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Library - Foyle & Londonderry College

Study Skills - A Level

The following resources are now available to help A Level students to develop self-learning study skills. An understanding of Study Skills will support students in attaining higher personal goals and examination success through:

Note-Taking techniques
Time Management techniques
Planning techniques
Revision techniques
Examination Preparation techniques

All the resources are now available on both Foylenet and the C2k networks.

When logged on to Foylene, double-click on the Shared Documents and look for the Study Skills folder.
When logged on to C2k, double-click on the RMShared Directory and look for the Study Skills folder.

Tips For Success

Here are some time management, and smart study tips for students. Research shows that successful students are good readers, good organizers and have good time management skills. Review your individual time management skills. You can start by setting up a time management plan for yourself by following the steps below.

	Identify your goals and priorities	The first step to managing your time and controlling your life is to identify what your goals and priorities are. You need to decide what you want out of school and what you must do to get it. Is getting an education high on your priority list? How about your hopes for the future, not just your future career? What is most important to you?
	Analyze how you're spending your time now	For a week, keep a detailed log of everything you do. Account for all activities: class attendance, study, work, eating, commuting, recreation, exercise, sleep, etc. Also note when you do these activities.
	Determine how much time each week you spend…	in class… studying for class… working… meeting the needs of others… exercising… relaxing… sleeping.
	Match how you're using time with your priorities	Now you can evaluate your use of time. No one can judge your use of time as good or poor — not even you — unless you do it in relation to your priorities.
	Develop a plan to spend quality time on your priorities	If you found some time blocks that are not in line with what you want to be doing to reach your goals, you can begin to systematically change your life by taking control of your time. Start by building a realistic time schedule or time budget that gives time to the activities that fit with your priorities and will help you reach your goals. If learning and getting good grades are high on your priority list, then you will have to budget time for attending classes regularly, for preparing, studying, and reviewing, plus additional time for homework, projects and other coursework assignments.
	Finally, you must stick to your time schedule	Some flexibility is necessary, of course, to take care of unexpected demands. However, if you spend too much time on non-priority tasks you will not meet your goals.

Study Smart

· Make a study schedule and stick to it - The best way to ensure that you will have enough study time to meet your goals in each course is to plan for it.

· Understand assignments and write them down - Keep all assignments and assignment notes in one place to avoid forgetting something.

· Develop an understanding of your best concentration times - Arrange your schedule so that you have study time during your peak hours.

· Remember that "study" includes many different tasks - When teachers talk about the need to study, they mean you should read material in preparation for class, complete all homework, and review class notes, assignments and supplementary material on a regular schedule.

· Realize that different subjects require different types of preparation - Review any notes taken in class as soon as soon as possible. Expand upon the notes so that they are clear and can be used at a later stage as part of revision. Make sure you have read pages, notes or materials set as homework in preparation for class work.

· Schedule study learning sessions to fit your attention span - Try studying for 45 minutes and then taking a ten minute exercise break.

· Begin each study session with goal setting - Predict specifically what you want to accomplish and then work to meet your goals.

· Study difficult and/or complex material first - Leave routine and more mechanical tasks for last.

· Vary subjects and type of study for maximum efficiency - Within a study session do some reading, writing, recitation, etc. to stay interested and alert.

· Schedule periodic review sessions - To remember material over a long period of time, you must review the information often. Use all of your available time. Even small bits of time, like waiting for the dentist, can be put to use, don't be caught without something to read or study!