- Location, Location, Location
Are you serious about getting your study done? Find a good location. Use libraries, study rooms or empty classrooms. Have a space especially for study. - Make it a habit: do some study every day
Cramming is not a good way to understand and retain large amounts of information. Schedule some time every day to stay on top of reading and research. - Help exists! Search for it and improve your grades
Whether you are an A student or a D student, you can strengthen your skills. Get to know your lecturers, tutors and teachers and ask for help when you need it. Use study guides and help centres, such as Student Services at USC. - Write it down
Use a day planner or wall calendar - plan time for coursework and plan ahead for assignments and exam periods. - Get energised – eat, exercise, sleep
Fatigue and stress weaken memory and comprehension. Eat properly, exercise regularly and get adequate sleep. - Perform like a pro: Go to class prepared and take good notes
Don’t miss classes. Someone else’s notes are not going to be as good as having gone to the lecture or class yourself. While taking notes, listen for examples or emphasised points. Ask questions. Learn as you go and you won’t find yourself unprepared the night before the exam. - What’s the ‘big picture’?Learning requires understanding of how pieces of information fit together to form a ‘big picture’. Use course outlines, tables of contents, and headings and subheadings to organise information.
- Do something to remember key information
Be active! Generate examples, create reminders and prompts, make summary notes, identify key words, highlight textbooks or add margin notes. Improve your memory by being creative and interested. - Think you’ll remember key points? Prove it!No matter how well you understand something, without practice forgetting will occur. Before a test, recall information without looking at notes or textbooks and by doing practice questions.
- Be ‘test smart’Don’t lose marks because of test-writing errors. Use strategies to tackle different types of tests. Read instructions, budget time to marks and do less difficult questions first to build confidence.
Disclaimer
Please note that this blog is intended for the students and parents associated with MacGregor State High School. Please check areas of interest as seen on the blog to confirm dates and other information as there will be occasions when dates will change and the information may not be included in the blog as it may not have been received by the school. Posts prior to July 2021 may have reference to different schools as this blog was initially developed for students when I was the Guidance Officer at another school.
Sunday, 4 March 2012
Top 10 tips for study success for high school & university students
The following hints have been provided by The University of The Sunshine Coast