Student Resources

Discover the power of CAS Resources!

icon showing 3 students at a table

 Tutoring

icon

 Supplemental Instruction

icon showing students studying in a group

 Study Groups

icon showing 2 people at a table

 Learning Strategy Session

icon

 Workshops

icon with a calendar

 Time Management

icon with an open book

 Test Prep

icon with a scantron

 Test Taking

icon with a notebook

Note-taking

icon showing a student walking on a path

 Learning Journey

icon with a capital A & a plus sign

 Share my Success

icon showing a frustrated student

 Academic Stress

 

 

Time Management

Create Your Time Management System.

Use these tools to organize your semester and make the most of your time.

 

Class Organizer

Fill out a class organizer to list due dates for all assignments, quizzes, and exams.

example of a filled out class organizer - accessible link below

Class organizer

Accessible Class Organizer

Semester Calendar

Write down each exam, quiz, project, and paper due dates from your class organizers.

example of 4 weeks filled out on a semester calendar - accessible link below

semester Calendar

Accessible Semester Calendar

 

Weekly Planner

Record your classes, weekly social/organizational meeting, and work. Identify blocks of time to schedule study sessions.

example of a partially filled out weekly planner - accessible link below

weekly planner

Accessible Weekly Planner

Master-to-do

Identify homework, assignments and needed study time. Create daily to do lists to complete each task.

example of a partially filled out Master-to-do - accessible link below

master-to-do

Accessible Master-to-do

 

 

Final Exam Planner

Plan out the final weeks of the semester using our final exam planner. 

example of a partially filled out Final Exam Planner - accessible link below

final exam planner

Accessible Final Exam Planner

 

 

 

Test Prep

Make better grades!

Use these tools to help you make better grades and be better prepared for exams.

 

The Study Cycle

Graphic of the Study Cycle with focused study sessions - link to accessible documentation of this process to the right and below

 

The Study cycle

Accessible Study Cycle

Preview

PowerPoint & Professor Notes 

  • Print/Review for main ideas and new concepts.
  • Check Moodle (syllabus) for upcoming class topics.

Textbook

  • Review learning objectives for topics to be covered in class.
  • Skim chapter for pictures, graphs, key vocabulary, bolded headings, formulas etc.
  • Read summary questions after each section.

Attend

Participate in Class (discussions, clicker questions, asking for clarification, etc.).

  • Get there early.
  • Reduce distractions.

Take Meaningful Notes 

  • Use the method that works for you (by hand, computer, outline, etc.).
  • Paraphrase information
  • Connect main ideas.
  • Avoid copying slides verbatim.

Focus on the relationships between ideas or concepts by asking “how” & “why” questions.

Review

Review your notes from class within 24 hours. Fill in any gaps you missed during class to complete your notes.

Annotate your notes to prioritize what needs to be focused on most during study time.

  • Use a system such as color coding, symbols, notations, etc.
  • Note important concepts, key terms, processes or cycles, & mastered concepts.
  • Identify murky concepts and questions to take to office hours, tutoring, or SI.

example of symbols for annotating notes

Study: Focus Study Session

Use a variety of study methods to find the one that works best for your class.

Plan

  • Set a study goal based on class assignments and learning objectives.
  • Make goals realistic based on your personal needs, attention span, & time constraints.
  • Set up environment.
    • Gather necessary supplies.
    • Remove distractions (phone, video games, etc.).
    • Select a study area (desk, study room, etc.).

Study

Start by building an understanding of basic concepts to establish a good foundation for your learning.

  • Read Purposefully.
    • Chunk texts into more manageable sections.
    • Read aloud to keep focused.
    • Mark, take notes, or summarize key terms, important concepts, and processes/cycles, etc.

Next, actively engage with the material to deepen your knowledge and achieve higher levels of learning.

  • Make Connections.
    • Use textbook & other resources to clarify any murky concepts and elaborate on your notes.
    • Look fro concepts that are emphasized or overlap.
    • Create a concept map to illustrate relationships between ideas, information, and concepts.
    • Learn concepts, then practice for independence.
  • Practice.
    • Rework example problems or answer textbook questions.
    • Complete class assignments/homework.
    • Rework until no resources are needed (notes, textbook, etc.).
    • Use or create study guide.

Break

  • Stretch, eat a snack, go for a short walk.
  • This is NOT the time to check your phone.

Recap

  • Did I meet my goal?
  • Did I master the material?
  • Do I need to spend more time these concepts?

Choose Next Steps

  • Do you need a break?
  • Should you keep studying?
  • Should you  switch subjects?

Check

Test yourself in test-like conditions (time limit, no hints/help, location, etc.).

  • Create or take a practice test.
  • Put materials away & teach concepts to a classmate or roommate, study group, voice recording, etc. to identify learning gaps.

Are my study methods effective? 

  • How did you prepare for the test?
    • How well did your strategies work?
    • Is there something you should do differently?
  • During the test, did you feel you were prepared?
  • Did you get the grade you expected?
  • How can you improve for your next exam?

Study Tools

college reading

Accessible College Reading

concept maps

Accessible Concept Maps

graphic organizer

Accessible Graphic Organizer

homework roadmap

Accessible Homework Roadmap

study strategies

Accessible Study Strategies

learning approaches

Accessible Learning Approaches

 

 

Higher Levels of Learning

 

graphic of Bloom's Taxonomy - accessible explanation to the right/below

Bloom’s Taxonomy is a hierarchy that begins with memorization (rote learning) and proceeds to higher levels of meaningful learning. Each level builds on the foundation that precedes it so you can apply knowledge in an increasingly sophisticated and useful way.

Use Bloom’s Taxonomy to learn problem-solving skills rather than just memorizing your course work.

Bloom's taxonomy

Accessible Bloom's Taxonomy

 

Test Taking

Helpful Strategies

Use these tips before and during a tests.

 

Confirm the Details

  1. What day/time is the exam?
  2. Where is the exam?
  3. What supplies do you need (calculator, blue book, scantron, pencil, etc)?

Preview the Test

  1. Look over the total number of items.
  2. Identify point values and judge the amount of time to spend on each item. 
  3. Write down formulas, processes, or outlines, etc.
  4. Clear your mind for thinking to ease the stress of worrying and forgetting.

Read Directions Carefully

  1. Underline or identify key terms.
  2. Number or note the steps in the directions.
  3. Follow directions completely.

Attempt Every Question

  1. Answer easiest questions first to build confidence.
  2. Mark questions you don’t know and go on.
  3. Return to skipped questions even if only to guess for possible partial credit.
  4. When possible, use information on the test to help with answers.

Before Exam

  1. Check your syllabus for testing details.
  2. Will it be in the testing center or an outside proctoring service?
  3. Do you need to download specific software for the exam?
  4. Is the exam scheduled for a specific day/time or is there a scheduling window? Schedule as soon as you are able.
  5. How do you log in to the platform for the exam?
  6. For exams not in the Testing Center, find a quiet place to take the exam.

During Exam

  1. Don’t leave the test page. Be careful where you click and how you scroll through the exam.
  2. Before skipping a question, know if you can go back to it.
  3. Only use available tools approved by the  testing center or proctor.
  4. If a technical issue happens, other than in the testing center, (i.e. spotty WiFi or exam platform crashes), contact your instructor immediately.

Read Carefully

  1. Try to answer question before reading the choices.
  2. Read all choices before answering.
  3. Select the choice that best matches your answer.
  4. Underline key words.

Eliminate Selectively

  1. Are there choices you know are incorrect?
  2. Which options seem unreasonable or silly?
  3. Do any answers mean the same thing?
  4. Are there any unreasonable outliers in a range of numbers or values?
  5. Are there any distractors (an answer that seems correct but is not)?

Additional Tips

  1. Rephrase question into a statement. Look for the answer that is true.
  2. Watch for double negatives (i.e. “it is not unlikely” means “it is likely”).
  3. All of the above – make sure you know at least 2 of the options are correct before selecting.
  4. Trust your gut. Your first impulse is usually correct.
  5. Answers with all, always, every, never, or none stand a better chance of being wrong.
  6. Answers with sometimes, probably, or some stand a better chance of being correct.

Read Carefully

  1. One word can make it false.
  2. If any phrase is false, the entire statement is false.

Identify These Types of Words

  1. Absolutes: (all, always, every, never, or none) tend to make a statement false.
  2. Qualifiers: (some, few, often, many, frequently, usually) tend to make statements true.
  3. Reasons: (because, since) tend to make a statement false.
  4. Negatives: (words: no, not, cannot & prefixes: dis-, il-, im-, in-, ir-, non-, un-) do not always make a statement false. Read carefully.

 

Note-taking

Take Better Notes

Use these tips to improve your note-taking.

 

Note-taking Tips

  • Go to class prepared to take notes.
  • Use a note taking style that is best for you and the course.
  • Focus on what the instructor is saying.
  • Take notes on the main ideas and key concepts instead of trying to write down everything word for word.
  • Mark unclear concepts to go back to later.

Note-taking Abbreviations

Use abbreviations to take faster notes. Create your own or use these common examples.

Column 1 Heading Column 2 Heading
-> leads to
? unclear concept
@ at
+ or & and
A answer
b/c because
b/4 or b/f before
con't continued
etc and other things
ex example
gov't government
imp important
ppl people
Q question
w/ with
w/o without

 

Note-taking Styles

Use the style that best fits you and the course. Many are also effective for reorganizing notes to use for studying. Some common styles are:

Organizes information by dividing page into four sections – Title, Main Idea/Questions, Notes, Summary.  

Example of Cornell note-taking style - accessible explanation link below

Accessible example of Cornell notes

Organizes information by Main Topics, Subtopics, & Supporting Details. Use indenting, letters, numbers, bullets, symbols, etc.

Example of outline note-taking style - link to accessible explanation below

Accessible example of outline notes 

Organizes thoughts, concepts, and ideas on separate lines. Use bullets or numbers to separate these.

Example of sentence note-taking style - link to accessible explanation below

Accessible example of sentence notes

 

Organizes information by using boxes to separate topics.

example of boxing note-taking style - link to accessible explanation below

Accessible example of boxing notes

Organizes information by tables or columns.

example of charting note-taking style - link to accessible explanation below

Accessible example of charting notes

Organizes information to show how ideas and facts relate to each other.

example of mapping note-taking style - link to accessible explanation below

Accessible example of mapping notes

Making Notes Useful

  • Review notes and fill in any gaps within 24 hours after class.
  • Compare notes with a classmate, use textbook, or other course resources to help fill in missing information.
  • Annotate your notes to prioritize what needs to be focused on most during study time.
    • Use a system such as color coding, symbols, notations, etc.
    • Note important concepts, key terms, processes or cycles, & mastered concepts.
    • Identify murky concepts and questions to take to office hours, tutoring, or SI.
  • Reorganize notes to make them effective for studying, if necessary.

 

Academic Stress

Identify the cause

Develop strategies for reducing academic stress. 

 

Academic Stress is the pressure you feel when academic commitments begin to feel overwhelming. 

 

Common Sources of Academic Stress

  • Missed Assignments 
  • Not understanding Course Content
  • Poor homework/exam performance 
  • Competing obligations outside of class
  • Long-term goals and meeting expectations
  • Overloaded schedule
  • Adjusting to college life

Common Symptoms of Academic Stress

  • Feeling disconnected from classmates or comparing to classmates
  • Feeling unmotivated or numb
  • Feeling overwhelmed and stuck with academic obligations
  • Don’t know where to start studying
  • Inability to focus
  • Poor Sleep & Eating Habits
  • Being distracted

If you feel fully prepared for the exam and still feel overwhelmed use an activity that relaxes you. Some common methods to use before or during (if appropriate) the exam are:

  • Meditation
  • Stretching
  • Laugh 
  • Exercise
  • Breathing techniques
  • Positive self-talk
  • Mantra

Be fully prepared for the exam by using:

Time management

The study cycle

Test taking strategies

CAS Resources

Resources available at LSU

If academic stress is unmanageable, it is important to seek help.