Study Tips
Everyone studies in a different way. Some people learn by doing, where as others learn from drawing pictures or writing things out multiple times. Therefore, not all of the following tips will work for everyone. You should find out what works for you and use it. There is no point wasting a lot of time doing things that won’t help you in the exam.
Make sure you read and understand everything – having neat notes and beautifully highlighted textbooks stand for nothing if you don’t understand everything. Make sure you read everything as having even a small gap in your knowledge can make it hard to understand the whole concept. If you can explain the concept in a word document or on paper, with references between concepts and ideas and it easily flows, then you fully understand it.
Create links between topics. Lots of people find drawing spider diagrams helpful. This is because you visually create links between topics and concepts. You mind is built up of links between memories and information. Thinking about one thing can lead to a chain reaction of the recall of different bits of information.
Teach others. By teaching someone else what you have learned makes you really think about the topic because you have to explain it. It helps you to bring everything together and is a great learning tool. Try working in a small group where you all teach each other a topic.
Save time by putting a deadline on everything you do. If you have no deadline, you will take your time and it will take forever. You will get tired and this would lead to procrastination.
Create a daily and weekly scheduleand make sure you keep to it. That way, you won’t forget or run out of time when it comes to revising a particular topic. To Do lists are also a great way save and manage your time.
Break things up into chunks and give yourself small realistic goals. Don't set yourself a goal to revise. That isn’t specific and won’t get you anywhere. Tell yourself that you need to understand this topic or teach someone else another topic. Try rewarding yourself if you achieve the goal, too, with something small such as a short break or a chocolate bar. If you don’t achieve the goal in the specified time, you don’t get the reward.
Use your senses. Create vivid pictures of things that remind you of knowledge. For example, for the pricing strategy of price skimming, I think of a pot of yogurt, with the thick, rich layer on top and the smoother bit at the bottom. The rich at the top can pay more, so you target them first before lowering the price a little later to get the less wealthy portion of the market.
Create stories or acronyms. For example, for Bowlby’s Theory of Attachments, I think about ‘Able Sally Couldn’t Make Ice-cream’
If you don’t have enough time, prioritise. If you are struggling with a certain topic, concentrate on that. If you have time after, remind yourself of other topics by reading over your notes.
Remove distractions and work in a quiet environment. If you get distracted, then your line of thought is broken and you will have forgotten what you were thinking beforehand. Also, things like Facebook lead to procrastination.
We hope these tips help you with your studying. Good luck in your exams!