This is a phrase spoken – often exasperatedly – by parents all over the world to their teenage children who cringe and head to their room without a clear picture at all of the battleplan.
The end result – for the teenager – is some free time, reorganising pencils, watching Netflix, designing a new screensaver. For the parent – increasing blood pressure while stewing and waiting for the elusive study to happen.
So, let’s fix that.
Study is very different from Homework.
Homework is unfinished work that needs to be completed at home before the next class or work the teacher has set for completion in preparation for the next class. This isn’t study. It has three important distinguishing features:
- A deadline, usually the next class
- Occurs all the time – at the beginning, middle and end of a topic
- Set by your teacher with a clear direction (number of questions, words, sheet to be completed)
Study is also different from an Assignment.
Assignments are really just longer pieces of homework. They are set with a longer timeframe for completion and will have a lengthy description with a marking guide to work towards. This isn’t study. It has all of the features of homework above, just with a longer timeframe and usually much larger expectation of work production.
So if study isn’t homework and assignments, then what is it?
Study is the purposeful act of doing something with a topic you have learnt so that you know, remember and can then use this information in future activities, such as an exam.
Study is different from Aomework and assignments because it:
- Doesn’t have a deadline – well before an exam is a great idea, but no one sets this for you.
- Can only be completed at the end of a topic when you’ve covered all of the work
- Isn’t set by your teacher – they expect/hope you’re doing it, but they won’t remind or check it
- Can be prepared and completed however works best for you
Common Types of Study I’ll review in future posts include:
- Summarised written or typed notes
- Hand-drawn mind maps
- Study questions
- Flashcards
- Reading notes
- Answering practice questions
- Creating mnemonics
The earlier you start to experiment with different types of study systems the sooner you will work out what works and what doesn’t. It’s best to try these things with low stars tests rather than waiting until your final Year 12 HSC Exam.
So the next time you’re told, “Go To Your Room & Study” – you know what this means!
Let me know what study techniques you’re currently using in the comments section below.
