1. Study during the Day
Although this may vary between people, we tend to concentrate better during the daylight hours than at night. Some studies have shown that one hour of study during the day is reported to be equivalent to one-and-a-half hours at night. Pay attention to when you concentrate the best and schedule your study sessions around these hours.
2. Study in Blocks
Studying in blocks of time not only assists you with planning and time management, it can help you maintain concentration and focus. For each block of time (say, one or two hours), allocate a specific goal – finish reading a chapter of the textbook – and allocate a ten minute break. It also helps with motivation by giving you a sense of accomplishment as you tick off each study block.
3.Fast and Effective Reading
Effective readers use a combination of techniques when doing reading.
• Study reading or deep reading – this is where you read every single word and re-read sections. Useful for more complicated reading materials such as textbooks and articles with terminology.
• Skimming – skimming is a good technique for those times when you have to obtain at least a general idea about the issue but are pressed for time.
o Read the title and subheadings.
o Skim the paragraphs for the key ideas.
o Read the abstract, conclusion, or summary (if any).
• Scanning – scanning is useful when you need to find a particular idea or piece of information in your readings. It’s also practical when you need to check whether the reading will be of use to your study.
4. Use Study Groups
• Motivation. Being around peers who are studying helps energise you for study.
• Collective problem solving. Many heads are better than one. You can help each other with questions or problems.
• Maintaining interest. Studying in groups with friends helps you maintain interest in the subject.
• Reduces workload. By sharing notes and comparing ideas, you’ll be able to reduce each person’s workload.
5. When in Class
You can get the most out of lectures and class times by active listening, and minimising after class study times:
• Prepare before class – do the required pre-reading.
• Active listening – keep focused on what the teacher is saying and take notes that mean
something to you, rather than automatically transcribing everything that’s said.
• Ask questions – if you have any questions, raise your hand and ask.
6. Memory
Use simple memory techniques, such as acronyms, rhyming, and pictures, to remember large chunks of information. When you’re listening in class, studying, or reading, don’t try to force yourself to remember. If you cultivate an interest and maintain curiosity in the subject, you’ll be more likely to naturally bring back what you need to recall.
7. ExamPrepare
well and don’t stress during exam times:
• Maintain adequate sleeping hours and eat healthily. This will boost your concentration.
• Unless you’re penalised for wrong answers, attempt every question.
• Answer the easy questions first; come back to the more difficult ones later.
• Do the practice questions under time constraints so you’ll effectively monitor your answering
time on the day.
• The best way to prepare is to stagger your studies throughout the semester