Student Resources
Study tools
Learning Cycle
The Learning Cycle is a 5-step process that helps students learn how to retain information effectively. It is one of the best ways to start studying at a college level.
- Preview: Before attending class, spend 5 to15 minutes reviewing material your instructor will cover in class. Going over your notes while waiting for the instructor to begin class can help you prepare for class.
- Go to class: This is the bread and butter of learning new material. This is what you are paying money for, so do whatever it takes to get yourself to class.
- Review: After class, re-read your notes and fill in anything you may have missed. If it is tough to find time directly after class to do this, fit it in whenever you can. Browse through your notes while you eat dinner or just before bed. It is too often that students take notes and put them in our backpack and don’t see them again until the next class period. It is important to go over new material sometime during the same day you have had class. Spending time with new material is always important.
- Study: Repetition and practice are key. For 30 to 50 minute intense study sessions, always have a goal in mind and set something you can achieve. For example: “I want to learn how to apply a certain integral.” Learn with focus and keep your goal in mind. If you break focus, take a break and don’t go into autopilot. Know your attention span and plan your study session accordingly. After your designated study time, take a break. Once break is over look back at your problem and go over what you just studied.
- Assess your learning: This is sanity check time. What have you learned? Do you know the material enough to teach it to others? It’s okay to try to teach to someone else. They may not get it, but listening to yourself explain will be a big help to you. If you haven’t grasped the concepts, refer back to the third step and start again; set a goal, learn with focus.
Semester calendar
The Semester Calendar is the best way to see your semester at a glance. Print the calendar and add all due date information from your syllabi. Hang the calendar in a prominent place so you can refer to it often.
Use the calendar to help with long-term goals. You may have several tests on the same day or during the same week. Use the calendar to plan sufficient study time for your courses and to always know when projects and tests are coming up.
Weekly calendar
Use the weekly calendar as a template of how you project your week to be. Add all class time, work time, eating time and sleeping time especially during finals week. This is a lot like a Michigan seven day weather forecast. You know it might only be a suggestion! It’s okay to plan some bad days and okay to plan some good days. It only takes five minutes on Sunday evening to plan for the following week.
Once the calendar is loaded with class, work, eating and sleeping time, add in study time. Try to allow for four hours of study time a day. If four hours a day is not possible, look for time on other days where you can add an hour. Four hours a day, seven days a week equals 28 hours of study time. This gives you a good starting point with flexibility to add more hours depending on your course load. Try to always have 28 study hours in a week! If 28 hours sounds crazy, remember this includes reading your textbook, working on projects, writing papers and researching. Keep track of all time spent on course work and see how close you can get to 28. It is not as hard as it seems and the benefits become evident in your grades!
How to calculate your course grade
Learning how to calculate your course grades is very important. This lets you keep track of how you are doing in a class. Download our handy grade calculator excel sheet and watch the videos below to learn how to use itWatch the videos below to learn how to use it. This works with both percentage based and point based courses. The grade calculator that we provide makes it easy to calculate what grade you need to get on a final to reach the next letter grade.This can be important to reach that 3.0 mark.
GPA calculation video part 1, GPA calculation video part 2
How to calculate your overall GPA
DegreeWorks has a GPA calculator tab that has your current GPA and earned credits already plugged in. Enter the expected letter grades for your current semester into the calculator and it will calculate you expected/future GPA. DegreeWorks is accessed through GoWMU. If you have trouble, check your pop-up blocker. Ask your academic advisor if you have questions.