Developing A Study Plan

As with most things, being organised when we try to do something structured helps us get the most out of it. Studying is no different in that it really helps if you organize and plan how to actually study.

Here’s a few pointers on how to develop your own study plan, geared for you.

1. Develop a definite study plan and stick to it.

2. Develop a good attitude toward your studies; try to see the reasons for taking each course. This will make your study more meaningful.

3. Create an interest in every subject; if you can see no other reason for studying the course, set its mastery as a personal challenge, and you will become interested and will develop the necessary drive to study it.

4. Good habits are necessary for proper study. Develop a study schedule and follow it religiously. When it is time to study a particular assignment, get to work on it immediately; the longer you put it off, the harder it will be to get on the job.

5. Approach each subject with a positive attitude and with the determination that you can—and will—understand and remember what you are studying.

6. Use the developmental approach in studying. Most textbooks are set up so that the ideas are developed gradually. Therefore, it is necessary to understand each idea as you get to it, because the following ideas will probably be based on the ones preceding. It is a good plan to cover a whole chapter at one study period in order to have a better understanding of the relationships between ideas.

7. If you cannot grasp an idea or feel that you are getting behind in your work, contact your teacher immediately and explain the situation. He may be able to clarify the idea or make suggestions as to how you can “catch up,” or perhaps he will get another student to help you.

8. In making a study schedule, all subjects should not be given the same length of time. If you are studying material that requires the understanding of relationships, study for a relatively long period of time, about one-half hour to an hour. If you are studying new material, you should set aside part of every day to study, but the study periods should be shorter—about one-half hour each day. If you are reviewing old material, it may not take as much time or need to be as frequent. In memorizing, study for a period of 15 to 30 minutes, then do something else; go back to the memorizing if you haven’t learned it the first time.

9. Study periods should be arranged that are neither too short nor too long. If the period is too short, you will not have time to “warm up’ and may be wasting your time. If the study period is too long, you may become tired or bored and remember very little of what you have studied. However, “most people are usually tired of study, not tired by study.”