How to study more effectively

When it comes to academic success, how you hit the books may be more important than how hard you hit them.

It’s all a matter of resolving to study smarter, not just harder.

According to Ron Fry, author of the "How to Study Program" series of study books, understanding where, when and how you study best is the first step to success.

As Fry sees it, these five tips can be applied by almost any student to improve performance:

•While some students really do study better with the radio on, no one can study effectively or do homework in front of the television.

•Learning how standardized tests are structured, as well as some strategies for approaching them, can increase your test scores.

•Developing your own shorthand system can help you take better notes in class and increase your ability to grasp the meaning behind the teacher’s words.

•Spending less time writing and more time researching and organizing will almost always result in better research papers and essays.

•A simple information-management system is essential for success.

Fry believes that effective study styles can be as unique as the students who employ them. That’s why he favors developing study systems that accommodate individual academic strengths and personal preferences.

While some students will be well served by using "kinesthetic" memory techniques—associating body movements with items being memorized—others won’t. Background music may help some students as much as it distracts others. These are matters of personal style.

But, he contends, some rules do apply across the board. For example, keeping track of due dates, assignments and test days is critical.

This story provided by North American Precis Syndicate, Inc.