Step One: Get the assigned textbook for all of your classes.
Step Two: Read your textbooks before class.
To pass a class and you have to read the textbook. Sounds simple but some students don’t realize how essential reading the textbook is to passing a class. However, to do well in a class, you have to read your textbook BEFORE the material is covered in class. Textbooks are expensive but they are essential to doing well in your classes so use them in a way that gives you the most return on your investment (ROI).
That ROI starts with taking the time to read assignments carefully before class with a focus on understanding. Make notes about what you don’t understand and ask about these things when your professor covers the material in class. If you don’t read before class, you will be trying to do all of the following during class:
- Listen to and understand what your teacher is saying to you;
- Understand what he/she writes on the board;
- Take notes that make sense, are clearly written and can be read and understood without trying to decipher scrawls or misspelled gibberish;
- Look at the book and understand what is in there for the first time; and
- Ask questions about the material being discussed.
It is impossible to do all of these tasks at the same time. Many try – all fail. To get the most out of the textbook and class lectures you have to two-step – get the textbook and read it before class. Only then will you:
- Know what you understand and what you don’t understand;
- Be able to write down questions to ask in class based on your understanding of the material.
- Ask questions in class when the teacher starts to cover material that you don’t understand. “I don’t understand that,” is a valid question – you don’t have to sound like you understand everything to ask a question and, it is your professor’s responsibility to facilitate your understanding – in class or later, one-on-one.
- Take notes to make sure you have the answers to your questions written down so you won’t forget them.
- Review your notes after class and before you start your homework making sure you understand what was covered in class.
Doing the Textbook Two-Step leads to better understanding of course material, a better grades and a better ROI on your textbook investment. There’s more on effective study and learning strategies in Chapter 12 of College in Four Years.
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