Article: The best thing you can do to improve your grades is focus and pay attention when the information is first presented to you. It's easy to lose focus when your teacher is going on and on about something that's not interesting, but you should not tune them out. Really listen to what they're saying and keep yourself engaged by asking questions and taking notes. . It might seem silly, but notes are actually a great way to help you improve your grades. Good notes are like a road map, when you go to study later on. They'll also show your teachers that you're serious about doing better in your classes. You don't have to write down everything your teacher says: just get down the basics. You know when you tell your parents about what happened to you during the day? That's how you should take notes. Just get the broad strokes, with the really important things written with greater detail. If you know something is confusing to you or seems really complex, write that down too! Even if you don't understand what your teacher is saying, you'll have a note to yourself that you need to look that up and get more information later. Write out your notes by hand, instead of on a computer. You will have an easier time remembering them this way. When you don't understand a concept or fact that your teachers talks about in lecture or that you encounter in your text books, don't be afraid to ask! Smart people don't just know everything instantly...they're curious enough to ask and find out when they don't know something. If you're nervous about asking in front of everyone else, you can also talk to your teacher outside of class time and ask about getting some extra help or explanation. You also shouldn't feel like your teacher would be angry about you not understanding. Teachers are happy when you're interested enough and invested enough to ask for help. If your teacher doesn't explain it in a way that you can understand or if you still feel uncomfortable, try going on the Internet to find a new explanation. You can often find YouTube videos covering common school concepts, and there are also forums and other websites that might deal with your question and explain it to you better. Your teacher will probably give you a syllabus at the beginning of the year or semester. This is a written outline of all of the subjects you will study over the course of the year. You should go over this syllabus carefully and ask your teacher about anything on it that doesn't make sense. Paired with your notes, it's another great road map to your learning. You might not realize it, but your problems concentrating might be because you're hungry! Try eating a small snack between classes, as well as a drink of water, in order to help your brain concentrate and have the best chance at absorbing the material. Your snack should be high in protein, which will give you the most energy. Try salami sticks or a handful of almonds or soy nuts. Everyone learns in different ways. Some people learn better when they're moving and using their body. Some people learn better with lots of pictures and visuals. Some people learn better when they can hear things like words and music. Think about what helps you remember things the most and then find ways to work that into how you learn your course material. For example, if you're an auditory learner (someone who learns better with sounds), ask your teacher if you can record lectures to listen to again later. If you don't know your learning style, you can take a test here or you can take any number of other online tests. You can also just analyze your own classroom experiences. If you're a visual learner, draw up some charts or webs which visually represent the information you need to learn and how the ideas are connected.

What is a summary?
Pay attention in class. Take notes Ask questions when you don't understand. Go over your syllabus. Snack throughout the day. Try to find a way to work with your learning style.