Study Strategies for Math
These are notes taken by Tim Bradley during a seminar titled Study Strategies for Math, led by MHCC math instructor Tambi Boyle on 10/3/07. Tambi welcomes related questions. Call her at (503) 491-7191 or email her: . You can email Tim to arrange math study skills help at .
Basic Strategies for Success
Have a positive attitude, even if you don’t “get it” the first time.
Show up to class every day and be ready in advance to ask questions. In math, questions are very important to learning and welcomed by instructors. Don’t be shy with them – others in the class probably have the same questions.
Bring to class all materials and homework. This includes textbook, pencil, a good eraser, paper, calculator, and planner. Other useful items include scratch paper, graph paper, ruler, protractor, post-its, and colored pencils.
Take good notes during class. The book is hard to read due to its new words, and difficult systematic approach (which may seem boring). Lecture uses more common words to communicate the same concepts and examples as the book’s formal math language.
Participate and interact with classmates during lecture. Table arrangement is used because it facilitates interaction with other students, whose way of thinking may be helpful to hear.
Dedicate adequate time to studying. Seven hours each day is too much. An hour or two each day after class should be enough.
Make sure to ask about anything you don’t understand. If you feel too shy during class, come to the office hours, ask before class, send questions via phone or email, or (if necessary) make an appointment to meet outside of office hours.
Take advantage of the tutoring offered in the LearningAssistanceCenter
How To Spend Your Out-of-Class Study Time
After each class meeting, skim over your notes, read through the corresponding sections in the textbook, look over the assigned problems, and complete as many of the assigned problems as possible. If you get stuck on a question, make a note and come back to it later. If you are doing your homework and find yourself starting to really hate math, make a note of the topic or question and take a break. Know your limits and choose your homework times according to when you have energy. We are prone to frustration when tired.
Before each class meeting, review the problems you completed the night before and make a final attempt at those you had trouble with. In class you can then ask any questions that remain.
Tips to Stay Organized
Have a binder dedicated solely to math. Make separate sections for each of class notes, reading notes, and tests/quizzes/graded problems. Keep everything that gets handed out or is returned to you.
Use a planner to keep track of important dates (like exams) and to record the details of each homework assignment.
In-class notes: Date them with title and topic covered. It is also good to note the chapter title and section numbers in the book that correspond to the topic covered. Use a spiral notebook or paper in a binder to keep your in-class notes together. Leave room on the side of the page so you can make comments and record any questions.
Reading notes: Title and date them. Write down the key concepts, vocabulary, and examples from the current section of the book. Use the example problems in the text to practice: cover up the steps and try them on your own.
Homework assignments: Label them with page number and date assigned. Don’t crowd your work. Write neatly so you can refer with ease later. Be sure to show enough steps for later explanation and memory. Verify answers as much as possible – the ability to check your own answers is one great advantage of math over other subjects. If you get stuck, try to identify where your specific problem is within the steps.