Chapter 8, Taking Notes, Writing, and Speaking, March 28-April 3

This week read the chapter on taking notes, writing and speaking and then make two comments on any of these topics: 


Challenge yourself to explain this quote by William James in 25 words or less: “The essence of genius is knowing what to overlook.”

How can you take steps toward being a genius by being selective at school, at work or in your personal life? 

You are assigned a term paper and have writer's block and just can't get started.  I recommend that you begin by doing some Internet research on the topic and then get started with free writing.  View this short cartoon, Freewriting, and answer this question: "How can you deal with writer's block?"

Write some intention statements about what you will do to become a better writer or note taker.  

View this 4 minute video and share the key Ideas: The Science of Stage Fright and How to Overcome it.  

Ask a question or discuss any aspect of college success that is relevant to your college experience at this point.     

Make a comment on another student's post. 

Chapter 7, Using Brain Science to Improve Study Skills, March 14-20

One of the key concepts in this chapter is that we use all the senses to learn, a process called multi-sensory integration.  Of all the senses, visualization is the most powerful.  

Think about how you can use multiple senses (visual, auditory, tactile, kinesthetic, gustatory, olfactory) to be successful in challenging material in your present courses or think about one of the scenarios below and apply this concept being successful in one of these situations.

For your second post, reply to another student.  Your reply to another student can be shorter than your posting on using multiple senses to learn.    

1.            You just read the assigned chapter in economics and cannot remember what you read.  It went in one ear and out the other. 

2.            In your anatomy and physiology class, you are required to remember the scientific name for 100 different muscles in the body.

3.            You signed up for a philosophy class because it meets general education requirements. You are not interested in the class at all.

4.            You have a mid-term in your literature class and have to read 400 pages in one month.

5.            You must take American history to graduate from SDSU. You think that history is boring.

6.            You have been introduced to an important business contact and would like to remember his/her name.

7.            You are enrolled in an algebra class. You continually remind yourself that you have never been good at math. You don’t think that you will pass this class.

8.      You are taking a math course that is required for graduation and you are having difficulties understanding some of the math problems.  You are concerned that you may not pass the course. 

Chapter 6, Using Brain Science to Improve Memory, March 7-13

For this chapter, watch one of these videos and write a 100 word comment including what you like, dislike, or find useful. 

For the second posting, read another student’s comments and add you own thoughts, goals for the future, or ideas for using the information to improve your memory and study skills. 

Here are the links to the video choices:

The Nine Best Scientific Study Skills

Sleep to Remember, Remember to Sleep

These three videos are from the younger perspective: 

How to Study Effectively with 15 Study Tips: Better Grades, Better Results

How to Get Straight A’s Study Tips

Study Hacks!  Get Better Grades 2015 

Have fun with the blog this week.