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Effective Study Skills:
Study
skills. You probably learned yours as a child and are still using
the same methods. Here are a number of tips and suggestions for
getting the most out of your studying time. Every one of us is
different when it comes to how we like to study, but the principles
are the same. Some of these suggestions are just plain commonsense,
some not so. I've broken it down into 4 parts - Outlining what
constitues a good study environment; Getting info on, and being
prepared for, the exam; Getting into a routine when it comes to
the actual study; and techniques to adopt during the actual exam.
I should point out that most of this information is what I have
gathered from various resources while studying for my exams. Some
of the lessons here have served me well so far, so I hope there
is something of value for you also.
Setting
the mood - The Studying Area
Preparing
for the exam
Developing
your own study method
During
the exam
Setting
the mood
-
Have a dedicated area for
studying – and studying only! As hard as it can be in
this busy world, it’s imperative that you find a specific
place (or places) where you can study in peace – even
if that means leaving your home or work and going to a completely
different area. If you can associate that place with studying,
and studying only, then you’ll have a better chance
of concentrating on the task at hand.
- Don’t use your studying place for
other things – socializing, working on anything other
than study, etc.
- Fill your study place with motivational
objects. Being the materialistic person that I am, I have
my study area plastered with posters of cars that I’d
love to own, or places I'd like to go to. There’s a
nice big poster of a Ferrari just above my computer. My reasoning
is that if I study hard, I’ll continue to get the jobs
that I want, and then I can (finally) afford the car (if the
wife will let me, that is ;).
- Your studying area needs to have a number
of basic attributes to help you maintain good concentration
- adequate lighting, proper ventilation, a decent sized desk
where you have easy access to your materials, and good seating
- but not too comfortable as you don’t want to be falling
asleep. Studying in an environment that’s too comfortable
tends to make the mind wander, and it’s all too easy
to get distracted as it is. Keep the mind alert by sitting
in a position that would make it difficult to sleep.
- Keep a wall chart on the wall with exam
dates marked off. This makes for easy reference and acts as
a motivational tool to help keep your concentration.
- Keep a reminder pad. If you’re anything
like me, arbitrary thoughts can pop into your head at any
time. If those thoughts are not related to the task at hand,
simply write them down and come back to them later. This helps
to avoid daydreaming.
- Things that you should not have in your
studying area include a TV, stereo, other people, telephones
– and that includes mobile phones as well. It’s
easy to ‘give in’ on any or all of these issues,
but the bottom line is that you need to be able to concentrate
and concentration requires 100% commitment. Any trade-offs
that you make in this regard will be a loss of concentration,
and result in longer studying periods. Having said that, many
people swear that having music in the background (or the TV,
or something similar) helps them to concentrate. You’ll
know what works for you, and you’ll also know when you’re
kidding yourself as to whether background noise is an aide
or a distraction.
- If you share the environment with other
people, teach them to respect your study time. Once people
are aware that you are there for a reason you will have less
distractions – but only if you tell them.
- Try to build up a home lab. Easier said
than done for most people, but I’m a firm believer that
I’d rather pay money for the hardware than to someone
to teach me how to use it. My home lab is now looking pretty
good as I’ve slowly built up my hardware collection
as I’ve done each exam. There is nothing that can substitute
for hands-on experience when studying for computer related
certifications.
Good
luck with your studies!
DOC
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