Study Skills Inventory


The College Level Study Skills Inventory will assist in providing students immediate feedback on their current approach to college level study skills. There are six critical study skills college students need to consistently be developing: text book reading, note taking, memory, test preparation, concentration, and time management. At the conclusion of the inventory, each of these skills will be assessed based on the manner in which the questions were answered.

Text Book Reading

1. I formulate questions from a chapter before, during, or after reading.






2. Before reading an assignment, I survey headings, bold print, italics, questions, summaries, etc.






3. I try to get the meaning of new terms as I encounter them the first time.






4. I formulate answers to questions I have made as I read an assignment.






5. I look for main ideas as I read.






6. I am able to readily identify clarifying details under each main idea.






7. I read a textbook chapter more than once.






8. I use a textbook study system such as SQ3R, OK5R, etc.





Notetaking

9. I take notes as I read textbook assignments.






10. I take notes in lectures.






11. After taking notes, I review them before going on to something else.






12. I rewrite lecture notes.






13. I compare notes with one or more other students to check completeness and accuracy.





Memory

14. I review notes more than once or twice for exams and quizzes.






15. I use mnemonics. (A mnemonic is "a device such as a pattern of letters, ideas, or associations that assists in remembering something." From OxfordDictionaries.com)






16. I use visuals in my notes such as sketches, mind maps, diagrams, charts, etc.






17. I quiz myself over material that could appear on future exams and quizzes.






18. I organize details to main ideas into numbered or lettered lists.






19. I convert text and lecture material into my own words.






20. I think about material that could be on exams and quizzes when I am not studying.






21. I try to understand material in my notes as opposed to memorizing.






22. I try to organize main ideas and details into some logical or meaningful order.





Test Preparation

23. I study with a classmate or group.






24. When I don't understand something, I get help from classmates, tutors, instructors, etc.






25. I do all homework assignments.






26. I turn in all homework assignments on time.






27. I can easily identify what I have learned and what I have not yet learned before I take a test.






28. I review notes for a class before I go to that class.






29. I read assigned material before I go to class.






30. I begin studying for an exam from the first week material is assigned or covered in lecture.






31. I review lecture notes soon after class.






32. I keep up to date on assignments and homework.






33. I eat well-balanced meals daily.






34. I exercise daily.






35. I have taken learning skills classes or learning skills workshops when I know about them.





Concentration

36. I study where it is quiet when trying to learn and remember something.






37. I study for a length of time then take a short break before returning to studying.






38. I study in the same place.






39. I avoid cramming.






40. I have all my study equipment handy to my study place (e.g., pens, paper, and calculator)






41. When I sit down to study, I tell myself that I intend to study.






42. I break larger tasks into smaller segments in order to complete a large assignment.






43. When the subject matter in not naturally interesting, I find ways to learn it anyway.






44. It is not difficult to pay attention in class.






45. I avoid studying in the evenings as much as possible.





Time Management

46. I use a calendar book for recording daily and weekly upcoming academic and personal activities.






47. I use lists (e.g., daily to-do lists and assignment lists) to organize academic and personal activities.






48. I set up a master schedule of fixed monthly activities (e.g., classes, work, and club meetings)






49. I write out short-term and long-term academic goals.






50. I start papers and projects way before they are due.






51. I study at least two (2) hours for every hour I am in class.








Copyright 2014 Murray State University
Information Systems - Strategic Initiatives & User Experience  
* This Inventory is used with permission from Dennis H. Congos, University of Central Florida, SARC