Here youll find many checklists that will help you determine a number of things: your motivation, your

learning strategies, your study habits, your test taking skills, your time management skills, your ability to prepare for presentations, your lecture strategies, your probability to procrastinate, and your learning style. Enjoy!

the motivated strategies for learning questionnaire (mslq)

The MSLQ is designed to assess college students' motivational orientations and their use of learning strategies. It consists of fifteen scales that can be used singly or together. The MSLQ was normed using a sample of 380 students, mostly from public, four-year, midwestern institutions. We thank Dr. Wilbert McKeachie for allowing us to implement the WEB-version of the MSLQ. If you are interested in using the MSLQ, please contact Marie Bien or write to The University of Michigan, 610 E. University Ave Rm 1323. Ann Arbor MI 48109-1259. In the scale we present, three processes are measured: planning, monitoring and regulating. Planning activities help activate relevant aspects that make organizing and comprehending material easier. Monitoring activities assist in understanding and integrating the material. Regulating activities assist in checking and correcting learning behaviors. This scale is one of MSLQ's strongest predictors of success measured as final grade in a college course.

directions
1. Click on the link provided below. Read the following questions. 2. Score yourself. Click on the bubble that best ranks your behavior for the given question. A rank value of 1 means "Not at all true for me" while a rank of 7 means "very true for me". Be as precise as possible. 3. When you are finished and satisfied with your responses, press the SUBMIT button to have your questionnaire assessed. 4. You may press the RESET button at any time and re-start the questionnaire. 5. A diagnostic of your answers will be displayed shortly after. This assessment is anonymous, so we strongly suggest that you print the results immediately, particularly if a visit to an academic counsellor is suggested.

heres the link: http://www.ulc.arizona.edu/mslq.php

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strategies checklist
Learning strategies are skills that require practice, that improve your performance, and help you to be successful in college. Some strategies you may already do well; and some you may not have heard of. Use the following checklist to evaluate your preparedness. Effective time management: ___ Do you know that you will need a system to keep organized in college? ___ Do you know how to keep track of your assignments? ___ Are you able to organize your time to include both study and fun? ___ Can you keep track of everything you have to do? Working effectively with learning styles: ___ Do you know what your learning style is? ___ Do you know how to use your learning style in class and when studying? Effective textbook reading: ___ Do you know how to read textbooks with a purpose? ___ Do you read actively? ___ Do you have an effective method to use when too much reading overwhelms you? Effective note-taking: ___ Do you know different methods for note taking? ___ Are you aware of which method works best for you? Memory techniques: ___ Do you know about different memory techniques? ___ Do you know what memory technique works for you? ___ Are you aware of the need to practice and over-learn? Preparing for tests and exams: ___ Do you know how to prepare for exams? ___ Is what youre doing effective? ___ Do you know how to work in study groups or with a tutor? ___ Are you aware of the different ways to study depending on the type of exam you will be writing? Test-taking skills: ___ Are you aware of the general strategies for taking tests? ___ Can you deal effectively with multiple-choice questions? Learning skills training can help you reach your goal.

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6/23/2008

study habits checklist

Read each statement and consider how it applies to you. If it does apply to you, check (Y). If it does not apply to you, check (N). The purpose of this inventory is to find out about your own study habits and attitudes. Y N ___ ___ 1. I spend too much time studying for what I am learning. ___ ___ 2. I usually spend hours cramming the night before an exam. ___ ___ 3. If I spend as much time on my social activities as I want to, I dont have enough time left to study, or when I study enough, I dont have time for a social life. ___ ___ 4. I usually try to study with the radio and TV turned on. ___ ___ 5. I cant sit and study for long periods of time without becoming tired or distracted. ___ ___ 6. I go to class, but I usually doodle, daydream, or fall asleep. ___ ___ 7. My class notes are sometimes difficult to understand later. ___ ___ 8. I usually seem to get the wrong material into my class notes. ___ ___ 9. I dont review my class notes periodically throughout the semester in preparation for tests. ___ ___ 10. When I get to the end of a chapter, I cant remember what Ive just read. ___ ___ 11. I dont know how to pick out what is important in the text. ___ ___ 12. I cant keep up with my reading assignments, then I have to cram the night before a test. ___ ___ 13. I lose a lot of points on essay tests even when I know the material well. ___ ___ 14. I study enough for my test, but when I get there my mind goes blank. ___ ___ 15. I often study in a disorganized way under the threat of the next test. ___ ___ 16. I often find myself getting lost in reading and have trouble identifying the main ideas. ___ ___ 17. I rarely change my reading speed in response to the difficulty level, or my familiarity with the content. ___ ___ 18. I often wish that I could read faster. ___ ___ 19. When my teachers assign papers I feel so overwhelmed that I cant get started. ___ ___ 20. I usually write my papers the night before they are due. ___ ___ 21. I cant seem to organize my thoughts into a paper that makes sense.

CATEGORIES: # 1, 2 and 3 - Time Management # 4, 5 and 6 - Concentration and Memory # 7, 8 and 9 - Listening and Note Taking # 10, 11 and 12 - Textbook Reading # 13, 14 and 15 - Preparation for Tests and Exams

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# 16, 17 and 18 - Textbook Reading # 19, 20 and 21 - Writing

If you have answered YES to two or more questions in any category, please help yourself to the free Learning Strategies Handouts.

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6/23/2008

test analysis
Following a test, analyze your test-taking skills. question.
Y N

Answer Y (yes) or N (no) to each

___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

Did you correct any answers? If so, did the changes help or hurt? For the questions that you guessed, did you beat the odds and answer correctly? What strategies, if any, did you use? Did you study the appropriate material for the test? Did you follow test directions accurately? Did you answer all test questions? Did you make use of any hidden clues in the question? Did you make use of language clues such as a/an in multiple-choice questions? Did you feel trapped by time? Why or why not? Did you engage in any pre-writing activities? What kind? Were they useful? Did you catch any obvious errors when proofing the test? Did your method of study lend itself to this particular test? Were you prepared? Did you have difficulty with test vocabulary? Did you ask the instructor for any assistance during the test? Did you accurately predict how well you did on the test? Where did most of the test questions come from (text, notes, etc.)?

On what items did you do the best (true/false, multiple choice, short answer)?

What items gave you the most difficulty?

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where does the time go?

Sometimes it seems like there arent enough hours in the week to get everything done. That may be true or it may be that youre not using your time as efficiently as possible. To assess where your time goes, complete the inventory below, and be honest. Most of the items are done every day so those will need to be multiplied by 7 to arrive at a weekly total. One item may be done any number of times a week so youll need to multiply that one by the number of times each week you do it. After you have responded to all the questions, youll have an opportunity to see how many hours remain during the week for studying.
Number of hours/day Number of days/week

On average, how many hours do you sleep in a 24-hour period, including naps? On average, how many hours a day do you engage in grooming activities? On average, how many hours a day do spend on meals, including preparation and clean-up? How much time do you spend commuting to and from campus and how many times do you do this a week? Include the amount of time it takes to park and walk from the parking lot. On average, how many hours a day do you spend doing errands?

On average, how many hours do you spend each week doing extra-curricular Activities (working out, groups, clubs etc.)? On average, how many hours a week do you work at a job? How many hours do you spend in class each week? On average, how many hours a week do you spend with friends, going out, watching TV, going to parties, etc.? ADD ADD the number of hours per week column to compute the number of hours you are spending each week engaged in daily living and school activities. SUBTRACT 168

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There are 168 hours in a week. Now you can SUBTRACT 168 to find out how many hours remain for studying, since this is not one of the activities listed above.

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6/23/2008

preparing for presentations checklist

In college, its a common occurrence to have to make presentations to a group of people. For a lot of people, this is not a comfortable task to take on. The following checklist is intended to aid you in making an effective presentation. PREPARING FOR A PRESENTATION Y N NA Have I decided on a relevant topic? Y N NA Have I gathered relevant information about my topic? Y N NA Have I decided on the goal(s) of my presentation? Y N NA Have I considered a case or problem-centered approach? Y N NA Have I decided upon how I will present the information? Y N NA Have I reflected on my own experiences as an audience of presentations? Y N NA Have I identified a way of starting that will grab the attention of the class? Y N NA Have I made a brief outline? Y N NA Have I structured my presentation in a logical and intriguing way? Y N NA Have I built in variety, surprise and changes of pace? Y N NA Have I made arrangements for video equipment? Y N NA Have I made sure that I know how to use any equipment? Y N NA Have I made a plan for monitoring the time? Y N NA Have I broken my material into short sections so there are opportunities for questions? Y N NA Have I developed a conclusion related to the purpose of the presentation? Y N NA Have I practiced making my presentation? Y N NA Have I considered practicing in front of someone else? Y N NA Have I watched others make presentations? What did I learn from them? Y N NA Have I made up an evaluation form? Y N NA Have I made up handouts? AFTER THE PRESENTATION Y N NA Did I introduce myself and my topic? Y N NA Did I try to be myself? Y N NA Did I speak in a relaxed tone for the presentation? Y N NA Did I capture the audiences interest? Y N NA Did I speak at a pace that was appropriate for my audience and the material? Y N NA Did I make eye contact with the audience? Y N NA Did I use visuals effectively? Y N NA Did I deliver the material in a clear, energetic way? Y N NA Did I show the audience something rather than just telling them about it? Y N NA Did I ask the audience if they had any questions? Y N NA Did I give the audience a chance to respond? Y N NA Did I monitor the time? Y N NA Did I summarize my presentation? Y N NA Did I give out my evaluation form?
Adapted from: Westberg J. & Jason H. (1991). Making Presentations. Boulder CO: Centre Communications.

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inventory of lecture strategy

Consider the following, and evaluate your strategy by responding to each question with either YES or NO. ____ I attend every (or almost every) lecture in each of my courses. ____ I prepare for class by reading the relevant parts of the text before the lecture. ____ I consult my course outline, and I know which topics are going to be covered . ____ I go to each lecture intending to learn as much as possible. ____ I sit in a location where I can see and hear easily. ____ I avoid external distractions in a lecture (e.g. friends, sitting by the door). ____ I try to control internal distractions; worrying thoughts or daydreaming. ____ I use abbreviations to capture the meaning of what is being said. ____ I can listen and record at the same time. ____ If I get lost during a lecture, I work hard to reconnect with the instructor. ____ I work on my notes and make sure they are easy to read. ____ If I dont understand something in a lecture, I ask for help. ____ I review and edit my notes soon after each lecture. ____ As I consolidate my notes after class, I look for and highlight the important information. WELL, how did you do? If your answer to most of these questions is YES, then you have effective lecture strategies that work for you. If you answered NO to most of these questions, its time to rethink your strategies.
Adapted from: Learning for Success: Effective Strategies for Students, Fleet, Goodchild, Zajchowski

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procrastination
Many students have symptoms of stress as they try to balance the demands of being a student. Each new school year brings with it potential sources of stress. Students who feel anxious about the demands of their academic courses should ask for help with developing strategies to control their responses to pressure, check out counselling. The key is not eliminating procrastination, which is idealistic, but rather learning how to manage it, which is realistic. PROCRASTINATION POTENTIAL For each item, indicate the column that most applies to you.
Strongly Agree 1 I usually find reasons for not acting immediately on a different assignment. I know what I have to do but frequently find that I have done something else. I carry my books with me to various places but do not open them. I work best at the last minute when the pressure is really on. There are too many interruptions that interfere with my accomplishing my priorities. I avoid forthright answers when pressed for an unpleasant decision. I take half measures that will avoid or delay unpleasant or difficult action. I have been too tired, nervous or upset to do the difficult task that faces me. I like to get my room in a good order before starting a difficult task. I find myself waiting for inspirations before becoming involved on most important study tasks. TOTAL WEIGHT SCORE Mildly Agree Mildly Disagree Strongly Disagree

2.

3.

4. 5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10

X4

X3

X2

X1

Multiply the TOTAL row by the WEIGHT to get the SCORE for each column. Add up the SCORE row to determine your total score. That number is your Procrastination Quotient. Below 20 Occasional Procrastinator / 21 30 Chronic Procrastinator / Above 30 Severe Procrastinator

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6/23/2008

learning style inventory

Everyone has a preferred learning style. Knowing and understanding our learning style helps us to learn more effectively. Answer all the statements. YES ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ NO ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ 1. I like to listen and discuss work with a partner. 2. I learn by hearing my own voice on tape. 3. I prefer to learn something new by reading about it. 4. I often write down directions so that I dont forget them. 5. I enjoy physical sports or exercise. 6. I learn best when I can see new information in picture form. 7. I am able to visualize easily. 8. I learn best when someone talks or explains something to me. 9. I usually write things down so that I can look back at them later. 10. If someone says a long word, I can count the syllables that I hear. 11. I have a good memory for old songs or music. 12. I like to discuss in small groups. 13. I often remember the size, shape and colour of objects. 14. I often repeat out loud the directions someone has given me. 15. I enjoy working with my hands. 16. I can remember faces and other visual details from a movie I saw. 17. I often use my hands when Im explaining something. 18. I prefer to draw diagrams on a chalkboard rather than on paper. 19. I seem to learn better if I get up and move around while I study. 20. If I wanted to assemble a bike, I would need pictures to help. 21. I remember objects better when I have touched them. 22. I learn best by watching someone else first. 23. I tap my fingers or my hands a lot while I am seated. 24. I speak a foreign language. 25. I enjoy building things. 26. I can follow the plot of a story on the radio. 27. I enjoy repairing things at home. 28. I can understand a lecture when I hear it on tape. 29. I am good at using machines or tools. 30. I find sitting still for very long difficult. 31. I enjoy acting or doing skits. 32. I can easily see patterns in designs. 33. I need frequent breaks to move around. 34. I like to recite or write poetry. 35. I can usually understand people with different accents. 36. I can hear many different pitches or melodies in music. 37. I like to dance and create new movements or steps. 38. I enjoy activities that require physical co-ordination. 39. I follow written directions better than oral ones. 40. I can easily recognize differences between similar sounds. 41. I like to create or use jingles/ rhymes to learn new things. 42. I wish more classes had hands-on experiences. 43. I can quickly tell if two geometric shapes are identical. 44. I remember best things I have seen in print or pictures.

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___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

45. I follow oral directions better than written ones. 46. I could learn the names of 15 tools much easier if I could touch them. 47. I need to say things aloud to myself to remember them. 48. I can look at a shape and copy it correctly on paper. 49. I can usually read a map without difficulty. 50. I can hear a persons words days after they have spoken to me. 51. I remember directions when someone gives me landmarks. 52. I have a good eye for colours and colour combinations. 53. I like to paint, draw, or make sculptures. 54. When I think back to something I once did, I can clearly picture it.

Scoring your profile 1. Ignore the NO answers. Work only with the questions that have a YES answer. 2. For every YES answer, look at the number of the question. Find the number in the following chart and circle that number. 3. Count the number of circles in the Visual box and write the total on that line. Do the same for the Auditory and the Kinesthetic.

Auditory Kinesthetic Visual 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 13, 16, 20, 22, 1, 2, 8, 10, 11, 12, 14, 24, 26, 5, 15, 17, 18, 19, 21, 23, 25, 32, 39, 43, 44, 48, 49, 51, 52, 28, 34, 35, 36, 40, 41, 45, 47, 27, 29, 30, 31, 33, 37, 38, 42, 54 50 46, 53

Total:___________

Total:______________

Total:____________

Analyzing your scores 1. The highest score indicates your preference. The lowest score indicates your weakest modality. 2. If your two highest scores are the same or very close, both of these modalities may be your preference. 3. If all three of your scores are identical, you have truly integrated all three modalities and can work equally well in any of the modalities. 4. Scores that are 10 or higher indicate that you use that modality frequently. 5. Scores lower than 10 indicate the modality is not highly used. It is important to examine why. One reason may be that you have a physical or neurological impairment that makes using the modality difficult or impossible. A second reason, which is often the case, is that you have had limited experience learning how to use the modality effectively as you learn. In this case, learning new strategies can strengthen your use of the modality.

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6/23/2008

characteristics and strategies

LEARNING STYLES are simply different approaches or ways of learning. AUDITORY LEARNERS learn through listening Learn best by hearing information. Can accurately remember details of information heard in lectures. Have strong language skills that include well-developed vocabularies. Have strong oral communication skills. Hear tones, rhythms and notes of music and often have exceptional musical talents. Here are some practical suggestions to help make the most of the auditory preferred learning style. Participate in class discussions and debates. Use a tape recorder during lectures instead of taking notes. Read your text out loud because you understand better when you hear things. Create mnemonics to aid memorization. Discuss your ideas with classmates. Talk about what you learn. Work in study groups so that you have an opportunity to explain and discuss what you are learning. Read the textbook and highlight no more than 10%. Rewrite your notes. Outline chapters. Recite information or create debates using the information. KINESTHETIC LEARNERS learn through moving, doing and touching Learn best by using their hands or by full body movement. Learn best by doing. Learn well in activities that involve performing. Often wiggle, tap their feet or move their legs when they sit. Here are some practical suggestions to help make the most of the kinesthetic preferred learning style. Take frequent study breaks. Move around when you are learning; read while on an exercise bike, mould a piece of clay to learn a new concept, or squish a rubber ball while studying. Chew gum while studying because you learn through movement. Use bright colours to highlight reading material. Skim through reading material to get a rough idea what it is about before settling down to read it in detail. Move your hands while you are studying. Using hand gestures will aid in comprehension. Be involved in any lab activities rather than just watching a demonstration or reading about it in a book. Use field trips, classroom activities, drama or role-playing to aid in memorization. Write things down several times. Use this technique when studying for tests. Write and rewrite notes when studying, condensing each time.

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Study in a group in which members take turns explaining topics to each other and then discussing them. Think of practical uses of the course material.

VISUAL LEARNERS learn through seeing Learn best by seeing information. Can easily understand and recall information presented in pictures, charts or diagrams. Can make movies in their minds of information they are reading. Have strong visual-spatial skills that involve sizes, shapes, textures, angles and dimensions. Pay close attention and learn to interpret body language. Have a keen awareness of aesthetics, the beauty of the environment and visual media. Here are some practical suggestions to help make the most of the visual preferred learning style. Use visual materials such as pictures, charts, maps and graphs. Have a clear view of your teachers when they are speaking. Use colour to highlight important points in your textbooks. Illustrate your ideas as a picture or brainstorming bubble before writing them down. Take notes to review later. Write things down several times or draw pictures and diagrams. Use this technique when studying for tests. Write and rewrite notes condensing each time. Add diagrams to your notes wherever possible. Organize your notes so that you can clearly see main points and supporting facts and how things are connected. Connect related facts in your notes by drawing arrows. Colour-code your notes using different coloured markers so that everything relating to a particular topic is the same colour.

For access to more educational assessments, the following resources are highly recommended. http://www.ulc.arizona.edu/selfassessments.php - University of Arizona: college readiness, motivated strategies for learning questionnaire, etc. http://csd.mcmaster.ca/academic/learning_styles.htm - learning style inventories

Conestoga College

6/23/2008