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Narrator
Listen to a conversation between a student and his academic advisor.
Student
Excuse me, Ms. Chambers? Um, I don’t have an appointment, but I was kinda wondering if you had a minute to help me with something.
Academic advisor
Oh, sure. Have a seat.
What’s on your mind?
Student
Well, uh ... I guess I really don’t know where to start... It’s not just one class. It’s ... I’m not doing all that great. Like on my homework assignments. And in class. And I don’t know why. I mean, I just don’t get it! 1-1 read the assignments and I do the homework and I’m still not doing too well. ..
Academic advisor
Um, which classes? You mean, like Spanish .. . you’re taking Spanish, right?
Student
Oh, no, not Spanish ... if it weren’t for Spanish I’d really be in trouble ... no, but it’s really all the others, psychology and sociology especially.
Academic advisor
Is it the material, what you read in the textbooks? You don’t understand it?
Student
No, that’s just it—I think I understand stuff when I read it. ..
Academic advisor
You don’t re ...
Student
Remember? Well, I remember names and definitions, but. . . like, in class, when the professor asks us about the theories, what they’re all about, I never have the answer.
Academic advisor
Sounds like you’re trying to learn by memorizing details, instead of picking out the main points of the reading. So, tell me, how do you study?
Student
Well, I—I... I mean, I read the assigned chapters, and I try to underline everything ... like all of the words I don’t know, and I always memorize the definitions. But, I dunno, when I get back in class, it always seems like the other students’ve gotten a better handle on what was in the reading. So, maybe it’s just me . ..
Academic advisor
Oh, it’s not. Believe me. Lots of students ... You know, my first year as a college student ... I really had a hard time. I spent hours reading in the library ... but I was just wasting time, ’cause I wasn’t really studying the right things. I did the same sort of thing it sounds like you’re doing, not focusing on what’s really important in the reading, but on the smaller details.
Student
Yeah, maybe. But I spend so much time studying, it seems like I should be doing better.
Academic advisor
The first year of college can be a little overwhelming, I know. Point is, lots of students have trouble adjusting at first, you know, figuring out how to study, how to use their time, you know, to your best advantage. It’s good that you do the assigned readings .. . but, you’ve .. . well, I think you’re unnecessarily underlining and memorizing. That takes a lot of time, and, well, it’s not the best use of your time. Here’s something you can do: when you read, just read the assigned sections, and then ... and without looking back at the text—write a summary of the key points, the main ideas in the chapter. And after you do that, it-it’s good to go back and reread the text. And you look for any examples you can find to support those key points. Let me show you an example of what I mean.