Habits of high achieving students

Successful study strategies

In a group or a pair,
discuss what you think
might be the 7 most
important strategies of
high achieving students.

COPYRIGHT © LEARNING & TEACHING

CENTRE I LEARNING SKILLS GROUP
2015
 High achieving students…

1. are well organised

2. develop critical thinking abilities
3. are active learners
4. write well-structured papers
5. study effectively for exams
6. have a healthy lifestyle
7. know the resources that are available

COPYRIGHT © LEARNING & TEACHING

CENTRE I LEARNING SKILLS GROUP
2015
1. Organise yourself early

• Plan your semester

• Plan each week
• Attend classes
• Prepare for classes
• Make study a priority
• Organise your notes

COPYRIGHT © LEARNING & TEACHING

CENTRE I LEARNING SKILLS GROUP 4
2015
 Organise your semester

Week 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

LING210 Tutorial Assign Online Report

Paper 30% Quiz 40%
15% 15%
SOC130 Short Short Major
Quiz Essay Essay
20% 25% 45%

ACC210 Report Presen Exam

20% tation 45%
25%
IEC100 Resear Group Essay Exam
ch Present 30% 30%
Paper ation
10% 20%
Other Blue Sister
activities Mountai visiting
ns Trip

COPYRIGHT © LEARNING & TEACHING

CENTRE I LEARNING SKILLS GROUP
2015
Organise your assignments
WORK BACK FROM DUE DATES

Week 1 2 3 4 5 6

SOC130 Short Quiz

15%
Revision of Practice
notes questions

IEC100 Paper
20%

Q analysis First Draft Final Draft &

Research &
& write & extra Proofreading
reading
outline research

Other Blue Mountains

activities Trip

COPYRIGHT © LEARNING & TEACHING

CENTRE I LEARNING SKILLS GROUP 6
2015
 Organise your week

Weekly Schedule
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

Exam study Exam study Exam study

Math
9 am-11 am 9:am-11:00 am 9:15 am-11 am

Outline paper Research for

Start rough draft
English Tutorial 4 – 5pm 4pm-6 pm paper 12:45 pm-
3 pm – 5 pm
1:45 pm

Reading Lecture Tute group prep Tutorial 11 am –

History
7 pm – 8pm 9 am-11 am 2:00 - 2: 45 pm 12 pm

Study group in library Quiz prep Online quiz due

Chemistry Lecture 3 pm
11:30 am-1:15 pm 2 pm 4 pm today

COPYRIGHT © LEARNING & TEACHING

7
CENTRE I LEARNING SKILLS GROUP 2015
Organise your study sessions

• Set realistic goals

• Focus for set periods

• Take breaks

• Make your study active

• Find out what suits you

COPYRIGHT © LEARNING & TEACHING

8
CENTRE I LEARNING SKILLS GROUP 2015
Organise your study sessions

In pairs, discuss what study

conditions best suit you:
- place(s)
- time(s)
- alone or with others?
- in silence?
- learning style(s)?

COPYRIGHT © LEARNING & TEACHING

9
CENTRE I LEARNING SKILLS GROUP 2015
2. Develop critical thinking

• Be open-minded and reflective

• Ask questions about what you read or hear:

o What are they trying to convince me of?

o What is the evidence?
o How strong is the evidence?
o Are there any flaws in their argument?

• Make connections with what you already know

COPYRIGHT © LEARNING & TEACHING

10
CENTRE I LEARNING SKILLS GROUP 2015
Develop critical thinking

ACTIVITY

Look at the following text from an email which claims to

be from the Australian Federal Police.

Make two lists – one that gives reasons why the email
might be real, and another that lists reasons why the
email might be a scam.

COPYRIGHT © LEARNING & TEACHING

11
CENTRE I LEARNING SKILLS GROUP 2015
 3. Be an active learner

• Listen and read actively:

- always take notes,
- summarise,
- make connections,
- question things (be critical)

• Participate in your learning - ask questions

• Learn collaboratively - form study groups

COPYRIGHT © LEARNING & TEACHING

12
CENTRE I LEARNING SKILLS GROUP 2015
Have a note-taking system

Notes
Questions • Focus on main points – key
ideas/arguments
Comments
• Use formatting to show levels of
Key words importance

Summary
Summarise at the end of your notes to help you
remember and understand

COPYRIGHT © LEARNING & TEACHING

13
CENTRE I LEARNING SKILLS GROUP 2015
4. Write well-structured papers

• Analyse the assignment question carefully

• Read strategically – quality not quantity

• Take notes while reading

• Always have the question always in front of you

COPYRIGHT © LEARNING & TEACHING

14
CENTRE I LEARNING SKILLS GROUP 2015
Write well-structured papers

Main
Topic

Main Main Main

Idea idea Idea

Evidence or Evidence or Evidence or

Example(s) example(s) example(s)

COPYRIGHT © LEARNING & TEACHING

15
CENTRE I LEARNING SKILLS GROUP 2015
Write well-structured papers

• Make sure that every

paragraph addresses
an aspect of the
question/topic

• Always edit and

proofread your paper

Cartoon from: Rao,V, Chanock, K and Krishnan, L 2007, A Visual Guide to Essay
COPYRIGHT © LEARNING & TEACHING Writing: How to develop and communicate academic argument, Association for
Academic Language and Learning, Sydney 16
CENTRE I LEARNING SKILLS GROUP 2015
5. Study effectively for exams

• Study in groups or pairs

• Make questions and answer them

• Transform information

• Use active memory strategies

• Revise small amounts regularly

instead of large amounts once

Image 1: Copyright Paul Wright 2010

COPYRIGHT © LEARNING & TEACHING CENTRE Image 2 reproduced under creative commons attribution non-
I LEARNING SKILLS GROUP 2015 commercial 2.O generic license: Photo source:
http://aypacademy.com/why-cramming-doesnt-work/
17
6. Have a healthy lifestyle

• Get enough sleep

• Schedule physical activity as

part of your routine

• Balance study and relaxation

• Get help when you need it

COPYRIGHT © LEARNING & TEACHING

18
CENTRE I LEARNING SKILLS GROUP 2015
 7. Know the resources

Workshops
• Critical reading
• Academic writing
• Language issues
• Study strategies

Ask a Learning Adviser

• Library Info Desk: 12pm-2pm Mon to Fri
• Email us: learningskills@mq.edu.au

COPYRIGHT © LEARNING & TEACHING

19
CENTRE I LEARNING SKILLS GROUP 2015
Other resources

Numeracy Centre

Library staff and LibGuides

Campus Wellbeing

Academic advisers

COPYRIGHT © LEARNING & TEACHING

CENTRE I LEARNING SKILLS GROUP 20
2015