! Shop, shop, shop for the best one. It can make all the difference.
• You want a TA that explains concepts well, uses the blackboard/educational media well, challenges you with good test-like questions, and makes him-/herself available for office hours.
• Attend all recitations. These may even be more helpful than lectures as they usually summarize all the week's material and then offer practice problems (similar to the test, which is what the bulk of your grade depends on!)
• Attend office hours!
• TAs can be the best help for completing a tricky Pset (you'll learn so much more than from copying from a friend), or studying for a test (they often have seen the test already).

Problem Sets

• Don't be intimidated about not being able to do a Problem Set. The questions are usually similar to but harder than test questions.
• Don't start your Pset late at night, start about two days before, so you'll have ample time to ask TA, peers for help).
• Do all the Psets and don't hand them in late
• This way you make sure you're on track with class material and you won't be super overwhelmed when the test rolls around.
• Use the book/other resources to help you with Pset questions.
• To be frank, the internet holds a lot of answers, and if you can find a good explanation to a similar problem online you can learn a lot. (I'd use the internet as a last resort, though).
• If you're really stuck, check MIT OpenCourseWare for previous years' problems and solutions, or go ask a knowledgeable upperclass student.
• Remember, Problem Sets exist to help you learn and are pretty much worth nothing to your grade, so do the best you can and don't stress about not knowing every answer.

Test Prep

• Start studying at least 3–4 days before the exam.
• Biology ALWAYS contains a lot of material!
• Study biology when you are most alert and fresh. Make sure to take 5- or 10-minute breaks every 20 to 40 minutes in order to clear your mind.
• Read and study all your textbook explanations of important concepts/biological techniques.
• Whenever possible explain aloud to another person what you are learning. Work with a classmate and explain terminology and concepts to each other (this is super helpful!)
• Write up summary sheets of biology terminology and concepts and review often.
• Visualizing is a powerful technique for remembering terms.
• Making up mnemonics (memory techniques) may be fun as well as beneficial.
• Do at least one practice test before the real test to get an idea of what problems they can ask you. Time yourself.
• Review the types of errors you make and types of questions that cause you difficulty. Give yourself more practice in these areas of difficulty.
• If possible, have a friend or family member quiz you on your notes and text information. Done regularly this commits more information to long-term memory.

Desperate Test Prep

So it's 10 pm on the night before your morning test. What should you do?

• Go through class notes quickly to get a grasp of things, read the book to clarify if needed. (1-2 hours)
• Go over all Problem Sets: read the solutions/do over the harder problems. (1-2 hours)
• Do as many practice tests as you can to get an idea of what you'll be facing. (2 hours)
• And if you're allowed to bring a cheat sheet(s) for your test, compile it quickly, writing only the most necessary information. Now would be a good time to ask a friend about what they wrote on their cheat sheet. (1 hour)

http://mit.edu/uaap/learning/advice/biology.html

Summary Sheets

SUMMARY SHEETS: a compact version of a semester’s worth of notes, useful for big tests or final exams, the mere act of putting together a summary sheet like the one below helps set the information in your memory much more firmly than just reading over notes.

SOCIOLOGY 103

	19th Century	20th Century
How is Family Governed?	Patriarchal, father head of family	Individualistic and democratic
Difference in stability	Family Stable	Family less stable
Status of extended family?	Many children and relative under one roof – extended family	Smaller in size. Only two generations (parents and children)
Changes in Mobility?	Non-mobile. Rarely moved. “Old family homestead.”	Mobility increased and residences changed often.
Relationship between women and work?	Women: housework and children	Women: work outside and care for children after hours.
Attitude toward sex?	Puritanical on sex	Increasingly liberal
Variance in family types?	Family types in community alike	Greater variability in family type
Family’s function?	Family had many functions: political, religious, economic	Now: function is procreation and socialization

Using Note Cards Effectively

Need help memorizing material? Learning math problems? Using note cards is a great way to reduce anxiety about remembering facts as well as provide a portable study tool. In addition, using note cards allows you to memorize information out of sequence, so you don’t rely on context clues that you won’t have on an exam. When using note cards, it is especially effective to shuffle the cards and go through them in random order. For a math test, copy problems and solutions from your text or workbook onto a "flash" card, pick a problem card randomly, and try to set up the solution. This will force you to recognize "cues" in the problem itself that suggest how to solve it. Chemistry and physics problems should be handled similarly.

Semester Checklist

12/15/2009 - 12/31/2009

2 Weeks Priority

1. Discover Word 2007 (4 cd) - reserve at Library 1 week prior
2. PowerPoint CD - reserve anyway, at Library 1 week prior
   
3. Discover Excel 2007 (4 cd) - reserve at Library 1 week prior
   
4. 10 Key Typing: http://kitty-alana.blogspot.com/2009/10/10-key-typing-course.html
5. New Scientist Magazine (daily reading): http://www.newscientist.com/
6. Cut Textbook: http://kitty-alana.blogspot.com/2009/10/cut-text-books.html
7. Study Skill Review Checklist: http://kitty-alana.blogspot.com/2009/08/steps-to-studying.html + http://kitty-alana.blogspot.com/2009/08/study-method.html
8. Pre-Med Planner: http://www.placement.pitt.edu/resources/pdf/Pre-med_Planner%20.pdf
9. Miami U Pre-Med Planner: http://www.as.miami.edu/academics/advising/premed/2009-2010%20Premed%20Guide.pdf
   
10. Overcoming Shyness: http://thinksimplenow.com/happiness/20-ways-to-attack-shyness/
11. How To Ace Calculus: http://kitty-alana.blogspot.com/2009/10/how-to-ace-calculus.html
12. Learning Style test: http://www.engr.ncsu.edu/learningstyles/ilsweb.html
    

Specific Subject Skills

1. How To Study by Subjects: http://www.muskingum.edu/~cal/database/content/
   
2. How To Study Each Subject (science): http://kitty-alana.blogspot.com/2009/10/how-to-study-sciences-1.html
3. Studying For The Sciences: http://kitty-alana.blogspot.com/2009/08/studying-for-sciences.html
4. Biology Maps: http://fsas.upm.edu.my/~stshasan/concMAP.html

Syllabus Review & Time Mgt

1. College Syllabus checklist (1st Week): Time Mgt, Tests Date, Assignments due dates, etc
   

Build Medical/Science Vocabulary

1. Build a Med Vocab: http://www.pullins.com/BookViews/BV9781585102952.pdf
2. Build a Med Vocab: http://hikumano.hama-med.ac.jp/dspace/bitstream/10271/48/1/kiyo22_2.pdf
3. Prefix/Suffix: http://ancienthistory.about.com/library/weekly/aa052698.htm
4. General Science Vocab: http://kitty-alana.blogspot.com/2009/09/basic-science-vocabulary.html

Memory Skills

1. Mnemonic Devices To Improve Memory: http://kitty-alana.blogspot.com/2009/09/mnemonic-devices-to-improve-memory.html
2. Memory Courses: http://memory.uva.nl/memimprovement/eng/
3. Loci Memory Method: http://kitty-alana.blogspot.com/2009/08/principle-of-studying-how-to-study-fast.html
4. Peg Word Method: http://kitty-alana.blogspot.com/2009/08/peg-word-method.html

A short Hand System:

1. http://kitty-alana.blogspot.com/2009/09/easyscript-shorthand.html
2. http://kitty-alana.blogspot.com/2009/09/alphabetic-shorthand-systems.html
3. http://kitty-alana.blogspot.com/2009/09/shorthand-system.html

Flash Cards Improvement

1. Flash Cards: http://kitty-alana.blogspot.com/2009/08/how-to-study-faster-and-easier.html
2. Efficient FlashCards: http://kitty-alana.blogspot.com/2009/09/hand-writing-flashcards.html
3. Index Card Method: http://kitty-alana.blogspot.com/2009/08/index-study-system.html

Misc

1. Ending A Study Session: http://kitty-alana.blogspot.com/2009/10/ending-study-session.html
2. Taking Lecture Notes: http://kitty-alana.blogspot.com/2009/10/seven-common-signals-used-by-most.html
3. Learning is a Skill: http://kitty-alana.blogspot.com/2009/08/steps-to-studying.html
4. Taking Notes: http://kitty-alana.blogspot.com/2009/09/practice-taking-notes.html
5. How To Review: http://kitty-alana.blogspot.com/2009/08/how-to-review.html
6. Mental Math Tricks: http://wildaboutmath.com/2007/11/11/impress-your-friends-with-mental-math-tricks/?more
7. Toastmasters: http://www.toastmasters.org/ToastmastersMagazine/ToastmasterArchive/2007/May/Articles/Teaching.aspx

Writing An Essay Under 1 Hour:

1. A writing assignment. Essay Template: http://kitty-alana.blogspot.com/2009/10/essay-template-on-line-research-made_21.html
2. Essay Outline: http://kitty-alana.blogspot.com/2009/10/model-essay-outline.html
   
3. Citing Quotations: http://kitty-alana.blogspot.com/2009/10/citing-quotations-for-research-paper.html
4. Essay Outline: http://kitty-alana.blogspot.com/2009/10/essay-that-rocks.html
5. Planning An Essay: http://kitty-alana.blogspot.com/2009/10/planning-writing-assignment.html
6. The Banana: http://kitty-alana.blogspot.com/2009/10/bannana.html
7. How To Conduct Google Research: http://kitty-alana.blogspot.com/2009/10/how-to-conduct-google-essay-research.html
8. Helpful Websites Research: http://kitty-alana.blogspot.com/2009/10/helpful-websites-for-college-search.html
9. On-Line-Resources: http://www.onlinecolleges.net/2009/09/15/100-free-and-useful-tools-for-ap-students-and-teachers/

Beginning Of Semester Checklist

1. Review each subject study skills
2. Set-up Google Calendar for weekly planner and alerts
3. Study Syllabus and note assignments and due dates (what's expected)
4. Organize Cheat sheets for each subject
5. Set-up 3 ring binder
   
6. Separate Textbook (bu 2-3 chapters)
   
7. Cornell note taking blank sheets (review system)
8. Review Essay outline
9. Review Time Mgt Sheet
   

Student Mode Vocabulary List

1. Brainstorming assignments
2. 
   

Study Method 2009

My Study Process: each step is intended to: (1) breakdown complex and voluminous amount of info into manageable and digestible parts, (2) facilitate the steps to Comprehension - Repetition - Memorization - Recall, (3) having transferred your knowledge from short-term to long-term memory, must now be able to demonstrate your mastery of the chapter, either in writing, or in a simulated class lecture, and (4) design and develop a specific and consistent study routine for every college course.

1. Initial Preview (familiarity of the unknown): use the Question - Evidence - Conclusion format. Understand the chapter formatting (templates, highlights, coloring, examples, etc).
   
2. 1st Reading (comprehension & mind mapping): (1) Keep a steady, consistent speed, (2) set aside difficult topic ?, and review at a later time (don't interrupt reading flow/speed), (3) use the Morse Code Method to identify main and supporting ideas (dot, dash, triangles, etc), and mentally begin outlining cluster map.
   
3. Cluster Map: visual comprehension of the larger picture by clumping similar topics. See the big picture. Set Time Limits
   
4. Eureka moment (1 word) - (goal is to develop insight) - in your own words, unlock the meaning of each concept on the cluster map.
   
5. 2nd Reading (goal is to fill gaps in missing/difficult/quest areas, with one last re-visit) - clarify all open ended ? ques from 1st reading
   
6. Story Telling Sentences (limit 1-2) - verbalize, in your own words, your understanding of each concept on the cluster map. Give examples whenever possible. Relate your personal experiences. The more you personalize, the better you will relate and memorize.
   
7. Flash Cards (Q&A) - limit to "important" concepts, not so much 3rd-4th tier twigs/leaves (esp if not covered by Prof. & handouts). Focus on the main points and supporting ideas of the cluster map. Ok to capture 80% of chapter! (computerized system to manage memory recall more efficiently).
   
8. 5-10 min Flash Card Daily Review (practice/repetition makes perfect)
9. Must be able to visualize and verbalize Cluster Map from memory. And be able to summarize each story telling sentences into a coherent essay/class lecture (ie, be able to demonstrate your knowledge to others)
10. Note: 2 types of study method (1) Self-Study (cluster map), and (2) Cornell Lecture (in-class) note-taking system
11. Note: 3 types of subjects: (1) Non-technical, (2) Technical - Math, (3) Technical - Non-Math
    

5 Principals of an A+ Student

1. Syllabus - understand thoroughly the CONTRACT between you and your prof. No matter how good your study method, it is useless unless you precisely follow instructor's specific instructions.
   
2. A structured Study Program: understanding - practice - instant recall.
   
3. Time Mgt - daily and weekly study hours are limited. You must be able to use this finite amount of hours to get the most out of your study routine. Anything beyond 40 hours work week is overtime, overdrive, and the inevitable burn-out
4. Study Method Efficiency - the 8 steps process can be improved upon. Always look for ideas to make your study method more productive, and less time consuming ... opportunity costs other projects forgo!
   
5. Have Fun - realize that studying is no different than any other chore. No different than a 9-5 Job. It must get done. Your goal is to make it effortless, a matter-of-fact routine, and above all have fun with the entire college experience.

Math Study Skills (all major topics must have a blueprint problem, including each of its' intermediate steps)

1. The key here is to record as many sample problems as possible with as many intermediate steps as possible. (blue print problem)
   
2. To study from these notes: create a practice test that includes at least one sample problem from every major topic covered.
   
3. If you can solve a problem from scratch, replicating the intermediate steps, and truly understanding the insight behind these steps, then you’re done with that problem. Otherwise, review your notes, review your textbook, and, if needed, meet with the Prof. to bolster your understanding. Then return later and try to solve the problem from scratch again.
4. How To Solve Math Problems: http://web.archive.org/web/20030528193543/www.wwu.edu/depts/tutorialcenter/wordproblemstrategy.pdf
5. Translating Word Problems: http://www.purplemath.com/modules/translat.htm
   

Other Study Skills: http://www.muskingum.edu/~cal/database/

1. How To Structure A Chem Lab Report: http://www.dartmouth.edu/~chemlab/info/notebooks/sample.html
2. Chem 1 Page Summary: http://helpmewithchemistry.com/studyguide
3. Chem Note Taking: http://web.archive.org/web/20050212202054/http://userweb.esu16.org/~rboerner/study_skills.htm#Sample%20Note%20Page
   
4. Cornell Format Note taking: http://muskingum.edu/~cal/database/content/genscience4.html
5. General Problem Solving Method: http://web.archive.org/web/20050913091347/www.slc.qc.ca/~jmc/probSol.htm
6. Problem Solving In Physics: http://web.archive.org/web/20060617182845/http://wwwrel.ph.utexas.edu/~larry/how/how.html#examples
7. How To Make A Concept Map: http://web.archive.org/web/20020616165615/newmedia.avs.uakron.edu/geology/natscigeo/cmap.htm
8. How To Write A Science Essay: http://kitty-alana.blogspot.com/2009/10/how-to-write-essay.html
9. Chem Flowchart: http://muskingum.edu/~cal/images/flowchem.gif
10. Chem Matrics: http://muskingum.edu/~cal/images/tabchem1.gif
11. Science Reading Guide: http://muskingum.edu/~cal/database/content/genscience3.html
12. Critiquing A Research Article: http://muskingum.edu/~cal/images/listgsci.gif
13. Photo Flash Card: http://muskingum.edu/~cal/images/flashgs1.gif
14. Working In The Laboratory: http://kitty-alana.blogspot.com/2009/10/working-in-laboratory.html
15. Cornell note Taking Method: http://web.archive.org/web/20070406224929/www.csupomona.edu/~rosenkrantz/skills2.htm
16. Periodic Table - Visualization: http://www.visual-literacy.org/periodic_table/periodic_table.html
    

Cheat Sheets

1. College Algebra: http://tutorial.math.lamar.edu/
2. Others Subjects: http://studenthacks.org/2008/03/10/cheat-sheets/
3. 2008 Word: http://www.uwsp.edu/it/ApplicationSupport/appSuppDocsImages/referenceGuides/word-quick-reference-2008.pdf
   
4. 2008 PowerPoint: http://www.uwsp.edu/it/ApplicationSupport/appSuppDocsImages/referenceGuides/powerpoint-quick-reference-2008.pdf
5. 2008 Excel: http://www.uwsp.edu/it/ApplicationSupport/appSuppDocsImages/referenceGuides/excel-quick-reference-2008.pdf
   
6. Other Cptr: http://www.customguide.com/quick_references.htm
   

Write an Essay in less than 1 Day

Essay Outline
An essay is about making an argument, not simply a narrative listing of ideas. So take a stand and build a clear argument! Do you state a clear position at the beginning? Do you maybe try to spell out 2-4 general reasons why you think your position is correct? Do you take each of those reasons one at a time and support each reason with examples from the reading?. So usually, the thing that separates a “B” from and “A” isn’t the facts you know. It’s the argument you make with those facts.

1. Preliminary Web Research (15 min) Google Scholar for ideas. Here you are looking for a springboard to build your Thesis and Arguments/Evidences. List all facts. save citations and quotes. Use Word & Cornell Note Template to copy and paste web articles for quick review. Our Pre-built Word Template for Cornell Notes.
   
2. Develop a great Thesis (45 mins)
   
3. Write a Killer Introduction (15min) - 1-2 introductory sentences + Thesis statement
   
4. Brainstorm (30 min) how to defend your Thesis statement - write down key "mini-thesis" arguments, for each supporting paragraphs
   
5. For each argument/evidence phrase into question format for additional Google search
6. Time to Write (4-5 hrs) - select best arguments (with citations), use as introduction for each supporting paragraphs
7. Think of critics (1hr) and what they might say about your arguments. Strengthen by responding and answering objections
8. Summarize your thesis (30 min) - wrap-up by restating thesis (with some support). Leave the Prof. with something to think about!
   
9. Clean-up (1hr) - trim the fat. Eliminate everything that does not support Thesis, weaken arguments.
10. Get a 2nd opinion
    

Common Knowledge is not Plagiarizing!

How to Paraphrase
Paraphrase ("...") a lot but cite your source. Rearrange words, use synonyms, add a new sentence.

For example, consider this sentence from the Zebra article on Wikipedia:
“The Plains Zebra (Equus quagga, formerly Equus burchelli) is the most common, and has or had about twelve subspecies distributed across much of southern and eastern Africa.”

If I were writing a report on Zebras, I might write something like:
“The most common Zebra in Africa, the Plains Zebra, has around twelve subspecies scattered around both southern and eastern Africa. Currently, the Plains Zebra is known as Equus quagga, but was known as Equus burchelli previously.”

I took the basic facts presented in the original article, rearranged words and used synonyms, and then added a new sentence based on what was in parenthesis. Paraphrasing is essential, especially for long reports based on information in textbooks, biographies, and the like. Remember to always cite your sources (even if you aren’t taking direct quotes, because ideas are property of the person who came up with them). I feel that you can stretch most sentences if you need more length on your paper.

Guidelines for the Most Helpful Maps

1. A typical 50-minute lecture should contain at least 20 (and not more than 45) concepts. Concepts are usually nouns.

2. Label ALL links and crosslinks with linking phrases. Links generally consist of verbs, but other words may be used where appropriate.

3. Circle the concepts, leave examples uncircled.

4. Each concept should only appear once in a given map. Redundancy of concepts usually indicates that you missed an important conceptual relationship.

5. Concept maps should flow down the page only.

6. Concept maps should NOT resemble flow charts or chronologically based outlines of the lecture. They should not be sentences with some words diagrammed. An important goal is to accurately relate as many concepts as possible using crosslinks. Maps with long strings of concepts or with several isolated and unlinked branches indicate misunderstanding of the goal of concept mapping.

Beware of Parkinson's Law.

-- Parkinson's Law states that work expands to fit the time allotted. Defy this law by setting a difficult-to-reach deadline for each task - then strive to meet the deadline.

The Art Of Studying

1. Comprehensive Study Method
2. Flashcard Tips (Q&A)
   
3. Time Management
4. Memory Techniques
5. Goal Setting
   
6. Lecture Notes Taking - The Cornell System
   
7. A short Hand System - EasyScript Shorthand + Alphabetic Shorthand Systems
8. Increasing Speed Reading
9. How To Read a Textbook Chapter
10. Managing daily/weekly/monthly Review Time
11. Science Keyboard for IMAC
12. Learn advanced Word, PowerPoint, etc
13. Scan and edit document into Word
14. 10-Key Typing Method
15. Efficient Studying Methods: be specific on assignment completion (not open ended); Know how many sentences make up 500 words, plan accordingly; pre-plan assignments/pages/paragraphs;
    
16. Planning a writing assignment
17. 1st week of class, set-up a Semester Calender (based on course syllabus). Use a weekly planner for open ended projects (see GOOGLE calenders)
18. Use a timer to ensure less than 8 hours assign to completely study a chapter
19. Use a project outline list (with due dates per paragraph) to pre-plan each paragraph/page for every assignments
20. Course in Greek and Latin roots in medical terminology. http://www.abasiccurriculum.com/homeschool/roots/roma/
21. How do conduct a quick & dirty On-Line Research
22. How to cite and reference quotes for research paper
23. Outline unique study skills for each subject
24. Analyze Course syllabus @ beg of semester
    
25. Time Mgt Worksheet @ beg of semester: each subject assignment & due dates, Prof. weekly schedule plan, daily/weekly time line for achieving both (can see at a glance if ahead or behind of class schedule)
26. Start building med/science "basic/prefix" vocab (daily index cards system)
27. Set time Limits on each areas of study
28. Use Morse Code Method to reading chapter - dots and dashes
29. Math Class Study Skill - The key here is to record as many sample problems as possible with as many intermediate steps as possible.
30. Use Cheat Sheets for every subjects
31. Use Cheat Sheets for learning Word, Powerpoint, Excel, PC
    
32. Essay Research - Use Index Cards to take notes
33. Word - Cornell note taking format (split screen) - download article and make comments
34. Google Scholar for research
    
35. Google calendar for alerts and weekly planner
36. Each writing assignment - create a blank worksheet, outline essay, develop Killer Thesis, evidence to b/up thesis and knock-em dead Intro Sentense
37. 2 types of note taking: (1) Chapter reading and studying (Cluster Map and Flash Cards), and (2) Cornell lecture notes (for class attendance)
38. Various grading methods
    

How To Write A Killer Essay

1. When Researching, use Index Cards for note taking
2. Use Word to copy and paste web article. Use Word Cornell note taking format to make notes
3. Know exactly what the prof. wants on the Essay
   
4. Draft an Essay Outline: 1) Introduction — capture the reader’s attention and state your thesis. 2) Body — prove your thesis and disprove alternative theses. 3) Conclusion — restate your thesis and *interpret it*
5. List all facts you have about the Topic and relate and work it into the body of the essay. That is, know the material
   
6. Paraphrase ("...") a lot but cite your source. Rearrange words, use synonyms, add a new sentence.
7. Use thesaurus and use different words with similar meanings
   
8. Write an impressive conclusion
9. Always get an independent review before submitting
   
10. Note: short essay -1500 words, Long +2500 words
11. Research: http://scholar.google.com/
    

http://kitty-alana.blogspot.com/2009/11/how-to-write-great-term-paper-in-one.html

Memorizing Dates and Numbers Quickly

There are a lot of techniques to help you memorize numbers and dates quickly. One of my favorites involves associating numbers with letters.

For example:

0 = Z or S (zero)
1 = T or D (one downstroke)
2 = N (two downstrokes)
3 = M (three down strokes)
4 = R (R looks like 4 backwards)
5 = L (Roman Numeral for 50 is L)
6 = G (six looks like a G)
7 = K
8 = F
9 = P (9 looks like a P backwards)

You can associate any number with any letter, but the key is to memorize one letter for each number. Any letter not associated with a number doesn’t mean anything.

So this is how it works:

Let’s pretend you had to memorize that George Washington was born in 1732. To do this, you simply substitute the numbers for letters.

In this case: 1732 = TKMN

TKMN doesn’t make any sense, so you can add vowels to develop a fun way to associate TKMN with George Washington.

For example:

Take Men George Washington had to take men to war
Took Men George Washington took men to war
Teak Man Imagine George Washington made out of teak

The more creative you can use the letters, the better you’ll remember the date.

Why You Should Use Google Scholar for Research

If you don’t have access to library databases at home, you should definitely start your research using Google Scholar. To describe Google Scholar as simply a website that archives and organizes online journal articles would be an understatement.

Google Scholar not only lets you search for articles by search terms (like every other journal database), but it provides you with great search features like:

Related Articles Link
Most every article listed within Google Scholar has a “related articles”link. The “related articles”� link expands on articles not cited within the article itself, and can provide you with a long list of scholarly journal articles you might not have thought about checking out. You can spend hours just clicking through the related links of the journal articles you’re interested in.

Cited By Link
Another great tool on Google Scholar is the “Cited by __”� link. This nifty link will give you set of online journal articles that cite the article you’re interested in. So the articles with more citations should give you an idea of the article’s importance within your research topic. It’s a great tool to quickly find articles most referenced in other journals, which means you might want to consider reading and citing those highly referenced articles too.

There are many other advanced search features and scholar preference searches, so go check it out.

Here are five great online resources that can help you research prior to writing your next paper. These online resources can help you save time, and can really help if you don’t have time to visit a library.

Google Scholar
The advanced features on Google Scholar can help you quickly narrow down and research your topic of interest. Google scholar provides you a rich database of research material available on the web. Though much of the content requires passwords to view full journal articles, you can still view abstracts for free.

E-Research - Harvard University
This research site will provide you with a list of journal articles and online references for whatever topic you’re interested in. Though this site was built for Harvard students, you can still access and use the site without a student ID. Simply click on the “show unrestricted” button to get access to free content.

LibrarySpot.com
Library Spot can provide you with online encyclopedias, dictionaries, journal articles, and other important reference materials. The website can seem overwhelming at first because of the amount of information available, but it’s definitely a great place to start for general research.

WorldCat.org
WorldCat.org can provide you with a laundry list of books and articles to reference for whatever topic you’re interested in. It’s sort of like going to the largest library you could imagine. It’s all there for you to sort through to find the books that might help you for your paper. The only problem is that it doesn’t provide any abstracts for the books you want to know more about.

Encyclopedia.com
This site is valuable because it provides links to tons of great online encyclopedias. Just type in a term and you’ll find dozens of definitions and information about that topic with links going to the various online encyclopedias. The only problem with this site is that it’s cluttered with ads.

These five online libraries will help you with your research.

IQ Tests

I.Q. is an abbreviation of “intelligence quotient,” which refers to a measurement of cognitive ability derived from a series of standardized tests.

The IQ Test, as we know it, started with the Stanford-Binet test back in 1905. This test was used to predict educational achievement.

Scores between 90 and 110 are considered average. IQ scores outside the range 55 to 145 are essentially meaningless because there are not enough people to make statistically sound statements. Check out Wikipedia’s IQ reference chart to see the full range of I.Q. scores and what they mean.

Unfortunately, most Free IQ Tests on the web are littered with ads–and nobody really knows how credible they actually are. That’s why we sorted through a whole bunch of them and developed this list of credible exams that didn’t have any annoying ads tossed here and there.

We hope you find these exams helpful:

Hoeflin IQ Tests
Ronald K. Hoeflin, PHD developed a bunch of IQ Tests in Verbal Analogies, Spatial and Numerical Problems, Letter Series, and Analogies. These brief exams are believed to measure intellectual ability above the 99.9999th percentile. These tests are provided through allIQTests.com, which also provides a host of other IQ exams.

eCMA IQ Test
The International High IQ Society’s eCMA IQ Test is a 36 question multiple choice timed test comprising of six test in: analogies, math, factual knowledge, memory, sequential reasoning, and analogical reasoning. Your score is calculated for free, and you have the option to buy their comprehensive Personal Intelligence Profile.

Unique IQ Tests
This IQ test is completely done in Flash, and very nicely designed. This test contains 27 questions and aimed to determine your abilities in logic, analogies, memorization, and mathematical tasks. You have approximately 60 seconds to solve each question.

IQ Testing Online
This test is designed to measure your brain power and cognitive ability with standardized tests in arithmetic, spatial comprehension, and verbal analogies. This test will take under 20 minutes to complete. You’ll also receive a detail report upon completion.

IQTest.sk
This site hosts a bunch of different IQ test within the following areas: mathematical, logical, pictorial, visual, mix, wide-range, easy-range.

IQ Test Club
IQ Test Club provides users with a free test and IQ score. This test requires you to set aside about 30 minutes to take the exam. They’ll give you your score for free, but they will charge you to get a copy of your 20+ page personalized report.

IQ Test Labs
This PhD certified IQ Test will take you about 15 minutes to complete. Upon completion, you’ll receive an IQ score and detailed report.

How to Cite A Blog in MLA and APA Formats

I think most professors are okay with students citing blogs in class papers (as long as the blog post is written from a credible source).

However, I’ve had a couple professors that didn’t allow anyone to cite blogs or Wikipedia articles in papers. They felt that those websites could be easily changed, and weren’t worth citing.

That’s why you should always check with your Prof before using a blog entry in your works cited list.

Once you have approval to reference a blog for your essay, here are some ways to cite blogs according to MLA and APA style guide:

MLA FORMAT
Lastname, Firstname, “Title of individual blog entry.” Weblog entry. Title of Weblog. Date posted. Date accessed (URL).

APA FORMAT
Lastname, FirstInitial. Title of individual blog entry. Retrieved January 1, 2007, from http://www.blog.com

If you have any problems figuring this out, simply plug in your blog info into Citation Machine’s online form. It will automatically style your blog into MLA or APA format.

For more examples of how to cite blogs, check out the Purdue teaching resource page.

http://studenthacks.org/page/11/