1. Find your studyspace
Everyone hastheirown idea about the bestplace tostudy. Find a space thatworks foryou and stick withit.
The 9 BEST Scientific Study Tips
Doyou prefer to study in silence orlisten to music?
Do youwork better alone or with otherpeople?
Do you like tostudy at home or atschool/uni/CAFE/library?
2. Beorganised
Make sureyouhave all the materials youneed inyour study space beforeyou startstudying. Getting up tolook for apencil sharpener orruler willbreak yourconcentration and wasteyourtime.
3.Clear your mind
Ifyou’ve got a lot on your mind takea moment to write yourself somenotes about what youre thinkingabout before you start studying.This will help to clear your mindyou focus all your thoughts onyourwork.
It’s also a good idea to keep somespare paper next to you whileyou’re studying so if you think ofanything you need to do later youcan write it down and put it outof your mind, then get on with thestudying.
4. Getmotivated
Thinkabout what it will mean for you ifyou do well in your studies. Howwill it make you feel? If you keepthe end result in mind it willhelp you staymotivated.
You might like to find a quote oran image or something thatrepresents success for you and putit somewhere you can see it whileyou’restudying.
5. Plan your time (and use itwell)
It helps toplanwhen you will study and howyoucan make the most of yourstudytime.
Usea calendar or a list of dates or awall planner to keep track of examdates and assignment due dates.Plan ahead. Space out your studytime each week for the wholeterm/semester - don’t try to cramit all in the nightbefore!
Do the hardest work when you’refeeling your best. Save the easystuff for when you’retired.
Set yourself a time limit for eachtask and followit.
6.Know your learningstyle
Most of ushave apreferred way of learning.Get toknow your learning styleand studyin the ways you learnbest.
Auditory learners learn by listening.If you’re an auditory learner youcould try reading your notes aloudand discussing them with otherpeople. You might like to recordkey points and play themback.
Visual learners learn by seeing. Ifyou’re a visual learner you coulduse colours in your notes and drawdiagrams to help represent keypoints. You could try to remembersome ideas asimages.
Tactile/kinesthetic learners learnby doing. If you’re atactile/kinesthetic learner youcould use methods likerole-playing or building models torevise keypoints.
Courseworks at the University ofMelbourne has a quick quiz you cantake (new window) to see what kindof learner youare.
7.Use yournotes
Takingdetailed notes in class will saveyou heaps of time later.Re-writing and adding to yournotes is a great way to revisewhat you’velearned.
Check out this online Study SkillsLibrary for explanations of fivenote-taking systems (newwindow).
<b>8. Make your own studymaterials
Think upsomepractice exam questions orcreateyour own flash cards tohelp youstudy. This way you learnit alltwice: once when you makethestudy materials and twice whenyouuse them torevise.
9. Testyourself
Don’twaitfor an exam to test yourknowledge– test yourself first.Get afriend or family member toquizyou on key concepts or offertohelp other students with theirwork. It’s a great way to getconfident with what you do knowand find out what you still needtolearn!
10. Take timeout
You studybetterwhen youre feeling good. Somakesure you eat well and getenoughsleep. Exercise is greatbut don’toverdoit.
It’salso a good idea to scheduleregular breaks when you’restudying and keep hydrated. You’llstudy better if you take care ofyourself.
Come up with your ownstrategies
Remember -these tips are only some of thethings that you can do to get themost out of your studying. Theremight be other things that workeven better foryou.
Ask around - find out what yourfriends do when theyre studying -maybe some of their tricks willwork for you too! Maybe yourteachers have some goodrecommendationstoo.
Whatever it is, whatever strategyyou come up with, when you findsomething that works for you, putit into practise and go forit!