Top Study Tips
Top Study Tips
1. Everyone is different, different methods work for different people the following are only suggestions on improving upon your current studying techniques.
2. It is best to review the material right after class when it's still fresh in your memory.
3. Don't try to do all your studying the night before the test. Instead space out your studying, review class materials at least several times a week, focusing on one topic at a time.
4. Have all of your study material in front of you: lecture notes, course textbooks, study guides and any other relevant material.
5. Find a comfortable and quiet place to study with good lighting and little distractions (try avoiding your own bed, it is very tempting to just lie down and take a nap).
6. Start out by studying the most important information.
7. Learn the general concepts first, don't worry about learning the details until you have learned the main ideas.
8. Take notes and write down a summary of the important ideas as you read through your study material.
9. Take short breaks frequently. Your memory retains the information that you study at the beginning and the end better than what you study in the middle.
10. Space out your studying, you'll learn more by studying a little every day instead of waiting to cram at the last minute. By studying every day, the material will stay in your long-term memory but if you try to study at the last moment, the material will only reside in your short-term memory that you'll easily forget.
11. Make sure that you understand the material well, don't just read through the material and try to memorize everything.
12. If you choose to study in a group, only study with others who are serious about the test.
13. Test yourself or have someone test you on the material to find out what your weak and strong areas are. You can use the review questions at the end of each chapter or practice tests the teacher may give out as well as other materials.
14. Listening to relaxing music such as classical or jazz on a low volume can relieve some of the boredom of studying.
15. Don't study later than the time you usually go to sleep, you may fall asleep or be tempted to go to sleep, instead try studying in the afternoon or early evening. If you are a morning person try studying in the morning.
Top ten study tips
Here are our top ten tips to help you study. If you’ve got an exam coming up you might also like to have a look at our Top ten exam tips page.
1. Find your study space
Everyone has their own idea about the best place to study. Find a space that works for you and stick with it.
Do you prefer to study in silence or listen to music?
Do you work better alone or with other people?
Do you like to study at home or at school/uni/TAFE/library?
2. Be organised
Make sure you have all the materials you need in your study space before you start studying. Getting up to look for a pencil sharpener or ruler will break your concentration and waste your time.
3. Clear your mind
If you’ve got a lot on your mind take a moment to write yourself some notes about what you're thinking about before you start studying. This will help to clear your mind you focus all your thoughts on your work.
It’s also a good idea to keep some spare paper next to you while you’re studying so if you think of anything you need to do later you can write it down and put it out of your mind, then get on with the studying.
4. Get motivated
Think about what it will mean for you if you do well in your studies. How will it make you feel? If you keep the end result in mind it will help you stay motivated.
You might like to find a quote or an image or something that represents success for you and put it somewhere you can see it while you’re studying.
5. Plan your time (and use it well)
It helps to plan when you will study and how you can make the most of your study time.
Use a calendar or a list of dates or a wall planner to keep track of exam dates and assignment due dates. Plan ahead. Space out your study time each week for the whole term/semester - don’t try to cram it all in the night before!
Do the hardest work when you’re feeling your best. Save the easy stuff for when you’re tired.
Set yourself a time limit for each task and follow it.
6. Know your learning style
Most of us have a preferred way of learning. Get to know your learning style and study in the ways you learn best.
Auditory learners learn by listening. If you’re an auditory learner you could try reading your notes aloud and discussing them with other people. You might like to record key points and play them back.
Visual learners learn by seeing. If you’re a visual learner you could use colours in your notes and draw diagrams to help represent key points. You could try to remember some ideas as images.
Tactile/kinesthetic learners learn by doing. If you’re a tactile/kinesthetic learner you could use methods like role-playing or building models to revise key points.
7. Use your notes
Taking detailed notes in class will save you heaps of time later. Re-writing and adding to your notes is a great way to revise what you’ve learned.
8. Make your own study materials
Think up some practice exam questions or create your own flash cards to help you study. This way you learn it all twice: once when you make the study materials and twice when you use them to revise.
9. Test yourself
Don’t wait for an exam to test your knowledge – test yourself first. Get a friend or family member to quiz you on key concepts or offer to help other students with their work. It’s a great way to get confident with what you do know and find out what you still need to learn!
10. Take time out
You study better when you're feeling good. So make sure you eat well and get enough sleep. Exercise is great but don’t overdo it.
It’s also a good idea to schedule regular breaks when you’re studying and keep hydrated. You’ll study better if you take care of yourself.
Come up with your own strategies
Remember - these tips are only some of the things that you can do to get the most out of your studying. There might be other things that work even better for you.
Ask around - find out what your friends do when they're studying - maybe some of their tricks will work for you too! Maybe your teachers have some good recommendations too.
Whatever it is, whatever strategy you come up with, when you find something that works for you, put it into practice and go for it!
If all else fails and time is running out.
Cramming Techniques for Exams
* Cramming for exams should be avoided at all costs. You should only cram for an exam as a last resort. It's hard to take in and retain a large amount of information in a short period of time.Some of the tips on studying and preparing for a test may overlap with the cramming techniques below.
* Eat some food to give you energy to study but avoid consuming excess sugar which will make you hyper and will make it more difficult to study.
* An apple does a better job at keeping you focused and awake than caffeine.
* Find a well lit place with no distractions around to study but don't get too comfortable or you may fall a sleep.
* Keep a positive attitude, it is easier to study when you are relaxed than when you are stressed out.
* Since your time is limited you have to choose what you study. Don't attempt to learn everything, focus on things that will get you the most points on the exam.
* Focus on the main ideas and learn key formulas. Skip the details for now and only come back to them if you see that you have time after you have learned the key points.
* Write down the key ideas/formulas on a sheet of paper and keep on studying from that sheet, repetition is important.
* Highlight the important points in your notes, and text and focus on that.
* Read the chapter summaries (they usually do a good job at summarizing the important points). If there're no chapter summaries then skim through the text and write down key ideas.
* Study from past tests, review questions, homeworks & review sheets.
* Take at least one five minute break an hour so that you can gather your thoughts and let your brain relax.
* If time permits, try to get at least 3 hours of sleep (one sleep cycle) before the exam so that you don't fall asleep when taking your exam. Don't forget to set your alarm!
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