Another benefit of using bibliographic software is that some programs have search functions that connect directly to online databases. This will have two important benefits: you`ll be able to filter your search results down to find exactly the information you need more readily and the program will format your information directly into your bibliography. Many programs allow you to take notes about your research topic, then organize the notes directly into an outline.

Before you go to the expense of purchasing bibliographic software, be aware that many college and university library systems subscribe to services such as EndNote that are available to their students for free. Check your library's website, or speak with a member of the library staff to see if there is a bibliographic software program available for your use. There are also many free or trial versions of bibliographic software available so you can try them out before you commit to purchasing them. The time saving benefits of this software is invaluable to busy students, especially at mid-term of end-of-the-semester when you will have many crucial assignments due simultaneously.

Citing your sources is absolutely critical in writing research papers. Many professors will have you submit your paper directly to websites such as turnitin.com that will automatically check your paper for plagiarism. With all the great software available to help you write your paper and cite sources, there is no excuse for plagiarism. You owe it to yourself to find some great citation software, and save yourself time and trouble writing essays.

As well, ProProfs features FREE online IT certification training for Cisco, Microsoft and more.  For those of you with kids preparing to take this SAT exam this year, ProProfs offers free SAT training, including practice exams. As many of you readers might know by now, I'm all about saving you money on education. This looks like a good site for anyone who is a teacher out there as well. Check out ProProfs and let me know what you think. If anyone knows any other good sites for study aids, we'd be glad to feature them here.

 Flash cards are not just for kids--making flash cards is a great way to study, especially for classes full of terminology such as science classes. Write the term on one side of a note card, then the definition on the back. Carry these with you, and when you have a few spare moments, you can review them.

 Please share any tips and tricks you have in the way of study skills.

Study Tips -- Using Mind Maps

Author: Gene Grzywacz

If you are a college student, you have to make notes when you are attending lectures or studying at the end of the day. You latter use those notes to study for your exam at the end of the semester. This can be tedious and often counterproductive. How often do you take notes and never look at them again or find that they are incomplete.

You may have thought there must be a better way take notes. Is there a method that will work better than than my current technique?

There is probably no one way of note taking that works best for everyone in all classes, since people all have their own learning style.

The big issue with conventional note taking is that this is a passive process. Simply taking notes during class does not get the brain to interact with the material and store the information. When your brain is more actively involved in organizing the learning material it will recall it better later.

If you are a strong visual learner, one thing that you can benefit from is making notes that include lots of images, such as graphs, drawings, or even cartoons. If you are a lousy writer and more of an auditory learner than a visual one, tape recording your lectures may be the way to go.

For highly visual learners a particular method of note taking is called mind-mapping. Sometimes referred to as a learning map.

Although it takes some exercise and training to utilize mind-mapping effectively, people who become efficient at it find they can retain and remember more material in a lot less time.

The technique of the learning-map is very simple. The supplies you need include: a blank piece of paper, the larger the better, at least one pen, more if you want to use a variety of colors.

A mind map can become quite busy as you add your notes to it, so it is important to keep the size of your writing quite small. A fine point pen can help with this. Over time you will be able to judge what size of writing will work best.

Determine what you think the central theme is as you listen to the lecturer, or as you read the textbook you are studying. For example, you might be reading about the Great Depression where you decide the main topic is , "What was the new deal?" .

Write down the main topic in the center of the page and circle it. You may also want to highlight your central topic. Do not write formally. Just write down a sentence or a fragment, whatever it takes to bring the ideas back into your mind.

Continue reading or listening, and paying attention for the first main sub-topic.

When the first major sub-topic presents itself, write down a few key words on the page to summarize the sub-topic. Circle the the words you just wrote down. Connect the sub-topic with the main topic by drawing a line.

Repeat this every time you come across a new sub topic. Eventually it will start resembling a wagon wheel, with the main topic surrounded by sub-topics.

Remember this is not an art project, the lines or spokes do not have to be straight or perfect, and they can vary in length as needed. The circles do not have to be round; they can be oval, triangles, or squiggles, or even hearts if you prefer. Different colors may help you organize the thoughts more completely.

As the lecture continues, you will find that some of the material being covered includes details that support one of the sub topics that you have all ready isolated. Using just a few words, write down these second generation topics, put a circle around them and connect them to their sub topic with a line. It is best to use a different color pen for each sub topic.

As the lecture progresses and the instructor expands on her ideas your sub-topics will have many second generation topics surrounding it. When you look at your paper you will instantly know the dominant themes of the lecture and the organizational structure of the topic.

Do not be afraid to write down any ideas or even questions of your own while listening to the talk.
This shows you have your brain actively interacting with the material and will remind you of where further study is needed.

The visual document that is created through the mind mapping technique differs a lot from classical note taking methods.

People who learn very well visually will love mind mapping; people that do not learn visually tend to find mind maps a waste of time. What kind of learner are you?

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/education-articles/study-tips-using-mind-maps-784156.html

About the Author
Gene Grzywacz write about college study skills, how to become a nurse and other college tips including essay writing, scholarships and time management.

1. Chances are that you\'ll have many different courses with homework for each of them, so investing in different-colored folders and notebooks is a good idea. Label each with the course\'s name and your own name, of course. The papers inside each folder should be placed neatly in chronological order to make current projects easier to locate.

2. Study at the same time every day, perhaps with a partner. Be careful not to lapse into conversation instead of focusing on your schoolwork. Keeping a \"vow of silence\" once you get started will help you to absorb the material more effectively.

3. Note-taking may seem like a small matter, but doing it effectively is critical as you study for your online degree. It is also a great skill to parlay into your \"real life\" after you obtain your degree, since it will mean you know how to break down any topic to its most basic elements so you can absorb it thoroughly.

4. Prudent study habits really take root while you are in the classroom, even if yours is a virtual one. If you don\'t understand the material, you have every right to ask questions of the instructor. Despite the fact that your course is not in-person, your professor is there to help you with your goal of securing an online college degree. This is a course that you\'ve paid for, so now is the time to ask the expert and get your money\'s worth.

5. One of the hardest things to do is to tell your friends you are busy studying, but your online college education must take precedence over such distractions right now. Tell them that you will catch up with them after you finish studying, and then stick to your guns. Your true friends will understand how important it is that you complete your degree, and should encourage you toward that goal.

Giving attention to how effectively you manage your study time can be key to getting what you want out of your education. Staying focused on your goals as you do your work can make it easier to avoid distractions. Creating study habits that work for you will be beneficial during your school years and in your life even after you earn your degree.

Ruth Willliams writes on a wide variety of subjects, including online colleges, financial aid, online degree programs, and career education.

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Photo by John Millar

The mind map method is a way to activate recall of studied material. If you are having problems retaining study material after you have taken notes (btw, this is most of us), the mind map method is an effective tool to increase your retention. Read on to learn about this method of note taking that is probably very different from what you learned in school "back in the day."

The main problem with taking notes the traditional way is that this is a very passive process. Simply taking notes does not get the brain very involved in interacting with the information. If you can get your brain to get more actively involved in organizing the new material you will remember it better.

If you are strong in visual learning, you can benefit from making notes that include lots of graphs and drawings, even cartoons! If you are very high in auditory skills and weak in the visual area you will do better by tape-recording all the notes you need to remember.

The following technique for note-taking is particularly effective for people who are highly visual. This method of making notes is sometimes called “mind-mapping” or making a “learning map”.

Although it takes some practice to use mind-mapping effectively, most people who use it find they can retain and remember far more information with a lot less work.

The essence of the learning-map (also known as “memory-map”, or “mind-map”) technique is quite simple. You will need a blank piece of paper, the larger the better. You will need at least one pen, more if you want to use a variety of colors.

You will be trying to fill the entire page with your notes, so it is important to keep the size of your writing quite small. With practice you should be better able to judge what size of writing will work effectively.

As you listen to the lecturer, or read the article you are studying, decide what you think the central theme is. For example, you might be listening to a lecture where you decide the central theme seems to be, “Conditions in Europe on the eve of World War 2”

Or you might be listening to a talk that has a central theme of “Strategies that plants use to survive winter”

Once you have decided what the central theme is, jot down the words in the center of the page, and draw a circle around the main theme. Don’t try to write down a sentence or a paragraph--just get down enough of the key words that will bring the ideas back into you mind.

Keep listening or reading, watching for the first main sub-theme.

When you come across the first major sub-theme, pick a spot on the page to jot down a few key words that sum up the sub-theme. Draw a circle around the sub-theme words, and then join your sub-theme circle to the main theme circle with a line.

Each time you come across a new major sub-theme, write down a few key words to summarize the new idea, and draw a circle around those words. Then draw a line to join the sub-theme circle to the main idea circle in the center of the page. Eventually you will have a circle in the center with several spokes radiating from it.

The lines or spokes don’t have to be straight, and they can be of any length required. The “circles” don’t have to be circles; they can be squares, triangles, or oval squiggles if you prefer. You can use different colors to help you organize the ideas better.

As the speaker or writer continues to present his ideas, you will find that some of the ideas being presented are additional supporting details that clarify or illustrate one of the sub-themes you have already identified. In this case you will write these “sub-sub-themes” down using just a few words, enclose them in a circle or squiggle, and link them to their sub-theme with a line.

Eventually your sub-theme circles may have many spokes radiating from them as the author or lecturer continues to present his ideas. At a glance you will be able to take in the dominant themes of the talk and the underlying organizational structure of the ideas.

If you happen to have any ideas of your own while you are reading or listening to the lecture, jot them down as well. This shows you have your brain actively interacting with the material.

When you make a mind map or a learning map of all your notes, you create a very visual document that differs a lot from traditional methods of making notes for class.

People who learn very well visually will particularly benefit from the way that learning maps clearly show the relationships between main themes, sub-themes and supporting facts and ideas.

Try this method and see if this note-taking technique works  for you!

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