Fostering Student Success

General Study Strategies

UNC Chapel Hill's The Learning Center offers a wide range of resources to support students in their academic pursuits. Here’s a summary of the key areas covered:

• Study Smarter: Develop effective study habits using techniques like active engagement, concept mapping, and understanding Bloom's Taxonomy. These methods aim to improve comprehension and retention of course materials.
• Be More Productive: Boost your productivity by learning time management, setting SMART goals, and minimizing distractions. Resources are available for tracking assignments and overcoming procrastination.
• Read Better: Enhance your reading skills with active reading techniques, text annotation, and effective interpretation of diagrams and graphs. These strategies focus on improving comprehension and retention.
• Ace Your Tests: Prepare for exams by focusing on test-taking strategies, managing anxiety, and utilizing study planners. The center provides guidance on various exam types, including multiple-choice and take-home formats.
• STEM Tip Sheets: Access specialized support for STEM courses, including subjects like biology, chemistry, math, and physics. These resources offer targeted strategies to effectively tackle challenging topics.
• Own Your Calendar: Stay organized with tools designed for schedule management, such as weekly planners and semester action plans. These resources help balance academic responsibilities with personal commitments.
• For students with ADHD or learning differences, customized resources are available to meet diverse learning needs. The UNC Writing Center also provides handouts to help enhance writing skills.

Memorize Academy provides a less than 9 minute video on general study strategies.

Note-Taking Strategies

Various Websites to help taking notes easier: 

• 5 Methods of note taking- A general overview of 5 methods of note taking. . 

• Cornell note taking- The Learning Toolbox provides resources for the specific note taking style, Cornell Notes.

• Mind mapping note taking- ECU.edu provides resources for Mind Map Note Taking

• Outline note taking - Resources for taking notes in the outline style.

Crash Course YouTube Channel, an educational YouTube channel started by Hank Green and John Green (author of The Fault in Our Stars), provides a less than 10 minute video of different types of note taking and their benefits.

Reading Assignment Support

• Active vs. passive reading- SPARK provides information about active vs. passive reading techniques. Passive reading refers to skimming through material without fully engaging, which often results in inadequate retention and comprehension. In contrast, active reading entails questioning, analyzing, and interacting with the text, fostering improved focus, understanding, and overall study effectiveness.

• Characteristics of active and passive readers - Quick PDF chart comparing Active vs. Passive Reading characteristics 

Crash Course, an educational YouTube channel started by Hank Green and John Green (author of The Fault in Our Stars), informational video, less than 10 minutes, providing help for reading assignments.

University of North Carolina Chapel Hill provides some tips for note-taking from readings.

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