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Study methods

...or how to avoid working all night

  • Set goals - what do I want to achieve? What do I have to do to make it happen? When does it have to be done by?
  • Prioritise - what needs to be done first?
  • Set apart a place for study. This should be private, free from noise and other distractions.
  • Set apart some time - perhaps six days a week - for study (see overleaf for an example of how to develop a study timetable).
  • Make a weekly study plan. Revise your work constantly and plan for submission of reports and assignments that may involve several days of work. An "average" student aiming for a pass degree should work a forty-hour week, which includes contact hours and private study.
  • Draw up a daily schedule.
  • Keep up to date with your studies. Revise your notes constantly as new topics often require an understanding of earlier work.
  • Do tutorial exercises and work through examples. This often helps you highlight where an additional effort needs to be made.
  • Work through past exam papers as it gets closer to exam time.

Do I need to get help?

If you are struggling to develop good study habits, help is also available through Community Services who run the SMART seminar series - a five week course covering learning issues such as motivation, stress and time management. For details, please contact Clayton: 9905 3156 or Caulfield: 9903 2500.

Adapted from: Eastaughffe, N and Cotesta, P 1994, Q Student Manual Opens in a new window, Faculty of Business and Economics, Monash University, Clayton. Also available online Opens in a new window.

Other useful references

example of study timetable
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