Tips of Studying

1. Find The Right Time and Place

Everyone has their own ideal way of working.

Some people find they work best in the morning, some in the afternoon, and others find evening is their ideal time. You also need to experiment with level of noise. You may find that a quiet library is best, or you may prefer some music playing.

 

Experiment with different options to find your most productive time and place for study.

Use that time and place for the most difficult work.

For example, you might find that you fall asleep if you try to read in the afternoons. Concentrate on reading in the mornings, and save afternoons for writing or computer research.

 

2. Get Organised

You may be someone who works best with a looming deadline.

That doesn’t mean you can afford not to plan! You don’t really want to find yourself in the position of having two or three looming deadlines all at once, and insufficient time for the work.

Even if you’re not very keen on planning, it’s well worth sitting down and looking at your deadlines to make sure that you’re able to manage the work in time

 

3. Study Little and Often

It’s usually better to do some work every day, rather than spend two days a week working frantically.

Why? Because we all have more productive and less productive days. That’s just how it is. Some days you’re tired, or unmotivated, or you’d rather be outside in the sunshine. If you adopt a policy of ‘little and often’, you can afford to work more slowly on an unproductive day.

 

4. Take Regular Breaks

Research with schoolchildren has shown that doing 20 minutes’ work, then having 5 minutes running around before going back to work again is much more productive than trying to work for a full hour.

OK, you’re not a seven-year-old, and you can concentrate for longer, but the principle applies. Reward yourself for concentrated work by taking a short break every hour or two: go and get a coffee, or check your email, or something. But be disciplined about how long your break lasts.

 

5. Do Not Always Do the Same Things

We all have distinct learning styles. That means that you will find certain ways of learning easier. The most effective learners, however, understand that variety is the spice of life. They may prefer one style of learning, but they also use others to broaden their experience and their skills, and to keep themselves interested in what they are studying.

 

6.Go Over Your Work Regularly

Our memories work in two ways: short-term and long-term.

When you first learn something, it is generally stored in your short-term memory, where it has a strict ‘shelf life’. If you keep reading and reviewing that idea or piece of information, it will be transferred to your long-term memory, and can be accessed indefinitely. Research also shows that it’s easier to remember something if you can link it to other information that you already know.

 

7. Ask for Help When You Need It

When you’re at school, teachers are trained to assess who is struggling and offer them extra help. But once you’re studying independently, the only one who is going to assess whether you can cope is you.

Yes, your course tutors may notice that you’re having trouble, but they’re not going to say anything unless you do.

It is up to you to ask for help when or if you need it.

 

Study skills include:

1.      Getting organise and focused to study.

The first step to effective study is to getting organised. It is recommended that you find a suitable location to study that is free from noise and also have access to the resources that you need for study. To get most out of your study it is recommended to find a suitable environment to study that is accessible to the resources that you need to study.

 

An Environment to study

It is an opportunity to have access to library in the university, college or school or a quite office at work.

 

 

 

However, study at home or dormitories is not conducive to effective study. Each individual understands their own personal requirements in terms of location and conditions to enable effective study.

 

Our choices vary considerably in circumstances and in the way we study. It may be when starting a programme of study or reviewing our current situation, it is important to ask yourself the following questions:

 

1.      Will you be studying at home, library, office or somewhere at most times?

2.      What are your choices in choosing the location to study?

3.       Do you study effectively in a quite setting, one which is free from interruptions, or do you prefer to study with your colleagues, friends or family?

 

Choosing your study environment

When considering a study location, it is important to be focus and make the best of your time. To do this your need to find a place where your study notes, writing materials and computer to hand. It is practical to not always use your computer when studying unless the is need to do so.

 

Take into account other practical things when preparing where to study.

·         A good source of light especially if you intend studying into the evening or in an environment without much natural light. 

 

·         You should also think about distractions and annoyances that may be present and try to eliminate them as much as possible.  It is generally useful if everything that you might need is within easy reach of your chair, this can save unnecessary moving around and distractions while you try to concentrate. 

 

·         When you first start to study you may well overlook important environmental factors or tools that you need – the more you study the clearer you’ll become about what you need and where you need to be for optimum concentration.

 

 

Organising your materials

While thinking about your place of study, some thought should also be given to organising.

There will, inevitably, be increasingly large amounts of printed material such as notes, books and journals.  Try to keep your materials organised in suitably indexed files, making use of a system of labelling that is clear, bold and easy to read at a glance

A simple filing system is often overlooked, especially by new students, but it can help you to save a lot of time.

If you plan to study in different locations at different times, make sure you carry all the materials and tools you need with you.  If you plan to study remotely think about other practical concerns – will you have access to a Wi-Fi network, for example?

 

When to Study

Deciding where to study is an important first step, equally important is determining the best times to study.  The following questions will help you to think about when to study

 

·         On a weekly basis, how many time slots will be available for you to use?

·         Could more time be made available if necessary?

·         How will you achieve a positive work/study/life balance?

·         How will you manage your workload to meet the required deadlines?

·         Is there a set pattern to when you study each week?

·         What time of day will you study?  What time of day do you find it easiest to concentrate?

·         What is the optimum period of time in which you are able to maintain concentration?

·         What will you do to avoid or minimise interruptions when you are studying?

·         How will you deal with interruptions if (and when) they occur?

·         If you are unable to study as planned how will you ‘catch up’?

 

 

 

 

 

Developed s Support Network for Study

It is a good idea to think about developing a study relationship with your contacts.  In a University this may be your tutor, other members of staff or other students.  At work this may mean your boss and/or your colleagues.

Such support can be very valuable when:

•          You want to ensure that you get the best possible support by asking the most appropriate person for help in a variety of situations.

•          You find you are struggling for whatever reason as you will not want to waste time trying to locate help.

It is worthwhile making an email or phone list of other useful contacts – to build up a network of support.

Knowing who to contact for different types of support is always a good idea, maybe just friends who are good listeners.  Asking for help and support is crucial when you study.  Not asking for help when you need it can be detrimental to your confidence and self-esteem and this can negatively affect your studies.  If you lose confidence, then you will be more reluctant to ask for help.

Networks of support can make the everyday challenges of study more manageable.

When you run into a crisis, which most people do from time to time, your support contacts can make it easier for you to complete your course successfully, offering help and advice, boosting morale and motivation and encouraging you to continue positively