Studying Tips - Need Assistance

[Jono_CP]

Hi everyone,

I am well aware that one has to be efficient and opt for quality over quantity, especially when it comes to studying.

I have been doing some solid research about this, and have acquired little notebooks (not regular sized textbooks) purely for Unit 4 SAC specific notes. And my desktop to draft this on Microsoft word for the humanities.

For Maths, I am just planning on finishing the textbook questions and then proceeding with maths help + tutor and the tests. But I am going horribly in this subject, so any tips would be much appreciated for further mathematics.

A friend recommended to me that I buy a whiteboard and attempt to teach myself the material or whatever it is I am studying.

I don't do anything extraordinary with my study which could be the problem, and I just complete what the teacher/s say to do and then when I have the extra time, doing those practice questions, tests etc...

A major change I have made, is that I do not do any notes anymore for Australian Politics, Economics and minimal notes for business management. I have actually found that since I hardly revise my scrawly handwriting, I seem to understand the content better when I read over it thoroughly and do those practice questions, as SACs + Exams are not based on 'who has the best notes'. But please criticise me, if you think this is one of my many silly ideas.

What else do I do? Sometimes I may create flash cards, right before the SAC. I have multiple study guides for my subjects. I tend to resort to not only 1 textbook, I may have 5 books around me on a desk on just the 1 subject to derive information to make 100% sure that I have the best info. avaliable for that concept. Recipe for disaster?

Occasionally, I may do iPod voice memos, however this does not really work out for me that well. I don't like listening to music that much with normal earphones, which is why I want 'beats' or some decent earphones which are not so small.

I also tend to get extremely nervous before a SAC, no matter if I am going well in that subject. I just want to excel in everything that I do, and acquiring under 50% for Further Maths thus far just keeps me awake at night. Though this is not going to contribute to my ATAR, with two 3/4's completed last year, I don't care about this. E.g. I even take Religion Unit 1 & 2 seriously, even though this does not go towards my ATAR.

A major problem of mine is that I don't have confidence with my 'memory'. I feel as though I forget everything the next day (FURTHER MATHS!!!!), hence why I have stopped with note-taking. Maths is frustrating, as I'll do an exercise and then the next few days not even realise what I just did. And then I have to move on because the teacher goes at a fast pace.

I study at the library basically from Monday - Thursday, Friday I have my maths tutor.

A few users have criticised my study patterns as of late, and I 100% agree with them, so if anyone has any advice they'd like to share I am all for it

[Jono_CP]

Thanks for the extensive amount of tips

I have all the study design printed and within my subject folders.

Perhaps going through this more thoroughly may be beneficial.

I tend to tick them off, just to make sure. However, I should probably constantly revise this.

[Bluegirl]

Doing psych last year benefited me in terms of memory techniques (deep encoding by giving meaning and linking it to what you know, rather than shallow encoding such as just reading it over and over)

Also, about your comment regards to revision; you forget 50% of the info you learn in the first hour (please correct me someone if I'm wrong; psych has vanished from my brain ) so the more you go over concepts, the more you'll remember. Also, if you learn things over an extended period of time, the less info is forgotten (or is it the slower you forget? haha damn psych is gone). Thus, revising constantly and pre-reading works well (it's why people start early with exam revision).

Hope that helps in some way

[Jono_CP]

Doing psych last year benefited me in terms of memory techniques (deep encoding by giving meaning and linking it to what you know, rather than shallow encoding such as just reading it over and over)

Also, about your comment regards to revision; you forget 50% of the info you learn in the first hour (please correct me someone if I'm wrong; psych has vanished from my brain ) so the more you go over concepts, the more you'll remember. Also, if you learn things over an extended period of time, the less info is forgotten (or is it the slower you forget? haha damn psych is gone). Thus, revising constantly and pre-reading works well (it's why people start early with exam revision).

Hope that helps in some way

Greatly! Thank you for the advice, much appreciated