Wednesday, 7 December 2016

How to make the most of your study texts...

Want a better chance of passing? Mix up your revision. 

Often students assume they should be revising for their Management exam in a library or sat at a computer desk only, as this is a formal place to work. However, if you wanted to start reading an exciting book or watch your favourite TV show, you wouldn't be doing all this in the library or at a computer desk. Do not be afraid to get out and about when tackling a tough document, there is a lot of evidence that shows mixing up the location of your studying can help you process information, making you learn faster (and pass quicker!)

Be flexible with where you can bring your revision. I know many students have busy lives so trying to find time is never easy, if you have your work on you you always have the opportunity to squeeze that bit of revision in between doing things. In a recent student survey, over 65% of students stated that they committed more than 5 hours into their OT revision per week, with over 35% doing more than 10 hours per week. This is a strong guideline for your own revision, and depending on your own commitments you should plan for any eventuality, where you may be required to revise away from your computer.


It is not always enough to simply read through a text book or from a computer screen, processing large amounts of information on a monitor can make it tricky to track your progress, not to mention the strain that this can put on your eyes... It is always useful to have different ways in which you can revise, to ensure you are remembering all the key bits of information.

Make notes as you go along

I am often approached by students who are finding it difficult to take in key theory from the text, despite having read it through a number of times. In my experience, one of the most effective ways of taking in information from any text is by making notes as you go along. The process of reading a portion of text and then translating this into a written note helps many learners consume and understand information easier and faster. 

Another useful tip that I have found is to use a highlighter when going over texts. you don't need to go crazy and highlight everything, nor should you just highlight and focus on a few snippets. In my experience, I have found highlighting the things I find most difficult is a useful tool to remind me that I need to go back over it. That way, the highlighted text is a reminder to focus on that particular area!

To allow you to make your own notes or visual representations from the study text and to help you optimise your learning, we offer a printable version of our OT study texts and Management Case Study Texts. This can help you bring your revision wherever you go and make your own notes to go with it!

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