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Exam and Study Guide: Study Time

Revising and Remembering

Study Tips!

  • Make good study notes
  • Use flash cards
  • Use colourful sticky notes
  • Record yourself speaking your notes and listen back while you are doing housework, gardening, running or shopping

Focused reading

•Begin with pre-reading questions:
•What is this topic about?
•Why is it included in the reading list?
•What prior knowledge do I have on the subject?
•Identify and define unfamiliar terms.
•Highlight key concepts by bracketing main ideas and marking them with an asterisk.
•Write notes on why certain points are important.

Managing Time

Study Blocks

–Choose a time when you will have the least distractions

–Consider if you study best in the evening or earlier in the day

–Ensure you are mentally alert during this time

–Work out if you like to study in short bursts such as for 30 minutes with a 5 minute break or is a longer study session more suitable for you? 

–Make sure you remain focused throughout the study time. Turn off or mute your phone and any other devices. 

Factoring in Breaks!

Breaks are vital!

Micro Breaks

–Factor in 2-10 mins break

–Take a pause from the books or screen

–Make a cup of tea or have a snack

–Step outside for some fresh air

If you find your current study path is tiring or not working quite well, change it!

Use a mix of long and short study sessions

Change the amount and length of your breaks

Switch between tasks such as note-taking, reading, writing, calculations, and th

Mnemonics

Mnemonics are a helpful recall technique for retaining information. There are different types of mnemonics that you can adapt to your subjects. Types of mnemonics include:

•Acronyms - creating a new word with items you need to remember, such as citations for an essay style exam question
•Acrostics - creating a new sentence to remember things
•Rhymes - making up a rhyme to remember notes / key topics
•Visual Image – Associate the word with an image for easy recall