STUDY SKILLSFail to prepare

Prepare to Fail!

Why study?

IT WILL HELP YOU SUCCEED – IT’S THAT SIMPLE!

• Make a commitment. What is the point of spending all the time in school to end up with poor results at the end of the day? Time is precious – use it wisely – take a small piece of time to study what you have learned – then time is school was not wasted time.

• Believe in yourself –your teachers believe that you can do well – you need to believe it too!

• Try your best – that’s all we ask. Not trying at all is a waste of time.

BE ORGANISED

• Have all course content unit notes / text books / jotters / revision exercise to hand.

• Find a suitable place to study – with NO distractions.• Find appropriate times to study.• Use a study timetable.• Allocate 45-60 minute blocks per subject.• Try to study no more than 4 subjects per study session.• You may feel it useful to do intensive study on one

subject on one evening per week – to test how much you have retained.

SAMPLE TIMETABLE  SESSION 1 SESSION 2 SESSION 3 SESSION 4  6-6.45 pm 7-7.45 pm 8-8.45 pm 9-9.45 pm

MONDAYEnglish

Topic:French

Topic:Music

Topic:Maths

Topic:

TUESDAYChemistry

Topic:Graph Comm

Topic:BM

Topic: Unit 1Art

Topic:

WEDNESDAYEnglish

Topic:French

Topic:Music

Topic:Maths

Topic:

THURSDAYChemistry

Topic:Graph Comm

Topic:BM

Topic: Unit 2Art

Topic:

  SESSION 1 SESSION 2 SESSION 3 SESSION 4 SESSION 5  10-10.45 am 11-11.45 am 3-3.45pm 4-4.45 pm 6-6.45 pm

SATURDAYEnglish

Topic: French

Topic:BM

Topic: Unit 3Maths

Topic: 

SUNDAYChemistry

Topic:Graph Comm

Topic:Music

Topic: Art

Topic: 

How to organise study sessions

• Target a unit/topic per session.• Find the key elements of the topic

(it may be in a list on your text/notes).• Create your own brief lists/maps on each point at the start

of the session to focus on what you will study.• Now read the text/notes you have been given by your

teacher. Do you remember this content?• Finally, access sample questions and test yourself on

these questions.

Train your brain - Visuals

• Use visual aids – pictures, diagrams, make wordles.

Train your brain – Mind Maps

• Use Mind Maps to keep all the key elements of a topic on one page.

Train your brain - Mnemonics

• Use mnemonics to remember key words & order.

Train your brain - Quiz

• Make up a quick quiz to test whether you know the answers to key questions.

Healthy body, Healthy Mind

• Take regular breaks, stop every 45-60 mins for a break. (Don’t take longer than a 15 min break – you may lose your motivation to study.)

• Drink plenty of water – to hydrate your brain.• Eat healthy foods, not junk.• Get plenty of sleep. A well rested brain absorbs more

information and processes information more quickly.• Seek help. If you need help – ask! Your teachers are paid

to help you succeed – they will help you. Attend supported study sessions that are offered.

• Be confident. A confident and relaxed brain works much better than a worried brain!

The Exam – Techniques for Success• Tip 1 – Read ALL questions on the paper before you start.• Tip 2 – You could use a ‘confidence code’ to identify strengths

and weaknesses. • √ - know this and can answer the question.• ? – I think I know this/could get 2/4 marks.• X – I don’t know the answer to this.• Tip 3 - Do the √ Qs first, then those marked ?. In an exam –

you could leave space for those questions you are unsure of and come back to those.

• Tip 4 - Attempt ALL Questions. Never leave a blank you have a 50% chance of gaining a mark if there is something written down and 100% chance of losing the mark if not.

• Tip 5 - Never leave the exam hall early. Review all your questions and if necessary add to or change questions.

Useful LinksThe following is a list of websites that are useful in suporting your study;

• Subject Content - BBC Bitesize – http://www.bbc.co.uk/education

• SQA – Specimen Papers and 2014 Past Papers -http://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/69284.html

• http://www.sqa.org.uk/pastpapers/findpastpaper.htm• SQA Exam Timetable 2015 –

http://www.sqa.org.uk/files_ccc/ExamTimetable2015.pdf• Text Books -

http://www.brightredbooks.net/subjects• http://www.leckieandleckie.co.uk/index.html

Ask your teachers to give you links to websites that are relevant to your subjects.