TL
Photo


study-nsp:

since my last masterpost on mind maps was successful i thought i’d make a masterpost about general studying! this way i get to share with you guys what i’ve found out over the years with my personal experience! 

your study space

  • the space you choose to study is really important! it can be in your bedroom, another place in ur house, library, cafe, a park, etc
  • it should be somewhere u can focus + concentrate without distractions
  • have more than one place to pick from in case u ever need to change a little or can’t use one
  • lighting is really important. good natural lighting is always best; try to find a place where the light comes from your left if you’re a righty or from the right if you’re a lefty – you’ll thank me when ur writing and u can see everything perfectly
  • if ur in ur room, figure out whether having motivational quotes/pics on your walls help u or distract u – for me, i like to have a couple but not many, and mostly motivational quotes + sticky notes with the stuff i need to get done
  • keep it organised! u can use drawers to keep ur suplies so that they aren’t all laying around when ur studying if u don’t need them
  • lay out everything u need when ur about to start studying so that u don’t have to get up to get this or that all the time

study methods

background music

  • first of all, u need to figure out whether u work better with or without background music, because it may end up distacting u
  • if u don’t want music but still need background noise, u can listen to white noise or ambient noise!
  • classical music is awesome; studies have shown that it benefits the brain, sleep patterns + stress levels
  • u can listen from playlists on 8tracks, spotify or youtube vids [i prefer 8tracks]
  • check out my #music tag for great playlists + masterposts!!

pomodoro method

  • you’ve probably heard of it all over the studyblr community and that’s because it’s awesome
  • here’s a link to the official site!
  • it’s great for helping u focus; i work better like this because i couldn’t study for an hour straight if my life depended on it, + i still get everything done!
  • however, don’t adapt yourself to the times it sets for u but the other way around – if you’re working and the 25 minutes are done but u still feel like u can continue, you’re motivated and focused, go on! 
  • don’t know what to do in those breaks? here’s the list for u!
  • i use forest to time myself! it’s great cause it also keeps u from checking ur phone. focusnow is a free alternative for ios

general tips

  • start revising early, even if u know u can cram and get good results. i used to do the last thing and even though i got really good grades i was always super stressed the day before and it made studying suck even more
  • avoid checking social media while studying, even tumblr for “motivation”, because you’ll inevitably get sucked into it
  • form a study group or find a study buddy because they’ll help u focus, u can explain to each other when u don’t understand something, etc
  • know everything u need to get done and prioritize
  • make ur notes pretty only if u have the time + it helps u
  • if u don’t have the time to make ur notes pretty but are a visual learner, grab a highlighter and colour code them – e.g. green for terms, yellow for definitions, pink for dates/people
  • figure out whether u work best in the morning, afternoon or evening. try not to study at night unless necessary + get good rest bc it helps ur brain work better

+ masterposts

i hope you found this masterpost helpful!! if u have any questions or request for a masterpost, send me a message!

sofi xx
# study tips # references # owl queue you # resources
Text


5 Study Hacks to Improve Your Memory:

study-well:

Walk around:

Studies have shown that exercise can boost memory and brain power. Dr Hillman found evidence that walking around for 20 minutes before an exam can improve performance.

Read Out Loud:

It can be surprisingly efficient; with some claims that it increase chances of recollection by 50%

Teach the Material:

This is one of the best ways to test if you understand something; if you can’t teach it, you don’t know it. Don’t worry you don’t have to teach it to real people, you can pretend (e.g. teddies) or just imagine and talk aloud to yourself.

Watch a documentary / video:

They make the topic interesting while also reinforcing key details.

Use your senses:

Chew a strange flavour of gum, or spray a perfume while you’re studying and use it again during the exam; it will make things previously associated with that sense easier to remember.

# study tips # references # owl queue you # resources
Photo


nidhiartemis:

Hey there!! I see all these beautiful monthly printables & I absolutely loVE them! I thought I’d try & make a few of my own & here they are!! They’re my first attempt at something like this & I hope they’re okay! Ya’ll can download them from the links (which is the title for each calendar) if you want to ☺️

1. August Printable w/ H2O Tracker: 

  • A full August month printable
  • has water tracker for each day (I’m v bad at keeping track of how much water I drink; it’s v little actually, so these water droplet thingies sort of help overcome the prob. They denote the avg # of glasses of water a person should consume/day.)
  • has last 3 blocks for anything you’d like to keep note of for the month
  • + cute (hopefully inspirational) quote above ;)

2. August Printable 

  • basically the same features as the 1st one (lel) ; a plain monthly printable w/o the H2O tracker for those of you who prefer it that way ^.^

3.Row Wise August Printable

  • a gridless printable 
  • can occupy more data
  • (no quote & note included. if y'all would like that to be added, hmu :] )


I hope this is somewhat helpful! If any of you use this/ find it helpful, do tag me! 😌
I’ll probably update the printables as the months roll by hehe
Once again, this is totes not perf as this is my first printable thing, so if anyone has any tips/suggestions/problems, please do let me know!! :) 
Hope y'all have a great & productive day!! 🌸

Note: Please do not remove the credits at the bottom of the page. Also, these are only applicable for personal use. Please do abide by the rules if you wish to use them. Thank you!
# printables # owl queue you
Text


HOW TO EDIT ACADEMIC PAPERS

catscaffeineandnotebooks:

  • First off, double check yourself (or triple or quadruple or whatever makes you feel comfortable) on the basics of the assignment. Did you follow any given prompts, rubrics, requirements (such as a certain page number, a certain amount of sources, any style guides, etc)? These are the most important things to check! Even if your content and grammar is impeccable, not having the right amount of sources or your header in the right place can dock you some major points depending on the instructor. It’s also ALWAYS a good idea to read over your prompt and rubrics before you start writing, even if you’ve already gone over it, just to make sure. Why waste time and effort writing a paper if it doesn’t answer the prompt?
  • Double check your sources. Did you use the right writing style (MLA, Chicago, APA, etc.)?  There are thousands of sites that show examples of how to cite your sources correctly or even generate citations for you! Do you have in-text citations where they may be needed? Remember, that you don’t only cite after a quote, but after you paraphrase, as well. And are all your sources scholarly/academic? If you’re not sure if a source, especially a website, is a reputable, ask your instructor or even a librarian. Websites that end in .gov or .edu (in the States, at least) tend to be usable.
  • Read your paper once it complete. You’re probably saying “No, duh,” right? But hear me out. When I write, I edit as I go. So I’ll stop at every paragraph and read what I wrote and edit where need be. With each new paragraph I read everything that I wrote before. It sounds tedious, but it works for me. I know some people get un-focused or even over-focused if they try to edit as they write.
  • Feeling iffy about how a sentence is worded or about a transition or something? Make that whatever a different colored font and then come back to it later when you have fresher eyes and a fresher mind.
  • READ YOUR PAPER OUT LOUD. I swear by this!! I told each and every one of my tutoring clients to do this. I do this myself with both my academic and creative writing. Hell, I even read my client’s papers out loud. By reading out loud, you’re hearing what your writing really sounds like. That sentence that sounded perfectly fine in your head, may sound awkwardly worded when read out loud. Side tip: Reading difficult or boring texts out loud helps a lot, too. I found out that reading long scholarly articles out loud made me pay closer attention and hearing it, instead of just reading it silently, made things easier to understand. 
  • Read (both silently and out loud) several times, each time looking for something different. I’ll read once or twice looking for basic typos, grammar mistakes, and awkward wording, and then I’ll read again asking myself questions like “What if I didn’t know this information? Is that example clear enough? Do I need to explain more in depth? Is this technical word too technical for someone who may not know the subject?” Feel free to formulate your own questions. Mine tend to differ depending on my subject and assignment and how confident I feel about what I’ve written. Also, write and edit like the person reading your paper has no outside knowledge of the subject. This can also help you determine if you left out needed information or if your examples need more explanation. 
  • Have someone else read your paper! This is another tip I swear by. If you can, it’s best to have someone who has no knowledge about your subject read your paper. That way they can tell you what parts confuse them and then you can go back and see if there’s any way to better clarify. They also have fresh eyes. Even if we read our papers over and over we may miss a little typo or auto-correct blunder because our brains automatically replace the mistake with the word we intended. Someone else can easily catch these mistakes. You know those places where your had to change the font color? Ask them if they know a better way to re-word that sentence or a better way to transition to the next paragraph or point. Make sure to tell them any concerns you may have. Also, be open to criticism. At least look at their suggestions, you don’t HAVE to accept their suggestions. 
  • Read over your paper one last time before you turn it in! Just in case. 

Remember, you don’t have to follow all of the above tips. Editing, like writing, is all about finding what process works best for you!

**** I have an advice post about analyzing works of fiction here and a post about how to build an argument (in regards to a text) here. 

Happy Writing! 

# essays # writing # tips # references # owl queue you # resources
Photo


currentlystudyblring:

013: Bullet Journal - July 26-29

Sorry for not posting in ages! I’ve been doing lots of summer work but haven’t really had the chance to take notes. Anyways, I’ve been experimenting with a simplified bullet journal and I’m pretty happy with how it’s going :)
# studyspo # bujo # owl queue you
Photoset


illolita:

How I Format and Use Flashcards

1.  Less is More: no need for a paragraph to define a term, choose the simplest and most efficient one. Also, don’t include common sense things or things you know by heart, you’ll waste time and space by writing them down.

2. Sketch it Out: Sketches can be helpful in allowing you to visualize the term/concept. 

3. Say it Out Loud: When reviewing through the cards, try and say the definition out loud. It will require you to think about it more, and it also helps with memorization. If I try and define a term in my head I usually speed through it and leave something out. 

4. Write them as you go: Don’t sit down right before finals and try and write down every term/definition from the course. It takes forever and you will kill your hand. As you finish a chapter in the course finish that set of flashcards. You will thank yourself later. 

5. Repetition: I go through my flashcards before a test maybe a thousand times (exaggeration but very close). Remember to focus on the harder ones, you’ll most likely remember the easier ones during the test. 

Here is my method:

Round 1: Go through every single card. Don’t set any aside. I usually don’t know a majority of the terms at this point, I most likely just finished writing them down.

Round 2: Go through every card again, this time setting aside ones I didn’t know or had trouble with.

Round 3: Go through the harder ones I missed.

Round 4: Add the harder ones back in with the original and shuffle.

Round 5: Go through them all and repeat the process until pleased!
# study tips # flashcards # references # owl queue you # resources
About Me

BASIC INFO

Selina Mae| 21 | ZA/PH

BSc Computer Science (Distance Learning)

INFJ | Slytherin | Sagitarrius

Purpose

My purpose is to chronicle my attempts at achieving maximum productivity and better focus/grades/life. Emphasis on 'attempts' cause lols, I'm not great at keeping it up.
We shall see how it goes.

CURRENTLY

READING
  • School Books :P
  • Inferno by Dan Brown
WATCHING
  • Brooklyn 99 (S03)
  • Timeless (S01)
  • Once Upon A Time (S05 rewatch)
LISTENING TO
TRACKING

studyattempts
captainwiley

Updates

LIFE STATUS

I discontinued my Industrial Psychology Degree and so now I'm starting Uni all over again with a Degree in Computer Science and Information Systems. First Semester of my first year. Whoo!

SCHEDULE

February
  • 17: EUP1501 A01
  • 20: COS2601 A01
  • 27: EUP1501 A02

BLOG INFO

Counters

visiting
awarded


Credits
  • Unless stated otherwise, all pics/edits/gifs used in this blog are all made by me.
  • Reblogs obviously don't count.
  • Some of my own edits use icons/textures/etc. downloaded from people who upload "texture packs" on tumblr for free.
  • Update bar pic: x