College Study Skills: Becoming a Strategic Learner

COLLEGE STUDY SKILLS: BECOMING A STRATEGIC LEARNER, Seventh Edition, is a wide-ranging, practical text that focuses on helping you become actively engaged in your own learning. The text incorporates active learning strategies to help you succeed in college by introducing a strategy, allowing you to practice it, and asking you to do self-assessments to gain feedback on your own success. This variety of strategies and activities, as well as authentic and engaging text material from numerous core subject areas, gives you opportunities to apply what you are learning to your course work in other college classes. The Seventh Edition has a new focus on motivation. Chapter (1), "Getting Motivated," focuses on the importance of motivation in college success. More information on the causes of motivation problems and strategies for increasing motivation are included. Each of the chapters that follow in the text strengthens the connection between motivation and the strategies that are presented, so that students continue to increase their motivation through-out the course.

Van Blerkom (U. of Pittsburgh at Johnstown) helps students identify their learning style and select the most appropriate learning strategies with self-assessment tools and applications. Coverage includes managing time; setting goals; improving memory, learning, and concentration; reading and marking textbooks; organizing text information; preparing for exams; taking objective tests; preparing and taking essay tests; and preparing for final exams. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

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This text provides a step-by-step approach to college study skills, offering strategies for different types of learners and different types of courses. Excerpts from college textbooks in many disciplines help students practice new skills, and some 100 examples show how other students have used the strategies. Self-evaluation activities are included. This fourth edition features a method for students to assess their own learning styles, new material on test taking and overcoming math anxiety, and new key terms and chapter review questions. Van Blerkom is affiliated with the University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Dianna L. Van Blerkom is an experienced author and educator. She is an assistant professor in the Academic Support Center at the University of Pittsburgh, Johnstown, and previously served as the director. She also has published numerous articles and textbooks, including COLLEGE STUDY SKILLS: BECOMING A STRATEGIC LEARNER, TAKING CHARGE OF YOUR LEARNING: A GUIDE TO COLLEGE SUCCESS, and COLLEGE READING AND STUDY STRATEGIES with co-author Patricia Mulcahy-Ernt.