Ten Steps to Good Grades

1. Attend Every Class

If you want to get good grades, you have to attend classes - not just some, not just many. You must attend every class, coming on time and prepared. Even if your instructor does not seem to mind if you “cut” classes, don’t think that missing lectures or perhaps even a test or quiz won’t hurt. You cannot make up what you miss, even if you get someone else’s notes. Someone else’s notes cannot replace classroom lectures and interaction. If your instructor does not seem to care about attendance it is because s/he is treating you as an adult. Coming or not coming remains your choice and the grade you earn will reflect the choices you, not your instructor, make. 

2. Stay Organized

MJI provides all students with a comprehensive academic calendar every year and a schedule of classes every semester. Pay attention to these valuable materials. They will keep you on track regarding being where you are supposed to be and at the correct times. 

All MJI instructors provide students with a course syllabus on the first day of class. These syllabi will list all assignments along with due dates. Your syllabi are not casual documents. They are intended to guide you throughout the semester. Keep all your course syllabi handy so that you always know what is due and when. 

Since much of your work at MJI will be done on computers, always follow the first three rules of computing:

Backup; Backup; Backup.

Keep copies of all the work you turn in. As careful as instructors are, with the amount of work flowing to them from students, occasionally something may get misplaced. 

Get to know your classmates. Exchange telephone numbers or email addresses with them. These may be helpful to you if you miss a class or otherwise need some help. For the very same reasons, find out how to contact your instructors. This information is often found on your course syllabi.

Consider forming study groups that meet on a regular basis. They can help clarify course materials and even reduce the amount of effort you must make to learn and retain the material.

3. Manage Time

Since so many students at MJI have other obligations (jobs, other learning programs, family, etc.) time management is critical to success. Consider that each 3 credit hour course you take at MJI will require between 6 and 12 hours of your time each week (3 hours in the classroom and between 3-9 hours of homework). If you are taking 12 to 15 hours of course work and are working 25 hours or more a week, you are likely overextended. You will have to make some changes in order to manage everything.  

Rigorously plan your days and weeks: planning what you do and how you do it will make you more organized and efficient. Revise your plans as needed and as you complete assignments. Try to combine tasks in order to save time. For example, jogging to school rather than driving will both get you there and provide important exercise. If your commute is too long for jogging, then carpool and study along the way. Control time spent viewing TV or socializing on school nights.

4. Succeed in the Classroom

Learn to adapt to different instructors. As with the people you meet throughout life in general, you will come across all kinds of instructors with varying methods of instruction and teaching styles. Some instructors encourage a great deal of discussion and the exchange of ideas. Other instructors will lecture and expect you to take meticulous notes. You don’t have to like particular methods and styles but you must learn to adapt to them.

Come to class prepared. You will better understand what is going on. As soon as the class is called to order, give it your full attention. Come on time, or even early. You will be more relaxed as a result.

If you have questions, ask. Make sure you know how to contact instructors and do so whenever you need help from them (but do respect their privacy – contact them during times typically provided on the syllabi they give you. Don’t call them late at night or on holidays.) Remember, while most instructors are happy to help you, you must initiate the contact.

Participate in class discussions. When placed in work groups or study groups, actively participate and chip in on the work. Do your assignments and a fair share of any busy work that may be required. These skills will not only help you succeed in the classroom but in the workplace as well.

5. Take Good Notes

In addition to your homework assignments, most tests cover material from your course lectures. It is therefore quite important that you take good classroom notes from which to study and review.

Taking notes in class turns you from a passive to an active listener. When you just listen to what is being said it is easy for you to become distracted and for your mind to wander. However, when you are thinking about what you are hearing in order to take notes, you are forced to concentrate on the message. Simply, taking notes helps you pay attention.

Pay attention to the instructor for cues about what s/he considers very important. Instructors may change their tone of voice or pace when discussing something of specific importance. They may use words like “the most significant finding”, “an important reason” or “the main point is”. These are your indicators that what is being said should be written in your notes. If your instructor takes the time to write something on the board, it too is probably deemed very important by her/him.

Review your notes as soon as possible after the class, while the information is still fresh. You may find that your notes are a little skimpy on some points that you still remember. Add to your notes at this time. By reviewing your notes and improving them, you are helping yourself fix the information in your long term memory.

Finally, make sure you can read your notes!

6. Read All Assigned Textbooks

It is surprising how many people reach college without ever having thought of a strategy regarding how to read for learning and comprehension. Here we will briefly discuss the three steps to good textbook reading.

First, scan your reading assignment. Modern textbook authors and their publishers have made their books much easier from which to study. They use such tools as bolding or italicizing key phrases and words. They have inserted graphics, pictures, charts, glossaries, summaries and practice/review questions to assist you in recognizing what is important. By scanning your reading assignment first, you will be provided with a great deal of information within a rather short period of time. You now have a broad overview of the subject which will make it much easier for you to read, understand and remember all the material.

After scanning, your second approach to the reading assignment is to actually read it. With the benefit of the information learned from your scan, you will find it much easier to read the entire assignment. You may also want to turn section headings into questions before you read the sections. For example, a section heading in a history book might state, “The U.S. Enters the War. Change this title into, “Why did the U.S. enter the war?” Having this question in mind while your read will focus your attention on the material and your mind will be less apt to wander. You will remember much more about what you read.

Finally, review the reading assignment once more. Essentially, you should rescan the assignment as you did in step one. This may seem like an unnecessary step but by reviewing the entire reading assignment one more time, you will more likely move the information from short to long term memory. Reviewing the bolded phrases and other tools provided by the author and publisher will lead to better understanding, retention and, of course, better grades.

7. Study Smart (not hard)

As with most things you will do in life, studying smart and not hard will provide you with the most effective and efficient approach to accomplishing your goals.

You should try to establish a place where you regularly study, although alternative locations that meet your requirements may be used from time to time. Your primary study location should be comfortable, well lit, supplied with all the things you need (paper, pencils, computer, calculator, etc.) and have room for you to spread out work, as necessary. It should not be exposed to any stimuli (a turned on TV) that could distract you and break your concentration. Although many effective students prefer complete quiet when they study, others find that background music helps them concentrate. Find a place that is right for you.

Generally, getting started on a study session is the hardest hurdle for students to overcome. Less effective students will find any excuse to put off a study session. Don’t let this happen to you. If you have studying or homework to complete, schedule it and then do it on schedule. If you find that you still have trouble starting, start off with the easiest or most interesting material. 

If you do not know it by now, you should be aware that everyone has an optimum learning style and pattern. These vary from person to person. Some people find that writing tasks are easier in the afternoons while reading assignments are completed more effectively in the evenings. For others this pattern is reversed. Some people use visual cues such as flash cards and video recordings. Others prefer using technology such as the internet. Many students find that working in study groups and talking about assignments improves their performance. Every student should think about how they best learn and then use that approach in their studies.

In addition to having a study place and understanding your personal study style, you should have a study plan. You must organize your approach to completing all your assignments and learning new material.

• Plan your approach in concrete terms. Instead of just thinking, “I will study history”, plan to read a specific chapter in your text and complete the essay question assignment;
• Prioritize all your work making sure you have enough time to do the most important items;
• Always allow more time than you think you will need;
• Break up larger assignments into less challenging smaller parts;
• Alternate your assignments to keep from getting bored with any one subject;
• Do your rote memory activities first and then again at the end of your study session;
•   Make sure you take breaks as you need them. Get up and stretch from time to time;
• Study during those times of the day when you are most productive and alert.

8. Effective Test Taking Strategies

The most effective students are always aware of the most basic of test taking strategies: they know what material a test will cover and that is what they study. Surprisingly, many students who do poorly on tests do so because they reviewed the wrong material. Therefore, pay very close attention to what instructors tell you about forthcoming examinations. They are letting you know what you need to know to prepare.

Make sure you are up-to-date on all your reading assignments. Do not wait until the night before an exam to read all your assignments. Even if you do get through it all, you will not be able to absorb all the information nor will you be able to synthesize and remember it. Review your class notes carefully as instructors do provide information during their lectures that may not be covered in the reading assignments. If your instructor provides study guides for tests, study and know everything on them. There is a reason the instructor went to the trouble to provide you with these additional materials.

There are also many practical skills you can employ to assist you in improving test scores:

Make sure you are well rested;

Get to the test on time and make sure you have everything you need to take the test (pens, paper, notebook computer, calculator – whatever you were instructed to bring);

Once you have received your exam, scan it quickly and make a few notes of things you want to be sure to remember while taking the test. These could include such facts as dates, equations, acronyms and other mnemonic devises you have create. By making such notes at the beginning of the testing period, you will insure remembering these items when you come to the related questions;

After quickly scanning the test and making your notes, develop a test response plan. If you have one hour to answer four essay questions you may want to limit your initial responses to ten minutes each. This will provide you with time to review your answers and make any improvements to them;

On multiple choice exams, move quickly through them responding to questions to which you immediately know the correct answer. Skip harder questions but be sure to mark them in some fashion so that you do not forget to get back to all of them. There are other strategies you can use to increase success with multiple choice tests:

1.      Try to answer the question on your own before looking at the choices available;

2.      Read all the alternatives very carefully before making your choice – don’t mark the first one that looks right before reading all the choices;

3.      If you are not sure of the correct answer, cross out those you know are incorrect. This may help you better determine the correct answer from the remaining choices;

4.      Statements that use such words as always, never, every, all and none are typically wrong. Those that contain the words usually, often, sometimes, most and many are often true;

5.      If two choices are very similar or there are two opposites, one of them is likely correct;

 

• Essay exams require a different approach. You should first scan all the questions and select those that you find the easiest. By answering these first you will warm up to the exam. Additionally, you will gain time to think about the harder questions. Pay attention to the point spread across the questions and spend more time on those that are worth more points. Before writing your essay, jot down an outline. This will insure that when you do write the essay, it will be organized and flow sensibly. Even if you are not sure about the answer to a question, you should write what you do know. You may earn partial credit for your answer. Make sure you write neatly and clearly. Studies have shown that the neater and easier to read of two identical essay responses typically garners more points;
• Prepare for open book exams by book marking important information in your textbooks and other materials with sticky flags or other devise. Highlight your class notes so that you can easily find information you think you will be tested on. You may even want to prepare a reference sheet that tells you exactly where to find specific information. All these preparations will save you from having to spend precious test time searching for the information you need to answer questions.
• Finally, regardless of test type, make sure you time your test period so that you have adequate time to review all your answers and make any corrections you think necessary. However, if you are unsure about your original answer, don’t change it. Again, studies have shown that unless you make a careless mistake, your first response to a question will more likely be correct than any “second guessing” of yourself you may do.

9. Control Your Anxiety 

When they first enter college some students experience anxiety about their studies, exams and how they will ultimately perform during their tenure. While this is not particularly unusual, if left uncontrolled, too much anxiety can actually inhibit good performance. Even though you have meticulously studied course materials, anxiety can produce “mental noise” that interferes with recall of this material. If you experience significant anxiety about your MJI studies, there are some things you can do about it.

First, you must study your course work and complete assignments on time. As we have already indicated above, this is your best approach to success while at MJI. As you work your way through course syllabi in a timely and effective manner, your confidence will grow and replace most of you anxiety with a positive attitude. 

Get enough sleep. Sleep deprivation not only makes you feel ill at ease, it also reduces your capacity to engage in error free activity and responses. Tired people feel justifiably anxious as their ability to concentrate and complete work diminishes. Staying up all night before an exam and cramming for it may work on rare occasions but for the most part it is a plan that will reduce your effectiveness in the long run. Your grades will suffer and your overall feeling of anxiety about college will increase.

Surprisingly, posture can have an impact on your feelings of anxiety. If you walk into a class or exam with your head up and your shoulders back, you may just find that this appearance of confidence makes you feel more confident. You will be more relaxed and without feelings of undue anxiety that can inhibit your performance.

Try some relaxation techniques. Some of the more common relaxation exercises include:

• Take a deep breath, hold it and then slowly release it along with any tension
• Flex and relax every part of your body, in turn, working from your head on down
• Close your eyes and visualize a warm place. Feel the warmth melt away your anxiety
• Close your eyes, relax and imagine the tension flowing out of the tips of fingers and toes
• Take a few moments and daydream about a calm and relaxing place you know

If none of these tips helps you reduce your anxiety, talk to a counselor or advisor. They may be able to help or to refer you to someone who can. There are also many self-help books, CDs and DVDs on this subject that you may wish to acquire.

10. Use Available MJI Services When Needed

MJI has a variety of services available to its students. These are described throughout this catalog/handbook. Don’t wait until you are hopelessly behind or deeply in trouble. Use them at the first sign of difficulty and as needed.