Student Study Guide

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Student Strategies for Success

With a bit of planning, it is possible to be successful and even enjoy yourself.  Just as you schedule your part-time job, or plan what to wear to a party, you can use the your Agenda to organize your studying strategy.  If you follow these guidelines to help you schedule your school work, your rewards will come and you will get where you want to go. 

How to be in the right place...

Select a special place to study- your room, the library, even the kitchen table- and use it regularly.

Work on a flat, well-lit, junk-free surface.

Sit up straight!  A firm upright chair will keep you from dozing off.

Turn off the television.  No-one can concentrate effectively on two things at once, and the blaring of the TV or loud music on the radio will only distract you from the business at hand.

Get a breath of fresh air!  Be sure your work-place is not overheated, especially in winter.

...at the right time

Use your Agenda to help you get organized; draw up a schedule of your classes, set regular study times, allow time for extra assignments and exam preparation, include time for any other work responsibilities, and include your calendar of social events.

Study alone or with a friend, or in a group, depending on what works best for you.  However, don't kid yourself, and think you are working when you are just fooling around. 

Study intervals of 40 to 50 minutes, followed by 10-minute breaks, usually prove more effective than prolonged sessions.

Complex or lengthy projects should be broken down into smaller units that are easier to tackle.

Work at your most productive time of day, often early in the morning or in the evening after dinner.

Budget your study times with realistic, attainable objectives.

EXAM PREPARATION STRATEGY

This three point programme will help you transform your preparation for examinations into a process-- carried on gradually throughout the term-- rather than a panic-stricken marathon of cramming at the eleventh hour.  Use these steps to help you get started:

On your mark!

Good study habits require listening attentively to what is being said in class, paying particular attention to the key points stressed at the beginning and end of the lesson. 

Always attend your classes, pay attention, and take notes.  This advice is so obvious it seems pointless to write it down but too many students skip this essential first step, and then have no foundation to build their studying strategy upon later.

Keep your notes in good order and store all notes for one course together.  Revise and review your notes weekly. 

Record the date, page #, and subject or title of some sort on all class notes, so that they make sense to you later on. 

Write your own notes in your own words.  Someone elses notes are poor substitutes for your own record of the essential points in a class you attended. 

Your notes should summarize the essential points from each class.  If you do not understand what the key points are at the end of class, ask your teacher to repeat the main ideas that have to be remembered from the lesson.  Write these down. 

Keep up with assigned readings that you are expected to cover outside of class time.  Try not to allow a discouraging backlog of unread books build up on your shelves.

Get Set!

Exam preparation should start  a few weeks before the exam period.   Your weekly reviews of each subject should simplify this process. 

Prepare a special study schedule for the exam period. 

Ask your teacher about the exam format, whether essay style, short answer, or multiple choice, and prepare yourself accordingly.

Make up a special summary sheet of essential formulas, or facts, dates and figures you must commit to memory.  Review this information periodically, and ask someone to quiz you on these key points.

Arrive at the exam prepared to write it.  Wear layered comfortable clothing that you can adjust if the room is warmer or cooler than you expected, and bring any equipment you may need, including extra pens and pencils, calculator, ruler, tissues, etc.

Do not panic the night before the exam.  Avoid staying up late cramming; instead, try to get a good night's sleep and eat something for breakfast.

Go!

Enter the examination room in as relaxed and confident a state as possible.  Breathe deeply and remain calm.

Once the exam is underway, plan your time: 
-  Proprtion your time to correspond with the relative value of the questions.
-  Start with questions you can readily answer and proceed to the more challenging ones later.
-  Read questions and directions carefully -- this point cannot be overemphasized.
-  Always start essay-style answers with a restatement of the question asked.
-  Reread your answers to ensure they actually do answer the questions.
-  At the end of the exam, review your answers, and correct minor errors.

When the exams are handed out, STOP, LOOK, and LISTEN: 
STOP - Do not start writing immediately, but take time to review the entire exam;
LOOK - Read all the questions and directions, and look at the marking scheme;
LISTEN - Pay close attention to any verbal instructions given by the teacher.

Sorry!  I will finish soon so don't forget to come back in a few days!

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