Prentice Hall

Student Success & Career Development

Browse available resources for Student Success & Career Development:



Study Skills: Do I Really Need This Stuff?, 2/E
Stephen V. Piscitelli

ISBN-10: 0135146577
ISBN-13: 9780135146576

Publisher: Prentice Hall
Copyright: 2009
Format: Paper; 312 pp
Published: 02/25/2008

Suggested retail price: $37.00
Buy from myPearsonStore



For courses in Student Success, Study Skills, First-year Experience, or First-year Orientation.

 

What am I doing to get what I want?  If we can get our students to ask and answer this question they will be on the path to academic success.  Effective study skills and will help the students achieve academic success.  Written by a master teacher, the 2nd edition of Study Skills: Do I Really Need This Stuff?  makes potentially difficult and dry subject matter come alive by integrating two critical themes for student and life success: critical thinking and personal choice.  This book introduces and builds each study skill on specific standards of critical thinking. Each of the more than 120 reflective activities allows students to immediately put into practice the study skills they will need for academic success.  By doing they learn.  The second theme, that of personal choice, reinforces that ambition and potential accomplish little without initiative.  Responsible decision making and follow-through put potential and ambition into action.  Ambition is the desire; potential the ability; initiative is the doing.  Effective study skills will empower students to do what is needed to master their course requirements and this book will provide the necessary tools! 

 

To connect with the author, learn more about the book, garner helpful teaching strategies for your classroom and more, please visit www.stevepiscitelli.com, or contact him directly at steve@stevepiscitelli.com.

  • Stand-alone or supplementary text–Allows students to develop study skills in other courses.

    • Gives students taking complex courses a valuable tool for developing study skills.

  • Workforce-related case studies–Incorporate study skills.

    • Enables students to relate the class experience to the workplace.

  • Success strategies–Appear in the text margins.

    • Allows students to easily find tips and strategies.

  • Conversational tone–Makes the text informative, delightful, and fun.

    • Gives students the means to readily understand the material.

  • 30 reflective activities–Useful for individual or group study.

    • Reinforces for students the skills introduced in the modules presented.

  • 43 Exhibits and figures–Enhance concepts with visual explanations.

    • Enables students to easily understand the information presented.

  • Succinct focus–Gives study skills with a “just the facts, ma'am” approach.

    • Gives students a straightforward presentation of study skills topics.

  • Guidelines to Internet sites.

    • Gives students tips for determining credibility and validity of websites.

  • Footnotes, bibliography, and index.

    • Provides students with readily accessible additional information.

  • Instructor's Manual–Supplies ready-to-use ideas, activities, and assignments.

    • Provides instructors with valuable course support.

NEW!  Critical thinking - Introduced in Chapter 2, and built upon in consecutive chapters.                               

  • At the beginning of each chapter, students will critically assess their skill level, as it currently exists. From there, they will have the opportunity to hone their study skills and build a selection of strategies that will improve their chances for achieving academic success.

NEW!  Measurable objectives - Every chapter starts with measurable objectives for the students to master (pgs. 16, 58, 100).

  • This feature allows the students to move from fuzzy feel-good words to actual tasks that encourage them to use the chapter skills in a practical and observable manner. The end of each chapter will ask students to review the objectives--and demonstrate how they have mastered them.       

NEW!  Student assessments - Each beginning-of-chapter assessment allows students to assess their experiences and current level of expertise with the chapter topic.

  • This provides a base-line so students can identify what they know how to do as well as what areas need improvement.  Also, the Learning Styles chapter use the VARK Questionnaire.

NEW!  Reality checks - Each chapter concludes with a comprehension activity titled “Reality check.” (pgs. 56, 162, 228)

  • This provides students with a real-life study-skills dilemma that they will have to solve by applying skills from the chapter.  By time the students complete the book, they will have developed a practical portfolio of strategies for every-day study skill scenarios.

NEW!  Civility in the classroom - An entire new chapter examines various levels of civility and group dynamics. (Chapter 12)

  • It includes how to get the most from study groups, classroom teams, and how to build a respectful relationship with the classroom professor.

 

NEW!  Information literacy - An entire new chapter is dedicated to the issues of information literacy. (Chapter 11)

  • Students will learn how to find, evaluate, and use information. Academic integrity will also be stressed.

NEW!    A problem-solving index supplements the typical subject index.  The P.S.I. enables students to quickly find answers to study skills questions they may have. (pg. 265)

  • Example:  Rather than just listing Note-taking in the index, the P.S.I. will specify a particular problem that students are likely to have: Note-taking: I take notes but still miss the main point.  What can I do differently?

(Note:  Each chapter contains the features Spotlight On Classroom Skills, Preview, Key Terms, Chapter Introduction, Chapter Summary, and Reality Check)

 

Introduction:  The Choices You Make

1.    Setting the Stage: What’s On Your Mind?

What Do You think of When You Hear the Term Study Skills?

What Is On Your Mind?

Is There a Common Thread to These Chapters?

2.    Critical Thinking: How Will Higher-Order Thinking Skills Improve Academic Success?

Defining Critical Thinking

Higher-Order Thinking Skills

Using Higher-Order Thinking Skills

Adapting Old Skills to New Situations: Making Choices

3.    Goal Setting: If You Know What You Want to Do, Why Do You Need to Read About Goal Setting?

Motivation

Goal Setting

4.    Organizing Time and Space: How Will These Skills Improve Academic Performance and Reduce Your Stress?

Organization and Time

Organization and Space

Organization and Stress

5.    Learning Styles: How Will Knowing Your Learning Style Help With Your Studies?

One Size Does Not Fit All

Why Now?

Thinking: How Do You Process Information?

6.    Class Time: How Can You Be More Successful During Class Time?

Do I Know What the Instructor Is Doing in Front of the Room?

Do I Know What I Am Doing in the Back of the Room?

Note Taking as an Active Learning Strategy

7.    Note taking: How Will Effective Notes Help You Understand Class Material?

Learning While Taking Notes

Learning After You Have Taken Your Notes: ROI

Using Your Notes to Understand the Big Picture

Additional Out-of-Class Strategies to Improve Your Notes

8.    Reading: You Have to Read 1,000 Pages By When?

Do You Know Why You Read an Assignment?

How to Complete a Textbook Reading Assignment

Additional Strategies for Reading Success     

9.    Memory: Why Do You Forget--And What Can You Do About It?

Noticing the Information

Storing the Information You Have Noticed

Reclaiming the Information You Have Stored

10.  Test Taking: How Can You Improve Your Test-Preparation and Test-Performance Skills?

What Test-Taking Skills Do You Possess?

Test Anxiety

Additional Test-Taking Strategies

11.  Information Literacy: How Can You Use Information and Technology For Your Benefit?

Four Simple Steps to Completing an Assignment in an Information Literate Manner

Responsibilities of the Information Age

12.  Civility: How Can Working with Others Affect Your Academic Success?

Emotional Intelligence

Working with People

Interpersonal Relationships: How to "Play Nice" with Other People

Are You Really Listening, or Just Talking?

Conflict Management

13.  The Choices You Make: How Do Your Current Decisions Affect Your Future?

The Choices You Make

Where Have You Been--And What Have You Done?

References

Problem-Solving Index

Subject Index

    For freshman courses in Study Skills or Student Success.

    Presenting basic study skills in a student-friendly manner, this text uses more than 140 success strategies, 30 activities, 43 exhibits and figures, and 6 workplace case studies. The skills introduced help students become shrewd, insightful, and confident; and can also be utilized in the workplace.  To connect with the author, learn more about the book, garner helpful teaching strategies for your classroom and more, please visit www.stevepiscitelli.com, or contact him directly at steve@stevepiscitelli.com.

  • 0131123408Study Skills: Do I Really Need This Stuff?
    Piscitelli
    © 2004 | Prentice Hall | Paper; 240 pages | Instock
    ISBN-10: 0131123408 | ISBN-13: 9780131123403
    Brief Description

Steve Piscitelli has accumulated more than two decades of teaching and professional development experience.  He has taught students of varying abilities and grade levels, from middle school through the university level.  He has been recognized for his effective teaching style with awards at the school, county, and international level.  Steve is also a seasoned workshop developer and presenter.  He brings energy, humor, interaction, live original music, and practicality to his workshops.

 

Steve received degrees from Jacksonville University, the University of North Florida, and the University of Florida.  He is currently a professor of history, education, and student success at Florida Community College in Jacksonville.

 

In addition to this second edition of Study Skills: Do I Really Need This Stuff?, Pearson Prentice Hall published his 2008 book Rhythms of College Success: A Journey of Discovery, Change, and Mastery.  Steve, also, has authored numerous articles and a history review book for students.

 

Steve lives with his wife, Laurie, and canine companion, Buddy, in Atlantic Beach, Florida.

Written by a master teacher, the second edition ofStudy Skills: Do I Really Need This Stuff? ensures that potentially difficult and dry subject matter comes alive by integrating two core themes: critical thinking and personal choice.

 

Students must engage in significant and deep learning to make classroom strategies immediately applicable and sustainable for long-term success. This book realistically meets students where they are.  It recognizes and builds upon the knowledge and study skill strategies students already possess while emphasizing the need for critical thinking and personal responsibility. Piscitelli encourages students to reflect on their skill base, embrace change--and enjoy the sustained growth fostered by that change.

 

Features include:

  • Opening chapter questionnaires that encourage students to CRITICALLY ASSESS their current level of skill
  • MEASURABLE OBJECTIVES begin and end each chapter, allowing students to demonstrate new knowledge and competencies
  • REALITY CHECKS at the end of each chapter ask students to utilize new skills to solve real-life dilemmas.
  • More than 120 reflective activities allow students to IMMEDIATELY PUT INTO PRACTICE the study skills they will need for academic success
  • NEW CHAPTER on CIVILITY IN THE CLASSROOM provides guidelines for interaction with classmates, instructors, and their community
  • NEW CHAPTER on INFORMATION LITERACY gives students timely strategies for navigating this essential part of their college education
  • At last, a skills text that provides the necessary tools to succeed and the ‘Why’ behind it!

 

“This text offers comparable coverage, and even more extensive coverage than most study skills textbooks with more specific detail.”

--Michelle Byrd, East Tennessee State University

 

“The topic of civility is extraordinarily apropos for today’s student!”

--Elizabeth Huggins, Augusta State University

 

Additional Support — in and out of the classroom…

 

Study Skills: Do I Really Need This Stuff?, Second Edition, has its own Companion Website designed to help students review the text material.  This site (www.prenhall.com/piscitelli) can also be accessed through the Student Success Supersite (www.prenhall.com/success), where students and faculty will find an array of resources.  In addition, instructors will be pleased to know this book offers an instructor’s manual and test bank, computerized test bank, and PowerPoint slides.

View a Sample Chapter PDF: /samplechapter/0135146577.pdf

Give your students a choice! PearsonChoices products are designed to give your students more value and flexibility by letting them choose from a variety of text and media formats to best match their learning style and their budget.

Pearson Higher Education offers special pricing when you choose to package your text with other student resources. If you're interested in creating a cost-saving package for your students, see the Packages tab.

    CourseSmart Textbooks Online is an exciting new choice for students looking to save money. As an alternative to purchasing the print textbook, students can subscribe to the same content online and save up to 50% off the suggested list price of the print text. With a CourseSmart etextbook, students can search the text, make notes online, print out reading assignments that incorporate lecture notes, and bookmark important passages for later review. For more information, or to subscribe to the CourseSmart eTextbook, visit www.coursesmart.com.

     

  • 0138137137Study Skills: Do I Really Need This Stuff?, CourseSmart eTextbook, 2/E
    Piscitelli
    © 2009 | Prentice Hall | Electronic Book; 312 pages | Instock
    ISBN-10: 0138137137 | ISBN-13: 9780138137137
    URL: http://www.coursesmart.com
    Brief Description | Buy from myPearsonStore

Pearson Higher Education offers special pricing when you choose to package your text with other student resources. If you're interested in creating a cost-saving package for your students, browse our available packages below, or contact your Pearson Higher Education representative to create your own package.



Copyright ©2008 Pearson Education. All rights reserved. Legal Notice | Privacy Policy | Permissions