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Top Ten Study Tips For Improving Your Grades

There are as many different ways to study as there are different people. The following is a list of tips that have worked best for the greatest number of people. Some of them may work for you, some of them won't, but try them all and work out your own study plan. You cannot change the number of hours, but you can decide how to best use them.1) Study in the Same PlaceFind a secluded place, away from distractions, with plenty of space to work. Once you've found it, study at the same place every time. It could be a desk in your bedroom, the kitchen table, or the local library. Laying down on your bed or sprawled across the living room rug are generally not good study places. Also make sure that you keep your spine erect for better level of concentration.2) Study at the Same TimeFigure out a suitable time of day you can concentrate best, and what works into your schedule. Use that time every day to study. Try to make sure it is not too late in the evening. It is important to have uninterrupted study time. 3) Use a Homework BoxKeep all your homework supplies in one place, ready to be used. Keep them organized, and you won't need to waste your time searching for resources.4) Cut out All DistractionsIf your Study Place is too warm, you might become sleepy. If it is too cold, your thinking may slow down and become unclear. The TV should be switched off, other people's conversations should be in another room, music should be turned down, and phone calls should be taken after you've finished studying. Any other thoughts in your mind should also be set aside for a later time.5) Do the Hard Things FirstIf you are dreading a particular assignment, or you are aware that it requires a lot of extra effort, do it first. Your brain will be fresh. Besides, you won't have to dwell on it while you are working on other homework.6) Schedule Long Term ProjectsLarger projects need to be broken into smaller components to make them convenient. For example, these components could be such things as gathering notes, writing a rough draft, making corrections or additions, writing a bibliography, and completing the final copy. Set yourself a deadline for completing each component and make sure you stick to it.7) Review RegularlyHomework is not just that which is assigned every night. A regular review of your notes should be a part of your homework plan. This takes just a few minutes each day, but will pay off considerably when it comes to test time.8) Write up a ContractEach Sunday before a school week, prepare a Weekly Schedule. Update it as the week goes on. Be sure to include times for completing assignments, working on projects and studying for tests.9) Schedule Each Homework SessionWhen you sit down to do your homework, make up a quick schedule as to how you are going to use your time. Break it up into blocks of time that you will spend on each task.10) Avoid Doing a MarathonIf you've followed the previous tips, this last one should never happen. However, you need to know that marathon study sessions are the least productive way to study. So don’t keep your things pending till the last moment to avoid unnecessary hiccups.

Homework, Now Is That Boring?

Most of us suffer from homework blues. Especially if “Gladiator” is running on HBO, I’m not even going to look at my books. Let alone trudge through the day’s homework. But sadly, you know it has to be done even if it is the last thing on earth you want to spend your valuable time on. Here are some tips to improve your motivation to study:

Set small goals for yourself. For instance, if you need to write an essay then you could probably set a target to get an A+ in the essay. It is not a major goal but it will give immense satisfaction if you do get an A+. (Maybe that cute chick might see it too!)

A significant factor towards motivating yourself to do homework is to do it with friends. You can also clear some doubts while doing the homework or simply just look over your friend’s shoulder and copy the homework! (We did not tell you to do this!)

It is a good idea to start your homework with a subject you like the least. Once you are through doing it, you are significantly motivated to finish off the rest quickly as the worst has already been done. Ditto for homework, you find most difficult, do it first while your mind is still fresh. But, if you have a truckload of home work in the subject you find revolting and in one that would call for Einstein to help…flip a coin and start. (It is the best way and it always works!)

Okay, we’ve gone hoarse telling you this and we’ll yell it out a thousand times more. Set yourself a timetable and write down your schedule to meet it. Before you trouble your grey cells and begin to wonder the point of writing it down, we’ll tell you why… Something about the written word makes it harder to ignore. Once you've written that you'll do it, it is harder to not do it. (We are trying to touch your conscience. Er… Do you have one?) One of these tips could work for you. So go ahead, try them out. For Better Studying Here are some basics that should help you in your routine study:

• Make a schedule for yourself wherein you commit a minimum amount of time everyday to study (this should ideally be the time when there is going to be the least amount of distraction in the environment.) • Make up your mind with firm determination that during this hour you will be dedicated to only studying. • Firmly believe that this studying is going to be truly beneficial for you (however much you hate that subject). • Before the scheduled time brush off distractive thoughts and focus only on things related to the study material. • Make study fun by introducing innovative studying techniques. For instance: Create stories or link up the study topic to something that you can more easily remember. • Another important aspect to bear in mind while studying is to ensure that you are not distracted by environmental noises like a blaring TV or radio. A quiet and peaceful environment leads to better concentration.





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Effective Stocking Up Of Gk

General knowledge – you can never have enough of it. However much you know there is still that much more you need to know right? There is no way you can sit and absorb GK at one go. Take a small step every day. Resolve to read about a new person/ place/ animal/ plant; whatever catches your fancy, everyday. And don’t stop there. After a while talk about it with a friend or anyone else willing to lend you an ear. No ears available? Do not despair, write it down. This ‘revision’ while talking and /or writing will ensure that you remember whatever you have read. With practice you will be able to recall such interesting ‘facts’ whenever you wish to.

Make Notes To Yourself

Bright ideas have a habit of cropping up at the least unexpected of times, in the shower, amidst a traffic jam, while just nodding off to sleep are a few examples of such places and times. And before you know it pouf… it vanishes, leaving you with that nagging feeling of having found a gold mine but lost it. Well let’s repair the situation:

Make a habit of jotting down ideas as they come to you. Keep a ready supply of pencils and small notepads/ sheets of paper around the house, in your pockets, so that you don’t drop jotting down an idea due the lack of writing materials. Later on you may discard several of these hastily jotted down thoughts, but it is the few that work that make all the effort seem worthwhile.

How To Get Studying Every Day

All night cram sessions almost never work successfully. It is good to do some studying every day as it helps you retain large amounts of information. But studying, yes, can be boring for most. So why not try making it fun. Here's how: take study breaks when you are having fun. If you are reading comics or storybooks, take a study break for some time to read up your day's lessons. If it's TV that you watch a lot of, use the long commercial breaks to do some fun reading of your lessons. Use your class lessons for quizzes between you and your friends. Do such new stuff to get into the habit of studying every day. Believe us, studying might really start getting to be fun in the long run.





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An Effective Way To Study

Ok, let us give you an effective way to study, not just another method, trust us, this is pretty effective. (We know it's a bit rich coming from our editor but...read on)

The SQ3R method (minus the jargon) stands for Survey, Question, Read, Recite, Review and is a proven way to sharpen study skills.

Survey - Yes, survey what you are going to study. Don't just dig your nose into a book and start mugging the contents. Get the overall picture of what you're going to study BEFORE you study it in any detail.

Question - To learn anything effectively you need to question. (By questioning we do not mean, how early should I pack this subject off?) By searching for answers to the questions you learn about the subject thoroughly. Questions like the what, why, how, when, who and where of study content usually helps you study better. Ask yourself these questions as you read or study. The answers to these questions will help you make sense of the material you are studying and will help you remember the content as you will relate to it easily.

Read - Reading is NOT running your eyes over a textbook. Read to answer questions you have asked yourself. When you read, be sure to read everything, including tables, graphs and illustrations. Often by just studying the tables, graphs and illustrations you can understand the matter very clearly.

Recite - Do not try to recite every word you've read. It's nothing more than a classic 'mug and vomit case'. The concept of reciting what you have read is to help you to retain the matter you've read. Recite important headlines, the main idea or concept of the content. Put these in your own words and create a general picture of what you've read.

Review - What do we mean by review? For starters it is a survey of what you've studied. Rereading is an important part of the review. Reviewing the content helps you to refresh all that you have studied and helps you to remember everything you've learnt. The best time to review is when you have just finished studying something. Of course, you need to do another review before an exam, but you are on your way to cracking your exams if you follow this.





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Clutter Free Workplace and Mind

A desk that has too many things on it can hinder your level of concentration while you are working at something. So:

Make it a practice to take a few minutes to organise your desk before you start working.

• The same rule applies to your mind too. Before a test or examination it is essential that you should be focused and be able to recall information that is needed. • Equate your mental framework to the things on your desk. Only the essential items on the desk make them easy to locate when needed.

How do you achieve the clutter free desktop situation in your mind? With all the preparation that you have undoubtedly done all the necessary ‘items’ are there in your mind. Take care not to pile up ‘items’ by indulging in idle conversations, reading distracting material and the like.

Don’t Junk Homework

We do not mean to sound preachy here, but there is no alternative to completing homework daily. Most times homework is avoided because one remembers about it only at the end of the day, just before bedtime, and by then it is too late to start. Assign a fixed time for homework and fix a reward that you will earn after finishing homework, e.g.: watch your favourite soap, go for a walk with friends, etc. Completing homework also means that you avoid remarks. Besides this, of course you will be learn a great deal more and stay ahead of the class.





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Well Begun Is Half Done

Remember the old adage ‘well begun is half done’. Some time spent in preparation for a task would be time well spent. Settling down to study for a test? Organize yourself – get the relevant books, notebooks, pens and whatever other study material you will need. So there will be no wasting time getting up to fetch it while you are in the middle of studying something. Even a bottle of water within your hand’s reach would come in handy. Another unnecessary break avoided. Such preparation besides putting practical obstacles out of the way helps in focusing your mind on the task ahead. You will be able to plunge into the task with full steam.

Ensure a suitable working environment for yourself

Think objectively and decide on the type of environment in which you are able to function effectively and willingly, taking practical considerations like feasibility into account. Now take that small step and create that kind of environment for yourself. If you prefer solitude try and wake up early or stay up late whichever suits you and use the time for tasks that need all your skills. If music in the background makes you feel relaxed make suitable arrangements for it. If you study well when with friends take the initiative and form a study group. If you find mock tests useful take the help of a teacher or other students to prepare one. Basically recognise what make you function optimally and then go for it.

How Can I Add Pep To Study Time?

Studying can be a nightmarish time for both the child and its parent, but if one were to device an interesting way to complete the task, it would become one swell learning time for the two. Here are a few interesting ways to pep up home work hour: • To start with, have a fixed place in the house that is solely dedicated to completing homework. Select a secluded and quiet area to complete this activity and make sure there is plenty of light in the homework zone. • Timing the homework is as important as completing it. Dedicate a specific time period to complete homework. An ideal situation would be one where the parent strictly implements a `no homework no television’ rule.

The parent plays an important role in encouraging the child to settle in place and complete the task at hand. While the child is completing homework, the parent could take time off daily chores and dedicate it to reading or pursuing other cerebral activities. Later on both can discuss how they fared in their respective tasks.





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The Right Study Space & Study Habits

When you study, two important aspects determine your efficiency and your success. They are your study space and your study habits. Let’s look at optimizing the two to achieve the best results.

Study Space• Keep your study space as quite and as comfortable as possible. You would do well to avoid noisy places like canteens, or the room in which the TV is kept. • Arrange all your study material as per your need and be sure to keep them in their proper place. Choose a place that is easy to reach and noticeable. • Accumulate all your study material like notes, text books, reference books before hand and sort them according to their subject. You wouldn’t rummage through Science books on the eve of your English test! Study Habits• Make a list, giving priority to what you need to study.• If you’ve just had a meal, wait for at least 30 minutes before you start studying. Likewise, don’t flop to the bed two minutes after you finish studying. Ideally wait for at least 15 minutes before going off to sleep.• Another good idea is to just take your mind completely off from your studies when you take a break. Try to take a small walk, traipse around the room or the house. Watch TV, listen to music…but GET BACK to studying after the break. If you find it difficult to get back to studying….don’t take that break.

Do Something Differently Everyday

A familiar task performed in a different manner is fodder for the creative part of your brain and sets the thinking process on a new road, one where you might find a lot of interesting things. Your task could be anything small and mundane like putting away yesterday’s newspaper. Wonder whether it will be of any help? It certainly will, when you think of doing something differently you will need to use your thought processes.

Your thinking ability has something in common with muscles – they get better and better with use. For all you know you might find a better way of performing the ‘mundane’ task in hand. Better ways automatically transform into optimal time usage and also add that much-needed variety to sustain your interest.

For example the way you stack your books in your school/college bag. Change it. When you reach for a book in school you will need to think and recall the changed place. Forcing your mind to think will keep you alert. And this translates into being more attentive.





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Notes Of A Different Kind For You

Stalwarts of yesteryears and those of the present era have given us an inexhaustible repertoire of music of all kinds. Dip into something different every now and then. You will find yourself appreciating different kinds of music in different moods. If you are a film music buff, delve into some pure classical music and experience the soul lifting experience and vice versa if you are a serious classical music devotee.

A few past paced film songs would be just the thing for you when you need a change. Soft classical music played in the background is believed to help people relax and concentrate. Certain strains help you solve mathematical problems while some others help you hone your language skills. So go ahead find out what suits you and learn, play or just sit back and listen.



Set The Mood For Homework Time?

Just how do you go about tackling your homework? Do you cram it up into your daily schedule or do you have a set homework routine? While it may seem to work, it need not necessarily be the productive to go about it. Allotting a fixed timing for completing homework can help to ensure that it gets done.

Doing your homework at a fixed time everyday is a good habit. While different people prefer different times for study or doing homework, following a fixed schedule to complete it, is the most advantageous and productive.

Doing your homework or studying must be done when the mind is completely fresh and not fatigued. Once the schedule for doing homework or study is fixed and practiced regularly it becomes a habit and helps students to gain maximum advantage from their study time.





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Want To Stay Ahead Of The Competition

Here are some tips to help you get off to a great start and stay ahead of the competition in school. The key lies in being organised.

• Cultivate a habit of keeping a separate book for each subject. You need not hunt in the same book for different subjects. Maintain an agenda book to track all your homework due dates and upcoming tests. Ensure that your books are complete and neat. This helps when you need to look up something or study for a test. • If any lesson is unclear ask questions. The teacher needs to know what points are not getting across to the students. Make the effort to be on time, with the materials you need for that class. • Set aside a fixed time for doing your homework each day. Go over your homework for the day so you know how much you have to finish. Try to do the tougher assignments first while your brain is still fresh. A daily time for homework also helps you to keep in touch with the subjects, so when you sit down to study for that test you are not completely lost. • There are a lot of extra-curricular activities in school. Take advantage of these opportunities and find something you like to do. Be careful, though, not to get so involved you neglect your schoolwork! • Talk to the new kid in your class, or get acquainted with someone you may have shared a class with for years, but never really talked to.

Keep 'Refreshment' Handy

Generate power for yourself by consciously conceptualizing and improving upon confidence-building, positive thoughts. This will be an exercise in disciplining your mind to keep you geared on an achiever mode which in turn can goad you to success. Make it a habit to write down inspirational thoughts, and if possible carry them around with you. Whenever you feel you are going off track, reading one of your favorite thoughts should put you back on the right course.

It would also be a good idea to display some of these at places where you spend a major portion of your time, your work desk, study table are some of the best options.

Maintaining a generous and constant supply of these thoughts is akin to reaching for a bag of chips for a fresh fill. In fact, skimming through these thoughts on a regular basis serves like a healthy snack to the mind which keeps it geared. Do remember to change these displays... after all variety is the spice of life.