When you hear about 18th century history, do you get confused about whether that refers to the 1800s or the 1900s? Don't worry--that confuses a lot of people!

The first century started in the year 1 and went until the year 100, so the term 18th century actually means the dates from 1701 to 1800. We are currently in the 21st century, and this century began on January 1, 2001. Just to clarify:

• The 15th century starts with 1401 and ends with 1500
• The 16th century starts with 1501 and ends with 1600
• The 17th century starts with 1601 and ends with 1700
• The 18th century starts with 1701 and ends with 1800
• The 19th century starts with 1801 and ends with 1900
• The 20th century starts with 1901 and ends with 2000

If you eat well, you are likely to feel more alert and clear-headed. Eating well doesn't have to be torture! You can still have most of your favorite snacks and meals, but you should stick to a few guidelines for getting the nutrition you need to feed your brain.

• Add a real piece of fruit to your breakfast.
• Choose lean meat like turkey burgers a few times a week.
• Limit the number of sugary snacks and deserts you consume--and stick to the limit!
• Work a daily dose of whole grain product into your diet.
• Substitute a raw vegetable choice for an unhealthy snack habit.

If you follow some simple diet rules and work in a little more exercise, you'll notice that your brain is a lot more alert during study time.

It is so much easier to work on a research paper if you are working with a topic that really stirs some curiosity inside your gut. Sometimes this is easy, and sometimes it's not.

If you stop and think about it, you can find something interesting about any topic. Just let your imagination fly, and try to find a way to connect your given topic to something that really interests you. If you have to write about gravity, for example, you could connect this topic to a number of hobbies or interests:

• sailing
• diving
• racing
• ice skating

The list is endless!

One thing that can stand in the way of identifying a really interesting topic is the fact that teachers sometimes tell you what to write about--as opposed to letting you pick a topic yourself. This isn't necessarily a road block: if you talk to your teacher, you may find that you have some leeway. After all, your teacher probably doesn't want to read thirty very similar papers. Use your imagination and give the topic an interesting twist. You and your teacher will be happier.

Some people are completely thrown by the "all of the above" and "none of the above" questions on a multiple choice. That is because these questions have an element of logic to them, and some people take longer than others to work out logic problems.

If you tend to get confused by questions like this, you can rest assured that there's nothing wrong with you--it's simply a reflection of your individual brain type. Still, that won't help you much during the test. You have to deal with the questions as they come. So--if you find that some questions require a little extra concentration, you may need to treat them as a separate section. Skip the questions, keep an eye on the clock, and go back to do the confusing questions last.

You can find more advice like this as you read over the 10 Tips for Answering Multiple Choice Questions.

Mornings can be crazy when everybody is getting ready for the day at one time. We have hours to prepare for other parts of the day, but in the morning, we have to accomplish many things in a short period of time: everybody showers, gets dressed, gets packed, eats, and flees out the door--all in an hour or two. It's a mad dash!

In this mad morning rush of activities, it is really easy for somebody to forget something--and sometimes that something is homework. I have a favorite trick for remembering things on really important days, and it might work for your family. I use the giant sticky note.

Sticky notes actually come in a variety of sizes, including poster size. If I know a really hectic morning is coming and it's important for everyone to remember to do or bring something before dashing out the door, I put a giant sticky note right on the door, so everyone sees it before they exit.

Everybody writes on the note the night before--jotting down whatever it is they need to remember that next day. The very last person out the door can take down the note.

Sometimes we all need to pause for a moment and take a good look at our habits and behaviors. Is there something that you do that is working really well for you? If so, give yourself some kudos!

On the other hand, there may be something that you do habitually that is keeping you from achieving your true potential.

Why not take a moment to go over this study skills assessment to inventory your good and not so good behaviors and habits. It's never too late to make improvements!

What is the number one way to give yourself an advantage in school? Show up for class! Many students don't understand how damaging poor attendance can be when it comes to academic success.

Missing class hurts for many reasons. Here are the top 5:

• You can miss important information that might show up on a test. It's almost impossible to recover from missing out on a day's worth of class notes. You can't rely on your friends to fill in the gaps of your knowledge.


• You can miss a pop quiz. Pop quizzes can make up a big part of your overall grade. Most times, a no-show is a zero!


• You can get a reputation for slacking. Your reputation with teachers and friends can't be fixed if you mess it up by being unreliable.


• You can miss out on "building block" concepts. Subjects like math and science involve very precise steps. If you miss out on one or two key elements, you can be lost forever.


• You can miss an assignment. When you miss a day, you can miss the fact that the teacher has assigned a paper or other task. That's a possible F!

The one-minute paper is an assignment you might receive in class after you complete a homework reading assignment. The one-minute paper is designed to let you demonstrate how much information you've retained from your reading.

A one-minute paper is also a tool that teachers use as a pop quiz, of sorts.

You can use the one-minute paper as a technique to quiz yourself before a big test. Have a parent or a study partner assign a one-minute paper topic and do a mind dump essay. You'll be able to see how much accurate information you can recall.

It's a great way to assess your progress in a class.

One big key to success in math class is having enough patience to retrace your steps. You have to retrace your steps with every single math problem you solve to check yourself, but you also need to retrace your steps through previous chapters or years sometimes.

Students think that math is just too hard for them sometimes, but this is rarely true. Most times, math isn't too hard to grasp--but it seems like it is because you've missed one of the building blocks that led to the task at hand (and that can happen for many reasons).

It's always a good idea to review as you go, be patient with yourself, and let every process sink in well. Every new step that you learn in math is a building block for the future. Take your time!