• Begin any study session with at least one nurturing, self-care activity.
• What is a centering activity you can nurture yourself with?
• Try a “belly breath”, meditation, mindful snack.

Notice:

• Notice what you don’t understand in the material to be studied. 
• Mark these areas. 
• Keep focus on manageable units to study (not the all the material at once)

Recall:

• After studying the material:
•  STOP (Stop, Take a Breath, Observe, Proceed)
• Recall what you have learned and put it into your own words

Summarize:

• Summarize the material.
• Go back to what you did not understand and reconsider the information.
• Contact external expert sources (e.g., other books or an instructor) if you still cannot understand it

Expand:

•  Expand your knowledge of the material, by asking these questions of yourself:
  • If I could speak to the author, what questions would I ask or what criticism would I offer?
  • How could I apply this material to what I am interested in?
  • How could I make this information interesting and understandable to other students?

Support:

• Seek out another student who you can support and co-mentor in your studies.
• Remember to support yourself with nurturing, self-care strategies.
   

Adapted from Hayes, John R., The Complete Problem Solver, Lawrence Erlbaum Publishers, Hillsdale, NJ: 1989.  ISBN: 0805803092