Study Tips

Guide

Tips for effective study skills

INTRODUCTION
When you study, you devote your time Committing to study often occurs The purpose of this guide is to help
and attention to gaining knowledge before employment or during a break you organise how you study best
and skills in a subject area. This often from a person’s usual work. With the and study tips that you can use to
requires discipline where you need to right study tips and process be successful in the course you are
do research, reading, identification of however, you can juggle study loads undertaking. The following sections
important information and note taking and normal work and family routine. provide a general understanding on
for the purpose of increasing your the processes involved in effective
knowledge and skills in the topic. Learning how to study effectively is studying that you can apply;
an important skill. When it is difficult particularly in a vocational
By carefully examining a subject to balance commitments, students education environment where
matter of a published report, online can feel stressed and worn out from apply skills and performing tasks is
article, book, or journal, you are their life, work and course as critical as knowledge of a
able to practically apply what you requirements and often ends up subject area.
have understood during assessment struggling with learning, begrudging
effectively and perform certain tasks assessments or ultimately dropping
you have learnt. out of a course.

Effective study skills

Studying is a skill that you can acquire through proper
discipline. Here are some practical study skills for success.

TIME MANAGEMENT
Schedule a certain time of the week devoted mainly for Prioritise subjects that are challenging for you and
studying. Make sure that your space for studying is allocate more time on these.
uncluttered and free from any distractions. You may choose
a corner of your house or room mainly for this purpose. Participate in a study group if this is available –
Make a weekly list over the subject areas that you need other’s viewpoints will give you a fresh perspective
to study. A planner or a calendar is helpful. when studying. Plus studying with others can be
motivating!

PLAN AHEAD OF TIME

Make a list of your priorities and when you draft your Socialising is important but make sure to keep it
schedule, make sure not to draft it too tight! Make room minimal, especially if you have a tight schedule. You
for emergencies because you will never know when can meet your friends or do your not-so-important-
it might happen. At least you are prepared in activities after you have done your important tasks.
case something happens.

FIND YOUR RHYTHM

It is important to find your rhythm when you study. You mobile phone) as your mind tries to focus on studying.
will also gain better focus if your body and mind are in Your body and mind should be doing things that can
unison. It would be hard to concentrate if your help you study better.
body keeps doing other activities (such as checking your

PRACTICE HEALTHY HABITS AND LIFESTYLE

You need to give your body the right sustenance it needs Don’t stay up late! You need to be asleep at a
to stay fit and healthy. You need to rest when it is time reasonable time such as 10.30pm. As you sleep, your
to rest. brain is busy converting all the information you
gathered for the day into long term memory.
 READING AND COMPREHENSION
Skim - start by clarifying your purpose when reading retention and memorisation. Take time off from reading
a material. This will ‘set the tone’ for your reading and and recite key points or ideas that you
comprehension. Skim the title, summary, and main remember. For practical skills, visualise a person
points of the chapter. The headings and subheadings perform-ing the task or job correctly – what is the
will high-light the key ideas in the text. person doing at each point to make sure the task is
successfully completed.
Question - You might devise questions as you
progress through your reading based from the headings Review - Read summary sections of the material
and sub-headings. This will help you concentrate and where available or note your own summaries – these
test as-sumptions you might have of the topic. will be useful when reviewing the section in future for
assessment.
Read - Budget your time over how many minutes you
will devote for each chapter or section.
Recite or visualise. For some topics, these
approaches are helpful for

Remember that reading and comprehension are two and different things. So is understanding and memorising. It is important that
you comprehend what you have read and what you take as notes as this will be retained in the long run.

FIND YOUR RHYTHM

It is important to find your rhythm when you study. Your body and mind should be doing things that can help
You will also gain better focus if your body and mind you study better.
are in unison. It would be hard to concentrate if
your body keeps doing other activities (such as
checking your mobile phone) as your mind tries to
focus on studying.

NOTE TAKING
When note taking, write down only the most Never crowd your notes. Focus on keywords that are
important points or key words, and elaborate them important. Unnecessary information will just confuse
in your own words. This aids in developing your you. Using different colours for note taking can help to
understanding of the topic. However, be careful to retain the most important aspects of your notes.
retain technical words, jar-gon or acronyms as they are Review notes within 24 hours of taking them – this will
given. assist in your recall of the information in future.
Date all notes and use proper headings to assist in
your review of the notes at a later date.

ASK FOR HELP

If there is something that’s bothering you Instead of wasting too much time trying to find the
or something is not clear to you, then it is fine to ask elusive answer to your questions; it is best to ask!
for help. You can ask your facilitator, friend,
classmate, or family to help you out, especially if
you can’t find a clear answer from your book or the
net.

Make flashcards of key information for every subject

PREPARATION FOR ASSESSMENTS area of your notes.
It is not ideal to ‘cram’ before an assessment. The most
Make sure you know what the requirements of the effective approach is to review topics progressively
as-sessment are in advance, and also any options until you have comprehended or memorised all key
that might be available to you. information.
Identify areas of weakness in your skills or understanding
so that you can devote your time more on subjects
you are not familiar with.

The following sections provide further detail on key study strategies that might assist you.
MOTIVATING YOURSELF TO STUDY
Motivation is helpful for our daily lives to achieve successful. Greater motivation will assist you to learn
positive results in any activity. This includes with and study more with focus and concentration.
studying. A motivated student finds it easier to reach Procrastination is a number one enemy!
the extra mile and all the necessary steps that are
needed to be

Create a goal Therefore, to start studying, is just Reward yourself!

Goals and objectives are very to start studying itself. Boost Celebrate when you achieve a goal
powerful motivation setters. These yourself to get started, or you might or finish a difficult topic. Rewarding
can either be short-term goals or force yourself to study for now and yourself for small achievements on
long-term goals. They will keep you eventually learn the basics. It is all an ongoing basis will assist with
on track and stay positive to reach worth it! motivation and support your hard
your goals. work. Your enthusiasm will
A comfortable environment overcome the initial hindrance and
Start studying now This is vital. Even if you are well obstacles to motivate yourself.
This may sound cliché, but difficulty motivated, if you are in a crowded
in studying has a lot of causes. These and noisy place, your concentration
includes watching TV, social level will drop. It adds to your
networking, being distracted by motivation when your environment
friends, and more. Stop wasting is relaxed, quiet and conducive to
time! study.
 MANAGING STUDY TIME
There are a number of different strategies that you can use to
manage your time effectively and allocate study time.

It is useful to consider how you spend your time every day. You
can jot down your activities and try to eliminate the things that
you find unnecessary. You might find it challenging to manage
study time at first until a routine is established

Prepare a schedule
Once you have your course schedule, you can prepare your
overall weekly schedule to follow. When preparing a schedule,
start with all your fixed commitments. From there, it is easier
to consider study time and free time.
Your schedule might look like this:

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday

6am BREAKFAST – GET READY

7am Exercise Exercise Exercise Breakfast – Get ready

Review Review
8am Review Review Review

9am
Sport
10am Class
Class Work Class Study
11am

12pm Lunch
Work
1pm LUNCH Lunch
2pm
3pm Work
Class Class Class Class Study
4pm
5pm

6pm Dinner Dinner

7pm
Study Study Work
8pm Free time Free time Free time Free time
9pm Free time Free time
10pm
Sleep
6am

While your schedule might look quite different, depending on your family commitments, work commitments, course
study mode and personal preferences, the key is to ensure that your schedule is balanced, with study time and free
time scheduled around your other key commitments at times that are conducive to successful study whilst also
enjoying life!

You need to plot your course schedule first, and you can put your study time and other important things that you
need to do in the blank blocks. Make sure you prioritise well when plotting your schedule, and don’t forget to plot
your breaks, including lunch and dinner!
 Look for the ideal study spaces
In each location where you study – such as at home, work or
at the course provider, look for the most ideal spot to study.
This should be free from distraction. You also need to refrain
from using your phone and other gadgets while you are in that
area. Your goal is to maximise your concentration. It is also
advisable to have a back-up space in case your ideal study
space won’t be able to serve its purpose at a certain time.

Review your notes and readings

Before the class or event starts, it is best to review your
readings and your notes so you can ask your facilitator if
something is unclear to you. This will also demonstrate
that you are interested to learn more.

You also need to review your notes and materials

soon after an event concludes. The first 24 hours of covering
fresh information is critical – this is the time where
information is held in your short term memory and further
review is needed to assist in memorising the information for
the longer term.

Do the most difficult task first

When studying, your mind works at its best if you are full
of energy. Make it a point to do the most difficult task first
when you still have ample amount of energy. You need to
determine which subject or task is most difficult for you and
start with that subject first.

Use your free time wisely

You might need to devote your free time searching for other
resources that can help you with your study. Don’t make
room for other activities, which are not important, until your
work is done. Keep in mind that it is easier to enjoy fun
moments
if you don’t need to worry about overdue course or study
matters.

Conduct weekly reviews

Weekly reviews can help you remember and refresh
the things that you have learned so you won’t
forget them. And it will also assist you monitor
your own progress and keep you on track. It is
important to determine the best time to do
your weekly review, and learn to turn it into
a useful habit.

Choose the best study time strategy

that works for you. Remember that
no two people are exactly alike. A
certain study strategy might work
for your friend, but not for you
and vice versa. You need to find
the best study time for
yourself and stick to it.
 THINKING TECHNIQUES
Logical thinking or sometimes called critical thinking is defined as the
way in which you think, view, assess, and create a structure in order
to deepen the comprehension and analysis of your study. A range of
thinking techniques below may assist in your study.

Mnemonics Questioning Skills

Mnemonics are used as a memory device that will help you Questions are great ways in which you can hone your
recall the numerous pieces of information, as it requires to thinking skills. It will also promote a spirit of questioning. You
memorise lists, names, characteristics, parts of a process, can prepare questions that you think will be asked, then
stages and phases. This is used to increase recall. Some of provide your answers from your readings or notes.
the ways in which you could use mnemonics would be
associating infor-mation with letters of the alphabet, music Interpretation Skills
or names. This is your ability to analyse and communicate what you
have understood and feedback this to others. You use your
Analysing Skills read-ings, observations and inference skills to make a good
Some subjects need deeper analysis. There is a need to inter-pretation of what you have studied, and explain your
know how to analyse concepts and ideas before you can understandings to others. Ideally the people you select are
properly explain them. aware of the topic and can discuss their understanding and
views also to provide you with feedback.
Take the most important part of the subject and write
your ideas on the right hand side of your notes. Next, draw Remember your thinking ability will be aided by sleep,
relation-ships by placing arrows or lines on topics in which you exercise, a balanced diet, quiet music, water and most of all
think are related. giving yourself rest periods so that your brain will be able to
function well!
Brainstorming
Brainstorming is a technique to boost your mind’s
creativity. If you are using this for problem solving or for
group work, all you have to do is to list down as many ideas as
possible. There is no such thing as a right or wrong idea so
go ahead and list everything.

Once all ideas have been noted, look for the most
appropriate idea or common threads. This will assist to
achieve the task or solve the problem.
Assessments
Reports and projects
When preparing to complete a report or project, consider • Organise your notes. This is when your note-taking
the scope and limitation of your work. Plan a working outline papers are put to good use. Because you took down
of information that will be included. This might include: notes in your own words, it is easy to memorise them
come examination time.
• Title page, which would normally include the title, • Use charts and diagrams. These will assist with your
your name and date. recall – particularly with more complex concepts.
• Acknowledgements when it is necessary.
• Table of Contents, which are in numbered form that Emotional Preparation
states the corresponding pages.
• Introduction: the overview of your topic. • Listening to relaxing music will not only boost your
• Main content: where the sections of the report or mood, but it will encourage the cells of your brain to
project are completed. function well.
• Summary. • Plan your assessment day well. Make sure you have
• References would be the list of authors or sources everything you need. Forgetting items you need may
you used. leave you worried and frazzled, which will not help
you in gaining the momentum you need to answer
Remember to write in a simple and clear form. questions.
• Group reviews are a great way of bonding with your
Questioning, quizzes, interviews or exams friends, but will also lift up your mood. It will also
leave you more motivated to study because you will
Preparing for questioning assessments involves intellectual, share the burden of studying with friends.
emotional, and physical preparation. • Have a positive attitude! Negativity will cloud your
mind and your judgment.
Intellectual Preparation
Physical Preparation
• Give yourself ample time for study. Don’t resort to
cramming at the last minute. Do your reading days • There is no better preparation than a good night’s
ahead of the slated day of assessment. This will give sleep on the eve of your assessment. This will allow
you time to be familiar with the notes you are reading. your brain to recover and the rest will assist your
• Ask what type of assessment you will be taking. Short memory.
answer questions, essay writing or other activities • You might like to eat so called ‘brain foods’ such as
may require different study techniques. nuts, fish, berries, yoghurt and choicest fruits.
• Practice on old assessments if these are available. • Drink plenty of water and eat nutritious food before
This is useful, most especially when you are familiar and during assessments. Never skip your meals.
with the techniques used in the assessment and also
reinforces the subject matter.
Referencing
Referencing is an important part of any written assessment For example:
work you complete. House, J., and Willis, P. 2006. Management fundamentals: a
Referencing is a consistent method of acknowledging or practical guide. 3rd edition. Melbourne: Knowles Publishing.
citing another person’s ideas, which you have used, in your This full referencing provides author names and publication
own project or assessment. details including year, title, edition, location and name of the
publisher.
Referencing has several important purposes: Plagiarism

• To uphold intellectual honesty (avoiding plagiarism) Cheating is the act of attempting to circumvent the
• To attribute prior or unoriginal work and ideas to the assessment practices in an unethical or illegal manner.
correct persons or sources; and Plagiarism is a form of cheating. Plagiarism is the practice of
• To allow the reader of the assessment to determine claiming or implying original authorship of (or
independently whether the referenced information incorporating material from) someone else’s written or
supports the position or argument put forward in the creative work, in whole or in part, into one’s own without
assessment. adequate acknowledgement.

There are generally two parts to referencing: the note within The following list outlines some of the activities considered
the text of your assessment where the information appears plagiarism:
and within the reference list provided with your assessment.
• Presenting any work by another individual as one’s
For example, a common referencing approach is the own unintentionally;
‘author-date’ system as outlined below. • Handing in assessments markedly similar to or copied
Note in the text of the assignment consists of the author(s) from another student;
name and year of publication given wholly or partly in • Presenting the work of another individual or group as
round brackets. Generally you should use only the their own work; and
surname of the author(s) and the year of publication. • Handing up assessments without the adequate
Include page, chapter or section numbers, preceded by a acknowledgement of sources used, including
comma, if you need to be specific. assessments taken totally or in part from the
internet.
For example: (House and Willis 2006, 56 – 67). Cheating and plagiarism are serious acts and may result in
The full details of the source information should then be a student being excluded from a unit, module or a course
provided in a reference list at the end of your assessment. overall. Where a student has any doubts about including the
The reference list contains all the information that someone work of other authors in their assessments, they should
would need to follow up your source. consult with their facilitator or assessor before handing
in their assessment.

Success in online learning

There is a difference between online learning and the Communicate with your facilitator
traditional learning format where students attend classes It is important to communicate regularly with your
at an institution. With the virtual format of studying, you facilitator and askquestions where certain topics that are
have the ability to study at your own time. not clear to you. Usually, you can communicate by email or
phone, through the online learning system such as
This flexibility has many advantages but, unfortunately, discussion forums or chat rooms, or through a web
too much flexibility and freedom can also be the cause of conferencing system. When asking a question, make it clear
failing to complete the course requirements on schedule. and concise so your facilitator understands your query.
Taking a course online is not as easy as it sounds,
especially if you do not know how to handle Connect with fellow online students
responsibilities or you lack self-discipline. Having a connection with your fellow online students can
have many advantages. You can even form your own study
If you are interested in online learning or you are enrolled in group online. You might use social media such as Facebook
an online course, following these tips can help you to be or Google Hangouts to communicate with other students,
a successful online learner. or your provider might have other web based solutions to
provide this service.
Establish a consistent study schedule
The lack of class schedules can always lead to
procrastination. You may be tempted to delay your time for
learning for another day that can negatively affect your
studies. You have to create an effective working schedule for
your online course and strictly adhere to it. Establishing a
consistent study schedule is very important when you are
taking online classes.