Little less stress, Little more study success

CRI

CO

S: Q

LD 0

0244

B, N

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2225

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TEQ

SA: P

RV12

081

22.

1.D

07.

2015

When it comes to studying onl ine, spending time with your fami ly, working, having a social l i fe and squeezing in some sleep, two things are certain.

The first is that study takes time and time is not something we have a lot of.

The second is that getting prepared early can set you up for study success later on down the track.

'But I am prepared, I' ve printed everything off and bought my textbooks.' We hear you loud and clear! But there is more you can do to get prepared for study success than purchasing your textbooks, al though this is a good start.With almost 50 years experience in supporting students reach their potential, follow these tips and tricks on how to get prepared early and set yourself up for study success.

As the saying goes, 'you don't know, what you don't know.'

Whether you came straight from high school, took a gap year or are taking up study later in l i fe, your f irst semester at uni can leave you

feel ing l ike a deer caught in the headl ights.

Depending on what you are studying, you can expect you'l l need to f ind time to complete a number of di fferent activities, which wi l l

contribute to you achieving success at USQ.

CoUrSe mATer I AlSThese may come in a variety of di fferent formats, depending on your lecturer and your degree. You may have access to recorded lectures, recorded tutorials, sl ide decks or voice recordings.

TUTorI AlS ACT I v I T I eS

These are activities that wi l l help reinforce your understanding of key issues and concepts covered in the course materials each week. These may be practice exam questions, quizzes or problems for you to answer or discuss with your classmates.

reADI NGSreadings may be in the form of journal articles, news stories or textbooks. Typical ly, you might be asked to read a couple of textbook chapters each week. These readings wi l l provide another opportunity for you to compl iment what you have learned from the course materials.

ASSeSSmeNTAssessment varies greatly between courses. Depending on what you are studying you may be asked to write essays or reports, answer questions or complete exams.

PrACT ICAl ComPoNeNTSSubjects such as education, engineering and nursing al l have practical elements. As onl ine students, you are sti l l required to complete the practical requirements for your course. This may be done by attending a prac placement in a workplace or by visiting USQ Toowoomba to attend residential Schools

Studying can feel l ike a chore at times, but it is important to think about it as preparation for the future. many lecturers at USQ remind students to think of themselves as professionals in training. Whether you are working towards becoming an artist, a teacher, a nurse, a psychologist or any other professional, you are at university to get the training you need to pursue your passion.

So whi le, yes, there wi l l be times when the amount of work you have to do feels impossible, putting it in perspective can help give you that extra motivation you need.

Where to startTheY SAY The BeST PlACe To STArT IS AT The BeGINN ING

Start by looking at the course outl ines for each subject. There are two places you can find this information. The first is USQ StudyDesk and the second is the USQ Handbook.

By looking at the course outl ine, you wi l l get an indication what you wi l l be expected to do for each course and how long it may take you to complete. There is no right or wrong amount of time to spend on each course, but for an undergraduate degree, you can expect to spend anywhere between 10-15 hours a week learning the material and completing the assessment for each subject.

Finding the timeThere IS NoThING WorSe TheN feelING lIke There Are NoT eNoUGh hoUrS IN The DAY.

It's important to know how much time you can real istical ly commit to study. have a look at a typical week and ask yoursel f, how much time you can realistically set aside to study. If the answer is only 25 hours, you should probably reconsider a ful l-time study load.

By knowing what is expected of you and how much time you can realistically commit to study, you can get prepared early and set yourself up for study success.

Making the most of your timeUSING YoUr TIme effeCTIvelY CAN Be The DIffereNCe BeTWeeN fIN IShING AN ASSIGNmeNT The DAY Before or AN hoUr Before, IT IS DUe.

When you are planning your study sessions, remember keep them short and take scheduled breaks. research has shown that the most successful study sessions are 52 minutes long and are fol lowed by a 17-minute break1 exact, we know!

We know it can be hard to find 30 minutes of peace to study, let alone 52 minutes! If this sounds l ike you, check out our Studying under

the pump slideshare, with tips on how to study in 15, 30 and 60-minute blocks.

By getting prepared early, you can have everything on-hand for a quick and effective study session, helping you move one study

session closer to study success!

We know it can be hard to find 30 minutes of peace to study, let alone 52 minutes! If this sounds l ike you, check out our Studying under the pump slideshare, with tips on how to study in 15, 30 and 60-minute blocks.

By getting prepared early, you can have everything on-hand for a quick and effective study session, helping you move one study session closer to study success!

Studying is a team effortYoU mIGhT NoT reAlISe IT jUST YeT, BUT STUDYING

AT UN IverSITY IS A TeAm efforT.

Think of those around you, whether it be your partner, chi ldren, housemates or parents, as part of your team.

Sometimes, being prepared for students also means preparing those around you. If you are going to sit down for an epic study session on a Saturday afternoon, let those around you know. Set some expectations with them about how long you plan to be studying for and how they can support you.

You never know, they might even bring you a study snack!

So WhIle YoU CAN'T CreATe more hoUrS IN A DAY, YoU CAN GeT PrePAreD eArlY AND SeT YoUrSelf UP for STUDY SUCCeSS BY:

- knowing what to expect

- finding the time

- making the most of your time

- Preparing your study team for what to expect!

CRICOS: QLD00244B NSW02225M TEQSA: PRV12081 22.1.D 07.2015

social.usq.edu.au