10)Effective Revision/Exam Techniques

Coming up to any sort of exam I usually feel very pressured and stressed. All types of exam techniques and skills go out the window. however coming up to my leaving certificate I really felt like I needed some exam techniques and study skills. I enrolled in a study skills course.

 In the course I went through different methods of studying such as making flash cards, mind maps, timelines and bullet points of the information. I was shown how to make a study timetable and stick to it I also learnt some exam techniques. This for me was extremely helpful. 

I was told once I go into the exam to sit and breath. Once I get the paper read each section carefully and slowly. Mark each question I want to answer and make a mini mind map containing any instant information I know on the topic. Then ease myself into the exam by starting with the question with the most marks. 

I noticed by doing this I spent most of my time on the important questions, which in turn maximized my result. We were told to be prepared for example by have pens and pencils with me.

Once I began using these techniques I have seen them really help during and coming up to exam times. I feel less stressed and anxious then I did in previous exams prier to the course.

5) Plagiarism

 On my first day of college, like a slap in the face I was introduced to the world of plagiarism and referencing. The thought of having to state who said what and when and where in every piece of work that I do just seemed impossible. However I did realize why we had to do it. 

Plagiarizing someone else’s work was described to me by one of my lecturers as robbing someone else’s work.  And after a few weeks of moaning I can now relate to it.

 If I was to write a thesis or do an assignment and someone was to copy me and claim it as their own I wouldn’t be impressed at all. Its not as if I cant use the information I just have to state where I got it. Plagiarism can be avoided by referencing correctly. 

A useful tool I use is the Harvard referring system. Every type of way to reference is listed from websites to paragraphs from a book in another book. Plagiarism is very important for me in college life, if I don’t reference correctly or if I don’t reference at all my whole paper can be cancelled.  

To avoid this I use the Harvard referencing system I referred to before or I would create a bibliography at the end of each assignment. referencing and plagiarism play a very important role in my college life without them it would be impossible to successfully get through college.

2) SQ3R Reading Methods

While trying to study I found it very difficult to read and take into account the information I was reading. I found that I would read and re read until my eyes couldn’t take it any longer. I also found this a problem once I sarted college, when trying to look over lectures.

 I came across the SQ3R reading technique in a communications lab I found it very helpful. To use the SQ3R reading technique all you have to do is survey, question, read, recite, and review. As long as this process is a do find that it does help.

• The first step to take is to survey this means look over any headings or graphs or diagrams visible. 
• Then question, turn any subheadings or headings into a question and also ask you what do I already know about this topic. 
• Reading is the next step read and re read all of the main headings and captions once more and read the main body. Reread paragraphs that are unclear and that you are not sure of. 
• The next step is to recite. After reading a large amount of text it is beneficial to recite aloud what it is you have just learnt. Also read aloud the answers to the questions you asked yourself earlier. 

And lastly review; review all your information over a few days. Make flash cards and notes and revisit as often as possible. I found this method helpful however coming up to exams I feel that it would take too long to go through each step in such a drawn out way. For studying in long periods such as throughout a term I feel this method is really helpful.

4)Effective presentation

During my first few weeks in college I was asked to put together a five minute presentation on any topic of my choice. At the beginning I was very scared to even start this presentation, as I haven’t done a presentation before. Especially not in front of my class. I found the whole idea very challenging.

 For my presentation I chose to do “Sneezing” I chose this topic because I sneeze. A lot. While preparing my presentation I found out loads of new information about sneezing, I created all of my different slides and I even inserted a short video. On the day of my presentation disaster struck. 

The video didn’t work and due to my lack of preparation I was under five minutes. I was scared and I was speaking too fast. From having the experience with doing a presentation I would now say that it is really important to be prepared.  

If I was to go back and redo my presentation I would stop being so nervous and talking too fast. I would seem more interested in my topic so that the audience is also interested not as if I’m just giving them the information so that they don’t do anything with it.  One tip my lecturer told me was to “tell em what your gonna tell em, tell em, tell em what you told em.” If I was to do another presentation I would make sure I used this tip and I would connect with my audience more. I would also prepare for the worst. 

1) Effective note taking

  

     In school i was never any good at taking notes. I would vary rarely take anything down which i wasn’t told to take down. However since i started college it has become essential that i do take notes.

    Note taking in college is extremely important as i now have assignments and tutorials which i need to have notes and information to help me from the lectures. At the start of college my note taking skills were very limited.

 I found myself writing pages and pages of notes and not actually taking anything my lecturer was saying in. I was taught in my communications class many different note taking skills such as spider diagrams and bullet points. For me spider diagrams really help me. The information is made clear on the page in front of me. I can see connections between relevant important points. 

For me reading pages and pages of information is too difficult to take in that’s why I find laying out information in a visual sense or watching videos on the topic allow me to take in the information more efficiently.

 

I learnt how to take notes efficiently once I started college. In a number of different tutorial classes I was shown how to create spider diagrams, mind maps and timelines of different subjects or topics. I really found this very effective for my specific learning type. 

 

Effective note taking has really helped me in college. I find myself more prepared for class and lectures and feel in on top of my work.