If you're studying for a test and you find it necessary to remember a number that seems a little random and difficult to recall, you can try a method I use often, which I call the "clock face" method.

Yesterday I was traveling to a place with the street number 806, so I used this method. I imagined a clock face with the hands at 8:06 a.m. Then I thought about something I'm usually doing at this time of morning: that is just about the time when I'm exiting on to a specific highway.

Both images, the clock face and the act of exiting onto that highway, set the number into my head pretty securely. This method also works if you have to memorize a series of numbers, or if you need to remember a date.

Timelines are great visual tools for planning a successful school year. It's a good idea to start plotting a timeline now--one that shows the important events that will require your attention this school year. Be sure to include things that might distract you--like homecoming events and holidays--as well as assignment due dates.

Microsoft Word is just one of the applications you can use to create a timeline for your study space. It's just so familiar and easy to use.

If you want to create your own timeline, just find a large sheet of paper (I like the giant Post-It© notes) and attach it to your wall.

Would you like to get a peek into a real Ivy League classroom? The Harvard Extension School's Open Learning Initiative is an online portal for free access to select courses and lectures.

You can experience course lectures right on your home computer or MP3 player on topics like Classical Greek Civilization, Intro to Computer Science, Shakespeare, and China Studies.

This is a great way to preview the college experience, and to practice taking notes from a college professor.  And you'll learn something while you're at it! Check out the current offerings and get a feel for the university classroom experience.

Can you always tell if a statement is a fact or if it is really an opinion disguised as a fact? This is a skill that becomes more and more important as you progress through the grades and begin to develop research skills. Without the ability to tell fact from opinion, you won't be able to judge your research sources very well.

But it's not always so easy to tell! Think about the following statements and try to decide whether they sound like facts or opinions:

• The highest waterfall in the world is located in Venezuela.
• Waterfalls are beautiful.
• George Washington was the greatest American president.
• Newspapers are trustworthy sources.
• Spiders are scary.

It's not so easy sometimes! But it is important to practice the skill. The ability to differentiate between fact and opinion is a necessary part of critical thinking.