Seton Home Study School Study Skills Online

The best way for YOU to study is what has worked best for you. Some people learn best through reading. In this case, using the textbook materials and supplemental reading materials may be the best way.

Most people can learn best by using a variety of learning techniques. Reading the lesson, reading it again aloud, recording it, listening to it, writing out important words, outlining in phrases the main points, and discussing major ideas or unclear ideas with your parents are all techniques which, when used together, will help you understand the lesson.

There is perhaps no better way to learn a lesson than by outlining the material. Outlining is considered so important for learning that many textbook authors place an outline at the beginning of the chapter.  Many authors "outline" the chapters as they go along. Look at a textbook. Does it have divisions and subdivisions? These are the parts of an outline.  An outline organizes the main ideas of a lesson. An outline is a brief summary or guideline. An outline looks like this:

  I. First main idea.

        A. Subtopic supporting I.

     1. Important fact supporting A.

     2. Another important fact supporting A.

        B. Subtopic supporting I.

  II. Second main idea.

        A. Subtopic

        B. Subtopic

    1. Supporting fact for B.

    2. Supporting fact for B.

    a. Supporting fact for 2.

    b. Supporting fact for 2.

(1) supporting fact for b.

(2) supporting fact for b.

 (a) supporting fact for (2)

 (b) supporting fact for (2)

   III. Third main idea.

In a formal outline, there must be at least two headings for each subdivision. However, you need not strictly follow this rule for your own, informal study outlines. Your outline may be detailed or brief, depending on what the course requires.

Headings can be single words, phrases, clauses, or even short sentences. The outline should follow the textbook author's subdivisions.  Check encyclopedias or the internet for good examples of outlines. An outline can usually be found at the beginning of each long encyclopedia entry.

                                  
  Next: Lesson 11.