Study effectively with proper training Do you have trouble finding time to study? Are your class notes a total disaster? Can you remember today what was said in yesterday’s lecture? Do you get an anxiety attack every time you take an exam? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you need S.E.T. S.E.T. is the abbreviation for Study Effectiveness Training. It’s offered twice a school year at the Counseling Center here. This school years first workshop sessions, held throughout October, were con ducted by the Coordinator of Counseling Services, Dr. Marian Krieger and Center Counselor, Edward Beck. Study Effectiveness Training first began at Capitol Campus in 1976 “to help students cope with the transition from semesters to terms,” says Krieger. At that time the workshops were only offered once a school year, but due to positive response S.E.T. ses sions have been expanded to twice a school year. Krieger and Beck try to help as many students as they can during the two S.E.T. sessions. This is done in part through a Preliminary Assessment Form that all participants must fill out prior to attending the workshops. The form basically asks you to indicate what you . feel are your strengths ana weaknesses in studying and comprehending course work. The Preliminary Assessment Form also tells what major or option you’re taking. The par ticipants are then divided into two groups according to their field of study. Krieger handles students in majors that require a large amount of reading or literary analysis such as behavioral science or the humanities. Beck conducts ses sions with majors who deal with quantitative problem solving such as engineering and business math. Although the groups are separated they learn the same S.E.T. techniques, but they are specifically geared toward what the student is learning in his or her actual course work. Both groups are taught effective time management skills, techni ques to improve redding and retention, efficient ways of note-taking and strategies for test-taking. When Krieger first began con ducting S.E.T. workshops she found that time management seemed to be the biggest pro blem among students trying to adjust to terms. “We try to stress the impor- tance of balancing the academic and personal lives of the students, especially those who are married or work full or part-time,” says Krieger. In essence, what Krieger and Beck teach is how to effectively use the study time you’ve got, no matter how little you nave. One 7th term behavioral science major said of this aspect of S.E.T., “I finally realized that if I would use my study time more wisely and ef ficiently I would have more “We try to stress the importance of balancing the academic and personal lives of the students.” time left over to do other things.” Students are also taught several techniques of improving their reading and retention skills. One of which is the SQ3R method. SQ3R stands for Survey or Skim, Question, Read, Recite and Review. Krieger says, ‘‘lt is a new ap proach to understanding and re taining textbook material as op posed to using speed reading machines such as those used in Evelyn Wood speed-reading courses.” Another topic discussed in S.E.T. sessions is efficient note taking techniques. Participants are taught a method of taxing class notes in a summary style which eliminates pages and pages of impertinent notes and makes studying for tests much easier. Also covered in the Study Ef- Dr. Marian Krieger Coordinator of Counseling Services fectiveness Training workshops are strategies for test-taking. Krieger says, “This is taught to give students confidence in test taking and to reduce test anxie ty.” Do the easy questions first is a pointer g;iven to par ticipants, which should psychologically give the test taker an extra dose of confidence. S.E.T. participants praised the workshops for teaching .them how to develop good study habits, how to increase their reading and comprehension skills and how to alleviate test anxiety. Still others were somewhat disappointed in the number of participants. A 7th term humanities major said she thinks that more students don’t come because “They think they already know how to study, especially if they’re getting good grades. But that isn’t always true, I’ve always had good grades but I’ve learned some things at S.E.T. that I didn’t know before.” Another participant from Krieger’s group said he thinks “students might also think the sessions are too time consuming. They are, but it’s worth the time in vestment.” The next Study Effectiveness Training workshops won’t be of fered until the spring term but Krieger and Beck will be happy to conduct S.E.T. sessions with individuals or groups. Study Effectiveness Training sessions for Spring Term 1983 will be conducted from 1:30-3 pm. April 6,13, 20, and 27.
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