Counselling Resources

For students who want to improve their learning capacity and/or are struggling with their studies, we have handouts, videos, and the latest research on the topic, created by counsellors to support your learning.

Feel free to see one of our counsellors if you would like more guidance in exploring these resources and improving your studies.

Student Success Workshops

Check out our Student Success workshops, offered as in-person or online sessions.

Upcoming Workshops and Group Sessions

Level Up Your Learning

Top 10 Study Tips

Here are 10 study tips to help you excel in your studies:

Self-test – Test your knowledge of upcoming exam topics by giving yourself quick quizzes. This has been shown to be one of the top and most effective techniques for exam-preparation. This works most effectively if you also time yourself during the self-test (like actual exams).
Use flashcards – These are similar to self-testing, except you use flashcards to help recall terms and definitions. There are also very good phone apps for flashcards.
Distribute your learning – When you spread out your learning, your recall improves for exams and you will get better marks for your assignments.
Plan your study session – Studies have shown that students who set learning goals before they start their study session(s) get better marks than students who just “jump in”.
Textbook reading – Before you begin to read the chapter, scan the Introduction and Summary sections of that chapter first to get the “gist” of the topic.
Read up on your topic before class – This helps you take better notes and focus better in the classroom.
Think of the “why”, “what”, and “how” of concepts as you learn – This helps deepen your understanding of concepts and is also an effective study preparation tool.
Get plenty of (restful) sleep – Students who cut back on sleep experience an increase in negative thoughts, and their ability to concentrate on schoolwork and exams also deteriorates.
Have a balanced diet – Eating right is, like restful sleep, very important. There are now studies that show links between an increase in negative moods, maladaptive thoughts, and typical “junk food” diets.
Last but not least – Your motivations (esp. learning goals) and brain health-emotions are key to your learning success. Speak with a Counsellor to talk about your personal, educational, and career goals.

Expert Learning and Memory

Learn about the most recent research on the human brain, the process of memory, and how it can help you study.

Handouts

Below are the handouts and links for the following workshops – Learning and Memory, Improve Your Thinking-Improve Your GPA, and Super-Learning Strategies for Better Grades:

Learning and Memory Workshop

The top two most effective learning and study strategies as reported in new research published in 2015 are:

Two more effective learning and memory strategies are:

How and why do we “forget”:

More handouts for this workshop:

Stages of memory (PDF)

Improve Your Thinking – Improve Your GPA

Top 4 handouts for this workshop:

Overview of expert learning strategies (PDF)
Gardner’s categories of intelligences (PDF)
Transfer of information (PDF)
The Einstellung Effect (PDF) (based on new research published in 2017)

More handouts for this workshop:

Super-Learning Strategies for Better Grades [6-step M.A.S.T.E.R. Plan]

This entire six-step workshop is summarized in the following six handouts:

Videos

The videos below provide helpful summary points for effective Learning and Memory techniques.

Six habits of highly successful students
The following video by Memorize Academy provides 13 excellent study tips that will help improve your learning and memory:

Thirteen top study tips

The video below was created by Sprouts and provides the following 13 excellent study tips that help improve your learning and memory:

Spaced repetition – see also “Distribute your studying to get better marks".
Find and follow your preferred learning style.
Importance of sleep – see for example scientific report in the Guardian Newspaper.
How to focus – see “Handouts & Links for Time Management“.
The Pomodoro Technique – short study blocks (for example 25 minutes) followed by quick (5 minute) breaks.
Do the harder stuff first.
Exercise – Meditate – Converse.
Go places: study in different (learning friendly) environments (see video by Benedict Carey posted by Random House on YouTube provides tips as to how changing your study environment and routines can actually improve your learning and recal).
Take fun seriously – combine your learning with a sense of fun and enjoyment.
Space your study to remember better.
30% is read – 70% is recite – for example when you have an hour of study time, use 20 minutes for learning/reading/studying and the remaining 40 minutes reciting.
Self-test or self-quiz – this is considered by researchers as the most effective study strategy – see also handout.
Don’t force yourself to learn, study, or do assignments.

Latest Research

Read on for the latest research on expert learning and memory.

Your Brain & Learning

This section explores the relationship between the brain and emotions, and how this relationship affects health. Various techniques have been developed by researchers which can result in greater concentration and emotional focus. These techniques are included in the handouts below. Concentration and “emotional intelligence” can have profoundly positive effects on overall health. Read on to learn more!

Handouts

Below are the handouts and links for the brain, emotions, and learning workshop:

Your “higher brain” – how it works:

Upgrade your “higher brain”:

Your “emotional brain” – how it works:

Upgrade your “emotional brain”:

Summary of Research for Students & Faculty

There has been a considerable amount of excellent research with respect to the brain, learning, and memory. Read on for the latest research on your brain and learning.

Motivation

What is motivation? How do we motivate ourselves? Whether it’s writing a paper, searching for a new job or pursuing a hobby, motivation is the key ingredient to “getting stuff done.” This section explores motivation, its salient aspects, and numerous ways we can generate and maintain motivation in our daily lives.

Handouts & Links

Below are the handouts and links for the Concentration & Mastery Workshop:

You can also review the following link from Library and Learning Commons:

Concentration Tips

Videos

Learning with passion and enthusiasm

The following video posted by Sprouts (see Patreon Channel) provides tips on how enthusiasm, fun, and passion greatly enhance learning and memory.

Latest Research

Read on for the latest research on motivation.

Note-taking

This section contains a variety of strategies for taking good notes.

Handouts & Links

Below are the handouts and links for the note-taking workshop:

Strategies before and during class to improve note-taking:

Note taking tips 101 (PDF)

How to prepare before class to take better notes:

Pre-reading before class (PDF)

How to listen better to take better notes:

How to keep your focus as you take notes:

How to take notes faster:

Short hand techniques for note-taking (PDF)

Additional methods for note-taking:

Another student resource is the Writing Center for one-on-one writing help.

Reading

This section contains information on different reading strategies and tips on how to speed read effectively.

Handouts & Links

Below are the handouts and links for the reading strategies and speed-reading workshop:

Reading tips 101

Reading your textbooks:

Recite, summarize, and review your readings:

Review your learning

Recognize and avoid distractions during your reading:

Distractions during reading

Students are also encouraged to consult the following link from the Library and Learning Commons:

Active reading strategies

If you are interested in improving your reading speed and comprehension consult:

Speed-reading test online

Video

Active Reading Strategies: The video below is by Thomas Frank. It provides summary points for effective reading strategies for textbooks and journal articles.

Latest Research

Read on for the latest research on reading strategies.

Test Taking & Exam Anxiety

Learn how to deal with stress and exam anxiety, as well as specific techniques for taking multiple-choice, true and false, and essay type exams. Topics covered include review tips for exams in a number of subjects, including math, science, and the social sciences.

Handouts & Links

Below are the handouts and links for the test-taking & exam-anxiety workshop:

Top 3 Strategies for Preparing for Exams:

Additional links:

Test-taking strategies:

Time Management & Procrastination

Learn tips on managing your time for the semester and how to budget time for classes, studying, and leisure activities. Handouts on overcoming procrastination, attitudes toward studying, and study tips are also included.

Handouts

Below are the handouts and links for the time management workshop:

Time management tips 101

Calculate how much time you really have:

How to get things done on time:

Working with large tasks & deadlines

Getting organized:

Benefits of scheduling

Videos

Budgeting your weekly hours

The following video provides tips for how to budget your weekly study time.

Time management for assignments, readings & test preparation

The following video provides tips for budgeting your time so you can finish assignments on time and prepare for exams and quizzes.

Latest Research

Time management is a critical skill for student success in the post-secondary setting. Despite its importance as a student success tool, there has only been a modest amount of research studies on students’ use of time management. Nevertheless studies conducted thus far in the domain have yielded practical and significant findings. Read on for the latest research about time management and procrastination.

Math and Science

This section contains the latest research on the most effective learning and study strategies for math and science courses.

Handouts & Links

Below are the handouts and links for the math, sciences, and biology learning workshops:

Mathematics

Physics

Learning strategies for physics (PDF)

Computer Science

Learning strategies for computer science (PDF)

Biology

Tutoring is also available for registered Langara College students through the Library and Learning Commons:

https://langara.libguides.com/c.php?g=709786&p=5057016

Videos

Below are short videos providing study tips for mathematics, physics and biology.

Tips for mathematics

This video by Metropolitan Community College-Longview (Kansas City, Missouri) shows a MCC Math instructor providing very good general tips for learning Math (Source: MCCLongviewLakers). The tips suggested in the video are consistent with the tips provided in the Counselling Department’s Student Success Workshops on time management, learning and memory (especially timed self-testing), note-taking, and test-taking workshops.

Tips for physics

This video by Dr. Stephen Fogwell of the University of Newcastle in Australia provides a number of excellent study tips for studying for physics exams (source: CEEHE).

Tips for biology

This video by the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford provides tips for learning biology by way of various learning and memory strategies as well as exam-preparation tips. Note that diagrams are often used in biology and the emphasis is on linking details together in meaningful ways into bigger “pictures”. You want to be able to “zoom into” details as well “zoom out” to see the bigger picture (how the details connect and relate to each other in meaningful ways).