Studying comes naturally to some people – especially if they have progressed from school to university and perhaps also later achieved some work-specific qualifications. But for other people – perhaps if there has been a long break since school or they didn’t do too well in their school exams – it can be daunting. So here are a few tips on studying successfully:
- Try to study regularly. It’s better to do a little each day or three or four times a week rather than cramming it all into one long session. It helps if you can analyse your spare time and then prepare a study plan.
- Find a place to study where you can concentrate with no distractions. You may find that listening to music is helpful. But a TV in the background, constant checking of social media and phone messages or someone who keeps disturbing you won’t help you to do your best work.
- Read – write – remember. If you study using this method you are more likely to be successful. Read the material as often as you need to, make notes to fix the ideas firmly in your mind and this will automatically help you to remember.
- Practise making notes and keep a separate notebook where you can write these down and then keep them safely for future reference. Or make notes on your laptop/tablet – but ensure you save them! Keep a separate vocabulary notebook where you can write down any words that you are unfamiliar with.
- Don’t just passively read through your course. Actively think about what you are studying. Ask yourself questions about it and try to find the answers.
- If you are doing a practical course or one that contains self-test question, make sure you do these. They are there to consolidate your learning. If you don’t do them or skim through them and then check the answers you are only cheating yourself.
- If you have friends doing the same course it often helps to work together for support and encouragement. But, make sure you don’t just distract each other with chat and never collaborate on assignments or exam papers.
- Always wait for feedback on one piece of work before sending in the next. By doing this you can often avoid repeating the same mistake.
- Revise, revise, revise! Revise what you are studying regularly so that it stays fresh in your mind; revise the notes that you have made and before sending off an assignment always revise your answers to check that they are correct, neat and well-expressed.
If you follow these tips I’m sure you’ll find your work easier, more enjoyable and you’ll be more successful.
Author: Diana Nadin
