5 Tips for Better Online Study

Last week we shared 4 reasons why you should be studying online.

This week we dig a bit further on this topic by sharing with you 5 tips on how to study online.

1. Planning for success
2. Short, sharp bursts
3. Social studying
4. A different approach
5. Great information

1. Planning for success

The first step that you need to take when you study is to plan properly. Knowing what topics you need to cover and what areas you think you need to do the most work on is critical. It is the information that you don’t know that will drag your marks down.

A study plan can either be the biggest work of fiction you will ever write, or the key to getting the important facts out of a year of college work. Although creating a revision timetable is an old fashioned concept, it does work. However, online tools now can make this an easier and more productive task.

Now that your plan is ready, it is time to start studying!

2. Short, sharp bursts

Studying in short sharp bursts pays off. It has been shown that after 30 minutes of intense concentration our brains lose some of their ability to accurately retain and take in information. Therefore, it is advisable to divide the material into small, easily digestible chunks. Whatever you do, don’t try and cram a whole years’ worth of work into the night before. Trust us, we’ve tried it and it does not work.

3. Social studying

If you are used to studying on your own, why not challenge yourself to a bit of social studying? By collaborating and sharing information with others you will find studying way more enjoyable. It may be that by using collaboration you can split workloads in certain subjects to maximise your time and ensure that you have access to a wider range of material. In an exam this can lead to the difference between producing answers similar to the rest or standing out by giving an examiner something extra.

4. A different approach

You may be used to studying just by highlighting and memorising. However, there are many other study methods that can help you. Flashcards, for example, are great for using your commuting time or the hour before your exam to revise key concepts and formulae. And if you have never used mindmaps before and you happen to be a visual person with a photographic memory, you will find mind maps as a method to organise ideas in a visual way, refreshing.

5. Great information – internet content

The internet is a great resource to find tools, information, and to deepen your knowledge in the subjects you study. The internet also contains online study tools that can help you revise. The list of what is out there is quite extensive but not every method is right for every individual. However, no matter which type you are, the internet has resources and study platforms suited for everyone. The important thing to remember is to be selective about the information you trust and to cross reference where possible to fully verify all the content you are viewing.

Stay tuned over the next few weeks as we will be adding more information here over the coming weeks regarding all the tips, hints and techniques that will help you in performing to the best of your ability for your exam revision.

If there is anything that we have covered above that you would like us to go into more detail on, drop us a line and let us know. Do you know something we don’t? Give us your number one tips for exam success and we can share it with your fellow students. We look forward to hearing from you!!!