Effective Study Skills Writing based subjects

What’s new? S1-3S4-6

Getting prepared

1. Practicalities (from research studies) Eat healthily and regularly – especially breakfast. Get 8-10 hours of sleep every night, and a regular bedtime Get out into the fresh air and do some exercise (even just a walk) Drink water regularly Revise in a quiet environment – no TV or music or family life. Most studies show that music does not aid memory (it simply tricks your brain into thinking it is busy)

2. Phones – put them away! Alarm Clock Argos – cost £ Lowers concentration 2.Increases FOMO/stress 3.Reduces memory 4.Makes you sleep worse ▫ all advice says do NOT charge it in your room overnight.

3. Planning Make a simple plan or timetable. Lay out your week in a plan and fill in what you will do and when. This can include other activities. There is an SQA app but there is nothing wrong with a bit of paper and some coloured pens

9-11am pm pm pm pm pm SatLong lieFrenchFootballEnglishPEMaths SunEnglishMaths

4. Class Notes Make sure you have all the appropriate notes Catch up any class notes that you have missed (the exam doesn’t care if you were “off that day”) Organise your notes and make sure they are all available during your study time (this should be done well ahead of studying actually starting)

Study techniques

What are you learning? For a writing subject this will be for information such as: Quotes Definitions and Explanations Examples Arguments for and against Evaluations Comparisons Conclusions

Highlighting

Reading notes Passive – not very effectivePassive – not very effective

Writing Techniques DO NOT just copy, it is passive Rewrite information and put it into your own words Change the layout – turn a paragraph into a mind map, or write a table out in full prose. Read your information, look for links and put it into categories Add drawings as little memory aids Revisit again and again over time – see diagram

Ebbinghaus Forgetting Curve Plan Time for Reviews – you will remember more

Reading Techniques DO NOT just read, it is passive Prepare a talk with note cards Give the talk to someone Explain what you have learned to a real or imaginary someone else, with notes and then without Record yourself and listen back when on a walk.

Most Effective Learning? DOING IT – simulating the real thing Use past paper questions (SQA website) Plan answer summaries – don’t write a full answer Repeat writing until you know it by heart Write sections of answers – practice your weak areas Practice skills types (knowledge, analysis, evaluation) Write FULL answers Work with a partner to help stay on task