Archive for the 'Better Grades' Category

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Top 10 Best Study Skills

Published on August 7, 2010 in Better Grades, Exams, Speed Learning and Study Tips. 3 Comments Tags: How To Study Better, How to Study Smarter, study skills resources.

Whether you are a student struggling to learn or a teacher trying to help prepare your students, knowing HOW to develop good study skills by using the right study skills material will help you achieve your targets with outstanding outcomes. The following top 10 best study skills are hyperlinked to valuable resources that will help you get better grades faster.

  1. Having the best study skills improves memory habits making it easier to get the most out of your studying efforts by remembering important information.
  2. Students who know how to study efficiently will manage their time better using less energy and more brain power resulting in academic success!
  3. Finding an effective study skill that works for you will develop the correct way to absorb information and is a great skill to maintain for making life choices.
  4. Studying is tedious and sometimes overwhelming. Using a study skills guide shows useful tricks such as helpful ways to research, how to prepare for a test and writing tips so that you can stay organized and focused.
  5. Instead of getting frustrated and spending countless hours making mistakes and then correcting them, use one of the many study skills resources available to know the tricks of the trade and get better results.
  6. Studying, like any other task in life, requires a few key elements to make the information retainable. Learn how to study better so that you get the results you want.
  7. Studying itself can be a daunting task, leaving no time for you to strategize your life as a student. Learning different methods by implementing proper study skills and strategies can go a long way in helping students to make order from the chaos!
  8. Knowing how to study smarter and not harder lets students learn more effectively with healthier regimens and higher achievements.
  9. Online study skills can be a student’s best friend with limitless amounts of information. Be sure to always use legitimate sources and don’t forget to reference those sites!
  10. Whether you are a student struggling to learn or a teacher trying to help prepare your students, knowing HOW to develop good study skills by using the right study skills material will help you achieve your targets with outstanding outcomes.

What Do Teachers make?

Published on May 30, 2010 in Better Grades, Positive Mindset, Study Psychology and YouTube Videos. 0 Comments Tags: Inspiration, Motivation, Vision.

This 3 minute YouTube video is from a teacher with a special approach that will inspire you to get better grades by doing your best. It’s a source of inspiration and motivation that you can come back to whenever you need a little motivation. Even though it’s about a teacher, after all, it’s all about YOU!

Student Procrastinator

Published on May 16, 2010 in Better Grades, Positive Mindset, Study Mistakes To Avoid, Study Psychology, Study Tips and YouTube Videos. 4 Comments Tags: Avoid Procrastination, Procrastination.

Recently, Ann, a First Year University Student posted this comment on this blog…

Dear Marc Dussault:
I recently purchased your book. It has now been a week and while I agree with a lot of the suggestions in your book, I have yet to start implementing them yet.

I was a procrastinator in high school. Somehow though I managed to succeed enough to well and still get into the Engineering degree of my choice.
However the same methods don’t work anymore in university. University is so different from high school!

Yet for almost the past 5-6 years this is all I have done in order to complete my studies. I understand everything your book says and I appreciate the e-mail tips; I do the exercises and I try to eat well as well as sleep, but still… I just can’t seem to start.

What’s wrong with me? I’ve researched on the net, and apparently there are not only procrastinators but also chronic procrastinators as well. I think I may be one for sure, for I’ve been procrastinating so long I don’t really know what the meaning of “study” is anymore…

I make lists and lists of what I want to achieve. Each time changing and changing the detail or format, and hoping that I will implement it (I tried to start with this technique from your book first). But somehow I just become tired by the large amount of uni work covered in the day or even if I’m not tired I just would rather have fun things to do.

I really want to succeed and do well… that should be enough motivation… but I still can’t keep it up. I did the 8-minute technique and it seemed to work well, that I actually kept going. But the next day, I looked at the same piece of math homework and I could not bring myself to continue doing it. I literally was having a mental argument inside my head for the pros and cons of not doing the homework, that I physically felt like I was actually getting stressed.

Where do I start? And why can’t I stay motivated?

In saying all of this, I have a mathematics exam this Friday…

Sincerely requiring help………….!

Ann

First of all, Ann, you’re “owning” the label of procrastinator just a little too seriously – what that means is that you SEE YOURSELF and THINK YOU’RE a procrastinator, which means you’re going to continue to procrastinate. Let’s face it – the label of regular every day LOSER is not enough, you need an even WORSE label… “Chronic Procrastinator!” which is a TOTAL LOSER!

How does that make you feel? Because it’s true – procrastinators, especially chronic ones never achieve anything because they never get anything finished – many don’t even start – LIKE YOU!

How do you feel about being branded a LOSER?

Procrastinator sounds better doesn’t it?!?!

You’re still a LOSER…

UNLESS you are just “doing procrastination”… That means you just slipped and got into a bad habit and are in fact a winner who just slipped up…

Is that it? Are you really a WINNER who just had a lapse of judgment and discipline?

Or are you really a LOSER? If you are a LOSER, good riddance, I have no time for you – seriously.

If however you are a WINNER who just lost her way – watch this YouTube video for the cure to procrastination – it works even better for CHRONIC PROCRASTINATION!

Now seriously, how do you “Stop It!” ???

Continue reading ‘Student Procrastinator’

Get Better Grades

Published on April 25, 2010 in Better Grades, Exams, Note Taking, Study Mistakes To Avoid, Study Tips and YouTube Videos. 3 Comments Tags: Get Better Grades, how to study for exams, Study Tips.

Today’s post is a YouTube video that answers the most popular questions people ask me about my study book.

Get Better Grades With The Least Amount Of Effort

Scholar Ladies

Published on April 11, 2010 in Better Grades, Positive Mindset, Study Fun And Humour and YouTube Videos. 4 Comments

As a student who wants to get the best grades with the least amount of effort, you need to find inspiration and motivation from somewhere. This YouTube video is so cute, I am sure you’ll agree that not only is it original, but the message is positive and uplifting. Enjoy!

Scholar Ladies

Reducing Exam Anxiety

Published on April 4, 2010 in Better Grades, Exams, Speed Reading and Study Tips. 1 Comment Tags: Cramming For An Exam, Exam Anxiety, Speed Reading, Stress.

Today’s blog post is based on a comment from Ad Poi, he’s a little stressed because he has an exam in about 3 weeks. I recently filmed a video called “5 Minutes To Go From Panic To Passing Tomorrow’s Exam” which is now included as a bonus to my study book Get The Best Grades With The Least Amount Of Effort. In the video, I explain 5 strategies you can use to cram for an exam if you’ve run out of time and are stuck at the last minute with too much to study and not enough time to get it done.

The other suggestion I have for Ad is to get my Speed Reading Video Program. Rapid Reader is FANTASTIC for WORD, PDF and Website reading, but when it comes to reading your textbooks, you need to know how to speed read.

Hi Dr Dussault,

I came to know about your book and your strategies recently.Your strategies, you say, help get the best grades with the least amount of effort, but I wonder if they are going to help me since , I have 3 and a half weeks until my exam and I feel not quite prepared.

What I need are strategies to get the most done with the least amount of time, not the least effort. I am willing to give in a great deal of effort , but I am anxious and afraid that I won’t be able to complete all the courses to my satisfaction (especially chemistry, which I hate and have neglected greatly until now).

So, I ask whether your book will help me get the best grades with the least amount of TIME?

I have managed to get a copy of the rapid reader software yesterday, and am trying to increase my onscreen as well as off-screen reading speed.

My greatest drawback though is that I get quite nervous during exams and my efficiency is more than halved. As a result, my grades are compromised even though I worked hard. So I ask whether your book can help me getting rid of this anxiety and increase my concentration.

Thank You.
Ad

Getting Better Grades Is A System

Published on February 27, 2010 in Better Grades, Note Taking, Speed Learning, Speed Reading, Study Less and Study Tips. 2 Comments Tags: Best Study Skills, How To Speed Read, How To Study Better, Study Tips.

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…


Want Better Grades? Think Like A Champion

Published on January 30, 2010 in Better Grades, General, Speed Learning and Speed Reading. 0 Comments Tags: Mindset Of A Champion.

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.

Get Better Grades Testimonial

Published on January 10, 2010 in Better Grades, Memory Skills, Note Taking, Speed Learning, Speed Reading, Study Less and Study Tips. 8 Comments Tags: Testimonial.

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

Get Better Grades And Make $82,000 More

Published on January 3, 2010 in Better Grades, Exams, Mature Students, Memory Skills, Note Taking, Positive Mindset, Special Students, Speed Learning, Speed Reading, Study Less, Study Mistakes To Avoid and Study Tips. 0 Comments

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.

Student Gets Better Grades

Published on December 2, 2009 in Better Grades, Exams and Study Tips. 0 Comments Tags: Ace Your Next Exam, Exam Study Tip, Exam Tip, Math Exams, Study Book, Study Guide, Study Tip.

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!

25 Speed Reading Tips Every Student Should Know

Published on October 31, 2009 in Better Grades, Speed Reading and Study Less. 5 Comments Tags: Speed Read, Speed Reading, Speed Reading Tips, Student Reading Tips, Student Tips.

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!

How To Deal With Teachers

Published on August 30, 2009 in Better Grades and General. 9 Comments Tags: Exam tips, How To Deal With Teachers, How to Study, Study Book, Study Shortcuts, Study Tips, Teachers.

I am not a big proponent of being manipulative with teachers, but the reality of the academic system is that you do need to deal with them. Tell me your story or ask me a question here by posting a comment and I will help you deal with the worst teacher(s) you have. Please do NOT use their real names -this is not about retaliation. I want to help you deal with the problem – be specific about the issue your having. Make sure you focus on TEACHING and STUDYING ISSUES – not personality conflicts.

I’m here to help you get better grades with less effort!

The 80/20 Rule For Students

Published on August 23, 2009 in Better Grades, Exams, Note Taking, Speed Learning, Study Less, Study Mistakes To Avoid and Study Tips. 13 Comments Tags: 20-80, 20/80, 80-20, 80-20 Rule, 80/20, 80/20 Rule, Pareto, Pareto Principle, Study Better, Study Book, Study Tips, Waste Time.

The Pareto Principle also called the 80/20 rule is one of the most powerful study techniques I teach in my study book. Simply put, success in school is about knowing WHAT to study and WHEN. In my study book, I combine that with a concept from the 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People that takes away all the guesswork for you. It’s priceless to any student stressed about about exams, lab reports, quizzes and term papers.

Continue reading ‘The 80/20 Rule For Students’

Getting Better Grades Is About Self Mastery

Published on July 5, 2009 in Better Grades and Study Psychology. 3 Comments Tags: Get Better Grades, Marc Dussault, Procrastination, Stop Procrastinating.

Today, Nick shares with us some of his challenges that will help you to see that you’re not alone. We all do this to some extent. Self Mastery is about controlling our emotions. My study book is about relieving the pressure and stress of studying so that you don’t put yourself in a pressure cooker.

Read Nick’s e-mail below and my response that follows.

_______________________________________________

Hey Dr. Dussault,

I understand where you’re coming from and I deeply appreciate your concern for me in reaching my full potential.

Ever since I was little, I was the reader who struggled to Excel on standardized tests and to comprehend books. I always felt like I was the slowest reader in the class, as it continues to be a great insecurity of mine.

I also tend to beat myself down when I don’t succeed at say playing sports, improving my reading and grades, etc. But when I look at myself now, I have a 4.0 GPA in high school right now and I’m also a starter on a premier soccer club. Why am I always beating myself up?

This was why I bought your speed reading videos. I was so frustrated with the reading course I was taking at home, that I wanted to try yours. However, like you said, things takes time.

Thanks
Nick

P.S. In regards to your study book, my goal is primarily to become more efficient with my studies, since I procrastinate like you cannot believe. However, I have seen only a slight improvement because I keep going back to my old ways and having trouble following through with your techniques. As you said, It’s not easy, but I am up for the challenge and will continue to strive “onward and upward”.

First of all, Nick is being VERY honest and forthcoming. That is the first thing you have to do to be a great student – well great at anything – it’s to be self-aware. Know yourself so you know what you’re trying to improve.

One of the things Nick MUST stop using is the LABEL of procrastinator. if you see, hear and feel yourself as a procrastinator, you will remain one. Instead, whenever you say that word to yourself, INSTANT correct yourself and say “No, I am an action taker who is taking control of my life and destiny.”

I know it sounds childish – just try it and trust the process.

The next suggestion I have for Nick is to stop beating himself up, but to REWARD his victories and accomplishments.

I recently won a Silver Medal at the 2009 Australian Masters Games in Squash. To celebrate, I posted it on my Personal Mastery Blog, and at a recent event I actually brought my Silver Medal to show my clients who supported me. It was fun, but it also felt good to SHARE the victory with them.

We all need to celebrate the victories.

Holding ourselves to a higher standard does NOT mean you have to beat yourself up or down. Others will do that to you.

You need to keep yourself MOTIVATED and EXCITED.

So, Stop It! <— Click here to watch a funny video.

Unleash The Genius Within You – FREE 2-hour event in Geelong, Victoria

Published on June 26, 2009 in Better Grades and General. 0 Comments Tags: Effective Study Tips, Get Better Grades, Speed Learning, Speed Reading, Study Tips, Unleash The Genius Within, Unleash The Genius Within You.

I am staging a one-time-only event in Geelong Victoria on Tuesday 1 July from 5 to 7 PM, called Unleash The Genius Within… Click on the hyperlink for more details. Make sure you register for it if you want to get the best grades with the least amount of effort. This is a unique opportunity to meet with me live, in person. The 2-hour event will be followed by an optional 1-hour tutorial where you can ask me any question you want about speed learning and speed reading…

Ideally you buy my study book and speed reading video program BEFORE the event so you can then ask me questions AFTER trying them out rather than asking me questions that are basic and already addressed in the book and video…

Mature Student Needs Good Study Habits To Get Better Grades

Published on April 25, 2009 in Better Grades and Study Tips. 3 Comments Tags: Bad Study Habit, Better Grades, Good Study Habit, Marc Dussault, Study Better, Study Habit.

Today’s post is from Thanh who is challenged with focus and concentration when sitting down to studying – a common problem a lot of students have – bad study habits. First, let’s hear from Thanh…

I am not a young person, I am 53 year old, ambitious, hard working, good character, honest, responsible…I took a course more than two year ( Life Licence Qualification Program) I try, it try but I keep failing. I saw your program online, I ordered, hopefully it could help me to pass the exam. In present time, the job I have seems not secure any more. I wish to have to have the certificate to persue a new career. Would you advise the solution to affect my study? I work from 6am and be home at 6pm after home I prepare my own food, when I sit down to concentrate on the book, I feel like sleeping. But I watching TV or online reading I was awake. Sound like I am lazy, am I? Thank you for your concern.

Good Study Habit #1: Preparing properly

Continue reading ‘Mature Student Needs Good Study Habits To Get Better Grades’

Dyslexic Students Can Get Better Grades

Published on April 3, 2009 in Better Grades and Special Students. 0 Comments Tags: Dyslexia, Dyslexic, Dyslexic Students, Get Better Grades, Marc Dussault, Speed Read, Students With Dyslexia.

I was recently asked if my Get The Best Grades With The Least Amount Of Effort can help dyslexic students and the answer is a resounding yes! The reason is that my study techniques help YOU discover and reveal HOW you learn best and gives you a framework to do it over and over again – effortlessly.

Also, you can use Rapid Reader to speed read your WORD and PDF documents at lightning fast speed – ESPECIALLY if your dyslexic. Give the video a go below and see what happens… Imagine how easier it will be for you to read this way!

Some dyslexic students have found that ONCE they’ve used Rapid Reader for a while, their dyslexia ‘subsides’ which makes no sense, but they don’t care!!!

So there you have it – another reason to buy my Get The Best Grades With Least Amount Of Effort Book!

How To Build Study Endurance and Stamina

Published on April 2, 2009 in Better Grades, Exams, Study Less and Study Tips. Closed Tags: Better Learning Habits, Better Study Habits, Marc Dussault, Speed Learning, Speed Reading, Study Endurance, Study Habits, Study Speed, Study Strategies, Study Techniques, Study Tips.

If you are going back to school, are in school or are studying for your certification in any vocational trade, you will need to know how to study.  The fact is that almost everyone hates studying!

Learning how to study isn’t something most of us think about.  The good news is that you can learn how to study effectively, if you follow the proven systems, tips and tools found in my ebook Get The Best Grades With the Least Amount of Effort.

Just like working out at the gym.  You can train your brain and build your study endurance and stamina over time.

Some key study tips to get your started:

1. Get to know your schedule - start blocking out time to study.  This will help your brain and body get into the habit of studying on a regular basis.

2. Only study when you are rested. It doesn’t do you any good to try to commit things to memory when you are exhausted.  You are wasting your time, and the information will just slip away.

3. Study where there are no distractions – libraries and quiet rooms are great, recreation areas are not.

4. Take notes in class – this helps you remember, but also points out important points when you are reviewing.

Try this study strategy – it’s a proven study tip learnt from my years of experience.

Survey means to scope out and know what type of exam you are studying for. Asking questions helps you to understand what the answers are. When reading, be active, include graphs and charts.  Stop periodically to go over relationships and recite key answers in your head – literally say them in your head.  Reviewing simply means to re-read some of the things you’ve covered to make sure you still have a good understanding of the material.

Better learning habits will only make your life easier in the long run!

Additional resources for students who want to accelerate their learning can also be found on the Get Better Grades website.

Building endurance and stamina to sustain your newfound study skills is covered in more detail in Chapter 9 of my ebook Get Best Grades with the Least Amount of Effort. Get it now to start saving time studying and improve your grades THIS WEEK.

Make sure you also consider my Speed Learning Video and Speed Reading Video products – to truely bolster your study efficiency.

Manage Your Study Workload

Published on March 28, 2009 in Better Grades, Exams, Study Less and Study Tips. Closed Tags: Manage Study Load, Marc Dussault, Stop Procrastinating, Study Procrastination, Study Workload, Study Workload Tips.

Are you one of those who always places more importance on recreation rather than studying? Do you tend to put your studies off until tomorrow? If you are, who could blame you, because nobody in their right mind would want to stay in studying, rather than having a fun night out on the town with their mates.

But if you learn how to study for a test, how to study for an exam or just how to study better – it can make the study experience all the more enjoyable.

As humans, we all prefer the fun things in life rather than the monotonous chores we’re always faced with. The only problem though, is that putting things off until the next day will nearly always result in MORE STRESS!

Writing down and maintaining a priority study list and working through it accordingly is a far better solution. A list not only helps to ensure you don’t forget anything, it also allows you to work through tasks in a logical order. The benefit of following this method is that for the most part, you’ll actually end up having more free time to enjoy yourself!

While many people tend to think that they should complete all the small tasks first, before tackling the big important ones, in reality it works the other way around. Providing you tackle all the worst jobs first, the small jobs will be a breeze and before you know it, you’ll have quality free time on your hands.

Likewise, if you have a specific task which you know will take longer than average, make a commitment to tackle it at a certain time and make sure you’ve set aside enough time to do it.

The benefits of making a study list and actually sticking to it are many, especially nowadays when so many people have to make time for their studies in between doing other life chores. The solution to managing your time is all about working smarter, rather than working harder.

Other study skill activities, study skill tips and study skill techniques are outlined in the Get The Best Grades with the Least Amount of Effort ebook available for order online.

Admittedly, what works for you may not work for someone else. I explain why this is and what to do about it in Chapter 5 of my ebook Get The Best Grades With the Least Amount of Effort.

The truth is though, the list method ALWAYS WORKS, providing you make any necessary adjustments in order to best meet your own requirements. With a little bit of experimenting, you’ll soon discover the formula that suits you best.

Tips like this and other study shortcuts are covered in more depth in chapter 7 of my ebook Get The Best Grades With the Least Amount of Effort.

Make sure you subscribe to this blog so you don’t miss out on important study tips and ideas to save money such as >buy cheap text books online from a marketplace featuring thousands of sellers.