Effective note-taking is an essential skill for study and forms the basis for essay writing. Let’s say you’re in a lecture and as the teacher speaks you make your notes. You write as fast as you can and you try to write down every word they say. At the end of the lecture you’re exhausted and you can’t really remember much of what was said because you were taking dictation rather than really listening to what the lecturer was saying.
If you’re having trouble concentrating on your studies this can really ruin a revision session. Feeling upset about something someone said to you, daydreaming about a night out or just feeling bored can mean that you fail to get the most from your studies. You can sit dutifully at your desk for an hour, but if you’re not making any progress on compiling your revision sheets, then you’re wasting your time. You need some tips to help you focus and maximise the productivity of your study period.
While you’re working on your essays or revision sheets, it’s useful to know your learning style. Learning styles have been identified by education theorists. By being aware of the different learning styles, teachers are able to make sure that their classes or lectures contain a range of different material so that each type of learner will be able to relate to the class and understand the material.
It’s time to start getting ready for the summer exams. This is going to need focus on time management and a different style of essay writing:-
Plan your revision time. There are lots of useful study charts online. Many of these are made for secondary education students, but there is no reason why you can’t take a GCSE study tool and use it for your BA course. If it’s helpful to you – use it. No one else is going to know you used a Key Stage 3 timetable! Take a look at some of the revision charts available online
As you move away from school and into a university environment, the way you study and your essay writing changes. You are now seen as an adult, and it’s up to you to make sure that you succeed in your studies. To effectively study, make sure you can deal with these points:-
Solitude – During the course of your university career, you will have to spend a lot of time on your own studying. Some people love studying alone, but for others you may feel a complete lack of motivation. Work out how you feel about solitary writing time and how you can best deal with it.
