How to Do Well in Science Class
Find a quiet place to study., Study in blocks of time., Take clear, organized notes., Reread your notes after class., Refer to multiple sources., Learn the reasons behind the facts., Become familiar with the metric system., Think about teaching...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Find a quiet place to study.
You’ll need to have a place where you can study that is free of disruptions and interruptions.
This might be in your bedroom, in a library, or in another room.
You’ll have to be honest with yourself about what your own needs are.For example, if you’re distracted by looking out the window, move your work area so that you can’t see outside from where you work.
Wear headphones over your ears if you need to to keep you from being distracted by ambient sound.
Some people benefit from using a fan facing the wall to generate white noise.
This prevents distraction from random sounds. -
Step 2: Study in blocks of time.
Sitting and studying for unlimited lengths of time will lead to boredom and distractibility.
Instead, study in blocks, interrupted by short breaks where you stand up and move around away from your study area.You might set a timer to help you remember to take a break after 45-60 minutes.
Then, set another timer to remind you to return to your desk.
Usually a break of 10 minutes is a good break. , The notes you take in class will help you know what to study between classes.
Don’t try to write down everything that the teacher says.
Instead, pay careful attention to any information your teacher suggests is likely to be included on tests.Having help with taking notes is an accommodation many schools are able to make for learning disabilities.
If you need this accommodation, check with your school’s office of academic accessibility.
It may help you to record your lecture classes.
Most smartphones have built-in voice recorders, or you can download a recording app.
Recording a lecture will allow you to go back and hear it again. , If there’s anything in your notes that confuses you, or which you feel might be wrong, check with your teacher or a classmate to ensure you have the right information.If you wait too long to read your notes, you may not remember enough of the class to make sense of them It may help you to rewrite your notes in a more condensed way.
This tests your comprehension of the material in a way that ensures you’ve really grasped the meaning. , When you’re studying your notes, refer not only to the textbooks you’ve been given, but use internet searches to supplement your understanding.
Sometimes your subject matter will be better explained by another source.
For example, Khan Academy is a good source for many scientific topics.You can use these sources to supplement your work.
Using visual information, graphics, videos or other media can help you understand the lectures.
If the resources that you find provide information that contradicts the science you’ve learned in class, make careful notes and ask your teacher.
This might provide the basis for additional discussion. , Science might seem like a lot of facts, but each fact was found out by someone’s trying to answer the question “Why?” Learning how things fit together will help you make sense of the facts you’re learning in science class.For example, if you imagine a cannon firing, you may be able to better remember Newton’s Third Law: “For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.” But what does this mean? A cannon, being larger than a cannonball, pushes the ball a great distance when it’s fired.
But at the same time, the ball exerts its own force on the cannon, so the cannon will will also be pushed back few inches in the opposite direction.
This is an example Newton’s Third Law. , A lot of science is done using the metric system, since this is the system most commonly used internationally.
The metric system is based on units of 10, and is used to measure length, mass and time.For instance, 10 millimeters make a centimeter, 10 centimeters make a decimeter, 10 decimeters make a meter, which is the base unit of length in the metric system.
The system that most Americans use is called the Imperial system, but even American scientists use the metric system at work. , When you think you understand the material, try to explain it to someone else.
Teaching another person is the best way of knowing for sure whether or not you really understand the material you’ve been studying.
If you can test your knowledge on a friend or family member, this will help you assess your own knowledge.It can help to imagine the kinds of questions you might ask if you were the professor.
Try finding new examples for the information you’ve learned based in your own experience or knowledge. , Each person has slightly different techniques for effective studying.
Your own study skills might include using (and creating) flash cards, or making stories out of the information you’ve been given.
You might write your own songs to help you remember salient facts and details.If you study best with a group, form a study group with others in your class.
Be careful not to use this group for socializing, but as an effective learning time.
If you study best alone, make sure that you’re able to remain focused on your work without getting distracted by other activities. -
Step 3: Take clear
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Step 4: organized notes.
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Step 5: Reread your notes after class.
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Step 6: Refer to multiple sources.
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Step 7: Learn the reasons behind the facts.
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Step 8: Become familiar with the metric system.
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Step 9: Think about teaching someone else.
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Step 10: Learn your own best study skills.
Detailed Guide
You’ll need to have a place where you can study that is free of disruptions and interruptions.
This might be in your bedroom, in a library, or in another room.
You’ll have to be honest with yourself about what your own needs are.For example, if you’re distracted by looking out the window, move your work area so that you can’t see outside from where you work.
Wear headphones over your ears if you need to to keep you from being distracted by ambient sound.
Some people benefit from using a fan facing the wall to generate white noise.
This prevents distraction from random sounds.
Sitting and studying for unlimited lengths of time will lead to boredom and distractibility.
Instead, study in blocks, interrupted by short breaks where you stand up and move around away from your study area.You might set a timer to help you remember to take a break after 45-60 minutes.
Then, set another timer to remind you to return to your desk.
Usually a break of 10 minutes is a good break. , The notes you take in class will help you know what to study between classes.
Don’t try to write down everything that the teacher says.
Instead, pay careful attention to any information your teacher suggests is likely to be included on tests.Having help with taking notes is an accommodation many schools are able to make for learning disabilities.
If you need this accommodation, check with your school’s office of academic accessibility.
It may help you to record your lecture classes.
Most smartphones have built-in voice recorders, or you can download a recording app.
Recording a lecture will allow you to go back and hear it again. , If there’s anything in your notes that confuses you, or which you feel might be wrong, check with your teacher or a classmate to ensure you have the right information.If you wait too long to read your notes, you may not remember enough of the class to make sense of them It may help you to rewrite your notes in a more condensed way.
This tests your comprehension of the material in a way that ensures you’ve really grasped the meaning. , When you’re studying your notes, refer not only to the textbooks you’ve been given, but use internet searches to supplement your understanding.
Sometimes your subject matter will be better explained by another source.
For example, Khan Academy is a good source for many scientific topics.You can use these sources to supplement your work.
Using visual information, graphics, videos or other media can help you understand the lectures.
If the resources that you find provide information that contradicts the science you’ve learned in class, make careful notes and ask your teacher.
This might provide the basis for additional discussion. , Science might seem like a lot of facts, but each fact was found out by someone’s trying to answer the question “Why?” Learning how things fit together will help you make sense of the facts you’re learning in science class.For example, if you imagine a cannon firing, you may be able to better remember Newton’s Third Law: “For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.” But what does this mean? A cannon, being larger than a cannonball, pushes the ball a great distance when it’s fired.
But at the same time, the ball exerts its own force on the cannon, so the cannon will will also be pushed back few inches in the opposite direction.
This is an example Newton’s Third Law. , A lot of science is done using the metric system, since this is the system most commonly used internationally.
The metric system is based on units of 10, and is used to measure length, mass and time.For instance, 10 millimeters make a centimeter, 10 centimeters make a decimeter, 10 decimeters make a meter, which is the base unit of length in the metric system.
The system that most Americans use is called the Imperial system, but even American scientists use the metric system at work. , When you think you understand the material, try to explain it to someone else.
Teaching another person is the best way of knowing for sure whether or not you really understand the material you’ve been studying.
If you can test your knowledge on a friend or family member, this will help you assess your own knowledge.It can help to imagine the kinds of questions you might ask if you were the professor.
Try finding new examples for the information you’ve learned based in your own experience or knowledge. , Each person has slightly different techniques for effective studying.
Your own study skills might include using (and creating) flash cards, or making stories out of the information you’ve been given.
You might write your own songs to help you remember salient facts and details.If you study best with a group, form a study group with others in your class.
Be careful not to use this group for socializing, but as an effective learning time.
If you study best alone, make sure that you’re able to remain focused on your work without getting distracted by other activities.
About the Author
Angela Ellis
Professional writer focused on creating easy-to-follow lifestyle tutorials.
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