The key to success

Success in your studies at school is not just down to intelligence or working long hours. The key is to get into the habit of using good study strategies. In the rest of the website, I go over all the ideas and strategies that you'll find useful in creating the best overall learning and study strategy for you and the best for each subject.

What is a study strategy?

First of all, remember that you are unique and so the strategies you use will be those that you've found to be most helpful. To develop your own strategy, you'll have to answer the following questions:

1. Do I have a clear idea of how I am going to benefit by studying successfully? Does this motivate me?

2. Do I have a helpful mental attitude to studying?

3. Do I know what I have to know, such as syllabus content and exam dates?

4. Do I have the resources I need, such as proper text books, exam papers and study guides?

5. Do I have a special place where I can work in comfort and peace?

6. Am I aware of any habits that get in the way of studying effectively?

7. Do I have a strategy for focusing and paying full attention while I work?

8. Am I healthy enough that I can concentrate properly without getting tired?

9. Am I aware of any negative beliefs about my ability to learn anything?

10. Do I understand how the brain learns and remember best, and how to use this knowledge?

11. Do I have knowledge of a range of activities that I can use while studying?

12. Do I understand the purpose of making notes, the many different ways of doing so, and when to use them?

13. Do I know how to create a time plan for homework and revision?

14. Do I know the best way to prepare for exams?

15. Have I discovered the best learning activities and note-taking strategies for each of my subjects?

When you can answer these questions positively, you'll be able to use the best strategies for you to learn anything. As you read through the rest of this website, you'll learn how to do this.

By the way, the skills you will develop by learning how to learn will help you enormously later on - both while studying and in your career.

[-> get started with - All in the mind - 'Motivation']

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