Today’s post is in response to a comment to a previous post on personal development books for students and one on speed reading. Both of them ask the same question “When speed reading, should I highlight? While I do speed reading or after?”
If you’ve been subscribed to my blog for a while, you’ve come to realise that my study book is a system that teaches how to think like an A student without having to spend hours and hours studying, becoming a nerd or a geek. The best way to explain what I do for students is to hear from them directly, like David Fisher below:
Hello Marc
I have been reading your study ebook and have only once listened to your speed reading video once.
The extra emails you send after I bought your study book are great as they keep me on track, otherwise I would wonder a bit.
I am working on a better format for my notes with more drawings and mindmaps as this is a better form of learning for me and audio tapes. (Now that I know
this thanks to your book!)
Exams start end of the month so the next stage is to compile my class notes into A3 mindmap layouts (any extra tips on this technique) would be good and then
the exams.
I am now in a study room not the office which had too many distractions and getting into the mind zone more quickly – it’s the little suggestions like this that make all the difference.
I don’t cold read my study guide and text anymore so I pre-read first to get a general understanding then highlight and compose the notes and now I
comprehend and remember a lot more. I can afford to do this because I can do speed reading, even though I still need to improve and increase my reading speed.
My assignment grades have increased from about 60-80% to the last one which I got 88%!!! This was my highest grade. 
My studies are extramural so no lecturers only Webct, study guide and textbooks.
I am practicing my speed reading and using on my first read but need to work on this more. When you speed read a page when do you highlight the text? I read the paragraph then go back and highlight?
So lots more to learn!
Thanking you very much for you help.
David Fisher
Stay tuned for the answers to David’s questions about MindMapping and highlighting while or after Speed Reading…
Today’s post is from yet another graduate of my Speed Reading Video Program.
Dear Dr. Marc Dussault,
I want to thank u 4 ur help with studyin and reading fasta… It is actually something dat has really bothered me cuz I know I’m smart but findin da right study type dat fits me has been my challenge. It’s like u said something is trying to bust out of me, that genius in me. I just left secondary school and u know b4 dat my teachers were tellin me dat I could do it cuz dey knew what I waz capable of but as one teacher likened me to the Ntherlands football team “exellent team (players) but low performance”. I know I can do it.
I can be that GENIUS that I was made to be. Thanks 4 ur help sir and I hope to know u physically in the nearest future, I even see myself talking about u and ur work, how it tranformed me on TV, u know interviewing me… . I am in the sciences (aeronautical engineering) like all science, robotics, rc stuffs. C u soon
Onward and Upward YEAH!
Moboluwarin Maku
Isn’t that amazing? You too can learn speed reading and get better grades… Many graduates are not native English Speakers, which means if you are English speaking, you have an adavantage… But y’know what? Speed Reading works in ALL languages!
Yeah, you heard me, don’t be a twit! Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, MySpace… They’re GREAT, but don’t be a twit and waste your life surfing and playing on the net when life is lived in the REAL WORLD. Your school grades are determined in a CLASSROOM.
Students And Media (Over) Use
The number of media options available to kids today is having an impact on their grades – but not in a good way. If study material was as addictive as Facebook, Twitter and other social media platforms, straight A’s would never be rampant – but they’re not.
Ohio University conducted a study in which researchers determined college students who use Facebook spend less time studying and score lower grades than those who don’t waste time ‘poking’ their friends.
It’s not called social NOTworking for nothing…
Perhaps even more disturbing was a study done by the Straits Times that found those who were addicted to online games generally did worse in school than those who were not addicted. In fact, 14 percent of addicts reported scoring Cs or worse, while only 6 percent of their non-addicted counterparts scored just as low. [1]
While it would be easy to quickly blame the social networking craze and even Facebook for the students’ performance, distractions from school work are nothing new. Students bent on ignoring their responsibilities don’t need Facebook or Twitter to produce poor performance; these platforms simply provide an easy excuse.
Multitask your way to Bs, Cs and Ds.
One Fox News report suggests this problem could be related to continuous partial attention, which is the state in which you multitask, but continue to be motivated by the desire to not miss anything. Studies continue to show that those who multitask do each of their tasks worse. If multitasking for students includes interacting via Facebook while studying, it’s safe to assume rote memory and concentration will be noticeably affected. [2]
Just in case you might think I’m anti social networking, I’m not. In fact, in the UK, some are taking a different approach to these latest media sensations. School curricula have been altered to include instruction for Twitter and Wikipedia. While some traditional focus will remain, students will be expected to know how to use and manipulate different sources of information and forms of communication. [3] Let’s face it, if you’re going to do it, you might as well do it efficiently and effectively!
I wonder if a university was to implement a Facebook 101 class, what would the homework actually be? How could you get an A+ if you’re on Facebook 24/7?!?!
That’s a conundrum and dilemma wrapped up in a paradox isn’t it?
Hmmmmm…. Something to tweet about!
[1] http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_460196.html?vgnmr=1
[2] http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/fox_news_says_facebook_will_ruin_your_grades.php
[3] http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2009/mar/25/primary-schools-twitter-curriculum
Quite a few students have asked me which books I recommend after they’ve read my study book. I post my top book recommendations on my Linked In Profile. It includes all the books I recommend for Business, Professional and Career Development. If you’re athletic, you’ll want to subscribe to my Mindset Of A Champion Blog, which lists a different collection of books that I recommend for serious (elite) athletes – focused on Mental Toughness. With these two book lists, you can learn the foundations of an Exponential Mindset. If you are not English Speaking, I am sure most of the classics have been translated into your language.
You might not know that I have several blogs. One blog that I want to highlight today is the one called the Mindset Of A Champion. I simply want to ask you to go and check it out because there are a lot of parallels between learning and mastering a sport and getting better grades. Bookmark it or better yet, subscribe to it so you don’t miss any of the posts, you just don’t know which one will be the one that will have the breakthrough idea that will make all the difference.
Book Report: Students at a local school were assigned to read 2 books, ‘Titanic’ and ‘My Life’ by Bill Clinton.
One student turned in the following book report, with the proposition that they were nearly identical stories!
His cool professor gave him an A+ for this report.
Titanic:…. Cost – $29.99
Clinton :….. Cost – $29.99
Titanic:….. Over 3 hours to read
Clinton :… Over 3 hours to read
Titanic:….. The story of Jack and Rose, their forbidden love, and subsequent catastrophe.
Clinton :… The story of Bill and Monica, their forbidden love, and subsequent catastrophe.
Titanic:…. Jack is a starving artist.
Clinton :…… Bill is a bullshit artist.
Titanic:…. In one scene, Jack enjoys a good cigar.
Clinton :…. Ditto for Bill.
Titanic:….. During the ordeal, Rose’s dress gets ruined.
Clinton :…… Ditto for Monica.
Titanic:….. Jack teaches Rose to spit.
Clinton :… Let’s not go there.
Without getting on a soapbox about it, I think we can all learn from this example. The only thing I want to say is – why is a school like this the exception rather than the rule? Let me know what you think about your school – the good and bad points.
You might have taken a look at my study book and considered buying it. If you haven’t bought it yet, listen to David’s experience and ask yourself – if it works for him, why wouldn’t it work for you?
Hello Marc
I have been reading your e book and have only once listened to your speed reading video. The extra emails are great as it keeps me on track otherwise I could wander a bit and lose focus on what I should be doing rather than just go through the motions.
I am working on a better format for my class notes with more drawings/mind maps as this is a better form of learning for me and audio recordings. (Now that I know this from your book that explained how to determine my own learning style).
Exams start end of the month so the next stage is to compile the notes into A3 mind maps layouts.
I am now in a study room not the office which had too many distractions that prevented me from getting into the right mind ‘zone’.
I don’t cold read my study guide and text any more so I pre-read first to get a general understanding then highlight and compose the notes and now I comprehend more. (I can’t believe the difference this makes!)
My assignment grades have increased from about 60-80% to the last one 88% and this was the highest grade.
My studies are extramural so no lecturers only Webct and study guide/text books.
I am practicing your speed reading techniques and using it the first time I read something but need to work on this more.
Thanking you very much for you help.
David Fisher
The Economist Magazine recently reported that a male university graduate will make $82,000 more in his working lifetime than his non-university graduate peer. This includes the cost of tuition, lost wages while studying as well as extra taxes paid. What this simply means is that it pays to get better grades.
But getting better grades is not just about winging it – you need to be systematic and discipline about it. My study book and this blog are great way to learn to get better grades with less effort. My study book comes with many bonus materials that will help you – go to the product page now and check it out.
Today’s post is from John Ruiz who wants to share his recent results after buying my study book and applying just 2 strategies. This is the dialogue I had with John…
Hello Dr. Dussault!
I recently bought your study book and after reading it and incorporating only 2 of your strategies I have improved my grades in Math. I scored a 115 A++ on my Honors Algebra 2 test and a 113 A++ on my Honors Pre-calculus test as well. Thank you for your excellent study guide – it will help me not only now, but in the future as well.
Now that’s a great testimonial, but it doesn’t help you does it?
So I asked John what study strategies he used:
Exam Study Tip #1:
First, I used the strategies for identifying exactly what was going to be on my next math test. I paid attention to the subtle hints that the teacher gave about what would be on the test.
Exam Study Tip #2:
I also referred to past exams and found that some of the extra credit problems were taken from the book we use in class. Realizing this, I was able to practice the exact problems that would be on the test and as a result got the highest grade in class on that test — 113. Without those two strateges I would not have scored that well. I used the same two strategies to get a 115 on my other math test ( I take Honors Trig and Alg. 2). I’m exited to try out more strategies and improve exponentially overtime. Thank you.
So there you have it, two simple study tips that will help you get the best grades with the least amount of effort!
Students need a break in this economy and the best bet is to buy cheap text books online from a marketplace featuring thousands of sellers.
That being said, I couldn’t resist publishing this post that was sent to me by Sydney’s Premier Plumber, David Conroy of The Lone Drainer And Pronto! It speaks for itself doesn’t it?
If You Can't Find The Book You're Looking For...
Below is the link to listen to the voicemail message that the Maroochydore High School in Queensland, Australia staff voted unanimously to record on their school telephone answering machine. This came about because they implemented a policy requiring students and parents to be responsible for their children’s absences and missing homework.
The school and teachers are being sued by parents who want their children’s failing grades changed to passing grades – even though those children were absent 15-30 times during the semester and did not complete enough school work to pass their classes. Listen and I promise you’ll burst out laughing!
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
I recently came across this great list of 25 Speed Reading Tips Every Student Should Know. I thought I would pass it on – every once in a while you need to review what you’re doing to keep making the 1 percent improvement you’re committed to! If you come across any other great resources out there, please let me know!
To double your reading speed in less than 2 hours <<<<—- Click here!
Today’s post is from a 35 year old student struggling with math. His question is not all that uncommon.
Hello there,
My question is Math the reason that I’m struggling. I’m 35 years old and this is my second semester in college and I’m retaking Math again because the first semester I failed and I’m about the same way this semester… Now my Teacher said that we can make corrections on the tests and get a better score now. I got a month to go in school. So my question is what is the easyest way to study for a math Test or or just to understand what the teacher is saying?
This is a great question that has several answers:
Study Tip #1: Don’t repeat the mistakes of the past
Today’s blog post is a clarification from my Speed Learning Video Program. The quote was “The brain stops reading fast it does not want to get dizzy”. It was after I mentioned you can read 200% faster on screen using Rapid Reader because your eyes don’t have to go from left to right.
Someone contacted me and was wondering if this has any thing to do with past negative programming that the brain can work against you. For example if you have not had a lot to do with a subject and tried to take it for a study course, would the brain work against you automatically?
This is a great question – and you’re not going to expect the answer I’m about to give…
A private school in Devon was faced with a unique problem. A number of 12-year-old girls were beginning to use lipstick and would put it on in the bathroom. That was fine, but after they put on their lipstick they would press their lips to the mirror leaving dozens of lip prints. Every night, the maintenance man would remove them and the next day, the girls would put them back.
Finally the principal decided that something had to be done. She called all the girls to the bathroom and met them there with the maintenance man.. She explained that all these lip prints were causing a major problem for the custodian who had to clean the mirrors every night. To demonstrate how difficult it had been to clean the mirrors, she asked the maintenance man to show the girls how much effort was required. He took out a long-handled squeegee, dipped it in the toilet, and cleaned the mirror with it…
…Since then, there have been no lip prints on the mirror. There are teachers, and then there are educators.
At New York’s Kennedy airport today, an individual later discovered to be a public school teacher was arrested trying to board a flight while in possession of a ruler, a protractor, a set square, a slide rule, and a calculator.
At a morning press conference, Attorney General John Ashcroft said he believes the man is a member of the notorious al-gebra movement. He is being charged by the FBI with carrying weapons of math instruction.
“Al-gebra is a fearsome cult”, Ashcroft said. “They desire average solutions by means and extremes, and sometimes go off on tangents in a search of absolute value. They use secret code names like “x” and “y” and refer to themselves as “unknowns”, but we have determined they belong to a common denominator of the axis of medieval with coordinates in every country.
“As the Greek philanderer Isosceles used to say, there are 3 sides to every triangle,” Ashcroft declared.
When asked to comment on the arrest, President Bush said, “If God had wanted us to have better weapons of math instruction, He would have given us more fingers and toes.
“I am gratified that our government has given us a sine that it is intent on protracting us from these math-dogs who are willing to disintegrate us with calculus disregard. Murky statisticians love to inflict plane on every sphere of influence,” the President said, adding: “Under the circumferences, we must differentiate their root, make our point, and draw the line.”
President Bush warned, “These weapons of math instruction have the potential to decimal everything in their math on a scalene never before seen unless we become exponents of a Higher Power and begin to factor-in random facts of vertex.”
Attorney General Ashcroft said, “As our Great Leader would say, read my ellipse. Here is one principle he is uncertainty of: though they continue to multiply, their days are numbered as the hypotenuse tightens around their necks.”
Life is too short to be too serious. Every once in a while you have to just let loose and have some fun. Here are a few funny student jokes for you to give you a pattern interrupt while you’re studying. They were supplied by Andrew Powell in Montreal, Canada.
