Processing the

information in an
active way not
simply reading a
book or webpage.

For the purpose of

learning.
Different approaches and
tools can be used.

Active Study Techniques

Note taking approaches:

- Cards
- Mindmaps
- Layered pages
- Revision book

Set your
purpose before
beginning to
study.
Learning Styles
make use of active
techniques to suit
yourself and others.

Preparing for Exams:

- Before (steady prep, 4
weeks out, exam week)
- Exam techniques (tech for
certain question types)
- After the exam.

Completing Assignments:
- keypoints
- responding to the task
- meeting deadlines
- learning from assignments

Focus 50% of time on

Output of Information:
- Practise remembering
- Use study groups

Set Your Purpose and Establish Your Motivation

before Beginning to Study
The single most important factor for successful study is MOTIVATION. The mind often plays
tricks we feel better if we think Ill start doing more homework/ studying next week and
then choose to spend another hour or two checking social pages or playing online games. Think
of things you do to avoid homework/study and AVOID THEM! What motivation is all about is
having a good answer to the question Why am I doing this homework/study? If the answer is
to avoid trouble from parents/teachers, then there is a huge chance of not studying well. Find at
least some aspects of the study to be challenging, interesting or rewarding.
List two things that you do to AVOID homework/study
1. ____________________________

2. ____________________________

Now think of ways to AVOID these:

___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

DIFFICULT then DEMANDING then NECESSARY.

Time management techniques often point out that:

We are freshest in the mornings or at the start of sessions. So where possible, do the most
difficult homework/study then followed by the next most demanding to the one that is the
MOST active when you are the most tired.

Vary your study times and techniques and your rewards.

Active Study What is It?

A large number of people mistake reading their textbooks or their notes as study. Reading does
have a huge place in study, but most of what you read does not get into your memory unless you
DO SOMETHING ACTIVE to successfully establish info in your mind so that you can use it
later.

SUMMARISE TOPICS regularly summarise identifiable sections or chunks of your courses. The
summary MUST be shorter than the original notes etc. Check out the following pages for techniques.

PRACTISE EXAMPLES do a few extra problems, especially the type that you got wrong in the
last test. Practise exam type questions in approximately the same amount of time as you would have in
the exam. Then self-correct in another colour. The next time you come back to this aspect, recall the
coloured additions/corrections first.

FILL IN THE GAPS FROM ASSESSED WORK when you get assignments back, identify from
the comments, teachers assistance what elements of the task did not gain full marks. Add these in,
colour code and recall later.

ACTIVE READING mostly your reading should always include some action like underlining,
taking notes (see techniques listed in next section), highlighting [always less than the original] or dotpointing.

TWICE WEEKLY/ WEEKLY REVIEWS what was this work about? Where does it fit
in/connect to the course? Are there bits that need my attention? Do I understand it?

REVISE AND REDUCE SUMMARIES the closer you get to the exam. Easier to do with Cornell

notes.

Note Taking Tools

Cards enable you to keep all notes together, group on topics (this is mind-mapping), allow
others to test you and are easily carried with you to another location for testing.
What is Economics?
Study of allocation of scarce resources among
unlimited wants.
- wants
- ends Demand and Supply

Cornell Notes - Layered Pages set up your pages with a vertical line dividing the
page roughly 1/4 (left) [TOPIC HEADING or QUESTION] and 3/4 (right) [DETAIL].
They enable you to keep all notes together, group on topics (this is mind-mapping), allow others
to test you (can cover pages with other pages for testing) and are easily carried with you to
another location for testing.
Specification
Case hardening

Heat Treatment
of Metal
Annealing

is a technique used to recover cold work and relax stresses

within a metal. Annealing typically results in a soft, ductile
metal.

Hardening &
tempering

To harden by quenching, a metal must be heated into the

Precipitation
hardening

When a precipitation hardening alloy is quenched, its

Through hardening

austenitic crystal phase and then quickly cooled.

Annealing
alloying elements will be trapped in solution, resulting in a
soft metal.

Notes-Only Book keep all notes in a separate hard bound book. Put all workings on

file paper.

Indice rules
an x am = am+n
Sine Rule
sin A = Sin B = Sin C
a
b
c
Cos Rule
c2 = a2 + b2 2abcosC
3

Mind-mapping
How to do a Mind-map James Cook University resources
Mind mapping (or concept mapping) involves writing down a central idea and thinking up new and related
ideas which radiate out from the centre. By focussing on key ideas written down in your own words, and
then looking for branches out and connections between the ideas, you are mapping knowledge in a
manner which will help you understand and remember new information.
Look for relationships
Use lines, colours, arrows, branches or some other way of showing connections between the ideas
generated on your mind map. These relationships may be important in you understanding new
information or in constructing a structured essay plan. By personalising the map with your own
symbols and designs you will be constructing visual and meaningful relationships between ideas which
will assist in your recall and understanding.
Draw quickly on unlined paper without pausing, judging or editing
There will be plenty of time for modifying the information later.
Leave lots of space
Some of the most useful mind maps are those which are added to over a period of time. After the
initial drawing of the mind map you may wish to highlight things, add information or add questions
for the duration of a subject right up until exam time. For this reason it is a good idea to leave lots of
space.
http://mappio.com/ provides a wide range of sample mind maps
This mind map was used to plan an essay in Science.

Output of Information
Taking a test is not a passive mechanism for assessment; it actually helps us to learn better. For example, students
who read a passage, then immediately took a test asking them to recall what they had read, retained about 50% more
information a week later than students who used other methods to retain the information, even though those
students thought they had mastered the material. "I think that learning is all about retrieving, all about restructuring
our knowledge," said a lead author (Jeffrey Karpicke and Janell Blunt, published online in Science, January 20, 2011).
In order to remember information, it has to be organised so we create cues and connections that our brains
recognise later. Studies suggest that retrieval of information works because the struggle involved in recalling
material helps reinforce it in our brains. Concept (Mind) mapping, active note taking etc provide the cues
and connections, but this is only part of the process to improved learning, retrieval and practice are also
essential.

Learning Styles
Learning can be improved if students know their preferred learning styles (ways of learning) and apply this
knowledge to study and assignment work. There are four categories of styles of learning listed over the next two
pages. Assistance in determining your style is indicated on the last page of this booklet. With this knowledge, the
following pages outline the best means for you to learn.

ACTIVE AND REFLECTIVE LEARNERS

Write your results from

the questionnaire below

Active learners tend to retain and understand information best by doing something active with it-discussing or applying it or explaining it to others. Reflective learners prefer to think about it quietly first.
"Let's try it out and see how it works" is an active learner's phrase; "Let's think it through first".
Active learners tend to like group work more than reflective learners, who prefer working alone.
Everybody is active sometimes and reflective sometimes. Your preference for one category or the other may be strong,
moderate, or mild. A balance of the two is desirable. If you always act before reflecting you can jump into
things prematurely and get into trouble, while if you spend too much time reflecting you may never get
anything done.
How can active learners help themselves?
If you are an active learner in a class that allows little or no class time for discussion or problem-solving
activities, you should try to compensate for these lacks when you study. Study in a group in which the members
take turns explaining different topics to each other. Work with others to guess what you will be asked on the
next test and figure out how you will answer. You will always retain information better if you find ways to do
something with it.
How can reflective learners help themselves?
If you are a reflective learner in a class that allows little or no class time for thinking about new information,
you should try to compensate for this lack when you study. Don't simply read or memorize the material; stop
periodically to review what you have read and think of possible questions or applications. You might find it
helpful to write short summaries of readings or class notes in your own words. Doing so may take extra time
but will enable you to retain the material more effectively.

SENSING AND INTUITIVE LEARNERS

Sensing learners tend to like learning facts, intuitive learners often prefer discovering
possibilities/relationships.
Sensors often like solving problems by well-established methods and dislike complications and surprises;
intuitive learners like innovation and dislike repetition.
Sensors tend to be patient with details and good at memorizing facts and doing hands-on (laboratory)
work; intuitive learners may be better at grasping new concepts and are often more comfortable than
sensors with abstractions
Sensors don't like courses that have no apparent connection to the real world; intuitive learners don't like
"plug-and-chug" courses that involve a lot of memorization and routine calculations.
Everybody is sensing sometimes and intuitive sometimes. To be effective as a learner and problem solver, you need to be
able to function both ways. If you overemphasize intuition, you may miss important details or make careless
mistakes in calculations or hands-on work; if you overemphasize sensing, you may rely too much on
memorization and familiar methods and not concentrate enough on understanding and innovative thinking.
How can sensing learners help themselves?
Sensors remember and understand information best if they can see how it connects to the real world. If you are
in a class where most of the material is abstract and theoretical, you may have difficulty. Ask your instructor for
specific examples of concepts and procedures, and find out how the concepts apply in practice. If the teacher
does not provide enough specifics, try to find some in your course text or other references or by brainstorming
with friends.
How can intuitive learners help themselves?
Many college lecture classes are aimed at intuitors. However, if you are an intuitor and you happen to be in a
class that deals primarily with memorization and rote substitution in formulas, you may have trouble with
boredom. Ask your instructor for interpretations or theories that link the facts, or try to find the connections
yourself. You may also be prone to careless mistakes on test because you are impatient with details and don't
like repetition (as in checking your completed solutions). Take time to read the entire question before you start
answering and be sure to check your results

VISUAL AND VERBAL LEARNERS

Visual learners remember best what they see--pictures, diagrams, flow charts, time lines, films, and
demonstrations. Verbal learners get more out of words--written and spoken explanations. Everyone learns
more when information is presented both visually and verbally.
How can visual learners help themselves?
If you are a visual learner, try to find diagrams, sketches, schematics, photographs, flow charts, or any other
visual representation of course material that is predominantly verbal. Ask your instructor, consult reference
books, and see if any videotapes or CD-ROM displays of the course material are available. Prepare a
concept map by listing key points, enclosing them in boxes or circles, and drawing lines with arrows
between concepts to show connections. Color-code your notes with a highlighter so that everything relating
to one topic is the same color.
How can verbal learners help themselves?
Write summaries or outlines of course material in your own words. Working in groups can be particularly
effective: you gain understanding of material by hearing classmates' explanations and you learn even more
when you do the explaining.

SEQUENTIAL AND GLOBAL LEARNERS

Sequential learners tend to gain understanding in linear steps, with each step following logically from
the previous one. Global learners tend to learn in large jumps, absorbing material almost randomly
without seeing connections, and then suddenly "getting it."
Sequential learners tend to follow logical stepwise paths in finding solutions; global learners may be able
to solve complex problems quickly or put things together in novel ways once they have grasped the big
picture, but they may have difficulty explaining how they did it.
Many people who read this description may conclude incorrectly that they are global, since everyone has
experienced bewilderment followed by a sudden flash of understanding. What makes you global or not is
what happens before the light bulb goes on. Sequential learners may not fully understand the material but
they can nevertheless do something with it (like solve the homework problems or pass the test) since the
pieces they have absorbed are logically connected. Strongly global learners who lack good sequential
thinking abilities, on the other hand, may have serious difficulties until they have the big picture. Even after
they have it, they may be fuzzy about the details of the subject, while sequential learners may know a lot
about specific aspects of a subject but may have trouble relating them to different aspects of the same
subject or to different subjects.
How can sequential learners help themselves?
Most college courses are taught in a sequential manner. However, if you are a sequential learner and you
have an instructor who jumps around from topic to topic or skips steps, you may have difficulty following
and remembering. Ask the instructor to fill in the skipped steps, or fill them in yourself by consulting
references. When you are studying, take the time to outline the lecture material for yourself in logical order.
In the long run doing so will save you time. You might also try to strengthen your global thinking skills by
relating each new topic you study to things you already know. The more you can do so, the deeper your
understanding of the topic is likely to be.
How can global learners help themselves?
If you are a global learner, it can be helpful for you to realize that you need the big picture of a subject
before you can master details. If your instructor plunges directly into new topics without bothering to
explain how they relate to what you already know, it can cause problems for you. Fortunately, there are
steps you can take that may help you get the big picture more rapidly. Before you begin to study the first
section of a chapter in a text, skim through the entire chapter to get an overview. Doing so may be timeconsuming initially but it may save you from going over and over individual parts later. Instead of spending
a short time on every subject every night, you might find it more productive to immerse yourself in
individual subjects for large blocks. Try to relate the subject to things you already know, either by asking the
instructor to help you see connections or by consulting references. Above all, don't lose faith in yourself;
you will eventually understand the new material, and once you do your understanding of how it connects to
other topics and disciplines may enable you to apply it in ways that most sequential thinkers would never
dream of.
From LEARNING STYLES AND STRATEGIES
Richard M. Felder & Barbara A. Soloman: North Carolina State University

Exam Techniques
The most common reason that people dont do well in tests or exams is lack of RECALL
and PRACTICE. The most common problem here is that students spend most of their
study time getting the information into their memory and not enough time practising
getting it out again.
Well Before the Exams:
Long term preparation is best.
Maintain routines before the exam.
Flick through your colourful condensed, well organised notes and remain active by making key notes,
verbally explaining and creating mind-maps etc.
Practise techniques, questions or essay writing.
Be honest with yourself. For each of your courses, make a table of course content (techniques in prac
exams). Next to each rate your understanding or skill level from strong to weak. Allocate time
accordingly more time on weaker areas.
Dont just rely on the knowledge and skills you have learnt through completing class work and
assignments. Go back to the syllabus which describes what can be examined. The Curriculum Council
also provide previous years Examiners Reports for each course.
Immediately Before Exams:
Ensure you have all necessary equipment the day before pens, highlighters, rulers, pencils, check
calculator batteries, cheat sheets if permitted, student enrolment form with candidate number (yr12s).
Consider walking the morning of the exam.
Plan your transport arrangements plan to arrive 20 minutes prior to the start time.
During the Exam:
Being afraid of performing badly will cause anxiety and tension which will prevent you from thinking
clearly.
Be relaxed for best performance.
Be comfortable at the desk sit well, do some tense and release exercises.
The Paper Test:
Scan the entire exam paper during reading time read all of the instructions, decide on the order in
which you will complete the sections, questions etc.
Divide up the time sensibly and equitable for the marks allocation.
Allow time for quick mind-mapping and planning.
Write in short-notes, key formula etc.
Psychologists indicate that it is better to make a work in progress plan for essay answers before going
onto multiple choice/short answer questions as the sub-conscious can keep working while you are
doing other Qs.
Start by doing the multiple choice/short answers. Skip any that do not come immediately to mind.
Dont throw time at what you dont know. Come back at a later stage. Remember dont leave
multiple choice questions unanswered.
Finally, write any essays using the mind maps/plans made earlier once you have sequenced the order
in which you should develop the points in your essay.
Keep to your time plan.
If you are feeling fatigued, distracted drink water, tense and relax.

Tasks
1. Task 1: For those making use of the Resource Centre computers - Logon to the
school computers. Access the Start Menu. Learning Menu. Access Brainworks. Run
the program. For those making use of their laptops, access the Brain.exe program
from http://www.jcu.edu.au/learningskills/resources/lsonline/index.htm Click on Learning Styles.
After the program is running enter your first name only then READ ALL answers
before responding. Write down your numbers. Read your personal evaluation. When
finished, click exit. Get all the members of your family to have a go.
2. Task 2: On the same webpage as in Task 1 access the Youtube video.
3. Task 3: At the top of the JCU Study Skills Online page click on the other sections
one by one in this order: ACTIVE/REFECTIVE, SENSORY/INTUITIVE,
VISUAL/VERBAL, SEQUENTIAL/GLOBAL.
For each section click on each description of characteristics takes you to the
bottom of the page. Read the descriptions and return to the top.
Then click on the continuum point that best matches your understanding of your
strengths read the responses and take notes.
4. Task 4: Complete the ILS Questionnaire Index of Learning Styles. Once done,
submit and write out the results onto your Handout next to the learning styles (page
4/5). Read the techniques that will suit your learning styles highlight key words.
5. Task 5: Once done, Click back to Woodvales Study Skills Page and look at Exam
techniques and Sample Mindmaps. OR Go through Uni of Victorias study help.

Preparing for Exams:

An activity to be completed at home closer to exam time:
Access the web link
Exam Techniques (Monash University)
- located on the Students Study Skills Help page.
It should open up to a short online tutorial on EXAMS.
Read the information in the right-hand pane and then click next after completing each
activity. Remember, this is for university students, so some issues may not apply.