Sixth Year Study Skills December 2014

Do you know the answer? You have a boat and need to take a fox, a chicken and some corn across a river. The boat will only hold you and one other thing. If you leave the chicken alone with the corn, the chicken will eat the corn. If you leave the fox alone with the chicken, the chicken's in big trouble. How can you get them all across in the least amount of trips possible? Answer will be given at the end

Active Learning

Study better Parrot-fashion revision is slow and boring, Parrot-fashion revision is slow and boring, because it’s unnatural Our brains just weren’t built for rote learning random facts, and it’s not an effective way to study Our brains just weren’t built for rote learning random facts, and it’s not an effective way to study To learn a topic properly, you need to understand it, work with it, and practice remembering and answering questions about it To learn a topic properly, you need to understand it, work with it, and practice remembering and answering questions about it Here are some tips for getting new information into your head Here are some tips for getting new information into your head

Study better Get active Don’t just read the text over and over. That’ll never work. Don’t just read the text over and over. That’ll never work. Make notes, figure out the key points and how they link together Make notes, figure out the key points and how they link together Drawing a spider diagram or mind map can help to clarify how everything connects Drawing a spider diagram or mind map can help to clarify how everything connects Condense those endless paragraphs into golden nuggets of information Condense those endless paragraphs into golden nuggets of information

Study better Get creative Let your brain play with the material, in as many ways as you can Let your brain play with the material, in as many ways as you can Draw a picture, write a story, get the Play-Doh out – or pretend you’re being interviewed about it on a chat show Draw a picture, write a story, get the Play-Doh out – or pretend you’re being interviewed about it on a chat show This might sound like a frivolous way to spend your precious revision time, but the idea is this will help you to understand the subject in a deeper way than by just reading it This might sound like a frivolous way to spend your precious revision time, but the idea is this will help you to understand the subject in a deeper way than by just reading it And it’s enjoyable, which means you’ll be more energised... And it’s enjoyable, which means you’ll be more energised...

Study better Test Yourself Create ways of testing your knowledge as you go along. This forces your brain to practise retrieving the information from its memory banks Create ways of testing your knowledge as you go along. This forces your brain to practise retrieving the information from its memory banks If you’re sitting exams, get your hands on as many past papers as possible, so that you can put your new knowledge to the crucial test – do you know enough to convince an examiner? If you’re sitting exams, get your hands on as many past papers as possible, so that you can put your new knowledge to the crucial test – do you know enough to convince an examiner?

Study better Explain it to someone else... If you can explain a concept to someone else and have a good bash at answering any follow-up questions they have, then you’ll know you’ve understood it well If you can explain a concept to someone else and have a good bash at answering any follow-up questions they have, then you’ll know you’ve understood it well This also prompts your brain to work with the material in a new way, which will help to lodge it in your long-term memory This also prompts your brain to work with the material in a new way, which will help to lodge it in your long-term memory And if your friend asks you a question you can’t answer, it’s great to find that out before the exam... And if your friend asks you a question you can’t answer, it’s great to find that out before the exam...

Study better Rehearse it Your brain has a massive memory bank, but unlike a computer, it needs you to go over new information several times for it to really sink in Your brain has a massive memory bank, but unlike a computer, it needs you to go over new information several times for it to really sink in Creating a new memory involves a new pathway being laid down between brain cells, but this pathway will disappear unless it’s strengthened by being thought back over many times Creating a new memory involves a new pathway being laid down between brain cells, but this pathway will disappear unless it’s strengthened by being thought back over many times Look back over what you’ve learned at the end of every study session to consolidate the memory. Look back over what you’ve learned at the end of every study session to consolidate the memory. And have another quick look the next day, week, and month And have another quick look the next day, week, and month Otherwise all your hard study will slip through your neurons like water through a sieve... Otherwise all your hard study will slip through your neurons like water through a sieve... Research shows a study-test-test-test model works better than a study-study-study-test process – the constant retrieval of knowledge is what helps your brain remember it! Research shows a study-test-test-test model works better than a study-study-study-test process – the constant retrieval of knowledge is what helps your brain remember it!

Study better Sleep on it This is the easy one. Learn the stuff, then go to bed. Or even just take a nap This is the easy one. Learn the stuff, then go to bed. Or even just take a nap Either way, your brain will rehearse the information but without any effort from your conscious self... Either way, your brain will rehearse the information but without any effort from your conscious self... Studies show that recall really does improve after you sleep – and similarly, marks go down if you don’t get enough sleep. Two reasons why pulling an all-nighter is a bad idea Studies show that recall really does improve after you sleep – and similarly, marks go down if you don’t get enough sleep. Two reasons why pulling an all-nighter is a bad idea

Brain exercise Below are pairs of words. Your goal is to find a third word that is connected or associated with both of these two words. Below are pairs of words. Your goal is to find a third word that is connected or associated with both of these two words. The first pair is PIANO and LOCK. The answer is KEY. The word key is connected with both the word piano and the word lock: there are KEYS on a piano and you use a KEY to lock doors. The first pair is PIANO and LOCK. The answer is KEY. The word key is connected with both the word piano and the word lock: there are KEYS on a piano and you use a KEY to lock doors. Key is what is called a homograph: a word that has more than one mean­ing but is always spelled the same Key is what is called a homograph: a word that has more than one mean­ing but is always spelled the same Ready to exercise the connections in your temporal lobe(s)? Enjoy! Ready to exercise the connections in your temporal lobe(s)? Enjoy! 1. LOCK — PIANO 2. SHIP — CARD 3. TREE — CAR 4. SCHOOL — EYE 5. PILLOW — COURT 6. RIVER — MONEY 7. BED — PAPER 8. ARMY — WATER 9. EGYPTIAN — MOTHER 10. SMOKER — PLUMBER

Answers 1. LOCK - PIANO > KEY 2. SHIP — CARD > Deck 3. TREE — CAR > Trunk 4. SCHOOL - EYE > Pupil/Private 5. PILLOW - COURT > Case 6. RIVER — MONEY > Bank/Flow 7. BED — PAPER > Sheet 8. ARMY — WATER > Tank 9. EGYPTIAN — MOTHER > Mummy 10. SMOKER — PLUMBER > Pipe

Mind maps

Brain teaser

Why Mind Maps? Mind maps can be more effective than other brainstorming and linear note-taking methods for a number of reasons: It's a graphical tool that can incorporate words, images, numbers, and color, so it can be more memorable and enjoyable to create and review. The combination of words and pictures is six times better for remembering information than words alone It's a graphical tool that can incorporate words, images, numbers, and color, so it can be more memorable and enjoyable to create and review. The combination of words and pictures is six times better for remembering information than words alone Mind maps link and group concepts together through natural associations. This helps generate more ideas, find deeper meaning in your subject, and also prompt you to fill in more or find what you're missing Mind maps link and group concepts together through natural associations. This helps generate more ideas, find deeper meaning in your subject, and also prompt you to fill in more or find what you're missing

Why Mind Maps? A mind map can at once give you an overview of a large subject while also holding large amounts of information. A mind map can at once give you an overview of a large subject while also holding large amounts of information. It's also a very intuitive way to organize your thoughts, since mind maps mimic the way our brains think—bouncing ideas off of each other, rather than thinking linearly It's also a very intuitive way to organize your thoughts, since mind maps mimic the way our brains think—bouncing ideas off of each other, rather than thinking linearly You can generate ideas very quickly with this technique and are encouraged to explore different creative pathways You can generate ideas very quickly with this technique and are encouraged to explore different creative pathways

Brain smarts Did you know a good night's sleep can improve your test scores without you doing any extra work? Did you know a good night's sleep can improve your test scores without you doing any extra work? And a wrongly timed chocolate bar can slow your thinking right down? And a wrongly timed chocolate bar can slow your thinking right down? Your brain's very sensitive and it constantly needs to repair itself and build new connections between the cells as you learn new things Your brain's very sensitive and it constantly needs to repair itself and build new connections between the cells as you learn new things To do this, it needs top class nutrition, a steady supply of energy, a steady supply of oxygen, and time asleep to do all its updating To do this, it needs top class nutrition, a steady supply of energy, a steady supply of oxygen, and time asleep to do all its updating

Brain smarts Diet Tip 1: For general brain health, you need to eat a balanced diet, containing plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables. Every other part of your body will benefit from this too For general brain health, you need to eat a balanced diet, containing plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables. Every other part of your body will benefit from this too Tip 2: Your brain needs a steady supply of energy, but it can only get this from a type of sugar called glucose Your brain needs a steady supply of energy, but it can only get this from a type of sugar called glucose This glucose comes from the carbohydrates you eat, but only certain kinds of carbs will do This glucose comes from the carbohydrates you eat, but only certain kinds of carbs will do These include wholemeal bread, pasta, porridge and pulses, which take time for your body to break down, so release their glucose slowly and steadily These include wholemeal bread, pasta, porridge and pulses, which take time for your body to break down, so release their glucose slowly and steadily Chocolate, biscuits and other sugary snacks are sadly not good for your brain Chocolate, biscuits and other sugary snacks are sadly not good for your brain They release their sugar so quickly that your brain will peak... but then quickly crash afterwards leaving you feeling less energised than before They release their sugar so quickly that your brain will peak... but then quickly crash afterwards leaving you feeling less energised than before Not recommended for any work requiring optimum brain performance Not recommended for any work requiring optimum brain performance

Brain smarts Tip 3: Your brain needs to be primed with oxygen. It gets this from exercise, but you also need to have a good supply of iron in your bloodstream Your brain needs to be primed with oxygen. It gets this from exercise, but you also need to have a good supply of iron in your bloodstream This iron comes from foods such as red meat, green leafy vegetables like spinach, dried fruit, fortified cereals, and pulses, including baked beans This iron comes from foods such as red meat, green leafy vegetables like spinach, dried fruit, fortified cereals, and pulses, including baked beans Tip 4: Don't skip breakfast (or lunch) – especially before an exam. Your brain will perform less well if you haven't eaten for hours. Your brain will perform less well if you haven't eaten for hours. Brain scientists have shown that a student's test results are lower when they haven't eaten. But you need to eat the right thing Brain scientists have shown that a student's test results are lower when they haven't eaten. But you need to eat the right thing Again, junk food won't work. The brain needs those slow-releasing carbohydrates. Beans on toast for example has been shown to be particularly beneficial Again, junk food won't work. The brain needs those slow-releasing carbohydrates. Beans on toast for example has been shown to be particularly beneficial And if you think skipping breakfast will keep your weight down, evidence shows eating breakfast keeps you lean And if you think skipping breakfast will keep your weight down, evidence shows eating breakfast keeps you leanWater Tip 5: Don't go thirsty. Dehydration will affect your brain's performance. Don't go thirsty. Dehydration will affect your brain's performance. Don't go mad with it though – especially if you're about to sit an exam Don't go mad with it though – especially if you're about to sit an exam

Brain smarts Exercise Tip 6: Your brain needs the rest of you to get moving, and pump the oxygen-rich blood it needs through every capillary. Your brain needs the rest of you to get moving, and pump the oxygen-rich blood it needs through every capillary. Studies show that exercise improves your memory capacity – and lack of it will make your brain age prematurely. So get out and active! Studies show that exercise improves your memory capacity – and lack of it will make your brain age prematurely. So get out and active!Sleep Tip 7: Possibly the quickest and easiest treat for your brain – a great night's sleep. You get to rest, and your brain gets to repair itself and consolidate all the day's new learning Possibly the quickest and easiest treat for your brain – a great night's sleep. You get to rest, and your brain gets to repair itself and consolidate all the day's new learning Even an hour less sleep can affect your test scores the next day. Even an hour less sleep can affect your test scores the next day. And experts say if you want to maximise your revision, you should get some sleep as quickly as possible after you've done it. And experts say if you want to maximise your revision, you should get some sleep as quickly as possible after you've done it.

Exam week menu Water (no soft drinks) Water (no soft drinks) Fresh fruit smoothies Fresh fruit smoothies Fresh or dried fruits Fresh or dried fruits Unsalted nuts Unsalted nuts Sandwiches Sandwiches Soup Soup Yoghurts Yoghurts Cheese Cheese Beans Beans Porridge Porridge Fish/meat Fish/meat Eggs Eggs NO JUNK FOOD NO JUNK FOOD

Exam week – night before exams DON’T CRAM Get an early night – a good night’s sleep, relax, have a bath, do a relaxation etc… Use the night before to scan flash cards, summaries, mind maps, etc… Gather all your equipment together and have everything packed and organised Eat a good breakfast the morning of exams

Exam day Arrive early, sit down 10 mins before to allow yourself time to relax and prepare Bring water Selection of pens and any stationery you need Read exam instructions thoroughly Read ALL the questions Spend a few minutes planning each question – spider diagrams, key points, words, central topic, always link bank to what was asked in the question – this avoids waffle Allocate time for each question Underline KEY words and especially AND/OR questions Plan the order in which you will answer questions Keep ALL rough work/notes

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Brain teaser answer First, take the chicken across and leave it there... Go back alone... Take the fox across... Leave the fox and take the chicken back... Leave the chicken and take the corn across... Leave the corn with the fox and go back alone... Finally, take the chicken across...