21 Secrets to Becoming A Good Speaker

Not just giving formal talks talks….
Discuss ideas of a project.
Influence a friend, colleague, or boss.
Tell people what you did, and why it matters.
Get people’s “mindshare”.

Presentation skills can be acquired.
Anybody can be a good speaker!
Examples:
Bill Gates
Kai-Fu Lee

Communication skills.
Preparing the Talk.
Delivering the Talk.
Handling Q&A.
21 secrets to becoming a good speaker.

Communication skills. 7%
Preparing the Talk. 38%
Delivering the Talk. 55%
Handling Q&A.


“Without effective delivery,
a speech of the highest mental capacity
can be held in no esteem.With effective delivery,
even one with moderate abilities may
surpass those of the highest talent.”
-- Cicero

“The man who can think and does not know
how to express what he thinks
is at the level of him who cannot think.”
-- Pericles

Speaking is not like writing!!!
Use simple words.
Don’t use complex sentences.
Can you understand this:
Text:
The development of this frightful means of destruction was ardently demanded by the perils of the time and situation. Simultaneously, however, a new paradoxical situation has been…. is upon us continually. One cannot defend oneself effectively any more.

Project & resonate your voice.
No “UM”s and “ER”s. (Pause instead).
Silence is a tool (To draw attention).

Play your voice with pitch and tempo.
To amplify a point, slow down, speak loudly, exaggerate intonation, pause in the right places.
“You are right. I am wrong.” – Stalin to Trotsky
“Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.” -- John F. Kennedy
BAD EXAMPLE : “I welcome this kind of examination, because people have to know whether their president is a crook. Well, I’m not a crook.” -- Richard M. Nixon
Don’t use it everywhere!

John Kennedy:
“You need to contribute to your country”’
“Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country”.
Quayle vs. Benson Debate:
Quayle: "I have as much experience in the Congress as Jack Kennedy did when he sought the presidency."
Answer 1: “Jack Kennedy is better than you.”
Answer 2: "Senator, I served with Jack Kennedy. I knew Jack Kennedy. Jack Kennedy was a friend of mine. Senator, you're no Jack Kennedy.“

Visual Skills – THE most important:
Appear trustworthy & respectful.
US Election 1960 was won on visual skills.
Components of Visual Skills:
Eyes.
Body.
Hands.
Face.
Look forward at audience (trust).
Don’t shift eyeballs; don’t look in corner.
Don’t look too much at computer screen or your notes.
Look at people’s faces (not eyes).
3-6 seconds per person.
Shift randomly.
Nod, smile, use facial expression.

Stand up when talking.
Walk around = informal.
Don’t:
Rock, shake, lean too much.

Gesture complements talk.
Should come naturally, without thinking.
Make sure they match!
Need to exaggerate a little
Especially with large audience.
Don’t fidget or put in pocket.
Videotape whole talk & watch.
Can improve hand gesturing!

Show emotion!
Most of the time:
“I care a lot about this.”
“I really believe in this.”
“I love my work.”
Sometimes (in response to questions).
“This is the most outrageous thing I’ve ever heard.”
“I will have nothing to do with this.”

You’re the salesman.
First lesson for salesmen:
“Tell them what you’re going to say.
Say it.
Tell them what you said”
Very similar to a term/research paper!

People will not remember everything.
Have ONE clear walk-away message.
What do you want people to remember in 3 months?
The answer to the question: “How was the talk?”
Repeat it!

Say something provoking!
Give a (very short) outline/overview.

End with a BANG!
Repeat the message.
Say thank you.

Preparation (80% time)
First prepare outline (recommend : Word).
Then modify outline for:
Logic, convincing, flow, transitions….
Actual Slide Writing (20% time)
Should come almost directly from the outline.

Visuals only support your talk.
Spend more time on your talk!
Simple and clear.
1 idea; 3 sub-concepts; <= 6 lines.
Readable – Big & color-coordinated.
Use 2 colors if you are not color-coordinated!
Don’t read from the slides!

Don’t lose people.
Use grayed out outline.
If idea is complex:
Try really hard to avoid complex slides, but…
If you must use it, use layers (prevent read-ahead & lack of focus).
Use right types of animation (natural, not ostentatious).
Remember to change slides for printing.
Example….
Keeps the talk interesting.
Don’t overdo it.
Should be tied to content.
Ordering :
2,N, N-1, N-2,….3, 1

Record & listen to every talk at least twice!
Record:
Best : PowerPoint features.
OK : Tape recorder.
Must do sometime :
Video
Ask experienced speaker to critique.
Improve:
Style, logic, timing per slide.

Running out of time is a disaster.
Write how much time should remain on each slide.
After you’re more experienced….
No longer necessary to record.
Every new talk still must be rehearsed.
Bring notes if you aren’t confident.

Perfect English not necessary.
Know your limitations.
Don’t use fancy words, complex sentences.
Don’t take any chance of looking silly.
OK to bring cheat notes!

Always make an outline.
PowerPoint notes; Word Outline.
Don’t have to use it.
It may be best to READ a speech.
No excuse not to be fluent! (practice!)
Don’t stare at paper.
(Memorize it if you’re prefer).

“Do the thing you fear
and the death of fear is certain.”

Audience Participation

Best way for people to remember!
Ask audience a question.
Anticipate their answer(s)!
Respond with something interesting AND relevant.

Be Yourself
Learn the skills; don’t copy the styles.
You must be yourself to be credible.
Many styles could be effective:
Bill Gates – Brilliant technologist.
Steve Ballmer – Powerful salesman.
Steve Jobs – Passionate evangelist.
You can adapt your style, but don’t exceed your “comfort zone”:
Bill Gates – Brilliant technologist  great strategist.
Steve Ballmer – Powerful salesman  trustworthy CEO.
Steve Jobs – Passionate evangelist  technology visionary.

What You’ll Learn Today
Communication skills
Preparing the Talk
Delivering the Talk
Handling Q&A
21 secrets to becoming a good speaker.
Q&A is your chance to:
Amplify your points.
Increase your credibility.

Dealing with Questions

Easy Questions.
Amplify your points!
Hard Questions.
No need to answer directly.
But don’t hide!
Narrow Questions.
Take offline.

#1 Anybody can learn to give a good talk.

#2 Don’t give a talk unless you’re passionate.

#3 Use simple and clear words.

#4 Play your voice to focus on key points.

#5 Silence is a great tool.

#7 Tell them what you’re going to say.
Say it.
Tell them what you said.

#8 Have ONE clear central message for:
the question “How was the talk”

#9 Open your talk with something thought-provoking

#10 Slides should be simple & clear.

#11 Don’t read from your slides.

#12 Order your demos

#13 Rehearse & listen to each talk
at least twice!

#14 Time your talk on every slide.

#15 It may be OK to read from a script.

#16 Stay awake!

#16 Stay awake!
Drink 3 cups of coffee before your talk.

#17 It is possible to hide nervousness.

#18 Tailor your opening remarks
to the occasion.


#19 “If you only remember one thing from
this talk, you should remember XXX”


Drink 3 cups of coffee before your talk.

#20 Humor & Interactivity must be
relevant and well-planned.

#21 Q&A can help you
more than the audience.

Giving a talk is easy.
It just takes:
A little passion.
A lot of practice!

Advantages of Internet

Introduction:

During his evolution journey from Neanderthals to Homo erectus and then to Homo sapiens, man has come long way. Because of his continuous quest for more and more amenities and facilities, the nineties have seen a major turn around with the invention of computers. 10 years ago, the term internet was practically anonymous to most of the people. And today internet has become the most ever powerful tool for man throughout the world. The internet is a collection of various services and resources.

Although, many people still think e-mail and World Wide Web as the principle constituents of internet, there is lot more in store than e-mail, chat rooms, celebrity web sites and search engines. It also became the best business tool of modern scenario. Today internet has brought a globe in a single room. Right from news across the corner of the world, wealth of knowledge to shopping, purchasing the tickets of your favorite movie-everything is at your finger tips. Internet has great potential and lot to offer… however, like every single innovation in science and technology, internet has its own advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages:

Communication:
The foremost target of internet has always been the communication. And internet has excelled beyond the expectations .Still; innovations are going on to make it faster, more reliable. By the advent of computer’s Internet, our earth has reduced and has attained the form of a global village.

Now we can communicate in a fraction of second with a person who is sitting in the other part of the world. Today for better communication, we can avail the facilities of e-mail; we can chat for hours with our loved ones. There are plenty messenger services in offering. With help of such services, it has become very easy to establish a kind of global friendship where you can share your thoughts, can explore other cultures of different ethnicity.

Information
Information is probably the biggest advantage internet is offering. The Internet is a virtual treasure trove of information. Any kind of information on any topic under the sun is available on the Internet. The search engines like Google, yahoo is at your service on the Internet. You can almost find any type of data on almost any kind of subject that you are looking for. There is a huge amount of information available on the internet for just about every subject known to man, ranging from government law and services, trade fairs and conferences, market information, new ideas and technical support, the list is end less.

Students and children are among the top users who surf the Internet for research. Today, it is almost required that students should use the Internet for research for the purpose of gathering resources. Teachers have started giving assignments that require research on the Internet. Almost every coming day, researches on medical issues become much easier to locate. Numerous web sites available on the net are offering loads of information for people to research diseases and talk to doctors online at sites such as, America’s Doctor. During 1998 over 20 million people reported going online to retrieve health information.

Entertainment
Entertainment is another popular raison d'être why many people prefer to surf the Internet. In fact, media of internet has become quite successful in trapping multifaceted entertainment factor. Downloading games, visiting chat rooms or just surfing the Web are some of the uses people have discovered. There are numerous games that may be downloaded from the Internet for free. The industry of online gaming has tasted dramatic and phenomenal attention by game lovers. Chat rooms are popular because users can meet new and interesting people. In fact, the Internet has been successfully used by people to find life long partners. When people surf the Web, there are numerous things that can be found. Music, hobbies, news and more can be found and shared on the Internet.

Services
Many services are now provided on the internet such as online banking, job seeking, purchasing tickets for your favorite movies, guidance services on array of topics engulfing the every aspect of life, and hotel reservations. Often these services are not available off-line and can cost you more.

E-Commerce
Ecommerce is the concept used for any type of commercial maneuvering, or business deals that involves the transfer of information across the globe via Internet. It has become a phenomenon associated with any kind of shopping, almost anything. You name it and Ecommerce with its giant tentacles engulfing every single product and service will make you available at your door steps. It has got a real amazing and wide range of products from household needs, technology to entertainment.

E-mail:
E-mail is an online correspondence system. With e-mail you can send and receive instant electronic messages, which works like writing letters. Your messages are delivered instantly to people anywhere in the world, unlike traditional mail that takes a lot of time.

Access Information
The Internet is a virtual treasure trove of information. Any kind of information on any topic under the sun is available on the Internet. The ‘search engines’ on the Internet can help you to find data on any subject that you need.
Shopping:
Along with getting information on the Internet, you can also shop online. There are many online stores and sites that can be used to look for products as well as buy them using your credit card. You do not need to leave your house and can do all your shopping from the convenience of your home.
Online Chat:
There are many ‘chat rooms’ on the web that can be accessed to meet new people, make new friends, as well as to stay in touch with old friends.
Downloading Software: This is one of the most happening and fun things to do via the Internet. You can download innumerable, games, music, videos, movies, and a host of other entertainment software from the Internet, most of which are free.


Disadvantages :

Difficulty in Attracting Customers
Small business may not have the resources to pay for paid directory inclusion, pay per click inclusions and often have to rely solely on search engine optimisation or word of mouth to drive traffic to their sites. With millions of businesses selling the same product and services, competing with more established businesses can be frustrating and costly venture for small business.
On the other hand, larger companies can offer promotions, pay for directory inclusions, implement pay per click campaigns as well as employ the “who is who” in internet marketing to develop campaigns that generate traffic and leads.
Difficulty in Evaluating Legitimacy of Transaction
Another notable disadvantage of doing promoting businesses online is that it may be difficult for the businesspersons and consumers to thoroughly evaluate the legitimacy of a transaction. Small businesses are particularly vulnerable to thieves using stolen credit cards and stolen information to do online transaction.
With Internet credit card and identity fraud on the rise, small businesses are forced to finance costly security measures to reduce their vulnerability to fraudulent transactions.
Salespersons and Customers are Isolated
Another disadvantage of promotion via the Internet is that the customers and businesspersons are isolated. There is little personal contact between customer and salesperson prior to and after the sales is closed. Thus, the prospect for repeat sales may thus be diminished. Entrepreneurs are therefore compelled to adopt marketing strategies to drive online users back to their site.
From all indications, it appears that the advantages of Internet promotion, far exceed the disadvantages. With adequate knowledge, entrepreneur can benefit significantly from Internet promotion, especially small business owners.


Theft of Personal information
If you use the Internet, you may be facing grave danger as your personal information such as name, address, credit card number etc. can be accessed by other culprits to make your problems worse.

Spamming:
Spamming refers to sending unwanted e-mails in bulk, which provide no purpose and needlessly obstruct the entire system. Such illegal activities can be very frustrating for you, and so instead of just ignoring it, you should make an effort to try and stop these activities so that using the Internet can become that much safer.

Virus threat
Virus is nothing but a program which disrupts the normal functioning of your computer systems. Computers attached to internet are more prone to virus attacks and they can end up into crashing your whole hard disk, causing you considerable headache.

Pornography:
This is perhaps the biggest threat related to your children’s healthy mental life. A very serious issue concerning the Internet. There are thousands of pornographic sites on the Internet that can be easily found and can be a detrimental factor to letting children use the Internet.

Though, internet can also create havoc, destruction and its misuse can be very fatal, the advantages of it outweigh its disadvantages.

Personal Information: If you use the Internet, your personal information such as your name, address, etc. can be accessed by other people. If you use a credit card to shop online, then your credit card information can also be ‘stolen’ which could be akin to giving someone a blank check.

Subject Verb Agreeement

Subject Verb Agreement
Making Verbs Agree in Number with Subjects
If you have a singular subject, you need a singular verb. (Remember, a singular verb has an “s” on the end.)
If you have a plural subject, you need a plural verb. (Remember, a plural verb does not have an “s” on the end.)

Example Singular Subjects and Verbs

The dog eats my homework.
Sub. = dog
Verb = eats

The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy mole.
Sub. = fox
Verb = jumps

Subject Verb Agreement with Compound Subjects

First, you look for a key word. What words tell you that you have something compound?
AND
OR
You do different things based on which word is used.
Compound Subjects with “AND”
If a subject is made compound with the word “and,” then the verb is ALWAYS PLURAL.
For example: The dog and cat eat my homework.
Sub. = dog and cat (plural)
Verb = eat (plural)
Compound Subjects with “OR”
If a subject is made compound with the word “or,” you have to look to the word after the “or.” Then you have two choices.
1. If the word after the “or” is singular, then the verb is singular.
2. If the word after the “or” is plural, then the verb is plural.
Example Compound Subjects with “OR”
The dog or cats eat my homework.
Sub. = dog or cats (“Cats” is plural, so I need a plural verb.)
Verb = eat
The dog or cat eats my homework.
Sub. = dog or cat (“Cat” is singular, so I need a singular verb.)
Verb = eats

Help with “OR” to Create Compound Subjects
If you are having trouble determining if you should use a singular or plural verb, take the first part of the compound subject away and reread the sentence. Fill in the verb that makes sense.
For example: The parakeet, dog, or cats eat my homework. (Take away “parakeet” and “dog”. Make the verb match the last subject “cats.” Cats eat my homework.

Making Verbs Agree When There Are Intervening Phrases
Make sure you match your verb to your subject, NOT the object of the preposition.
For example: The dog with the long claws eats my homework.
Sub. = dog (NOT claws)
Verb = eats

Making Verbs Agree with Indefinite Pronoun Subjects

You must remember back to your indefinite pronouns.
If the indefinite pronoun is singular, then the verb is singular.
If the indefinite pronoun is plural, then the verb is plural.
If the indefinite can be both singular and plural, then you have to look to a previous sentence or prepositional phrase to find the antecedent and make the verb agree with the antecedent.

Singular Indefinite Pronouns
Singular indefinite pronouns use singular verbs (singular verbs have an “S” on the end).
Singular indefinite pronouns used as the antecedent are replaced with singular personal pronouns.

Anyone
Anything
Anybody
Everyone
Everything
Everybody
No one
Nothing
Nobody
Someone
Something
Somebody
Each
Either
Another
One
Neither

Example Sing. Indef. Pronouns
Somebody should bring his or her bottle opener to the picnic.
Each has chosen his or her favorite dessert.
Everyone is welcome to the party!

Plural Indef. Pronouns
Plural indefinite pronouns use plural verbs (plural verbs do not have an “S” on the end).
Plural indefinite pronouns used as the antecedent are replaced with plural personal pronouns

Few
Many
Both
Several
Sing. And Plural Indef. Pronoun
Some indefinite pronouns can be used to replace singular or plural antecedents.
You know if it is singular or plural two ways. 1. Look to the prepositional phrase near it. Find the object of the preposition. If the object of the preposition is singular and is an antecedent for the indefinite pronoun, then the pronoun is singular. If the o.p. is plural, then the indefinite pronoun is plural 2. Find the antecedent for the indefinite pronoun in a previous sentence and match the plurality.
If an indefinite pronoun is functioning as an antecedent, then match the personal pronoun to the indefinite pronoun when you figure out if it is singular or plural.

Singular or Plural Indefinite Pronouns
All
Any
Most
None
Some

Example Sing/Plural Indef. Pronouns
All of my friends are here. They are happy.
Indef. Pronoun = All
O.P. = Friends
“Friends” is plural, so “all” is plural
Verb = are (plural)
“All” is plural, so we have to use “They” in the second sentence. “They” is plural.

Dealing with Subjects in Unusual Places
Traditionally, a subject comes before a verb. However, a subject can be in four unusual places.
1. In a question
2. In a sentence that begins with “here” or “there”
3. In a command
4. In a sentence that begins with a phrase
Make sure you find the subject and make the verb agree with it.

Subject Verb Agreement in Questions
What on earth is he doing?
Sub. = he (singular)
Verb = is (singular)

Are your parents coming to dinner?
Sub. = parents (plural)
Verb = Are (plural)

Subject Verb Agreement in Sentences Beginning with Here or There

Here comes Prince Charming to save the princess.
Sub. = Prince Charming (singular)
Verb = comes (singular)

There go The Three Musketeers off to save the day!
Sub. = The Three Musketeers (plural)
Verb = go (plural)
Subject Verb Agreement in Sentences That Are Commands
In a command, the subject is an understood “you.” Therefore, it does not appear in the sentence. In this case, the traditional verb choice is plural.
Go to the office!
Stay in your seat.
In both cases, I am talking to only one person, but I use a plural verb.

Subject Verb Agreement in Sentences That Begin with Prepositional Phrases

Make sure you match the verb to the subject, not the object of the preposition.
In the trees flies the bird.
Sub. = bird
Verb = flies
Over the river and through the woods go we to grandmother’s house.
Sub. = we
Verb = go
Finish

Human Resourse Planning

Human Resource Planning:

Human Resource Planning defines project roles, responsibilities, and reporting relationships. One key result of Human Resource Planning is the Staffing management plan which depicts how and when team members are added to the team, and how the team members are released from the project, the training needs of the team, and several other key components.
The inputs to Human Resource Planning are:

Enterprise Environmental Factors:

– The Enterprise Environmental Factors that comprise of individuals of an organization interact and relate with one another are an input into Human Resource Planning. Items to considers about enterprise environmental factors involving organizational culture and structure are:
–
Organization:

l – Which organizations or departments are going to be engaged in the project? Are there existing working arrangements between them? What are the formal and informal relationships between the departments?

Technical:

– What are the areas of expertise needed to successfully complete this project? Do these skills need to be transitioned to the supporting organization?

Interpersonal:

– What types of formal and informal reporting relationships exist among the team members? What are team members current job descriptions? What are their supervisor-subordinate relationships? What levels of trust and respect currently exist?

Logistical:

– Are people in different locations or time zones? What are other type of distances between team members?




Political:

– What are the individual goals and agendas of the stakeholders? Where is the informal power base and how can that influence the project? What informal alliances exist?

In addition to these factors, there are also constraints. Examples of inflexibility in Human Resource Planning are:

Organizational Structure:

– An organization with a weak matrix structure is commonly a constraint.


Collective Bargaining Agreements:

– Contractual agreements with service organizations can require interesting nuances to certain roles and reporting arrangements.


Economic Conditions:

– Hiring freezes, little to no training funds, and a lack of traveling budget can place restrictions of staffing options.


Organizational Process Assets:

- As an organization's project management methods evolve, experience gained from past projects are available as organizational process assets. Templates and checklists reduce the planning time required and the likelihood of overlooking key responsibilities.

Project Management Plan:

- The Project Management Plan contains activity resource requirements and project management activity descriptions which assist in identifying the types and quantities of resources required for each schedule activity in a work package.

With the proper inputs, the results are going to have a good foundation. Project teams use different tools and techniques to guide the Human Resource Planning process. These three tools and techniques are:

Organization Charts and Position Descriptions:

- Organization charts and position descriptions are used to communicate and clarify team member roles and responsibilities and to ensure that each work package is assigned. Organization charts can have three formats: Hierarchical-type Organization chart, Matrix-Based Responsibility Chart, and the Text-oriented format.
-
Networking:

– Informal interactions among co-workers in the organization is a constructive way to comprehend the political and interpersonal factors which will affect organizational relations.
–
Organizational Theory:

– Organizational theory portrays how people, teams, and organizational units behave.

The three outputs from Human Resource Planning are found below:


Roles and Responsibilities:

- Clarification of roles and responsibilities gives project team members an understanding of their own rles and the roles of others in the project. Clarity is always a key component of project success.
-
Project Organization Charts:

- A project organization chart is a diagram of the reporting relationships of project team members. Project organization charts should be tailored for their audience, they can give a generalize overview or highly granular.






Staffing Management Plan:

- The Staffing Management Plan is an important output of the Human Resource Planning process which establishes the timing and methods for meeting project human resource requirements. The components of the staffing management plan are:


Staff Acquisition:

– Staff Acquisition details how the project will be staffed, where the team will work, and the level of expertise needed with the staff.



Timetable:

– The timetable illustrates the necessary time frames for project team to be available. One tool commonly used is a resource histogram.


Release Criteria:

– Release criteria lists the method and timing of releasing team member.

Training Needs:

– Training needs is a plan on how to train the project resources.

Recognition and rewards:

– Recognition and rewards are the criteria for rewarding and promoting desired team behaviors
Compliance:
– Compliance details the strategies for complying with regulations, contracts, and other established human resource policies.


Safety: – Safety procedures are listed to protect the team members.

How to Study

How to Study
When you sit down to study, how do you transfer that massive amount of information from the books and notes in front of you to a reliable spot inside your head? The best way to facilitate that kind of "file transfer" is to develop good study habits, as outlined below. At first, it'll take a good deal of conscious effort to change your studying ways, but after a while, it'll become second nature, and studying will be easier to do.

STEPS:
1. Manage your time. Make a weekly schedule and devote a certain amount of time per day to studying. That amount will vary depending on whether you're in high school or college, and also varies by field of study.
o Study in 20-50 minute chunks. Take 5-10 minute breaks (no more!) and do something physically active to get your blood flowing and make you more alert. Do a few jumping jacks, run around your house, play with the dog, whatever it takes. Do just enough to get yourself pumped, but not worn out.
o Make enough time in your schedule to get enough sleep. Think of it this way: If you sleep only 4-5 hours, you'll probably need to double your study time in order to be as effective as if you'd gotten 8 hours of sleep. Study more and sleep less? That doesn't sound like a very good deal. Get a good night's sleep every night and you'll be making the best of your study time. If you end up a little sleep deprived despite your best efforts, take a short nap (20 minutes) before studying. Then do some physical activity (like you would do during a break) right before you start.
2. Find a good study spot. You should feel comfortable, but not so comfortable that you risk falling asleep--a bed isn't a very good study spot when you're tired! The place where you study should be relatively quiet (traffic outside your window and quiet library conversations are fine, but interrupting siblings and music blasting in the next room are not).
o As far as music is concerned, that's up to you. Some people prefer silence, others prefer music in the background. If you belong to the latter group, stick to instrumental music (music that has no words like classical, soundtrack, or some celtic) and that you're already familiar with (not something that's bound to distract you)--otherwise, your brain will "multi-task" and not be able to retain information as well.[1]
o Having the television on while you study is generally a bad idea.
3. Clear your mind.If you’ve got a lot on your mind take a moment to write yourself some notes about what you're thinking about before you start studying. This will help to clear your mind you focus all your thoughts on your work.
4. Snack smart while you study. Have your snacks prepared when you begin a study session--don't wait till you get hungry and go rummaging for food. Avoid any snacks or drinks that will give you a rush of energy, because with every rush comes a crash in which all the information you studied is lost to an intense desire to sleep. Focus on "slow release" carbohydrates, which not only give you a steady stream of energy, but they also boost serotonin, a brain chemical that makes you feel good:[2]
5. Rewrite your notes at home. When you're in class, emphasize recording over understanding or neatness when you take notes. That doesn't mean you shouldn't try to understand or organize your notes at all; just don't waste time doing something in class that you can figure out or neaten up at home. Consider your in-class notes a "rough draft" of sorts. Rewrite your notes as soon after the class as possible, while the material is fresh in your mind and so you can fill in any gaps from memory. The process of rewriting your notes is a more active approach to studying--it engages your mind in a way that just reading the notes doesn't.
o You may find it easier to keep two notebooks--one for your "rough draft" notes, and another for your rewritten notes.
o Some people type their notes, but others find that handwriting enhances their ability to remember the notes.
o The more paraphrasing you do, the better. Same goes for drawing. If you're studying anatomy, for example, "re-draw" the system you're studying from memory.
6. Summarize as you read. Always read material twice. The first time, read it casually from beginning to end, then go back and read piece by piece. Stop frequently to summarize what you just read in your own words. Write it down and incorporate it into your notes, if there's a connection. If you're having trouble summarizing the material so that it "sticks" in your head, try teaching it to someone else. Pretend you're teaching it to someone who doesn't know anything about the topic, or create a wikiHow page about it! For example, Memorize the Canadian Territories & Provinces was made as a study guide for an 8th grade student.
7. Make flash cards. Traditionally, this is done with index cards, but you can also download computer programs that cut down on space and the cost of index cards. You can also just use a regular piece of paper folded (vertically) in half. Put the questions on the side you can see when the paper is folded; unfold it to see the answers inside. Keep quizzing yourself until you get all the answers right reliably. Remember: "Repetition is the mother of skill."
o You can also turn your notes into flash cards using the Cornell note-taking system, which involves writing grouping your notes around keywords that you can quiz yourself on later by covering the notes and trying to remember what you wrote based on seeing only the keyword.[3]
8. Make associations. The most effective way to retain information is to "tie" it to existing information that's already lodged in your mind.
o Take advantage of your learning style. Think about what you already learn and remember easily--song lyrics? choreography? pictures? Work that into your study habits. If you're having trouble memorizing a concept, write a catchy jingle about it (or write lyrics to the tune of your favorite song); choreograph a representative dance; draw a comic. The sillier and more outrageous, the better--we tend to remember silly things more than we remember boring things!
o Use mnemonics (memory aids). Rearrange the information is a sequence that's meaningful to you. For example, if one wants to remember the notes of the treble clef lines in music, remember the mnemonic Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge = E, G, B, D, F. It's much easier to remember a sentence than a series of random letters. You can also build a memory palace or Roman room to memorize lists like the thirteen original colonies in America, in chronological order. If the list is short, link the items together using an image in your mind.
o Organize the information with a mind map. The end result of mapping should be a web-like structure of words and ideas that are somehow related in the writer's mind.
o Use visualization skills. Construct a movie in your mind that illustrates the concept you're trying to remember, and play it several times over. Imagine every little detail. Use your senses--how does it smell? look? feel? sound? taste?
9. Make it a group effort. Get some friends together--friends who are actually interested in studying, that is--and have everyone bring over their flash cards. Pass them around and quiz each other. If anyone is unclear on a concept, take turns explaining them to each other. Better yet, turn your study session into a game like Trivial Pursuit.

[edit] Tips
• You should be alert and your mind should be calm before you begin your studies.
• Study the most challenging subjects first. Tackle them when you're most alert.
• Studying with a partner who is as serious about the subject as you can be a good motivator to work harder. Organize the study session into parts, review notes, outline the chapter, and discuss concepts. (Try to teach it to each other so that you are sure you both get it.)
• Your attitude greatly helps the outcome of your studying: if you're mad at the world, you won't really care much about biology, and likewise, if you're so excited you can't breathe, you are not going to want to sit down and read about the Mesopotamian Era. Think about that and try to regulate your moods when it's time to hit the books (e.g. don't sign on to instant messaging to talk with your friends about that cute new guy ten minutes before you have to study the table of elements).
• Begin study no less than 30-90 minutes after a meal and if possible study no more than 30-40 minutes at a stretch.
• Late night studies are usually a waste of time.
• Try to teach whatever you get the idea of to friends or to an imaginary audience. This is the best possible method.
• Try not to just memorize whatever you have learnt. Understand it and say/write the answer in your own words.
• Pay attention in class.
• Just take a deep breath and study. Get over it and do it.
• Try typing. Word process all your notes into multiple summaries. Print out and highlight the important pieces. Word process these pieces, print out and summarize again. This will take the stress off handwriting. This allows you to study for at least 1-2 hours flat out without putting the stress on your brain and hands (when handwriting).

How to Beat Examination Test

1. Start studying well before the exam. Make sure your schedule provides for sufficient revision time. As any good test-taker will tell you, the revisions are more important than the first time study.
2. Focus on understanding the concepts rather than mugging. Use mnemonics if rote learning is the only way out.
3. Think about the time after the exam. Visualize the happiness on your face that the stress period is now over. This works very well.
4. Keep telling yourself that your hard-work will not go to waste.
5. If you are afraid of tough questions, it helps to know that most questions are of average difficulty and designed to be answered correctly by most examinees.
6. Designate a "study buddy", a classmate who is an expert in a subject you have trouble in, that you can come to with questions.
7. Get plenty of sleep. It's way more stressful to memorize lots of information or comprehend complicated concepts on less than 6 hours sleep.
8. Eat healthy food, since it's often easier to function on nutritious food than junk. While sugar might be a quick source of energy, sugar lows happen pretty fast and the let-down can often be severe.
9. While taking notes, use as many diagrams, graphs and figures and illustrations as possible. This helps to make several revisions at the last moment!
10. Ask a senior or more knowledgeable person to prepare sample tests for you. If such practise tests are available in the market, go for them. Many questions are similar to or verbatim from practise material.
11. On the day of the exam, feel happy! Think positive and keep cool! Good luck!

Conflict Resolution

Resolving conflict rationally and effectively

In many cases, conflict in the workplace just seems to be a fact of life. We've all seen situations where different people with different goals and needs have come into conflict. And we've all seen the often-intense personal animosity that can result.
The fact that conflict exists, however, is not necessarily a bad thing: As long as it is resolved effectively, it can lead to personal and professional growth.
In many cases, effective conflict resolution skills can make the difference between positive and negative outcomes.

The good news is that by resolving conflict successfully, you can solve many of the problems that it has brought to the surface, as well as getting benefits that you might not at first expect:

• Increased understanding: The discussion needed to resolve conflict expands people's awareness of the situation, giving them an insight into how they can achieve their own goals without undermining those of other people;
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• Increased group cohesion: When conflict is resolved effectively, team members can develop stronger mutual respect, and a renewed faith in their ability to work together; and
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• Improved self-knowledge: Conflict pushes individuals to examine their goals in close detail, helping them understand the things that are most important to them, sharpening their focus, and enhancing their effectiveness.

However, if conflict is not handled effectively, the results can be damaging. Conflicting goals can quickly turn into personal dislike. Teamwork breaks down. Talent is wasted as people disengage from their work. And it's easy to end up in a vicious downward spiral of negativity and recrimination.

If you're to keep your team or organization working effectively, you need to stop this downward spiral as soon as you can. To do this, it helps to understand two of the theories that lie behind effective conflict resolution techniques:
In resolving conflict using this approach, you follow these rules:

• Make sure that good relationships are the first priority: As far as possible, make sure that you treat the other calmly and that you try to build mutual respect. Do your best to be courteous to one-another and remain constructive under pressure;
• Keep people and problems separate: Recognize that in many cases the other person is not just "being difficult" – real and valid differences can lie behind conflictive positions. By separating the problem from the person, real issues can be debated without damaging working relationships;

• Pay attention to the interests that are being presented: By listening carefully you'll most-likely understand why the person is adopting his or her position;
• Listen first; talk second: To solve a problem effectively you have to understand where the other person is coming from before defending your own position;
• Set out the “Facts”: Agree and establish the objective, observable elements that will have an impact on the decision; and
• Explore options together: Be open to the idea that a third position may exist, and that you can get to this idea jointly.

By following these rules, you can often keep contentious discussions positive and constructive. This helps to prevent the antagonism and dislike which so-often causes conflict to spin out of control.