Read the following case studies that accompany Essential Study Skills, 5e, Chapter 10. These case studies appear only online; they are not available in your textbook. Type your response to each case study. After you complete this exercise, you can either PRINT your responses or EMAIL them to your instructor.

Melissa has problems writing. No matter how hard she tries, she can't keep up with the instructor for more than a few minutes. She writes as fast as she can, but it doesn't help. She is often frustrated by the spelling of unfamiliar words as well. Consequently, she avoids lecture-oriented classes as much as possible. If she has to enroll in a lecture class, she takes it with a friend and then copies her friend's notes. What else would you recommend she do?



Cheryl would much rather talk than listen. She has been that way all her life. During a lecture, she frequently asks questions as soon as they pop into her head. She does not seem to "read" the instructor's body language or verbal clues that her questions are inappropriate and disruptive. Cheryl seems to spend more time on thinking what she can say or ask than she spends on trying to listen and take notes. She says she needs to "process" this way or she will quickly lose interest and get confused. What are some constructive suggestions you could give Cheryl so she can become a more effective listener and notetaker?



Ricardo enjoys his biology class and does well in most science courses. This term he has an instructor who tends to speak very slowly and spends too much time on lengthy examples. Ricardo notices that most students seem to like this pace because it gives them time to take detailed notes. Since he knows the material well, it does not take him long to write down the important concepts and details. He is getting impatient and finds his concentration is dwindling. During the last class, he realized that he had hardly taken any notes and had "tuned out" the instructor when an assignment was given. What suggestions can you give Ricardo that will help him maintain a higher level of concentration and pay more attention to the lectures?



Kathyrn is an excellent notetaker. Her notes are organized and detailed. However, she does nothing with her notes until right before a test. The day or two before a test, she rereads all her notes, highlights important information and reduces her notes into the recall columns. She always feels a sense of panic before tests and vows she will study on a more regular basis so she doesn't need to cram as often. How can Kathryn make better use of her notes on a regular basis?