1. Study Tips for Graduates
Learning to learn

2. Overview
• The Class as a resource
• The Core Text
• Your Notes
• Read around the subject
• Revision
• The Exam

3. The Class as a resource
• Attend the class.
• Listen- for main ideas and for the relevant
details supporting them.
• Pay particular attention when lecturer is
analysing information.
• Notice lists, cause and effect, superlatives, or if
she spends a long time explaining something.

4. The Class as a resource
• Ask questions if you do not understand.
• Note other student's questions, they may give
you an insight.
• Talk to other students

5. The Core Text- Linking topics
• Causal-leads to, produces, results in, affects
• Explanation-is a reason for
• Termed- known as, called
• Property- consists of, has characteristics of
• Procedure- how it happens, done by, how to do
• Probable- how likely, never, always
• Event- comes before, follows on from

6. The Core Text- create a learning frame
Concept
Definition
Why is it still relevant
Characteristics of
Critics of concept
Example in real life
How to avoid or create

7. Your notes
• Make legible notes
• Use only one side of the paper
• Allow blank space to fill in gaps
• Use diagrams to link ideas
• Don’t write every word.
• Write words that will help you remember the
main points of the lecture

8. Reading around the subject
• Read with the intention to analyse and
evaluate.
• Not just to remember what you read, but to
be able to:
1. Talk or write about the material with an
informed opinion
2. Apply information or concepts to a new
scenario or problem
3. Use the information to solve a problem.

9. Reading around the subject
• Change all chapter
titles, subtitles, sections, and paragraph
headings into questions.
• Operant Conditioning- What is operant
conditioning?
• What is the difference between primary and
secondary research?
• These questions become “hooks” on which
you can organise the material.

10. Reading around the subject
Identify
whether it is Background
Background
information or
Nice to know Nice to
know
information or
Must Know Must know
information

11. Revision
• Read the chapter and close the book
• Mentally visualize, then write, the key points of
the material.
• Review your answers to see how well you actually
recalled the reading
• Note the points you recalled incorrectly or
omitted.
• Organise the concepts into a logical sequence.

12. Revision
• Create a revision timetable
• Allocate your time to suit work or family
commitments
• Select a suitable study space or room
• Remove distractions
• Turn off email or Instant messaging
• Take regular, planned breaks

13. Revision
• Learn in a style that suits you
• Make a podcast
• Use post-its
• Read aloud
• Draw a picture
• Use a flip chart
• Use mnemonics or acronyms

14. Revision
• Put down the
highlighter, highlighting is
not studying.
• Make notes as you read
• Identify and define key terms
• Tell someone what you
learned, this will help you to
spot any gaps in your
explanation.

15. Revision
• Review past exam papers
• Write your own exam paper, based on the
chapter
• Answer the question within the exam time
frame
• Review your answer

16. Revision
Use Mind
Maps, flow
charts or
diagrams

17. The exam
• Check to be sure you are familiar with location and
time
• Bring spare pens etc.
• Spend 5 minutes reading the paper
• Circle the key words, i.e. discuss, describe
• Jot down any ideas or keywords as your read the
paper

18. The Exam
• If you get stuck on a question, stop.
• Write why you are stuck, Can’t remember
Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs. This may trigger
your memory
• Still stuck? Move on to next question and
come back to the problem later.

19. The Exam
• Write an outline of your answer.
• This will help you structure your response and
you may be awarded some marks if you run
out of time.
• Use the language of the discipline

20. The Exam
• Write legibly, this helps the corrector to
allocate marks
• Make a note of how many marks are allocated
to each section
• Spend the last 5 minutes reading your
answers.
• Write down in bullet points any key areas or
points you omitted.

21. Multiple Choice Questions
• Don’t over interpret questions.
• Read the details in every answer.
• Cross out answers that you know to be wrong
or that are highly unlikely.
• Trust your first instincts and only change an
answer if you remember the correct one.

22. Study Tips for Graduates
Learning to learn