Study plans and note taking

Create a study plan

Everything's easier when you have a plan so if you're feeling overwhelmed and struggling to prioritise, create a study plan that'll help you focus on the actual studying.

Avoid cramming

Lack of sleep stops the brain from absorbing information as effectively, so skip the caffeine-fuelled all-nighters, get a good night of rest and you'll feel more prepared for important assignments.

Plan ahead and manage your time

Schedule your studying, prioritise your time, and focus on your most urgent assignments. Spread your schedule out throughout the day and give yourself a break from one subject by working on another - nobody can study maths for the whole day. The more you stick to your plan, the more productive you'll be.

Studying

Find a place to study which suits your study habits and keeps you focused. Nobody can study 24/7 and you don't have to do all your work in one go. Take regular breaks to give your brain a refresh.

Don't panic

Your study plan isn't set in stone so, if you're struggling to keep up, take the time to look over your schedule and re-plan it to get back on track. Even with your study plan, you may run out of time and find you can't cover all your topics. If this happens, try to prioritise your problem areas.

MyStudyPlan app

Organise your revision timetable and create your own study plan with our MyStudyPlan. Import your exam schedule, enter your time availability and use the information to prioritise how much time you want to spend on each subject.

Note-taking tips

Good note-taking skills helps you understand and study for your subjects better.

During class

Taking notes forces you to listen more carefully and helps you understand and retain more information. Get into a habit of only jotting down key information, using bullet points, short sentences and abbreviations to make it easier. If you're told an important piece of information, highlight it in your notes to make it stand out when you revise.

After class

Re-write your notes while they're fresh in your head to absorb and understand information better. If you rushed jotting them down, this is the perfect chance to restructure and edit notes in a way you understand.

Tailor-made notes

Create a system of symbols to help you get the most out of the information you have (question mark for something you don't understand, spiral for further reading).

Use keywords to help kick-start your memory when you review it later.

The best way to revise for an exam is to study in a style that you understand, such as:

Once you find what works for you, you'll be more productive in no time.