Author Topic: Your techniques for studying  (Read 8436 times)

Offline Malak

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Your techniques for studying
« on: November 14, 2011, 04:36:57 pm »
This thread is for anyone who would like to share their studying technique with all of us here. I created this thread because quite a few members have been asking the question "how to study" and it would be really beneficial if we can get different kinds of techniques from the members here.


You can share/tell us things like:

How many hours do you study on a daily basis?
How do you prepare for exams?
How do you manage your time etc. ?
Do you make your own notes?

And/or all other things you want to mention

Thanks.
« Last Edit: November 14, 2011, 04:40:03 pm by Ang3l »
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Offline MKh

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Re: Your techniques for studying
« Reply #1 on: November 15, 2011, 12:36:38 am »
Salaam,

Thanks for creating this thread. It also reminds of the promise i made to u about sharing whatever study techniques have been most helpful to me so far.

Firstly, i would suggest this webpage : http://www.adprima.com/studyout.htm
it is by far the most invaluable and concise set of general studying techniques i came across on internet

I have found a set of very useful self-help leaflets on a university website and i would like to point out this extract:

 
Procrastination
If once a man indulges himself in murder, very soon he comes to think little of robbing; and from robbing he next comes to drinking and sabbath-breaking, and from that to incivility and procrastination.

Thomas DeQuincey

What is procrastination?
The avoidance of doing a task which needs to be done - postponing until tomorrow what can be done today.

Procrastination not only affects a person's work, but also commonly involves feelings such as guilt, inadequacy, self-disgust, stress and depression.

Often we try to disguise our avoidance by being very busy doing things that may be interesting, and even useful, but don't contribute towards the main goal - even doing something we normally hate - rather than writing, for example, just before an essay deadline!

Why do people procrastinate?
?poor time management, often associated with a distorted sense of the time available
?an inability to prioritise
?overload of tasks at a specific time
?anxiety about the task, so time is spent worrying rather than doing
?difficulty concentrating
?not knowing what is required
?feeling overwhelmed by the task(s)
?concern about failing or not meeting your own standards
?fear of success and its possible consequences
?perfectionism, often associated with unrealistic standards
?negative feelings - e.g. "I'm stupid", "nothing ever goes right for me"
?all-or-nothing thinking, where one setback is seen as a total catastrophe
?being bored by the task
?never having learned how to work or sort out problems while at school or living at home
?avoidance of things which are disliked or difficult.
How to overcome procrastination
Overcoming procrastination usually involves both better organisational and time-management skills as well as a clearer understanding of its personal or emotional meaning.

The former skills can be learned and improved with practice. Although there are some useful tips that can help you improve, it is primarily a matter of finding the ways of working that best suit you rather than trying to rigidly follow someone else's model.

Counselling can help you to understand and change the personal or emotional aspects to your procrastination.

Here are some suggestions to help you get started:

?Accept that there is no magic wand: you will have to do the task!
?The words that we use to ourselves in thinking or talking about the task matter! They have feelings attached to them which colour our anticipation and experience of the work. Try changing the words "have to" and "can't" to "choose to" and "choose not to" - this won't always be true, but it will probably be more honest most of the time. After all, you don't have to do this work - you probably chose to come and do this course, research or job, and you could choose to leave it!
?Take account of the sort of person you are, of your values and your expectations. Assess whether these "fit" with the way in which you are trying to tackle the task - do you need a new approach with which you will be more comfortable? Patterns of working vary from one person to another, and so do the desired outcomes.
?Recognise self-defeating behaviour and its associated thinking. Try to work out why you procrastinate: what do you gain from it? Find out how to overcome such behaviour. You might choose to sort it out yourself, to refer to a self-help book or leaflet, or to consult the appropriate person, such as your tutor, supervisor, director of studies, manager, colleague or a counsellor.
?Identify goals and make realistic decisions about how to do the tasks, and prioritise.
?Ensure that you have the right equipment, information etc. to help in tackling the task. Some time spent in preparation and planning is vital - but not to the extent that no real work gets done. So set a time limit for the planning stage(s). Plan a (small) section and then work on it.
?Whilst spending time planning is very useful, here's a word of warning to those who make very detailed plans which go wrong within an hour and are then ripped up in disgust - plans need to be flexible! Don't plan all the hours in the day; leave plenty of unplanned times and spaces - to allow for things taking longer than expected, and for you to have extra time for relaxation when they don't!
?Break down tasks into manageable bits. Set yourself small goals - to read one chapter; to write 1 page; to work for 45 minutes, take a 15 minute break and then do another 45 minutes work.
?Boost your motivation. Dwell on your strengths, on tasks you have accomplished and feel good about, in order to remind yourself that you can be successful.
?Give yourself rewards when you accomplish something.
?When you are getting stuck, rather than just stopping work, try a different strategy - take a pencil and an old, half-used piece of paper out of the bin, and scribble unplanned and unstructured notes and ideas to yourself for the task in hand. Or start on a different section of the piece (you don't have to work from the beginning to the end), picking the least demanding in thought or creativity.
?Quite often procrastination is connected to anxieties about the quality of the work you hope (or fear) you will produce! At times like this, it is worth remembering that it's better to produce something rather than nothing!

I pointed out the above extract on procrastination but i will INSHA ALLAH include my own personal study techniques soon.
« Last Edit: November 16, 2011, 03:13:01 pm by MKh »

Offline Azland

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Re: Your techniques for studying
« Reply #2 on: November 15, 2011, 07:19:54 am »
How many hours do you study on a daily basis - 8-9 starting from one month before the exams start. Before that barely 1-2 hours a day max.

How do you prepare for exams - Not sure what this question means. But I never use my text books to study..everything from the internet.

How do you manage your time - Most people suggest that you should take breaks while studying. I dont usually follow this..go at your own pace..if you feel you lose concentration or dont need to stop..then dont. I myself sometimes go on for 5-6 hours and sometimes I stop after 2 for sometime. Just depends on your mood.

Do you make your own notes - Yes, but all of it is copy pasted stuff from the Internet while i revise. I copy the basic ideas from each concept and keep it on a notepad/word document. Also I put whatever I feel in my opinion is going to come based on looking at past papers. 3-4 hours before the exam I print what I spent 30 days collecting and read it. Works out quite well.

Offline Malak

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Re: Your techniques for studying
« Reply #3 on: November 15, 2011, 08:50:05 am »
Thanks both for sharing  ;D
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Offline Dasith

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Re: Your techniques for studying
« Reply #4 on: November 15, 2011, 09:37:01 am »
This thread is for anyone who would like to share their studying technique with all of us here. I created this thread because quite a few members have been asking the question "how to study" and it would be really beneficial if we can get different kinds of techniques from the members here.


You can share/tell us things like:

How many hours do you study on a daily basis?
How do you prepare for exams?
How do you manage your time etc. ?
Do you make your own notes?

And/or all other things you want to mention

Thanks.
1.Depends on the day - weekdays i dnt study , saturday & sunday sometimes, 1-2 hrs
2.Doing pastpapers ,listning to wat da teacher says in class  ::)
3.I cant manage da time , the time manages me :P
4.nope i prefer studying from da text book directly that way its easier.
I would love to change the world, but they won't give me the source code. ;)

Offline Malak

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Re: Your techniques for studying
« Reply #5 on: November 15, 2011, 11:16:25 am »
In case there is some confusion, I just suggested those question for those who didn't know what to write/how to start but it isn't necessary for you to answer them.
This thread is not like an interview where members just answer the question I posted, you can mention anything which you think helps you to study and might help others.
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Offline Romeesa-Chan

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Re: Your techniques for studying
« Reply #6 on: November 15, 2011, 11:12:36 pm »
Speaking in terms of my A-levels:

-How many hours do you study on a daily basis?
I study 3-4 hours. Test or mock exam, then 6 hours.

-How do you prepare for exams?
Start early.
I use the syllabus as the main headings for my notes and using that heading, I make notes using textbooks, revision guides and the internet.
To understand the practical based questions, I use youtube or khan academy. :)
Past papers - the best way to be prepared for exams.

-How do you manage your time etc. ?
Promise myself a nice chocolate when I finish whatever subject I had to study at that time. :D

-Do you make your own notes?
Yes, I rely mainly on my notes. (:
« Last Edit: November 16, 2011, 12:34:20 am by Romeesa-Chan »
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Offline curiousguy

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Re: Your techniques for studying
« Reply #7 on: November 18, 2011, 06:02:39 pm »
Hi everyone, I am a student of As level, so far in my experiance I have understood that discussing a particular subject makes the concept as well as revision more perfect. What I want to say is, I wud be glad to discuss subjects with all of u as it wud improve ur knowledge as well as mine.
My facebook:- ismail mohammad zakaria / ismailm.z@bismillah.com / http://www.facebook.com/ismailmohammadzakaria
Ones u all add me up i will give u my skype id and we can interact and study.
I like helping people, though i might not be advanced, I will try my level best to help each of u out .
Waiting for ur responses

Offline MKh

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Re: Your techniques for studying
« Reply #8 on: November 18, 2011, 07:47:30 pm »
Salaam,

As i m self-teaching A/Ls currently in preparation for the upcoming Edexcel examination session, i hav also realised that a person is much more likely to remember and understand a concept if taught to someone else. In school, i always used to teach my friends and helped them prepare for exams.

I feel like teaching my siblings inorder to understand a concept well enough to show my understanding in my responses to the questions in exam papers. But my siblings r just kids and i need someone of my level.

I dont hav an fb account and nor do i hav skype. Shall we all revise here? Alternatively, we can also hav a revision-focused discussion at TSR - the largest UK-based online student forum - www.thestudentroom.co.uk

But when r u sitting for ur exams and which modules? The discussion(s) must preferably be to test each other on key points and ask each other any specific doubts. I am stting for the Edexcel A2 physics and A2 chemistry modules as well as for math C1,C2 and C3.

INSHA ALLAH this will motivate all the interested candidates to do well. Good luck and study well.

Offline Romeesa-Chan

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Re: Your techniques for studying
« Reply #9 on: November 18, 2011, 07:54:03 pm »
i hav also realised that a person is much more likely to remember and understand a concept if taught to someone else. In school, i always used to teach my friends and helped them prepare for exams.

BEST BEST technique. (Y)

I always teach my friends and alhamdulillah through that, I learn myself and benefit others as well. :)

Good luck, all! :D
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Offline curiousguy

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Re: Your techniques for studying
« Reply #10 on: November 19, 2011, 03:18:18 am »
Yes i am very much interested but the fact is if u  interact the concept becomes more clear than typing.
Although typing will also help alot can u tell me how we will be discussing in the studentforums, CUZ I HAVENT USED THIS FORUMS BEFORE. Thanks alot everyone.

Offline curiousguy

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Re: Your techniques for studying
« Reply #11 on: November 19, 2011, 03:29:31 am »
Heyy after posting a reply i thought it wud rather be better to come in chat room together and discuss rather than forums so those who are interested pls come here http://xat.com/ALevelDiscussion.
« Last Edit: November 19, 2011, 03:59:00 am by ismailm.z »

Offline MKh

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Re: Your techniques for studying
« Reply #12 on: November 19, 2011, 04:35:02 pm »
^You simply post by making a thread in the TSR site and anyone interested may post their doubts./discuss.

I will check if there's any such thread there. Meanwhile, let's make a thread here and we shall discuss in that specific thread.

But we shall not waste our time creating threads and discussing before we cover our specification thoroughly. If after covering the spec. and solving past papers, we still hav doubts, we can always post our doubts and concerns in the doubts thread. I hope u get it.

Good luck!


Offline Malak

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Re: Your techniques for studying
« Reply #13 on: November 19, 2011, 04:57:36 pm »
^ Before, any of you moves on to create a thread. I would request you to wait so that I, including staff, can come up with something better and easier for all of us.

Thanks

« Last Edit: November 19, 2011, 05:01:45 pm by Ang3l »
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Reminder to myself: Stop worrying and start working

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Offline SZM

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Re: Your techniques for studying
« Reply #14 on: November 20, 2011, 11:22:36 am »
darling mkh, u never come to reply to my thread. Why is dat??? Are u angry with me??? hope u are not?? if u r angry with me, pls forgive me dear dear.....

Watever u have given ur opinion to my previous post are really meaningful for nowadays. MASHA ALLAH.

After reading ur views according to my previous thread, I came across, that i want to know about urself like i want to know whether u have done AS edexcel privately or schooling??? If privately how did u get an A* for physics, chemistry , mathematics and biology????? I have read, that u r doing currently A2 self teaching... am i right. How come dear?? how did u do self teaching??? wat r the first till the last steps are u using??? I want to know it dear.

AS u told me first have ur specification with u and then each and every specification point, find the concept in different textbuks we have to see whether the area of the particular concept i am looking for should match to the specification point.. And then understand that concept well and write in your own words in writing book .. Like dat continue for all chapters in all units in all subjects.. I have done Unit 1 Chemistry. Alhamdulilah it works and when i do pastpaper i answered the questions. I was soo happy.. But when i come ot unit 1 phy and bio, it doesnt come.. wat do u think??? am i wrong or not?? tel me will that method work for unit 1 bio and phy???? if so how tel me dear ///

dou have any other method apart from above??? if so cn u pls share it to me//// Pls tel me about urself in details and how did u get an A* ?? and ow did u find comfortable by doing self teaching???

dont u think any advantage having skype and facebook?? if not, cn u tel me ur reason.. plssss.


by the way MKH, wat r the materials do u have for bio, chem and phy dear??? dear mkh, ow many years of pastpapers r using?? dear mkh, joining group class is not needed or wat??

dear i want to know how did u get the point to understand when u read a particular concept after checking that the concept from ur new syllabus?????? my weakes point is, i can do find and make sure , but when i am getting ready to read and understand the concept, over that part, i feel being soo lazy and sometimes i try my best putting effort to read , but after reading i come across where i found that the concept i am reading is not clear , which means cannot understand what the concept is talking about.. then my dear what should i do then??? is there a solution for that case dear??? pls help me dear ///

dear do u  have SNAB for AS and A2 Biology and SHAP for AS and A2 physics textbuks????? pls tel me dear??? r u using any other than tutorials or practice papers???? pls tel me what u have and how did u study??? pls help me ... Becoz i though ur method is really suitable for me. ALhamdulillah . thaty.. so pls help me dear. deari want to tel u one thing,ia m doing both AS and A2 exam in may. ALhamdulilah. I have small relief...

pls i want ur positive answer for every questions. Hope u will help me. Insha Allah.

MAy ALLAH bless u always my dear..