Here are 12 study tips from Student Learning Services to help you through your break.
- Review your notes immediately after each class. Write a short summary of what was covered during class and label any material you didn't understand.
- When studying, turn your phone off and put it far away.
- Don’t forget to write your name on the exam paper. Always make this the first thing you do.
- Set study goals to prepare for a study session. Instead of a vague goal like “Read my Physics 115 textbook,” set a specific goal such as “Read Chapter 4 in my Physics 115 textbook within the next 50 minutes & compare to my class notes.” Jot down start and stop times, and be realistic.
- Have a Growth Mindset. Treat your brain like a muscle where you can strengthen and develop new neural pathways through deep, active learning and using repetition in your studying. It is possible to change your brain!
- Turn textbook headings into questions. Then, after you read each section, see if you can answer your question.
- A great study resource is Quizlet. Enter material you need to memorize, and the site will generate flashcards, games, and quizzes for you.
- Use the U of S Assignment Paper Planner as a resource to help you write your research papers. Enter the due date for your paper and the system breaks the writing assignment into a series of steps, establishes a time-line for the steps, and has links to great help resources along the way. Google “Assignment Planner usask”.
- Solve old exam questions as an effective active, deep-learning study strategy. Go to the USSU Help Centre and find copies of over a thousand old exams that you can use to practice problem-solving and to test your knowledge.
- Explain a concept to a friend. If you succeed, without checking your notes, you've got a good grasp of the material. Teaching someone is one of the best forms of learning!
- Strive for five. Even when feeling unmotivated or procrastinating on some task, commit to spending five minutes on the task. This is a short time commitment. And, there is a good chance you will continue working longer.
- Be in control of your study time by building in brief rewards. Reward yourself with things you enjoy, such as enjoying slice of pizza, reading the newspaper, going for a swim, or listening to your favorite music.
And don’t forget that Student Learning Services offers additional learning support to all university students through a number of workshops and online resources, including study skills, library skills and writing-help videos. There is also drop-in support available as well for writing and math and stats.
Photo by Anwyn Huber-Stevenson.