These study tips are just some ideas that should help you to get the most out of a regular study routine:

 

  1. Plan carefully. Why do we plan? So we don’t waste time.
  2. Working backwards from the date of the exam, schedule weekly exam revision plan from at least 6 weeks out (but even longer is better).
  3. Revise (if you can) after each lesson when the information is fresh study is an ongoing process where knowledge accrues so consistent revision by you moves the information from your short term memory to your long term memory.
  4. Incorporate a range of revision strategies or visual aids diagrams, concept (mind) maps, charts, tables, index cards, making notes etc. (Concept maps are a great way to get the bigger picture. You can identify key topics and visually arrange the relationships between each of them).
  5. Condense your information into manageable portions as you go e.g. revise from 40 pages to 20 pages to 10 pages, right down to a single page.
  6. Revising should be an active process, not a passive one. Simply reading over material isn’t enough to make it stick in your long term memory.
  7. Grab some past exam papers and answer those questions to become more accustomed to forming your arguments or working through processes related to that subject content. Look over your own past exam papers to see where you can improve.
  8. Write out plans for possible essay questions.
  9. Schedule regular breaks of 5-10 mins each hour.
  10. Include variety switch subjects after each break to keep motivated.
  11. Plan your time wisely allocate more time to subjects that you may struggle with.
  12. Explain topics to other people (mum or dad for example) this helps you to organize your thoughts and express them in a meaningful way. If you can explain something very well to another person then chances are that you know it well too.
  13. Ensure your study area is away from distractions and has plenty of light.
  14. If you lose concentration try the 5 minute challenge challenge yourself to a particular task for 5 minutes, then extend to 10 minutes or longer.
  15. Determine your style of learning and establish your study process according to your own style.

Remember, cramming causes stress which substantially reduces your ability to perform. Plan ahead and work smarter, not harder.

For more information about your learning style and how to improve your study habits, contact us!