assignment study tips

25 Scientifically Proven Tips for More Effective Studying

Staying on top of schoolwork can be tough.

Whether you’re in high school, or an adult going back to college, balancing coursework with other responsibilities can be challenging. If you’re teetering on the edge of burnout, here are some study tips that are scientifically proven to help you succeed!

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2024 Ultimate Study Tips Guide

In this guide, we explore scientifically-proven study techniques from scientific journals and some of the world’s best resources like Harvard, Yale, MIT, and Cornell.

In a hurry? Skip ahead to the section that interests you most.

• How to Prepare for Success
• Create Your Perfect Study Space
• Pick a Study Method that Works for You
• Effective Study Skills
• How to Study More Efficiently
• How to Study for Tests
• Memory Improvement Techniques
• Top 10 Study Hacks Backed by Science
• Best Study Apps
• Study Skills Worksheets
• Key Takeaways

This comprehensive guide covers everything from studying for exams to the best study apps. So, let’s get started!

Part 1 – How to Prepare for Success

1. Set a Schedule

“Oh, I’ll get to it soon” isn’t a valid study strategy. Rather, you have to be intentional about planning set study sessions .

On your calendar, mark out chunks of time that you can devote to your studies. You should aim to schedule some study time each day, but other commitments may necessitate that some sessions are longer than others.

Harder classes require more study time. So, too, do classes that are worth several credits. For each credit hour that you’re taking, consider devoting one to three hours to studying each week.

2. Study at Your Own Pace

Do you digest content quickly, or do you need time to let the material sink in? Only you know what pace is best for you.

There’s no right (or wrong) study pace. So, don’t try matching someone else’s speed.

Instead, through trial and error, find what works for you. Just remember that slower studying will require that you devote more time to your schoolwork.

3. Get Some Rest

Exhaustion helps no one perform their best. Your body needs rest ; getting enough sleep is crucial for memory function.

This is one reason that scheduling study time is so important: It reduces the temptation to stay up all night cramming for a big test. Instead, you should aim for seven or more hours of sleep the night before an exam.

Limit pre-studying naps to 15 or 20 minutes at a time. Upon waking, do a few stretches or light exercises to prepare your body and brain for work.

4. Silence Your Cell Phone

Interruptions from your phone are notorious for breaking your concentration. If you pull away to check a notification, you’ll have to refocus your brain before diving back into your studies.

Consider turning off your phone’s sounds or putting your device into do not disturb mode before you start. You can also download apps to temporarily block your access to social media .

If you’re still tempted to check your device, simply power it off until you’re finished studying.

Research shows that stress makes it harder to learn and to retain information.

Stress-busting ideas include:

• Taking deep breaths
• Writing down a list of tasks you need to tackle
• Doing light exercise

Try to clear your head before you begin studying.

Part 2 – Create Your Perfect Study Space

1. Pick a Good Place to Study

There’s a delicate balance when it comes to the best study spot : You need a place that’s comfortable without being so relaxing that you end up falling asleep. For some people, that means working at a desk. Others do better on the couch or at the kitchen table. Your bed, on the other hand, may be too comfy.

Surrounding yourself with peace and quiet helps you focus. If your kids are being loud or there’s construction going on outside your window, you might need to relocate to an upstairs bedroom, a quiet cafe or your local library.

2. Choose Your Music Wisely

Noise-canceling headphones can also help limit distractions.

It’s better to listen to quiet music than loud tunes. Some people do best with instrumental music playing in the background.

Songs with lyrics may pull your attention away from your textbooks. However, some folks can handle listening to songs with words, so you may want to experiment and see what works for you.

Just remember that there’s no pressure to listen to any music. If you do your best work in silence, then feel free to turn your music player off.

3. Turn Off Netflix

If song lyrics are distracting, just imagine what an attention sucker the television can be! Serious studying requires that you turn off the TV.

The same goes for listening to radio deejays. Hearing voices in the background takes your brainpower off of your studies.

4. Use Background Sounds

Turning off the television, talk radio and your favorite pop song doesn’t mean that you have to study in total silence. Soft background sounds are a great alternative.

Some people enjoy listening to nature sounds, such as ocean waves or cracks of thunder. Others prefer the whir of a fan.

5. Snack on Brain Food

A growling stomach can pull your mind from your studies, so feel free to snack as you work. Keep your snacks within arm’s reach, so you don’t have to leave your books to find food.

Fuel your next study session with some of the following items:

• Lean deli meat
• Grapes or apple slices
• Dark chocolate

Go for snacks that will power your brain and keep you alert. Steer clear of items that are high in sugar, fat and processed carbs.

Part 3 – Pick a Study Method That Works for You

Mindlessly reading through your notes or textbooks isn’t an effective method of studying; it doesn’t help you process the information. Instead, you should use a proven study strategy that will help you think through the material and retain the information.

Strategy #1 – SQ3R Method

With the SQ3R approach to reading , you’ll learn to think critically about a text.

There are five steps:

• Survey : Skim through the assigned material. Focus on headings, words in bold print and any diagrams.
• Question : Ask yourself questions related to the topic.
• Read : Read the text carefully. As you go, look for answers to your questions.
• Recite : Tell yourself the answers to your questions. Write notes about them, even.
• Review : Go over the material again by rereading the text and reading your notes aloud.

Strategy #2 – PQ4R Method

PQ4R is another study strategy that can help you digest the information you read.

This approach has six steps:

• Preview : Skim the material. Read the titles, headings and other highlighted text.
• Question : Think through questions that pertain to the material.
• Read : As you work through the material, try to find answers to your questions.
• Reflect : Consider whether you have any unanswered questions or new questions.
• Recite : Speak aloud about the things you just read.
• Review : Look over the material one more time.

Strategy #3 – THIEVES Method

The THIEVES approach can help you prepare to read for information.

There are seven pre-reading steps:

• Title : Read the title.
• Headings : Look through the headings.
• Introduction : Skim the intro.
• Every first sentence in a section : Take a look at how each section begins.
• Visuals and vocabulary : Look at the pictures and the words in bold print.
• End questions : Review the questions at the end of the chapter.
• Summary : Read the overview of the text.

Ask yourself thought-provoking questions as you work through these steps. After completing them, read the text.

Studying Online

Although these three study strategies can be useful in any setting, studying online has its own set of challenges.

Dr. Tony Bates has written a thoughtful and thorough guide to studying online, A Student Guide to Studying Online . Not only does he highlight the importance of paying attention to course design, but he also offers helpful tips on how to choose the best online program and manage your course load.

Part 4 – Effective Study Skills

1. Highlight Key Concepts

Looking for the most important information as you read helps you stay engaged with the material . This can help keep your mind from wandering as you read.

As you find important details, mark them with a highlighter, or underline them. It can also be effective to jot notes along the edges of the text. Write on removable sticky notes if the book doesn’t belong to you.

When you’re preparing for a test, begin your studies by reviewing your highlighted sections and the notes you wrote down.

2. Summarize Important Details

One good way to get information to stick in your brain is to tell it again in your own words. Writing out a summary can be especially effective. You can organize your summaries in paragraph form or in outline form.

Keep in mind that you shouldn’t include every bit of information in a summary. Stick to the key points.

Consider using different colors on your paper. Research shows that information presented in color is more memorable than things written in plain type. You could use colored pens or go over your words with highlighters.

After writing about what you read, reinforce the information yet again by reading aloud what you wrote on your paper.

3. Create Your Own Flashcards

For an easy way to quiz yourself , prepare notecards that feature a keyword on one side and important facts or definitions about that topic on the reverse.

Writing out the cards will help you learn the information. Quizzing yourself on the cards will continue that reinforcement.

The great thing about flashcards is that they’re easily portable. Slip them in your bag, so you can pull them out whenever you have a spare minute. This is a fantastic way to squeeze in extra practice time outside of your regularly scheduled study sessions.

As an alternative to paper flashcards, you can also use a computer program or a smartphone app to make digital flashcards that you can click through again and again.

4. Improve Recall with Association

Sometimes your brain could use an extra hand to help you hold onto the information that you’re studying. Creating imaginary pictures, crafting word puzzles or doing other mental exercises can help make your material easier to remember.

Try improving recall with the following ideas:

• Sing the information to a catchy tune.
• Think of a mnemonic phrase in which the words start with the same letters as the words that you need to remember.
• Draw a picture that helps you make a humorous connection between the new information and the things that you already know.
• Envision what it would be like to experience your topic in person. Imagine the sights, sounds, smells and more.
• Think up rhymes or tongue twisters that can help the information stick in your brain.
• Visualize the details with a web-style mind map that illustrates the relationships between concepts.

5. Absorb Information in Smaller Chunks

Think about how you memorize a phone number: You divide the 10-digit number into three smaller groups. It’s easier to get these three chunks to stick in your mind than it is to remember the whole thing as a single string of information.

You can use this strategy when studying by breaking a list down into smaller parts. Work on memorizing each part as its own group.

6. Make Your Own Study Sheet

Condensing your most important notes onto one page is an excellent way to keep priority information at your fingertips. The more you look over this sheet and read it aloud, the better that you’ll know the material.

Furthermore, the act of typing or writing out the information will help you memorize the details. Using different colors or lettering styles can help you picture the information later.

Just like flashcards, a study sheet is portable. You can pull it out of your bag whenever you have a spare minute.

7. Be the Teacher

To teach information to others, you first have to understand it yourself. Therefore, when you’re trying to learn something new, challenge yourself to consider how you’d teach it to someone else. Wrestling with this concept will help you gain a better understanding of the topic.

In fact, you can even recruit a friend, a family member or a study group member to listen to your mini-lesson. Reciting your presentation aloud to someone else will help the details stick in your mind, and your audience may be able to point out gaps in your knowledge.

8. Know When to Call It a Day

Yes, you really can get too much of a good thing. Although your studies are important, they shouldn’t be the only thing in your life. It’s also important to have a social life, get plenty of exercise, and take care of your non-school responsibilities.

Studies show that too much time with your nose in the books can elevate your stress level , which can have a negative effect on your school performance and your personal relationships.

Too much studying may also keep you from getting enough exercise. This could lower your bone density or increase your percentage of body fat.

Part 5 – How to Study More Efficiently

1. Take Regular Breaks

Study sessions will be more productive if you allow yourself to take planned breaks. Consider a schedule of 50 minutes spent working followed by a 10-minute break.

Your downtime provides a good chance to stand up and stretch your legs. You can also use this as an opportunity to check your phone or respond to emails. When your 10 minutes are up, however, it’s time to get back to work.

At the end of a long study session, try to allow yourself a longer break — half an hour, perhaps — before you move on to other responsibilities.

2. Take Notes in Class

The things that your teacher talks about in class are most likely topics that he or she feels are quite important to your studies. So, it’s a good idea to become a thorough note-taker.

The following tips can help you become an efficient, effective note-taker:

• Stick to the main points.
• Use shorthand when possible.
• If you don’t have time to write all the details, jot down a keyword or a name. After class, you can use your textbook to elaborate on these items.
• For consistency, use the same organizational system each time you take notes.
• Consider writing your notes by hand, which can help you remember the information better. However, typing may help you be faster or more organized.

Recording important points is effective because it forces you to pay attention to what’s being said during a lecture.

3. Exercise First

Would you believe that exercise has the potential to grow your brain ? Scientists have shown this to be true!

In fact, exercise is most effective at generating new brain cells when it’s immediately followed by learning new information.

There are short-term benefits to exercising before studying as well. Physical activity helps wake you up so you feel alert and ready when you sit down with your books.

4. Review and Revise Your Notes at Home

If your notes are incomplete — for example, you wrote down dates with no additional information — take time after class to fill in the missing details. You may also want to swap notes with a classmate so you can catch things that you missed during the lecture.

• Rewrite your notes if you need to clean them up
• Rewriting will help you retain the information
• Add helpful diagrams or pictures
• Read through them again within one day

If you find that there are concepts in your notes that you don’t understand, ask your professor for help. You may be able to set up a meeting or communicate through email.

After rewriting your notes, put them to good use by reading through them again within the next 24 hours. You can use them as a reference when you create study sheets or flashcards.

5. Start with Your Toughest Assignments

Let’s face it: There are some subjects that you like more than others. If you want to do things the smart way, save your least challenging tasks for the end of your studies. Get the hardest things done first.

If you save the toughest tasks for last, you’ll have them hanging over your head for the whole study session. That can cost you unnecessary mental energy.

Furthermore, if you end with your favorite assignments, it will give you a more positive feeling about your academic pursuits. You’ll be more likely to approach your next study session with a good attitude.

6. Focus on Key Vocabulary

To really understand a subject, you have to know the words that relate to it. Vocabulary words are often written in textbooks in bold print. As you scan the text, write these words down in a list.

Look them up in a dictionary or in the glossary at the back of the book. To help you become familiar with the terms, you could make a study sheet with the definitions or make flashcards.

7. Join a Study Group

Studying doesn’t always have to be an individual activity.

Benefits of a study group include:

• Explaining the material to one another
• Being able to ask questions about things you don’t understand
• Quizzing each other or playing review games
• Learning the material more quickly than you might on your own
• Developing soft skills that will be useful in your career, such as teamwork and problem solving
• Having fun as you study

Gather a few classmates to form a study group.

Part 6 – How to Study for Tests

1. Study for Understanding, Not Just for the Test

Cramming the night before a big test usually involves trying to memorize information long enough to be able to regurgitate it the next morning. Although that might help you get a decent grade or your test, it won’t help you really learn the material .

Within a day or two, you’ll have forgotten most of what you studied. You’ll have missed the goal of your classes: mastery of the subject matter.

Instead, commit yourself to long-term learning by studying throughout the semester.

2. Begin Studying at Least One Week in Advance

Of course, you may need to put in extra time before a big test, but you shouldn’t put this off until the night before.

Instead, in the week leading up to the exam, block off a daily time segment for test preparation. Regular studying will help you really learn the material.

3. Spend at Least One Hour per Day Studying

One week out from a big test, study for an hour per night. If you have two big tests coming up, increase your daily study time, and divide it between the two subjects.

The day before the exam, spend as much time as possible studying — all day, even.

4. Re-write Class Notes

After each class, you should have fleshed out your notes and rewritten them in a neat, organized format. Now, it’s time to take your re-done notes and write them once again.

This time, however, your goal is to condense them down to only the most important material. Ideally, you want your rewritten notes to fit on just one or two sheets of paper.

These sheets should be your main study resource during test preparation.

5. Create a Study Outline

Early in the week, make a long outline that includes many of the details from your notes. Rewrite it a few days later, but cut the material in half.

Shortly before the test, write it one more time; include only the most important information. Quiz yourself on the missing details.

6. Make Your Own Flashcards

Another way to quiz yourself is to make flashcards that you can use for practice written tests.

First, read the term on the front side. Encourage yourself to write out the definition or details of that term. Compare your written answer with what’s on the back of the card.

This can be extra helpful when prepping for an entrance exam like the GRE, though there are a growing number of schools that don’t require GRE scores for admission.

7. Do Sample Problems and Essays from Your Textbook

There are additional things you can do to practice test-taking. For example, crack open your book, and solve problems like the ones you expect to see on the test.

Write out the answers to essay questions as well. There may be suggested essay topics in your textbook.

Part 7 – Memory Improvement Techniques

1. Study Right Before Bed

Although you shouldn’t pull all-nighters, studying right before bedtime can be a great idea.

Sleep helps cement information in your brain. Studies show that you’re more likely to recall information 24 hours later if you went to bed shortly after learning it.

Right before bed, read through your study sheet, quiz yourself on flashcards or recite lists of information.

2. Study Small Chunks at a Time

If you want to remember information over the long haul, don’t try to cram it all in during one sitting.

Instead, use an approach called spaced repetition :

• Break the information into parts
• Learn one new part at a time over the course of days or weeks
• Review your earlier acquisitions each time you study

The brain stores information that it thinks is important. So, when you regularly go over a topic at set intervals over time, it strengthens your memory of it.

3. Tell a Story

Sometimes, you just need to make information silly in order to help it stick in your brain.

To remember a list of items or the particular order of events, make up a humorous story that links those things or words together. It doesn’t necessarily need to make sense; it just needs to be memorable .

4. Change Study Locations Often

Studying the same information in multiple places helps the details stick in your mind better.

Consider some of the following locations:

• Your desk at home
• A coffee shop
• The library
• Your backyard

It’s best to switch between several different study spots instead of always hitting the books in the same place.

5. Swap Topics Regularly

Keeping your brain trained on the same information for long periods of time isn’t beneficial. It’s smarter to jump from one subject to another a few times during a long study session.

Along those same lines, you should study the same material in multiple ways. Research shows that using varied study methods for the same topic helps you perform better on tests.

6. Quiz Yourself

Challenge yourself to see what you can remember. Quizzing yourself is like practicing for the test, and it’s one of the most effective methods of memory retention .

If it’s hard to remember the information at first, don’t worry; the struggle makes it more likely that you’ll remember it in the end.

7. Go Old-school: Use a Pen and Paper

The act of writing answers helps you remember the information. Here are some ways to use writing while studying:

• Recopy your notes
• Write the answers to flashcards
• Make a study sheet
• Practice writing essay answers

Writing by hand is best because it requires your attention and focus.

8. See It & Hear It

Say information out loud, and you’ll be more likely to remember it. You’re engaging your eyes as you read the words, your mouth as you say them, and your ears as you hear yourself.

Scientists call the benefit of speaking information aloud production effect .

Part 8 – Top 10 Study Hacks Backed by Science

1. Grab a Coffee

Drinking coffee (or your preferred high-octane beverage) while you study may help keep you alert so you don’t doze off mid-session. There’s even evidence that caffeine can improve your memory skills.

However, avoid sugary beverages. These could cause your energy level to crash in a few hours.

2. Reward Yourself

Studies show that giving yourself a reward for doing your work helps you enjoy the effort more.

Do it right away; don’t wait until the test is over to celebrate. For example, after finishing a three-hour study session, treat yourself to an ice cream cone or a relaxing bath.

3. Study with Others

Working with a study group holds you accountable so it’s harder to procrastinate on your work.

When you study together, you can fill in gaps in one another’s understanding, and you can quiz each other on the material.

Besides, studying with a group can be fun!

4. Meditate

It may be hard to imagine adding anything else to your packed schedule, but dedicating time to mindfulness practices can really pay off.

Studies show that people who meditate may perform better on tests , and they are generally more attentive.

Mindfulness apps can help you get started with this practice.

5. Hit the Gym

To boost the blood flow to your brain, do half an hour of cardio exercise before sitting down to study.

Aerobic exercise gives your brain a major dose of oxygen and other important nutrients, which may help you think clearly, remember facts and do your best work.

6. Play Some Music

Listening to tunes can help you focus. Studies show that the best study music is anything that features a rhythmic beat .

It’s smart to choose a style that you like. If you like classical, that’s fine, but you could also go for electronica or modern piano solos.

7. Grab Some Walnuts

A diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids helps your brain do its best work.

Good sources include:

• Fish: cod liver oil, salmon and mackerel
• Vegetables: spinach and Brussels sprouts

To calm your pre-test jitters, eat a mix of omega-3 and omega-6 foods.

8. Take Regular Breaks

Your brain needs some downtime. Don’t try to push through for hours on end. Every hour, take a break for several minutes.

Breaks are good for your mental health . They also improve your attention span, your creativity and your productivity.

During a break, it’s best to move around and exercise a bit.

9. Get Some Sleep

Although studying is important, it can’t come at the expense of your rest. Sleep gives your brain a chance to process the information that you’ve learned that day.

If you don’t get enough sleep, you’ll have a hard time focusing and remembering information.

Even during busy test weeks, try to get seven to nine hours of sleep each night.

10. Eliminate Distractions

It’s hard to get much studying done when you’re busy scrolling Instagram. Put away your phone and computer while studying, or at least block your social media apps.

Turn off the television while you work, too.

If you’re studying in a noisy area, put on headphones that can help block the distracting sounds.

Part 9 – The Best Study Apps

1. iStudiez Pro Legend

Scheduling study time is a must, and iStudiez Pro Legend lets you put study sessions, classes and assignments on your calendar. Color coding the entries can help you stay organized.

For each class, you can enter meeting times and homework assignments, and you can keep track of your grades.

2. Dragon Anywhere

Instead of writing notes in the margins of your textbooks, you can use Dragon Anywhere’s voice dictation feature to record your thoughts and insights.

Just be sure to rewrite your dictated notes in your own handwriting later for maximum learning!

3. Evernote

When you’re in school, you have a lot of responsibilities to juggle, but Evernote can help you organize them.

You can add notes and documents to store them in one digital spot, and tagging them will help you quickly pull up all files for a class or a topic.

4. Quizlet Go

Make digital flashcards that you can practice on your mobile device with Quizlet Go .

This means that you can pull out your phone for a quick study session whenever you have a couple of minutes of downtime. You don’t even need internet access to practice these flashcards.

5. My Study Life

Enter your upcoming tests and assignments into My Study Life , and the app will send you reminder messages.

The app has a calendar so you can keep track of your class schedule. It can even notify you when it’s time to go to class.

6. Exam Countdown Lite

You should start studying for tests at least a week in advance. Input the dates for your exams and assignments into Exam Countdown Lite so you’ll have a visual reminder of when you should begin your test prep.

The app can send you notifications as well.

7. Flashcards+

With Chegg’s Flashcards+ , you can make your own digital flashcards or use ones designed by others.

Because you can add images to your cards, you can quiz yourself on the names of famous artworks, important historical artifacts or parts of a scientific diagram.

Organize information into categories by creating a visual mind map on XMind . This can help you classify facts and figures so you see how they relate to one another.

This visual representation can also help you recall the information later.

9. ScannerPro

Do you have piles of handwritten notes everywhere? Once you have written them out, consider scanning them into digital form. ScannerPro lets you use your phone as a scanner.

You can store your scanned files in this app or transfer them to Evernote or another organization system.

Part 10 – Study Skills Worksheets

Could you use more help to develop your study skills? Rutgers University has dozens of study skills worksheets online .

These documents are packed with tips that can help you become a better student. The checklists and charts can help you evaluate your current strengths and organize your work.

Part 11 – Key Takeaways

You’re a busy person, so you need to make the most of every study session.

By now, you should understand the basics of effective studies:

• Schedule study time
• Study regularly
• Minimize distractions
• Read for information
• Write the important stuff down
• Use creative memory tricks
• Quiz yourself
• Be good to your body and your brain

Put these study tips to good use, and you’ll soon learn that you’ve learned how to study smarter.

Understanding Assignments

What this handout is about.

The first step in any successful college writing venture is reading the assignment. While this sounds like a simple task, it can be a tough one. This handout will help you unravel your assignment and begin to craft an effective response. Much of the following advice will involve translating typical assignment terms and practices into meaningful clues to the type of writing your instructor expects. See our short video for more tips.

Basic beginnings

Regardless of the assignment, department, or instructor, adopting these two habits will serve you well :

• Read the assignment carefully as soon as you receive it. Do not put this task off—reading the assignment at the beginning will save you time, stress, and problems later. An assignment can look pretty straightforward at first, particularly if the instructor has provided lots of information. That does not mean it will not take time and effort to complete; you may even have to learn a new skill to complete the assignment.
• Ask the instructor about anything you do not understand. Do not hesitate to approach your instructor. Instructors would prefer to set you straight before you hand the paper in. That’s also when you will find their feedback most useful.

Assignment formats

Many assignments follow a basic format. Assignments often begin with an overview of the topic, include a central verb or verbs that describe the task, and offer some additional suggestions, questions, or prompts to get you started.

An Overview of Some Kind

The instructor might set the stage with some general discussion of the subject of the assignment, introduce the topic, or remind you of something pertinent that you have discussed in class. For example:

“Throughout history, gerbils have played a key role in politics,” or “In the last few weeks of class, we have focused on the evening wear of the housefly …”

The Task of the Assignment

Pay attention; this part tells you what to do when you write the paper. Look for the key verb or verbs in the sentence. Words like analyze, summarize, or compare direct you to think about your topic in a certain way. Also pay attention to words such as how, what, when, where, and why; these words guide your attention toward specific information. (See the section in this handout titled “Key Terms” for more information.)

“Analyze the effect that gerbils had on the Russian Revolution”, or “Suggest an interpretation of housefly undergarments that differs from Darwin’s.”

Additional Material to Think about

Here you will find some questions to use as springboards as you begin to think about the topic. Instructors usually include these questions as suggestions rather than requirements. Do not feel compelled to answer every question unless the instructor asks you to do so. Pay attention to the order of the questions. Sometimes they suggest the thinking process your instructor imagines you will need to follow to begin thinking about the topic.

“You may wish to consider the differing views held by Communist gerbils vs. Monarchist gerbils, or Can there be such a thing as ‘the housefly garment industry’ or is it just a home-based craft?”

These are the instructor’s comments about writing expectations:

“Be concise”, “Write effectively”, or “Argue furiously.”

Technical Details

These instructions usually indicate format rules or guidelines.

“Your paper must be typed in Palatino font on gray paper and must not exceed 600 pages. It is due on the anniversary of Mao Tse-tung’s death.”

The assignment’s parts may not appear in exactly this order, and each part may be very long or really short. Nonetheless, being aware of this standard pattern can help you understand what your instructor wants you to do.

Interpreting the assignment

Ask yourself a few basic questions as you read and jot down the answers on the assignment sheet:

Why did your instructor ask you to do this particular task?

Who is your audience.

• What kind of evidence do you need to support your ideas?

What kind of writing style is acceptable?

• What are the absolute rules of the paper?

Try to look at the question from the point of view of the instructor. Recognize that your instructor has a reason for giving you this assignment and for giving it to you at a particular point in the semester. In every assignment, the instructor has a challenge for you. This challenge could be anything from demonstrating an ability to think clearly to demonstrating an ability to use the library. See the assignment not as a vague suggestion of what to do but as an opportunity to show that you can handle the course material as directed. Paper assignments give you more than a topic to discuss—they ask you to do something with the topic. Keep reminding yourself of that. Be careful to avoid the other extreme as well: do not read more into the assignment than what is there.

Of course, your instructor has given you an assignment so that they will be able to assess your understanding of the course material and give you an appropriate grade. But there is more to it than that. Your instructor has tried to design a learning experience of some kind. Your instructor wants you to think about something in a particular way for a particular reason. If you read the course description at the beginning of your syllabus, review the assigned readings, and consider the assignment itself, you may begin to see the plan, purpose, or approach to the subject matter that your instructor has created for you. If you still aren’t sure of the assignment’s goals, try asking the instructor. For help with this, see our handout on getting feedback .

Given your instructor’s efforts, it helps to answer the question: What is my purpose in completing this assignment? Is it to gather research from a variety of outside sources and present a coherent picture? Is it to take material I have been learning in class and apply it to a new situation? Is it to prove a point one way or another? Key words from the assignment can help you figure this out. Look for key terms in the form of active verbs that tell you what to do.

Key Terms: Finding Those Active Verbs

Here are some common key words and definitions to help you think about assignment terms:

Information words Ask you to demonstrate what you know about the subject, such as who, what, when, where, how, and why.

• define —give the subject’s meaning (according to someone or something). Sometimes you have to give more than one view on the subject’s meaning
• describe —provide details about the subject by answering question words (such as who, what, when, where, how, and why); you might also give details related to the five senses (what you see, hear, feel, taste, and smell)
• explain —give reasons why or examples of how something happened
• illustrate —give descriptive examples of the subject and show how each is connected with the subject
• summarize —briefly list the important ideas you learned about the subject
• trace —outline how something has changed or developed from an earlier time to its current form
• research —gather material from outside sources about the subject, often with the implication or requirement that you will analyze what you have found

Relation words Ask you to demonstrate how things are connected.

• compare —show how two or more things are similar (and, sometimes, different)
• contrast —show how two or more things are dissimilar
• apply —use details that you’ve been given to demonstrate how an idea, theory, or concept works in a particular situation
• cause —show how one event or series of events made something else happen
• relate —show or describe the connections between things

Interpretation words Ask you to defend ideas of your own about the subject. Do not see these words as requesting opinion alone (unless the assignment specifically says so), but as requiring opinion that is supported by concrete evidence. Remember examples, principles, definitions, or concepts from class or research and use them in your interpretation.

• assess —summarize your opinion of the subject and measure it against something
• prove, justify —give reasons or examples to demonstrate how or why something is the truth
• evaluate, respond —state your opinion of the subject as good, bad, or some combination of the two, with examples and reasons
• support —give reasons or evidence for something you believe (be sure to state clearly what it is that you believe)
• synthesize —put two or more things together that have not been put together in class or in your readings before; do not just summarize one and then the other and say that they are similar or different—you must provide a reason for putting them together that runs all the way through the paper
• analyze —determine how individual parts create or relate to the whole, figure out how something works, what it might mean, or why it is important
• argue —take a side and defend it with evidence against the other side

More Clues to Your Purpose As you read the assignment, think about what the teacher does in class:

• What kinds of textbooks or coursepack did your instructor choose for the course—ones that provide background information, explain theories or perspectives, or argue a point of view?
• In lecture, does your instructor ask your opinion, try to prove their point of view, or use keywords that show up again in the assignment?
• What kinds of assignments are typical in this discipline? Social science classes often expect more research. Humanities classes thrive on interpretation and analysis.
• How do the assignments, readings, and lectures work together in the course? Instructors spend time designing courses, sometimes even arguing with their peers about the most effective course materials. Figuring out the overall design to the course will help you understand what each assignment is meant to achieve.

Now, what about your reader? Most undergraduates think of their audience as the instructor. True, your instructor is a good person to keep in mind as you write. But for the purposes of a good paper, think of your audience as someone like your roommate: smart enough to understand a clear, logical argument, but not someone who already knows exactly what is going on in your particular paper. Remember, even if the instructor knows everything there is to know about your paper topic, they still have to read your paper and assess your understanding. In other words, teach the material to your reader.

Aiming a paper at your audience happens in two ways: you make decisions about the tone and the level of information you want to convey.

• Tone means the “voice” of your paper. Should you be chatty, formal, or objective? Usually you will find some happy medium—you do not want to alienate your reader by sounding condescending or superior, but you do not want to, um, like, totally wig on the man, you know? Eschew ostentatious erudition: some students think the way to sound academic is to use big words. Be careful—you can sound ridiculous, especially if you use the wrong big words.
• The level of information you use depends on who you think your audience is. If you imagine your audience as your instructor and they already know everything you have to say, you may find yourself leaving out key information that can cause your argument to be unconvincing and illogical. But you do not have to explain every single word or issue. If you are telling your roommate what happened on your favorite science fiction TV show last night, you do not say, “First a dark-haired white man of average height, wearing a suit and carrying a flashlight, walked into the room. Then a purple alien with fifteen arms and at least three eyes turned around. Then the man smiled slightly. In the background, you could hear a clock ticking. The room was fairly dark and had at least two windows that I saw.” You also do not say, “This guy found some aliens. The end.” Find some balance of useful details that support your main point.

You’ll find a much more detailed discussion of these concepts in our handout on audience .

The Grim Truth

With a few exceptions (including some lab and ethnography reports), you are probably being asked to make an argument. You must convince your audience. It is easy to forget this aim when you are researching and writing; as you become involved in your subject matter, you may become enmeshed in the details and focus on learning or simply telling the information you have found. You need to do more than just repeat what you have read. Your writing should have a point, and you should be able to say it in a sentence. Sometimes instructors call this sentence a “thesis” or a “claim.”

So, if your instructor tells you to write about some aspect of oral hygiene, you do not want to just list: “First, you brush your teeth with a soft brush and some peanut butter. Then, you floss with unwaxed, bologna-flavored string. Finally, gargle with bourbon.” Instead, you could say, “Of all the oral cleaning methods, sandblasting removes the most plaque. Therefore it should be recommended by the American Dental Association.” Or, “From an aesthetic perspective, moldy teeth can be quite charming. However, their joys are short-lived.”

Convincing the reader of your argument is the goal of academic writing. It doesn’t have to say “argument” anywhere in the assignment for you to need one. Look at the assignment and think about what kind of argument you could make about it instead of just seeing it as a checklist of information you have to present. For help with understanding the role of argument in academic writing, see our handout on argument .

What kind of evidence do you need?

There are many kinds of evidence, and what type of evidence will work for your assignment can depend on several factors–the discipline, the parameters of the assignment, and your instructor’s preference. Should you use statistics? Historical examples? Do you need to conduct your own experiment? Can you rely on personal experience? See our handout on evidence for suggestions on how to use evidence appropriately.

Make sure you are clear about this part of the assignment, because your use of evidence will be crucial in writing a successful paper. You are not just learning how to argue; you are learning how to argue with specific types of materials and ideas. Ask your instructor what counts as acceptable evidence. You can also ask a librarian for help. No matter what kind of evidence you use, be sure to cite it correctly—see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial .

You cannot always tell from the assignment just what sort of writing style your instructor expects. The instructor may be really laid back in class but still expect you to sound formal in writing. Or the instructor may be fairly formal in class and ask you to write a reflection paper where you need to use “I” and speak from your own experience.

Try to avoid false associations of a particular field with a style (“art historians like wacky creativity,” or “political scientists are boring and just give facts”) and look instead to the types of readings you have been given in class. No one expects you to write like Plato—just use the readings as a guide for what is standard or preferable to your instructor. When in doubt, ask your instructor about the level of formality they expect.

No matter what field you are writing for or what facts you are including, if you do not write so that your reader can understand your main idea, you have wasted your time. So make clarity your main goal. For specific help with style, see our handout on style .

Technical details about the assignment

The technical information you are given in an assignment always seems like the easy part. This section can actually give you lots of little hints about approaching the task. Find out if elements such as page length and citation format (see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial ) are negotiable. Some professors do not have strong preferences as long as you are consistent and fully answer the assignment. Some professors are very specific and will deduct big points for deviations.

Usually, the page length tells you something important: The instructor thinks the size of the paper is appropriate to the assignment’s parameters. In plain English, your instructor is telling you how many pages it should take for you to answer the question as fully as you are expected to. So if an assignment is two pages long, you cannot pad your paper with examples or reword your main idea several times. Hit your one point early, defend it with the clearest example, and finish quickly. If an assignment is ten pages long, you can be more complex in your main points and examples—and if you can only produce five pages for that assignment, you need to see someone for help—as soon as possible.

Tricks that don’t work

Your instructors are not fooled when you:

• spend more time on the cover page than the essay —graphics, cool binders, and cute titles are no replacement for a well-written paper.
• use huge fonts, wide margins, or extra spacing to pad the page length —these tricks are immediately obvious to the eye. Most instructors use the same word processor you do. They know what’s possible. Such tactics are especially damning when the instructor has a stack of 60 papers to grade and yours is the only one that low-flying airplane pilots could read.
• use a paper from another class that covered “sort of similar” material . Again, the instructor has a particular task for you to fulfill in the assignment that usually relates to course material and lectures. Your other paper may not cover this material, and turning in the same paper for more than one course may constitute an Honor Code violation . Ask the instructor—it can’t hurt.
• get all wacky and “creative” before you answer the question . Showing that you are able to think beyond the boundaries of a simple assignment can be good, but you must do what the assignment calls for first. Again, check with your instructor. A humorous tone can be refreshing for someone grading a stack of papers, but it will not get you a good grade if you have not fulfilled the task.

Critical reading of assignments leads to skills in other types of reading and writing. If you get good at figuring out what the real goals of assignments are, you are going to be better at understanding the goals of all of your classes and fields of study.

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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Ultimate Study Skills Guide: Tips, Tricks, and Strategies for Every Grade

Because they really do need to learn how to learn.

It’s not an exaggeration to say that study skills are life skills. Taking good notes, creating a focused workspace, managing distractions, making plans—any and all of these are skills people of all ages use every single day. Taking time to teach good study skills up front can equip students to succeed in school and beyond.

We’ve broken down many of the top study skills students need, including examples by grade level. Remember that there are a lot of different ways to study successfully. Offer students options and help them find the strategies that work best for them.

Study Spaces

Organization and time management study skills, learning styles, taking and using notes, effective reading study skills, completing assignments, test taking, finding help.

Choosing the right place to study is the first step to good study skills. Teach students to consider these elements.

Choose Your Space

For some students, this means a dedicated study space like a desk in their room. Others may prefer to curl up in a chair with a lap desk or work at a table in a common space. Whichever they choose, it should be an area that’s dedicated to study while they’re using it.

Source: organizeandarrangeit/Instagram

• Elementary School: Many students begin doing homework on the dining room or kitchen table, where parents can supervise. As students get older, encourage them to explore other spaces too, especially those where they can work independently.
• Middle School: By this age, kids will probably need a dedicated study space of their own, where they can keep supplies and works-in-progress. If that’s not possible, create a bin or box where they can store stuff while they’re not using it, then pull it out when it’s time to study.
• High School: Older students should be able to carve out a study space pretty much anywhere, since that’s something they’ll need to be able to do in the working world too. As long as they’re able to concentrate and get their work done, don’t be too picky about where they choose to do it.

Make Yourself Comfortable

“Comfortable” looks different for every person, so don’t assume all kids need to be sitting at a desk to work well. At the same time, they shouldn’t be so comfortable that they’ll fall asleep!

• Elementary School: When kids are doing independent reading, let them choose any spot they like. For other work, make sure they have a sturdy writing surface, like a table or lap desk. Ensure they have enough light to see what they’re doing, and teach them good posture if they’re sitting in a chair so they don’t develop stiff muscles.
• Middle and High School: Show them how to adjust the font size on screens so they’re not squinting to read. Encourage them to use blue light filters if they’re spending a lot of time on computers.

Manage Distractions

Learning to concentrate while ignoring distractions is a key life skill, and one that we all need to develop. Some students will have no trouble tuning things out, while others are going to need a lot of help with this one.

• Elementary School: Kids at this age are very easily distracted, so their study space should be as calm as possible. If a quiet room isn’t available, they might need noise-canceling headphones or even a white-noise machine to help them concentrate. Muting the TV isn’t enough—be sure it’s off completely. Remind friends and siblings to leave kids alone while they’re working.
• Middle School: These kids are old enough to recognize distractions but might still have trouble handling them. Encourage them to turn off phones and electronics (although some students are fine listening to music while they work). Students at this age are old enough to politely ask friends or family not to interrupt them while they work.
• High School: By this time, students know that the world is full of distractions and you can’t quiet them all. But you can teach them to mute their phone and messaging notifications, close all unnecessary windows on their laptops, and be firm about letting others know they need to be left alone to study.

Gather Your Supplies

One way to eliminate distractions is to ensure you have everything you need in place before you start. This includes books, notes, office supplies, and more. All kids should have water and some healthy snacks on hand too.

Source: jugglingactmama/Instagram

• Elementary School: Having a dedicated, well-stocked study space makes it much easier for kids to settle down to their work. Keep a supply of sharpened pencils, glue sticks, scissors, markers, and other items in a nearby drawer or a bin they can grab when they’re ready to get started.
• Middle School: Students this age likely keep just about everything they need in their backpacks, so they’ll want it nearby when they study. Remind them to restock their supplies once a week (including sharpening pencils in advance).
• High School: Depending on the assignment, these students may not need a lot of physical supplies, but they should still gather any books, notes, laptops, pens and highlighters, etc., they need before they settle in for a study session.

These two study skills are also vital life skills, so the sooner kids learn them, the better. They’ll be grateful later in life!

Use a Homework Planner

As soon as kids starting having any kind of homework, they need a planner. For younger students, this could be a daily take-home folder, while older kids will need a more sophisticated system. Either way, use it consistently so it becomes a habit.

• Elementary School: Take-home folders are perfect for organizing worksheets and other assignments. Put unfinished work on the left and finished work on the right. Use sticky notes on the worksheets or the front of the folder to write reminders about what needs to be done, including any due dates. Parents of younger students can review these folders each day, while upper elementary kids should mostly be able to keep track of things on their own.

Source: Busy Classroom

• Middle School: Use a planner notebook that includes calendars to help keep track of long-term assignments, with pages for daily notes and to-do lists. Teach students to make notes in them during class or immediately after, and start every study session by reviewing any current assignments and their due dates.

Source: Starts at Eight

• High School: Kids can continue using paper planners, or transition to online calendars or apps. Show them how to set useful reminders online, so things don’t slip through the cracks.

Source: LP Tutoring

Create a Daily Study Plan

When kids sit down to tackle the day’s work, encourage them to begin by making a plan. Assess what needs to be done, estimate the amount of time it will take, and decide what to do first.

Source: Beyond Booksmart

• Elementary School: Parents and young kids should sit down together to look over the day’s assignments and talk about what to work on first. Some students might like to get easy tasks out of the way before settling in to harder ones, while others prefer to handle more difficult things first. Help them find the method that works best for them.
• Middle School and High School: This age brings a higher amount of homework, so students should always start by determining how much time they’ll need to complete it. Let them experiment a bit—do they work best by completely finishing one assignment before moving on to the next, or do they like to do a little bit of each and take some breaks in between? Over time, they’ll find the methods they like best.

Chose the Best Study Time

Kids’ days are often jam-packed with activities, leaving homework and studying to get squeezed in whenever it fits. Take time to find out what time of day kids are at their best, and prioritize that time for study. For instance, if a student seems to learn better if they do their homework right after school, try to choose extracurriculars that meet in the evenings or weekends instead. Some students might even prefer to get up early in the morning and work, and that’s OK too as long as they’re getting enough sleep.

• Elementary School: Let kids try doing their homework at different times throughout the day, and see if there are times when they’re better at concentrating. If so, teach them to schedule their schoolwork during those times, and make extracurricular choices for them accordingly.
• Middle and High School: Students probably know by now when they work best, but busy schedules can make that more difficult to accommodate. Remind them to try to make smart choices and to tackle schoolwork when they’re feeling as fresh and alert as possible.

Keep Materials Neat and Organized

Some adults thrive in messy work spaces, and that’s OK. But kids should make an effort to keep their spaces and materials organized so they have fewer excuses for not getting things done.

Source: mywallpro/Instagram

• Elementary School: In early grades, parents should help kids go through their backpack each night, cleaning out trash and restocking supplies. Help them set up an organization system using the different pockets. Show them how to use different-color folders and notebooks for each subject, and clean out every folder regularly. Set the backpack by the front door each night so it’s ready to go in the morning. Upper grade students should gradually do some or all of these things on their own.
• Middle School: Transition to entirely managing backpacks and study spaces on their own. Parents might check in once a week or at the beginning of a school quarter to see if students need some assistance getting organized.
• High School: In addition to managing their physical study materials, ensure kids at this age know how to keep things organized online. Show them how to use files and folders, where to back things up, and how to manage their email and message inboxes. Encourage them to set aside a regular time to make sure everything is in order, and make improvements as needed.

Take Breaks

Students need both physical and mental brain breaks while they study! Remind kids to get up and move around regularly, rest their eyes, and give their brain a break for a few minutes every so often.

• Elementary School: Younger students should be able to work for about 15-20 minutes before taking a break, with upper grades going as long as 30 minutes. They usually won’t need reminders to take breaks, but they might need some help keeping those breaks to no more than 10 minutes or so.
• Middle School: These kids can work 30-45 minutes at a time and should learn to recognize the signs of needing a break on their own. When they start to get very fidgety, feel a headache coming on, squint while they’re reading, or feel hungry or thirsty, it’s time for a short break. Teach them to set a timer to know when the break is over and they need to get back to work.
• High School: By now, students can work an hour at a time but should be encouraged to take regular breaks all the same. In fact, just like adults, they should aim to get up and move for at least 5 minutes every hour. Physical activity like stretching, yoga, or even dancing to music will help refresh them so they can get back down to it. If they have trouble remembering to take breaks, have them set a timer to remind them.

All students use different learning methods to retain and understand the same information. Some like written words, some prefer to hear it and talk about it. Others need to do something with their hands or see images and diagrams. These are known as learning styles. While it’s important not to pigeonhole students into any one style, kids should be aware of any strengths they have and use them to create strong study skills.

Source:  Nnenna Walters

Know Your Style

There are four generally accepted styles: visual, auditory, read/write, and kinesthetic (movement). You can learn more about them here. It’s worth taking time to understand which (if any) style appeals to a student more.

• Elementary School: Most kids are exposed to a wide array of learning activities, strategies, and methods here and will slowly form preferences. If parents or teachers notice that kids aren’t learning well using one method (e.g., flash cards to learn math facts), have students try activities from different styles instead (like videos or songs).
• Middle School: At this age, students should have some idea of which study methods fit their learning styles. They should continue to experiment, especially in subjects where they struggle to master the material.
• High School: Kids in these grades who still don’t understand how they learn best may benefit from taking the VARK questionnaire . It will point them in the right direction and help them find the best study methods.

Choose Appropriate Study Materials

Here are some examples of study materials and activities that appeal to different learning styles, no matter the age or grade level.

Source: Elementary Shenanigans

• Visual: Diagrams; charts; graphs; maps; videos with or without sound; photos and other images; graphic organizers and sketchnotes
• Auditory: Lectures; audiobooks; videos with sound; music and songs; text-to-speech translation; discussion and debate; teaching others
• Read/Write: Reading textbooks, articles, and handouts; watching video with subtitles turned on; using speech-to-text translation and transcripts; making lists; writing answers to questions
• Kinesthetic: Hands-on practice; educational craft projects; experiments and demonstrations; trial and error; moving and playing games while learning

Study after study have shown the importance of actively taking notes rather than passively reading a handout later on. The act of writing engages different parts of the brain, forging new pathways that help students retain information in long-term memory. Taking good notes and using them properly are study skills every student needs to master.

Learn Different Note-Taking Strategies

There are a variety of good strategies, like outlines, the Cornell Method, sketchnotes, and more. There’s no one best method; it often depends on the material and the learner.

Source:  Think Insights

• Elementary School: Actively teach kids how to take notes in a variety of styles. Learn about seven top note-taking strategies here , and share them with your students. Teachers can start with handouts and graphic organizers but should slowly transition to more independent methods.
• Middle School: Students should be mastering the skill of taking their own notes, choosing a style that works best for them. They may need reminders of key points to capture but should now be able to isolate the important info.
• High School: Note-taking should be automatic by now, and many students will have developed preferred styles. Teachers should not insist on a specific note-taking strategy, but should ensure kids are capturing the information they need.

Organize and Review

Taking notes is just one part of the process. Students with good study skills also know how to use them effectively.

Source: The Mad Scientist

• Elementary School: Help students keep all notes from one subject or project in one notebook or folder. Show them how to place them in an order that makes sense, and use tabs, tables of contents, or other organizational methods. Encourage them to review each day’s notes when they go home at night, to reinforce the learning.
• Middle School: Students in these grades might want to reorganize their notes on their own when they get home, re-copying them or even typing them into a computer. They should be able to use effective organization strategies, to find the notes they need later on during a study session.
• High School: Students should plan to spend time after every class going over that day’s notes, reviewing and reinforcing what they learned. They should be able to rely heavily on their own notes when reviewing for a test or completing a project.

“Read chapter three for homework tonight.” Sounds simple enough, right? But there’s a big difference between skimming the material and actually learning from it. Here are the study skills students need to learn while they read.

Highlighting

Everybody loves a handful of colorful highlighters, but using them effectively is a study skill all on its own. Kids can highlight both texts and their own notes.

Source: cozmic_mae/Instagram

• Elementary School: Read material with students, showing them how to highlight key words and phrases instead of whole blocks of text. Show them color-coding strategies for organizing the information. Give them practice passages specifically for learning these skills.
• Middle School: Introduce students to online highlighting tools, since many of the texts they’ll be reading are digital. If necessary, they can print out reading material to highlight physically instead.
• High School: Kids should be pretty expert at highlighting by now, but watch for students who are still highlighting whole blocks without really knowing why, and show them the fundamentals.

Rereading and Taking Notes

In a lot of cases, reading something once simply isn’t enough. All students should learn to reread materials, using that time to highlight and take notes.

Source: SERC

• Elementary School: Reread passages together, pointing out key words, phrases, and ideas. Make notes while reading, both in the text and on separate paper. Try to complete review questions without referring to the text.
• Middle School: Students will know they’ve read thoroughly when they can complete review questions without looking back. Show students how to write their own review questions as they study (the Cornell Method of Note-Taking is perfect for this) so they’ll know they truly understand the material.
• High School: Continue to reinforce good reading study skills by giving students review questions to complete or asking them to make an outline or sketchnotes to sum up what they’ve learned.

Kids need to learn how to thoroughly complete an assignment, whether it’s a worksheet, an essay, or a term-long research project. These are the study skills they should know.

Understand the Assignment

Having a clear understanding of what’s being asked is so important. Otherwise, kids might wind up doing the wrong work, then having to tackle it all over again.

• Elementary School: Show kids how to carefully read directions at the beginning. Have them repeat back what they’re expected to do, and make notes if they need reminders. Teachers should provide instructions in writing whenever possible and make them clear and simple.
• Middle School: Encourage students to ask questions about assignments up front, or throughout if necessary. Continue to ensure they fully understand the directions before they start, especially when there are multiple steps.
• High School: By now, students should be able to make their own notes about expectations and can handle a series of more complicated steps. They should make a habit of reviewing all that information before they begin work.

Make a Plan

Once they know the expectations, students should plan how they’ll do the work.

• Elementary School: Help students evaluate the assignment and decide which parts they’ll do first. This is also a good time to estimate how long the work will take.
• Middle School: Encourage kids to think about how they like to approach assignments. Do they like doing easy problems first, then circling back around to harder stuff? Do they sometimes get stuck and frustrated? If so, how can they get “unstuck” and continue to make progress?
• High School: Many high school assignments are more complex, and students will need to lay out the steps to take. For instance, a research project might require choosing a topic, getting approval, starting research, planning a presentation, and giving the presentation, with multiple sub-steps in each. This all feels more manageable when you have a plan in place first.

Save Your Work

Such a basic study skill, and so extremely important!

• Elementary School: Help students ensure all assignments go back into the appropriate folders and all folders make it into their backpack when they’re done. Don’t leave things lying around where they can get lost.
• Middle and High School: In addition to keeping physical papers in order, be sure kids know how to save files online, including backing up their work. Many programs save automatically, but that’s not always the case. Show them how to keep backed-up files on an external drive or in the cloud, in case their hardware fails.

Review and Revise

Finishing the last problem on the page or typing the final word on a paper doesn’t mean you’re done. Good study skills means going back to review your work and make revisions.

Source: EnglishWritingTeacher.com

• Elementary School: Parents and younger kids should go back over completed homework together to make sure it’s complete and correct. Perform math problems “backwards” to see if the answers make sense. As kids get older, parents should remind them to review and check their answers on their own.
• Middle School: Students should regularly remember to check their answers before turning in an assignment. Advise them to make sure they’ve done everything they’ve been asked to, to the best of their ability.
• High School: Reviewing and revising should be automatic now. Writing assignments should include plans for multiple revisions. Teach students to use spell-check and grammar-check programs as needed, and encourage them to read their writing out loud to hear how it sounds.

Some kids naturally do well on tests, but others freeze up and forget everything they’ve learned . Fortunately, test-taking study skills are something kids can learn over time.

Source: Tammy DeShaw/The Owl Teacher

Review the Material

Kids should develop a variety of strategies for reviewing for a test, including review questions, flash cards, discussions, looking over notes, and more. It’s also important to follow a regular study schedule on any subject, instead of leaving all the review to the last minute.

• Elementary School: Whenever possible, adults should work with kids to help them study. Make flash cards, talk over the material together, sing spelling word songs—model good study skills for them to help them learn.
• Middle School: Help students continue to use a variety of review strategies. Teachers can provide review questions, set up study groups, and create online materials for them to use, just to name a few.
• High School: Kids should be coordinating their own review by now, whether independently or in groups. Make sure they know how to contact you if they have questions while they’re studying.

Get Rest and Eat Well

At any age, feeling your best is key to acing a test. Discourage students from staying up late to cram, and see that they have healthy meals and snacks on the day of the test. If they’re allowed, be sure they have bottled water on hand to stay hydrated before and during the test itself.

Tackle Easy Questions First

This one is especially important for students who have difficulty managing their time, or those who get incredibly nervous about tests. Focus on showing what you know, and build confidence as you go along.

• Elementary School: Teach kids to look over the entire test first so they can see what they’ll be expected to do. Tell them to ask questions right away if they have any. On the second run-through, they should answer any questions or problems they’re certain about. Finally, they can go back and handle more challenging questions, one at a time. In younger grades, practice this skill by using guided test-taking sessions.
• Middle School: Before a test, remind students of the process. Have them look the whole thing over first, and ask if anyone has any general questions before they begin. Monitor kids as they complete the test, and nudge along any who seem stuck on one particular question or section.
• High School: By now, kids should have the process down pat, but teachers should be aware of nervous test-takers and quietly remind them to focus on what they know.

Watch the Time

It’s a simple skill but a valuable one. Get kids used to glancing at the clock, but not obsessing over how much time is left.

• Elementary School: Tell kids how much time they have up front. Offer reminders several times, especially toward the end, but don’t do it in a way that amps up anxiety.
• Middle School: Make time expectations clear up front, and remind students once or twice of the remaining time as they work. Students should be glancing at the clock occasionally as they work; at the end of every page or section is a good rule of thumb. If they feel like they’re running out of time, remind them to use the “easy questions first” strategy.
• High School: Older students should be able to look over a test and compare it to the amount of time they have, so they know they’re working at the right pace. Teachers can offer a reminder halfway through and five minutes before the end.

Review Before Submitting

Just like with assignments, students should try to make time to review test answers before they turn it in. (And to make sure they put their names on their paper!)

• Elementary School: Actively ask students who are turning in their papers to go back to their seats and review their answers first. Build in a little extra test time so every student has a chance to review their work.
• Middle School: Remind students to review their work before submitting it when you pass out the tests. Offer additional reminders to those who regularly turn in work that needed another look.
• High School: Students should remember to build in time to look things over at the end as they start taking the test. The five-minute reminder toward the end is their cue to look over what they’ve done.

Even when you have terrific study skills, sometimes you need some assistance. Asking for help when you need it is something everyone needs to be able to do. While kids can’t expect adults to walk them through every step of the process, they should feel free to reach out for guidance when they need it.

Know How and When To Contact Teachers

Help students keep contact information handy and know the appropriate ways to contact their teachers as needed.

Source: StudentSavvy/Teachers Pay Teachers

• Elementary School: Most outside-school communication is between parents and teachers at this point, but kids should be encouraged to ask their own questions during the school day whenever possible. As they get older, parents should do their best to let kids take the lead.
• Middle School: Students should be almost entirely independent of parents when communicating with teachers now. They should know when teachers are available to chat in person (including before and after school, if possible). Adults can also show them how to write respectful emails or texts if teachers have made that contact information available.
• High School: At this point, students should be nearly 100% responsible for talking to their teachers when they need to. They should keep a contact list of email addresses, phone numbers, or other info. Additionally, they should recognize and respect preferred methods of contact.

Create Study Groups

While some kids work best on their own, many others thrive working with others to keep them on track and motivated. Setting up study buddies or groups enhances everyone’s study skills.

Source: MiddleWeb

• Elementary School: Parents will likely have to coordinate any in-person or online study sessions. Teachers can help by pairing students together as partners or for tutoring, and providing virtual study spaces when necessary.
• Middle School: As students get older, they should learn to seek out strong study partners. Help them recognize that their best friends may not always be the best choices when it comes to studying. Encourage them to have peers over to study, or to meet in public places like libraries.
• High School: Kids should be independently forming their own study support systems. However, they might ask teachers for help when they need one-on-one tutor recommendations. They may work together at school, at home, at the library, or online.

Use Resource Tools

There are more ways to learn and study than ever before. Help students find the right options to support their studies.

• Elementary School: Encourage students to look up answers in the right places: What does a word mean? Check the dictionary. When did the Civil War start? Here’s how to Google that. Help younger students use the resources to ensure they’re finding the information they need.
• Middle School: “Hey Google, how many moons does Jupiter have?” Kids this age know how to ask questions on the web. However, they need to learn how to make sure the answers are reliable. Teach them about primary sources (like following Wikipedia info back to its original source) and how to verify information in several different places.
• High School: A huge number of resources are online these days, so be sure students know where to find them and how to use them. Provide trusted online dictionaries and encyclopedias, show them how to seek out a thesaurus or rhyming dictionary, and guide them to video sites beyond YouTube, just to name a few.

How do you teach study skills in your classroom? Come share your ideas and ask for advice in the WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group on Facebook !

Plus, check out 15 life skills every teen should learn ..

You Might Also Like

42 Important Life Skills for Teens

Why not help your kids build these skills while they’re still at home? Continue Reading

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51 PROVEN Study Tips For Students (That Work Like A Charm In 2023)

by William Wadsworth | Last updated Aug 14, 2023 | First published on Apr 22, 2021 | 7 comments

Meet the expert

William Wadsworth

By William Wadsworth , the Cambridge University trained cognitive psychologist and specialist in how to study smarter, not harder. He leads the world’s largest research study on use of effective learning strategies, is regular exam prep expert for The Times , and hosts the Exam Study Expert podcast , with 1 million downloads to date.

Review and additional research by Dr Kerri Edinburgh .

These are the BEST exam study tips to help students build effective study skills. They’re simple, fast, and actionable, and based on the latest science.

I’m a memory psychologist and study productivity expert, and have taught thousands of students how to study more effectively over the years.

These are nothing more or less than the 51 all-time BEST science-backed tips, tricks and hacks to help you:

• Learn faster and remember more
• Make the most of your study time
• Write high-scoring assignments
• Create effective study goals
• Tackle exam day with confidence

They’re simple, fast and actionable – try them out TODAY and you’ll be acing your exams and improving your grades in no time.

Prefer to listen? Find these exam study tips as a podcast episode here:

Find the exam study tips you need by using these shortcuts to jump to the different sections of this article:

Are you ready to supercharge your studying? Read on!

Part 1: Study Tips For Mastering Your Student Mindset

Use these motivational study tips to keep calm and know your goals – so you can get your head in the study zone!

1. Find Your “Why”

According to the renowned Simon Sinek, motivation starts with why * , so make sure you’ve got the answer clear before you do anything else.

Ask: what is this subject designed to teach me?

Knowledge? A skill for a later course or career? Tenacity, creativity, resilience?

Or simply the grades to get you where you’re going?

Think beyond the obvious, challenge yourself to come up with 10 reasons. For inspiration, try these suggestions .

2. Don’t Fear Your Boundaries

Remember that everything you want is just outside your comfort zone .

Otherwise… you would have it already!

3. Have Alternative Ways To Win The Day

For all it’s great to push your comfort zone, when you do, there will be good days and… less good days.

That’s all part of the process.

But to reduce feelings of disappointment, consider setting up alternative goals for each day.

If you have a bad day on your dissertation, you can make up for it with a personal best on your run or in the gym. Or by trying a recipe you’ve always wanted to make, or remembering to call your Mum.

4. Reinforce Your Progress

Once you start making progress, track it, to feed yet more motivation.

I’m 30 years old and I still have a gold star chart on the wall to track the weekly actions and long-term milestones for growing Exam Study Expert. This stuff is simple, but it works!

I like to get a calendar on the wall, and tick off each day I did what I set out to do. There’s a real satisfaction that comes from building your “streak” of days.

5. Play The “Yet” Game

This is one of my favourite exam study tips: Play the “yet” game.

Never say you can’t do something. Only that you can’t do it YET .

Not good at Math(s)? Make that “I’m not good at Math(s)… YET”.

It acknowledges your present reality in a very honest way, while also opening the mental door to future possibilities. It’s all about the power of growth mindset, as developed by Carol Dweck . Check out our handy guide , or try her book Mindset to learn more!

6. Take The Pressure Off With A Great Plan B

If you’re feeling stressed out and overwhelmed by a single-minded long-term goal, add in a plan B .

Ask: What’s my alternative outcome?

Put mental effort and research time into finding reasons to be excited about your Plan B.

Go ahead and shoot for the moon AND have a viable alternative destination in mind. It will take the pressure off, and in some cases can make it more likely you achieve Plan A, because you’re less anxious and burned-out.

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My Top 6 Strategies To Study Smarter and Ace Your Exams

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Part 2: Study Tips To Supercharge Your Productivity: Time Management & Study Routines

Apply these simple exam study tips to build yourself an effortlessly effective study routine , and get productive TODAY.

7. Just Do It (Now)

If it takes less than 5 minutes, do it right now , rather than making a plan to do it later.

Your to-do list will thank you!

8. Never Know Where The Time Goes?

Try this experiment for, say, a week: record how you spend each day, each hour, each 10-minute chunk of time, and include every activity.

You might just be in for a few surprises about what you’re doing with your days.

9. Study Tip For Overcoming Procrastianation: Break It Down

Studying often comes down to big projects: big tests to study for in school or college, big essays and assignments.

There’s nothing like a big, hairy, fuzzy goal to unleash your inner procrastinator.

So if you’re procrastinating on a big project break it down into milestones . If you’re procrastinating on a milestone, break it down further into an inchpebble .

Tiny, incredibly specific goals that give you the momentum to do more AND carry on.

Read one paper abstract. Write two sentences. Come up with your headings structure.

And once you’ve done one inchpebble, do another! Keep going, and before long, you’ll be deep into it.

10. Stay Sane While Studying With Effective Compartmentalisation

Spending a lot of time in one place, especially if it’s just one room? Use every trick in the book to compartmentalise your life : by time, by space, even by the clothes you wear.

• Time – have a timetable and know when it’s time to study and when it’s time to rest.
• Space – have different spaces within the room for studying, resting, working out and sleeping, even if that’s just different corners of the same room.
• Clothes – even consider changing your clothes to help mark the transition from work time to relaxation time.

Your brain is surprisingly sensitive to these kinds of environmental cues, and they will really help you stay focused when it’s time to study, and relax when the work is done.

Above all else, don’t ever study on your bed!

11. Use This Quick Study Tip To Kick-Start Your Day

Start the day by eating a frog , and you’ll know that’s the worst thing that can happen to you all day, DONE.

If you get your most aversive task done first, preferably by 11am, that will give you more momentum and energy to carry you through the day.

This is called the “Eat The Frog” time management technique, made famous by productivity legend Brian Tracy , who was on the Exam Study Expert podcast recently.

12. Know When To Stop

Have a guilt-free stopping time for the night, and stick to it .

This might sound counter-intuitive as an exam study tip but it’s an important one! Enjoying some proper time off will increase your motivation and productivity the following day.

13. Make Time Off Quality Time Off

Remember that time you enjoy wasting is not time wasted !

Don’t live your life in the “dark playground” of the procrastinator, doing neither productive work nor doing things you truly enjoy.

Schedule quality time for each activity, work and rest, and use it well.

14. One Calendar To Rule It All

If you want to make something happen, put it on the calendar .

Make sure that everything you want to achieve each day is on the calendar and part of your study routine – that includes time to look after yourself, as well as academic activities.

Do you have time blocked out for exercise? If not, add some now!

15. Don’t Bite Off More (Studying) Than You Can Chew

In other words, never knowingly embark on a plan for the day that you know you’ll fail .

Ask: Is there too much in the calendar or to-do list for today?

If the answer is yes, make the hard choices right now and cut or scale back activities so that you stand a fighting chance of delivering on your intentions.

Make your daily study goal achievable.

16. What If I Miss?

If you miss your “achievable goals” for the day three days in a row, then recognise that they’re not achievable goals for you – YET .

Make them smaller.

Stop aiming to study for 6 hours a day; try 3.

Stop trying to fit in 2 hours studying before breakfast; try half an hour.

Make it something that you can absolutely achieve, no matter how little energy or willpower you have that day.

You can build back up as your stamina grows!

Part 3: Study Tips To Maximise Focus And Concentrate For Longer

Use these study tips built for students to help you level up your concentration.

No more mind-wandering and distractions.

It’s time to get focused on your studies.

17. [TOP STUDY TIP] Do One Thing

A distracted brain is a sick brain: stop multitasking .

Technology distractions from your phone, laptop and more are a major problem in academia , associated with lower performance for students in school, college and university.

So: turn the phone off, and put all other distractions away and out of sight.

18. Distraction-Proof Your Laptop

But what if you need your laptop to study?

If you really must keep the laptop on when you’re studying, get rid of the distractions with this three-step method:

• Set impossible-to-remember passwords for Netflix, social media and anything else distracting.
• Write the passwords down on paper and store them as far away from your study desk as possible.
• Log out of everything, and get to down to some distraction-free studying!

19. Motivational Study Tip: Make Your Environment Your Ally

If you can’t focus, change your environment .

Go to a library if you can – they’re great for that study atmosphere.

If that’s not physically an option for you then try the next best thing:

Study to the sounds of the Bodleian Library at the University of Oxford, and let the library soundscape transport you to a world of intense, studious concentration.

Listening to music can also help you concentrate!

20. Keep A Distractions List

If your brain’s buzzing with thoughts while you’re studying, make a distractions list .

Write them down, get them out of your head, and keep your mind clear so you can focus on the task at hand .

(The same tip applies if you’re struggling to fall asleep because you’ve got too many buzzing thoughts – keep a little list by your bed, write it all down and worry about it later!)

21. Study Tip For Training Your Concentration Muscle

If your attention is weak, try meditating .

It’s like a workout for concentration, helping you focus harder and for longer.

One of my favourite study tips for students, this also works for calming exam nerves!

And as a bonus tip: I wholeheartedly recommend that you get started on your meditation journey using Headspace . They have loads of fantastic content tailored for students, from sleep soundscapes and focus playlists to exam stress mediations. You can click here to get started with Headspace for free. Plus, you can learn all about the Headspace app in my thorough, honest review!* **

22. Make Hydration A Habit While Studying

If you struggle to remember to stay hydrated , start the day with a generous glass or bottle of water.

You can even pour it the night before! Refill it and keep it by your study desk throughout the day.

You’ll habitually start sipping from it, you’ll be more hydrated, and your performance and concentration will improve. Win!

23. Are You Getting Enough Sleep?

If the only thing you have energy for is TV or playing on your phone, ask yourself whether you’re getting enough sleep !

Regular sleep is important for reducing stress, improving your health and even boosting your memory !

Check out sleep expert and neuroscientist Matthew Walker’s TED Talk for tips on better sleep that could really help students.

24. Take Regular Breaks: Study Tip For Improved Focus

Remember to take regular breaks – at least a few mins off each hour, a few hours off each day.

It will work wonders for your focus!

Part 4: Science-Backed Exam Study Tips To Learn Faster & Remember More

These proven tips and tricks will take your study skills to the next level – killer study sessions, here you come!

25. [TOP STUDY TIP] Pull It OUT, Don’t Push It In

Testing yourself isn’t just about checking whether you know something or not.

Testing is actually when the learning happens – it’s called retrieval practice .

It’s widely regarded by psychologists as the most important strategy to help you learn faster and remember for longer, and as such is probably the single best exam study tip for students I can offer.

If you’re new to the idea, read my article on memorisation techniques for exams for details and lots of practical advice.

26. Feel The Burn When You Learn!

The most effective retrieval practice is when it feels challenging to remember the information .

So if it feels too easy to accurately remember what you need to know, leave longer time gaps before re-testing yourself.

(It’s called “ spaced learning “, also known as spaced repetition.)

27. Don’t “Cheat” Your Retrieval Practice

Don’t make the mistake of reading through your notes as a refresher before doing a retrieval practice session.

The best retrieval practice SHOULD feel hard , which means coming into your re-test cold, without a refresher immediately beforehand.

28. Familiarity Doesn’t Mean Knowing

Don’t confuse being familiar with what you’re studying with actually knowing it!

Just because something looks familiar when you read it doesn’t mean you can actually reproduce it from memory.

Work to improve your memory with retrieval practice and spaced learning .

29. Ditch Neat & Beautiful, Aim For FAST

When it comes to your study materials, make them fast, train with them slow .

In other words, overly beautiful study resources are ineffective because they prioritise style over substance and leave you less time to learn the content. Ugly works great!

Save your time for training: retrieval practice and testing yourself on what you know.

30. Test Yourself After A Break

A simple but effective study tip that is great for exam revision:

Get in the habit of using the first 5 mins after a break to test yourself on what you just did in the previous study session before your break.

31. Less Is More On Flashcards

Flashcards are a fabulous way to do retrieval practice.

If you’re using flashcards , remember that the whole point is to test yourself on the information on the back based on a question or cue on the front.

Don’t put so much on the back that you can’t remember it all in one go!

32. Study Tip For Students Who Make Notes

As a means of learning, note-making is a terrible idea: you learn slow and forget fast (the opposite of what you’re aiming for!).

But if you spend a lot of time making notes, I have good news:

Switch to my “Q&A Ultranotes” technique for VASTLY improved memory results!

Split your page in half, and put questions down the left-hand side, answers down the right.

Then cover the right-hand side, and test yourself on the questions – beautiful retrieval practice!

33. Practice Papers Properly With This Study Tip

For practice papers , do your practice in two stages:

• Stage 1 : test yourself with your notes and books closed!
• Stage 2 : check what you got right.

Don’t be tempted to combine Stages 1 and 2! Keep them separate.

That will help you to:

34. Learn From Your Mistakes

Pay attention to your mistakes, learn from them , and prioritise revisiting them.

Humans evolved to learn more from things we find surprising. And making a mistake is in some small way, surprising. So when you catch anything you’ve misremembered, you’re much more likely to remember it next time around.

35. Right Once Isn’t Right Forever

Remember that getting something right once doesn’t mean you’ll get it right forever .

You still need to test yourself on it on a different day. Make time to do so!

See this study by renowned learning psychologists Kornell & Bjork that showed “dropping” flashcards you know from a pack hurts your test score.

36. Get More From Re-Reading With This Study Tip

As a way to learn, re-reading is even WORSE than note-making!

But if you must re-read your books and notes, there are some ways to get more out of the exercise.

For a slight benefit, add highlighting or underlining of the key words.

For a much bigger benefit , pre-test yourself on the topic by scribbling down whatever you can remember about it BEFORE you do the reading.

37. Top Study Tip For Math(s) Students: Mix Up Your Practice

Use interleaving to add an extra challenge to your study sessions by jumbling up your practice.

Need an example?

Rather than doing an hour of math(s) differentiation followed by an hour of integration, mix it up! Switch back and forth between a couple of differentiation problems, then a couple of integration problems.

This works a charm in math(s), but also in practising science problems, language grammar exercises, and even for training physical skills.

In the original famous study that got the world excited about interleaving, researchers found a 25-percentage-point test score improvement from interleaving ( Rohrer & Taylor, 2007 ).

Part 5: Tips For Crushing Essays, Assignments & Tricky Problems

I know you can nail this – because these are the BEST study tips to whip your assignments into shape and get you into a great place for your exams!

38. Study Tip For Top Marks In Essays: Use Signposts

Make sure you’re signposting clearly in your writing.

• Tell your reader what you’re going to write about ( first, second, third ).
• Then point out where you are in the structure as you write about it.
• Use headings to separate your arguments.

39. One Step At A Time

This useful exam study tip is a great reminder to break up your essay or assignment into more stages (similar to Tip #9 !).

If you’re writing a first draft, don’t be afraid to be rough or sketch-y at first.

It’s often easier to do a rough pass and then polish it up later, than try to produce polished prose first time round.

And ironically, by breaking it up into more stages you often get the final result quicker!

40. If You’re Lost, Make A Map

Sketch out the big building blocks of the topic.

This study tip works whether you’re trying to craft an essay or get your head round a tricky chapter you need to learn for an exam.

Use post-it notes if you want, so you can move the building blocks around as your understanding or ideas evolve.

41. If You’re Stuck, Take A Walk

This is a favourite exam study tip of mine as it has so many benefits!

If you’re getting stuck with your task , take a walk , preferably in nature.

It’s great for creativity and problem solving, and lets you return with fresh eyes and fresh energy.

42. Capture The Unexpected Ideas

Good ideas often come to us when we least expect them (not least when we’re out for a walk!).

Capture them in the moment – the notes app on your phone is often a good place to go.

I even know people that have waterproof notebooks in the shower for when mid-shower inspiration strikes!

43. Understand The Components

If you don’t understand the component parts , you’ll have no chance of understanding the whole.

Pause what you’re trying to do, and spend time zooming in on those little details , getting comfortable with anything you don’t properly understand.

That could mean going and looking up definitions, terminology, or better still, spending a moment memorising those key component parts. Then when you go back to the whole it all should make a lot more sense!

If you still can’t make sense of it, try a different explanation : Places like YouTube and Khan Academy are great places to try for alternatively explained videos.

44. Don’t Fall At The Final Hurdle

Get into the editing mindset and make sure you complete the final steps checklist . Don’t let careless mistakes drag your grade down:

• Double check your formatting is spot on and consistent!
• Have you included and checked all your references, cross-references and figures?
• Proofread carefully before handing in – know yourself and the common errors you make, and make use of available tools (like Grammarly **).

Part 6: The BEST Study Tips For Stellar Exam Performance

It’s exam day and you’re READY. How do I know? Because you’re going to use these study tips for students who ACE their exams:

45. Immunise Yourself Against Nerves

Take a vaccine against exam-day nerves .

How? By taking mocks under timed conditions to get used to performing under pressure.

46. Prioritise Planning

If your paper includes long written answers or essays, be generous in the time you allocate to planning .

Spending at least a quarter of your time just planning your response can be a fantastic investment of your time.

Try it out and feel the difference it makes!

47. Cheat-Sheets Without Cheating (yes, really!)

Don’t be afraid to use cheat sheets : and I don’t mean bring them into exams, that’s cheating and will land you in trouble!

I mean spending the first few minutes of the exam writing out any mission-critical information you’ll need throughout the paper, such as:

• All the key formulas you’ve got to know for maths and science.
• Grammar tables for languages.

48. Master The Questions … With A Pen

When we read, our eyes don’t focus on every word, they move in jumps called saccades .

Don’t let a combination of stress and your eyes’ natural saccadic movements let you skip over key words in a question!

Read with a pen in hand and underline key words and commands in the question.

If you’re taking a paper on the computer, you can use your mouse to follow along or temporarily highlight those keywords in the question as well.

It’s an often under-used exam study tip, but one that will serve you well in combatting those exam nerves!

49. Don’t Fly Blind

Have a clear gameplan for how you’ll spend time in the exam.

Plan it out: How long am I going to allocate to each section?

50. Find The Best Order For You

The order the exam paper is set is not necessarily the best order for you to tackle it in.

Be strategic, and don’t be afraid to work in a different order than set out in the paper.

Include details like this in your exam paper gameplan !

Congratulations!

You made it! I hope these exam study tips for students have got you feeling SUPER inspired to boost your studying game.

What was your favourite tip? Have you got any to add? Tell us in the comments section below!

Here’s my final (and important!) BONUS TIP :

51. Outsmart Your Exams

For many more strategies to score maximum marks on exam day, you might like to check out my book on the subject, Outsmart Your Exams .

You won’t be disappointed, it’s awesome and action-packed.

Another great way to get regular access to proven, science-backed tips and hints is to join the Exam Study Expert newsletter . It’s full of killer strategies that will have you studying smarter and boosting your grades in no time. Sign up below and download my free exam success cheat sheet today!

As always, I wish you every success in your studies!

The Science Of Studying Smart

Download my free exam success cheat sheet: all my #1 must-know strategies to supercharge your learning today.

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* As an Amazon Associate, I may earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you. I make these recommendations based on personal experience and because I think they are genuinely helpful and useful, not because of the small commissions I receive.

** Please note : Grammarly is one of very few products I’m sufficiently enthusiastic about to recommend to my readers, and I may earn a small commission if you sign up to Grammarly services through the above link.

*** I may get compensated if you use Headspace , but this has no bearing on my decision to recommend it to you. In fact, I had been personally using and enthusiastically recommending Headspace for 3-4 years before we started our commercial partnership.

his is a really helpful content blog. Thanks you very so much

Amazing informative blog Actually you are right This guide is one of the best—- I’ve found online! I’ve been looking for something just like this for my middle and high school students! Thanks so much for sharing!!

You’re welcome, glad you found it helpful 😀

– William

This is Very helfull Blog and informative content

Great blog, these tips are very informative and useful

Most Amazing information in This Blog Thanks For Sharing this

Can’t say more than I’m genuinely thankful 🙏 🙌 😌 💛 ✨️ ❤️

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Listen To The Podcast

• Steps for writing assignments
• Information and services
• Student support
• Study skills and learning advice
• Study skills and learning advice overview
• Assignment writing

Follow this step-by-step guide to assignment writing to help you to manage your time and produce a better assignment.

This is a general guide. It's primarily for research essays, but can be used for all assignments. The specific requirements for your course may be different. Make sure you read through any assignment requirements carefully and ask your lecturer or tutor if you're unsure how to meet them.

• Analysing the topic
• Researching and note-taking
• Planning your assignment
• Writing your assignment
• Editing your assignment

1. Analysing the topic

Before you start researching or writing, take some time to analyse the assignment topic to make sure you know what you need to do.

Understand what you need to do

Read through the topic a few times to make sure you understand it. Think about the:

• learning objectives listed in the course profile – understand what you should be able to do after completing the course and its assessment tasks
• criteria you'll be marked on – find out what you need to do to achieve the grade you want
• questions you need to answer – try to explain the topic in your own words.

Identify keywords

Identify keywords in the topic that will help guide your research, including any:

• task words – what you have to do (usually verbs)
• topic words – ideas, concepts or issues you need to discuss (often nouns)
• limiting words – restrict the focus of the topic (e.g. to a place, population or time period).

If you're writing your own topic, include task words, topic words and limiting words to help you to focus on exactly what you have to do.

Example keyword identification - text version

Topic: Evaluate the usefulness of a task analysis approach to assignment writing, especially with regard to the writing skill development of second language learners in the early stages of university study in the Australian university context.   Task words: Evaluate Topic words: task analysis approach, assignment writing, writing skill development Limiting words : second language learners (population), early stages of university (time period), Australian university (place)  

Brainstorm your ideas

Brainstorm information about the topic that you:

• already know
• will need to research to write the assignment.

When you brainstorm:

• use 'Who? What? When? Where? Why? and How?' questions to get you thinking
• write down all your ideas – don't censor yourself or worry about the order
• try making a concept map to capture your ideas – start with the topic in the centre and record your ideas branching out from it.
• Assignment types
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Our advisers can help undergraduate and postgraduate students in all programs clarify ideas from workshops, help you develop skills and give feedback on assignments.

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5 tips on writing better university assignments

Lecturer in Student Learning and Communication Development, University of Sydney

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Alexandra Garcia does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

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University life comes with its share of challenges. One of these is writing longer assignments that require higher information, communication and critical thinking skills than what you might have been used to in high school. Here are five tips to help you get ahead.

1. Use all available sources of information

Beyond instructions and deadlines, lecturers make available an increasing number of resources. But students often overlook these.

For example, to understand how your assignment will be graded, you can examine the rubric . This is a chart indicating what you need to do to obtain a high distinction, a credit or a pass, as well as the course objectives – also known as “learning outcomes”.

Other resources include lecture recordings, reading lists, sample assignments and discussion boards. All this information is usually put together in an online platform called a learning management system (LMS). Examples include Blackboard , Moodle , Canvas and iLearn . Research shows students who use their LMS more frequently tend to obtain higher final grades.

If after scrolling through your LMS you still have questions about your assignment, you can check your lecturer’s consultation hours.

2. Take referencing seriously

Plagiarism – using somebody else’s words or ideas without attribution – is a serious offence at university. It is a form of cheating.

In many cases, though, students are unaware they have cheated. They are simply not familiar with referencing styles – such as APA , Harvard , Vancouver , Chicago , etc – or lack the skills to put the information from their sources into their own words.

To avoid making this mistake, you may approach your university’s library, which is likely to offer face-to-face workshops or online resources on referencing. Academic support units may also help with paraphrasing.

You can also use referencing management software, such as EndNote or Mendeley . You can then store your sources, retrieve citations and create reference lists with only a few clicks. For undergraduate students, Zotero has been recommended as it seems to be more user-friendly.

Using this kind of software will certainly save you time searching for and formatting references. However, you still need to become familiar with the citation style in your discipline and revise the formatting accordingly.

3. Plan before you write

If you were to build a house, you wouldn’t start by laying bricks at random. You’d start with a blueprint. Likewise, writing an academic paper requires careful planning: you need to decide the number of sections, their organisation, and the information and sources you will include in each.

Research shows students who prepare detailed outlines produce higher-quality texts. Planning will not only help you get better grades, but will also reduce the time you spend staring blankly at the screen thinking about what to write next.

During the planning stage, using programs like OneNote from Microsoft Office or Outline for Mac can make the task easier as they allow you to organise information in tabs. These bits of information can be easily rearranged for later drafting. Navigating through the tabs is also easier than scrolling through a long Word file.

4. Choose the right words

Which of these sentences is more appropriate for an assignment?

a. “This paper talks about why the planet is getting hotter”, or b. “This paper examines the causes of climate change”.

The written language used at university is more formal and technical than the language you normally use in social media or while chatting with your friends. Academic words tend to be longer and their meaning is also more precise. “Climate change” implies more than just the planet “getting hotter”.

To find the right words, you can use SkELL , which shows you the words that appear more frequently, with your search entry categorised grammatically. For example, if you enter “paper”, it will tell you it is often the subject of verbs such as “present”, “describe”, “examine” and “discuss”.

Another option is the Writefull app, which does a similar job without having to use an online browser.

5. Edit and proofread

If you’re typing the last paragraph of the assignment ten minutes before the deadline, you will be missing a very important step in the writing process: editing and proofreading your text. A 2018 study found a group of university students did significantly better in a test after incorporating the process of planning, drafting and editing in their writing.

You probably already know to check the spelling of a word if it appears underlined in red. You may even use a grammar checker such as Grammarly . However, no software to date can detect every error and it is not uncommon to be given inaccurate suggestions.

So, in addition to your choice of proofreader, you need to improve and expand your grammar knowledge. Check with the academic support services at your university if they offer any relevant courses.

Written communication is a skill that requires effort and dedication. That’s why universities are investing in support services – face-to-face workshops, individual consultations, and online courses – to help students in this process. You can also take advantage of a wide range of web-based resources such as spell checkers, vocabulary tools and referencing software – many of them free.

Improving your written communication will help you succeed at university and beyond.

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Writing Assignments

Kate Derrington; Cristy Bartlett; and Sarah Irvine

Introduction

Assignments are a common method of assessment at university and require careful planning and good quality research. Developing critical thinking and writing skills are also necessary to demonstrate your ability to understand and apply information about your topic.  It is not uncommon to be unsure about the processes of writing assignments at university.

• You may be returning to study after a break
• You may have come from an exam based assessment system and never written an assignment before
• Maybe you have written assignments but would like to improve your processes and strategies

This chapter has a collection of resources that will provide you with the skills and strategies to understand assignment requirements and effectively plan, research, write and edit your assignments.  It begins with an explanation of how to analyse an assignment task and start putting your ideas together.  It continues by breaking down the components of academic writing and exploring the elements you will need to master in your written assignments. This is followed by a discussion of paraphrasing and synthesis, and how you can use these strategies to create a strong, written argument. The chapter concludes with useful checklists for editing and proofreading to help you get the best possible mark for your work.

Task Analysis and Deconstructing an Assignment

It is important that before you begin researching and writing your assignments you spend sufficient time understanding all the requirements. This will help make your research process more efficient and effective. Check your subject information such as task sheets, criteria sheets and any additional information that may be in your subject portal online. Seek clarification from your lecturer or tutor if you are still unsure about how to begin your assignments.

The task sheet typically provides key information about an assessment including the assignment question. It can be helpful to scan this document for topic, task and limiting words to ensure that you fully understand the concepts you are required to research, how to approach the assignment, and the scope of the task you have been set. These words can typically be found in your assignment question and are outlined in more detail in the two tables below (see Table 19.1 and Table 19.2 ).

Table 19.1 Parts of an Assignment Question

Make sure you have a clear understanding of what the task word requires you to address.

Table 19.2 Task words

The criteria sheet , also known as the marking sheet or rubric, is another important document to look at before you begin your assignment. The criteria sheet outlines how your assignment will be marked and should be used as a checklist to make sure you have included all the information required.

The task or criteria sheet will also include the:

• Word limit (or word count)
• Referencing style and research expectations
• Formatting requirements

Task analysis and criteria sheets are also discussed in the chapter Managing Assessments for a more detailed discussion on task analysis, criteria sheets, and marking rubrics.

Preparing your ideas

Brainstorm or concept map:  List possible ideas to address each part of the assignment task based on what you already know about the topic from lectures and weekly readings.

Finding appropriate information: Learn how to find scholarly information for your assignments which is

See the chapter Working With Information for a more detailed explanation .

What is academic writing?

Academic writing tone and style.

Many of the assessment pieces you prepare will require an academic writing style.  This is sometimes called ‘academic tone’ or ‘academic voice’.  This section will help you to identify what is required when you are writing academically (see Table 19.3 ). The best way to understand what academic writing looks like, is to read broadly in your discipline area.  Look at how your course readings, or scholarly sources, are written. This will help you identify the language of your discipline field, as well as how other writers structure their work.

Table 19.3 Comparison of academic and non-academic writing

Thesis statements

Essays are a common form of assessment that you will likely encounter during your university studies. You should apply an academic tone and style when writing an essay, just as you would in in your other assessment pieces. One of the most important steps in writing an essay is constructing your thesis statement.  A thesis statement tells the reader the purpose, argument or direction you will take to answer your assignment question. A thesis statement may not be relevant for some questions, if you are unsure check with your lecturer. The thesis statement:

• Directly  relates to the task .  Your thesis statement may even contain some of the key words or synonyms from the task description.
• Does more than restate the question.
• Is specific and uses precise language.
• Let’s your reader know your position or the main argument that you will support with evidence throughout your assignment.
• The subject is the key content area you will be covering.
• The contention is the position you are taking in relation to the chosen content.

Your thesis statement helps you to structure your essay.  It plays a part in each key section: introduction, body and conclusion.

Planning your assignment structure

When planning and drafting assignments, it is important to consider the structure of your writing. Academic writing should have clear and logical structure and incorporate academic research to support your ideas.  It can be hard to get started and at first you may feel nervous about the size of the task, this is normal. If you break your assignment into smaller pieces, it will seem more manageable as you can approach the task in sections. Refer to your brainstorm or plan. These ideas should guide your research and will also inform what you write in your draft. It is sometimes easier to draft your assignment using the 2-3-1 approach, that is, write the body paragraphs first followed by the conclusion and finally the introduction.

Writing introductions and conclusions

Clear and purposeful introductions and conclusions in assignments are fundamental to effective academic writing. Your introduction should tell the reader what is going to be covered and how you intend to approach this. Your conclusion should summarise your argument or discussion and signal to the reader that you have come to a conclusion with a final statement.  These tips below are based on the requirements usually needed for an essay assignment, however, they can be applied to other assignment types.

Writing introductions

Most writing at university will require a strong and logically structured introduction. An effective introduction should provide some background or context for your assignment, clearly state your thesis and include the key points you will cover in the body of the essay in order to prove your thesis.

Usually, your introduction is approximately 10% of your total assignment word count. It is much easier to write your introduction once you have drafted your body paragraphs and conclusion, as you know what your assignment is going to be about. An effective introduction needs to inform your reader by establishing what the paper is about and provide four basic things:

• A brief background or overview of your assignment topic
• A thesis statement (see section above)
• An outline of your essay structure
• An indication of any parameters or scope that will/ will not be covered, e.g. From an Australian perspective.

The below example demonstrates the four different elements of an introductory paragraph.

1) Information technology is having significant effects on the communication of individuals and organisations in different professions. 2) This essay will discuss the impact of information technology on the communication of health professionals.   3)  First, the provision of information technology for the educational needs of nurses will be discussed.  4)  This will be followed by an explanation of the significant effects that information technology can have on the role of general practitioner in the area of public health.  5)  Considerations will then be made regarding the lack of knowledge about the potential of computers among hospital administrators and nursing executives.  6)   The final section will explore how information technology assists health professionals in the delivery of services in rural areas .  7)  It will be argued that information technology has significant potential to improve health care and medical education, but health professionals are reluctant to use it.

1 Brief background/ overview | 2 Indicates the scope of what will be covered |   3-6 Outline of the main ideas (structure) | 7 The thesis statement

Note : The examples in this document are taken from the University of Canberra and used under a CC-BY-SA-3.0 licence.

Writing conclusions

You should aim to end your assignments with a strong conclusion. Your conclusion should restate your thesis and summarise the key points you have used to prove this thesis. Finish with a key point as a final impactful statement.  Similar to your introduction, your conclusion should be approximately 10% of the total assignment word length. If your assessment task asks you to make recommendations, you may need to allocate more words to the conclusion or add a separate recommendations section before the conclusion. Use the checklist below to check your conclusion is doing the right job.

Conclusion checklist 

• Have you referred to the assignment question and restated your argument (or thesis statement), as outlined in the introduction?
• Have you pulled together all the threads of your essay into a logical ending and given it a sense of unity?
• Have you presented implications or recommendations in your conclusion? (if required by your task).
• Have you added to the overall quality and impact of your essay? This is your final statement about this topic; thus, a key take-away point can make a great impact on the reader.
• Remember, do not add any new material or direct quotes in your conclusion.

This below example demonstrates the different elements of a concluding paragraph.

1) It is evident, therefore, that not only do employees need to be trained for working in the Australian multicultural workplace, but managers also need to be trained.  2)  Managers must ensure that effective in-house training programs are provided for migrant workers, so that they become more familiar with the English language, Australian communication norms and the Australian work culture.  3)  In addition, Australian native English speakers need to be made aware of the differing cultural values of their workmates; particularly the different forms of non-verbal communication used by other cultures.  4)  Furthermore, all employees must be provided with clear and detailed guidelines about company expectations.  5)  Above all, in order to minimise communication problems and to maintain an atmosphere of tolerance, understanding and cooperation in the multicultural workplace, managers need to have an effective knowledge about their employees. This will help employers understand how their employee’s social conditioning affects their beliefs about work. It will develop their communication skills to develop confidence and self-esteem among diverse work groups. 6) The culturally diverse Australian workplace may never be completely free of communication problems, however,   further studies to identify potential problems and solutions, as well as better training in cross cultural communication for managers and employees,   should result in a much more understanding and cooperative environment. 

1  Reference to thesis statement – In this essay the writer has taken the position that training is required for both employees and employers . | 2-5 Structure overview – Here the writer pulls together the main ideas in the essay. | 6  Final summary statement that is based on the evidence.

Note: The examples in this document are taken from the University of Canberra and used under a CC-BY-SA-3.0 licence.

Writing paragraphs

Paragraph writing is a key skill that enables you to incorporate your academic research into your written work.  Each paragraph should have its own clearly identified topic sentence or main idea which relates to the argument or point (thesis) you are developing.  This idea should then be explained by additional sentences which you have paraphrased from good quality sources and referenced according to the recommended guidelines of your subject (see the chapter Working with Information ). Paragraphs are characterised by increasing specificity; that is, they move from the general to the specific, increasingly refining the reader’s understanding. A common structure for paragraphs in academic writing is as follows.

Topic Sentence 

This is the main idea of the paragraph and should relate to the overall issue or purpose of your assignment is addressing. Often it will be expressed as an assertion or claim which supports the overall argument or purpose of your writing.

Explanation/ Elaboration

The main idea must have its meaning explained and elaborated upon. Think critically, do not just describe the idea.

These explanations must include evidence to support your main idea. This information should be paraphrased and referenced according to the appropriate referencing style of your course.

Concluding sentence (critical thinking)

This should explain why the topic of the paragraph is relevant to the assignment question and link to the following paragraph.

Use the checklist below to check your paragraphs are clear and well formed.

Paragraph checklist

• Does your paragraph have a clear main idea?
• Is everything in the paragraph related to this main idea?
• Is the main idea adequately developed and explained?
• Do your sentences run together smoothly?
• Have you included evidence to support your ideas?
• Have you concluded the paragraph by connecting it to your overall topic?

Writing sentences

Make sure all the sentences in your paragraphs make sense. Each sentence must contain a verb to be a complete sentence. Avoid sentence fragments . These are incomplete sentences or ideas that are unfinished and create confusion for your reader. Avoid also run on sentences . This happens when you join two ideas or clauses without using the appropriate punctuation. This also confuses your meaning (See the chapter English Language Foundations for examples and further explanation).

Use transitions (linking words and phrases) to connect your ideas between paragraphs and make your writing flow. The order that you structure the ideas in your assignment should reflect the structure you have outlined in your introduction. Refer to transition words table in the chapter English Language Foundations.

Paraphrasing and Synthesising

Paraphrasing and synthesising are powerful tools that you can use to support the main idea of a paragraph. It is likely that you will regularly use these skills at university to incorporate evidence into explanatory sentences and strengthen your essay. It is important to paraphrase and synthesise because:

• Paraphrasing is regarded more highly at university than direct quoting.
• Paraphrasing can also help you better understand the material.
• Paraphrasing and synthesising demonstrate you have understood what you have read through your ability to summarise and combine arguments from the literature using your own words.

What is paraphrasing?

Paraphrasing is changing the writing of another author into your words while retaining the original meaning. You must acknowledge the original author as the source of the information in your citation. Follow the steps in this table to help you build your skills in paraphrasing (see Table 19.4 ).

Table 19.4 Paraphrasing techniques

Example of paraphrasing

Please note that these examples and in text citations are for instructional purposes only.

Original text

Health care professionals   assist people often when they are at their most  vulnerable . To provide the best care and understand their needs, workers must demonstrate good communication skills .  They must develop patient trust and provide empathy   to effectively work with patients who are experiencing a variety of situations including those who may be suffering from trauma or violence, physical or mental illness or substance abuse (French & Saunders, 2018).

Poor quality paraphrase example

This is a poor example of paraphrasing. Some synonyms have been used and the order of a few words changed within the sentences however the colours of the sentences indicate that the paragraph follows the same structure as the original text.

Health care sector workers are often responsible for vulnerable  patients.   To understand patients and deliver good service , they need to be excellent communicators .  They must establish patient rapport and show empathy if they are to successfully care for patients from a variety of backgrounds  and with different medical, psychological and social needs (French & Saunders, 2018).

A good quality paraphrase example

This example demonstrates a better quality paraphrase. The author has demonstrated more understanding of the overall concept in the text by using the keywords as the basis to reconstruct the paragraph. Note how the blocks of colour have been broken up to see how much the structure has changed from the original text.

Empathetic   communication is a vital skill for health care workers.   Professionals in these fields   are often responsible for patients with complex medical, psychological and social needs. Empathetic   communication assists in building rapport and gaining the necessary trust   to assist these vulnerable patients  by providing appropriate supportive care (French & Saunders, 2018).

The good quality paraphrase example demonstrates understanding of the overall concept in the text by using key words as the basis to reconstruct the paragraph.  Note how the blocks of colour have been broken up, which indicates how much the structure has changed from the original text.

What is synthesising?

Synthesising means to bring together more than one source of information to strengthen your argument. Once you have learnt how to paraphrase the ideas of one source at a time, you can consider adding additional sources to support your argument. Synthesis demonstrates your understanding and ability to show connections between multiple pieces of evidence to support your ideas and is a more advanced academic thinking and writing skill.

Follow the steps in this table to improve your synthesis techniques (see Table 19.5 ).

Table 19.5 Synthesising techniques

Example of synthesis

There is a relationship between academic procrastination and mental health outcomes.  Procrastination has been found to have a negative effect on students’ well-being (Balkis, & Duru, 2016). Yerdelen, McCaffrey, and Klassens’ (2016) research results suggested that there was a positive association between procrastination and anxiety. This was corroborated by Custer’s (2018) findings which indicated that students with higher levels of procrastination also reported greater levels of the anxiety. Therefore, it could be argued that procrastination is an ineffective learning strategy that leads to increased levels of distress.

Topic sentence | Statements using paraphrased evidence | Critical thinking (student voice) | Concluding statement – linking to topic sentence

This example demonstrates a simple synthesis. The author has developed a paragraph with one central theme and included explanatory sentences complete with in-text citations from multiple sources. Note how the blocks of colour have been used to illustrate the paragraph structure and synthesis (i.e., statements using paraphrased evidence from several sources). A more complex synthesis may include more than one citation per sentence.

Creating an argument

What does this mean.

Throughout your university studies, you may be asked to ‘argue’ a particular point or position in your writing. You may already be familiar with the idea of an argument, which in general terms means to have a disagreement with someone. Similarly, in academic writing, if you are asked to create an argument, this means you are asked to have a position on a particular topic, and then justify your position using evidence.

What skills do you need to create an argument?

In order to create a good and effective argument, you need to be able to:

• Read critically to find evidence
• Plan your argument
• Think and write critically throughout your paper to enhance your argument

For tips on how to read and write critically, refer to the chapter Thinking for more information. A formula for developing a strong argument is presented below.

A formula for a good argument

What does an argument look like?

As can be seen from the figure above, including evidence is a key element of a good argument. While this may seem like a straightforward task, it can be difficult to think of wording to express your argument. The table below provides examples of how you can illustrate your argument in academic writing (see Table 19.6 ).

Table 19.6 Argument

Editing and proofreading (reviewing)

Once you have finished writing your first draft it is recommended that you spend time revising your work.  Proofreading and editing are two different stages of the revision process.

• Editing considers the overall focus or bigger picture of the assignment
• Proofreading considers the finer details

As can be seen in the figure above there are four main areas that you should review during the editing phase of the revision process. The main things to consider when editing include content, structure, style, and sources. It is important to check that all the content relates to the assignment task, the structure is appropriate for the purposes of the assignment, the writing is academic in style, and that sources have been adequately acknowledged. Use the checklist below when editing your work.

Editing checklist

• Have I answered the question accurately?
• Do I have enough credible, scholarly supporting evidence?
• Is my writing tone objective and formal enough or have I used emotive and informal language?
• Have I written in the third person not the first person?
• Do I have appropriate in-text citations for all my information?
• Have I included the full details for all my in-text citations in my reference list?

There are also several key things to look out for during the proofreading phase of the revision process. In this stage it is important to check your work for word choice, grammar and spelling, punctuation and referencing errors. It can be easy to mis-type words like ‘from’ and ‘form’ or mix up words like ‘trail’ and ‘trial’ when writing about research, apply American rather than Australian spelling, include unnecessary commas or incorrectly format your references list. The checklist below is a useful guide that you can use when proofreading your work.

Proofreading checklist

• Is my spelling and grammar accurate?
•  Are they complete?
• Do they all make sense?
• Do they only contain only one idea?
• Do the different elements (subject, verb, nouns, pronouns) within my sentences agree?
• Are my sentences too long and complicated?
• Do they contain only one idea per sentence?
• Is my writing concise? Take out words that do not add meaning to your sentences.
• Have I used appropriate discipline specific language but avoided words I don’t know or understand that could possibly be out of context?
• Have I avoided discriminatory language and colloquial expressions (slang)?
• Is my referencing formatted correctly according to my assignment guidelines? (for more information on referencing refer to the Managing Assessment feedback section).

This chapter has examined the experience of writing assignments.  It began by focusing on how to read and break down an assignment question, then highlighted the key components of essays. Next, it examined some techniques for paraphrasing and summarising, and how to build an argument. It concluded with a discussion on planning and structuring your assignment and giving it that essential polish with editing and proof-reading. Combining these skills and practising them, can greatly improve your success with this very common form of assessment.

• Academic writing requires clear and logical structure, critical thinking and the use of credible scholarly sources.
• A thesis statement is important as it tells the reader the position or argument you have adopted in your assignment. Not all assignments will require a thesis statement.
• Spending time analysing your task and planning your structure before you start to write your assignment is time well spent.
• Information you use in your assignment should come from credible scholarly sources such as textbooks and peer reviewed journals. This information needs to be paraphrased and referenced appropriately.
• Paraphrasing means putting something into your own words and synthesising means to bring together several ideas from sources.
• Creating an argument is a four step process and can be applied to all types of academic writing.
• Editing and proofreading are two separate processes.

Academic Skills Centre. (2013). Writing an introduction and conclusion . University of Canberra, accessed 13 August, 2013, http://www.canberra.edu.au/studyskills/writing/conclusions

Balkis, M., & Duru, E. (2016). Procrastination, self-regulation failure, academic life satisfaction, and affective well-being: underregulation or misregulation form. European Journal of Psychology of Education, 31 (3), 439-459.

Custer, N. (2018). Test anxiety and academic procrastination among prelicensure nursing students. Nursing education perspectives, 39 (3), 162-163.

Yerdelen, S., McCaffrey, A., & Klassen, R. M. (2016). Longitudinal examination of procrastination and anxiety, and their relation to self-efficacy for self-regulated learning: Latent growth curve modeling. Educational Sciences: Theory & Practice, 16 (1).

Writing Assignments Copyright © 2021 by Kate Derrington; Cristy Bartlett; and Sarah Irvine is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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How to Write a Perfect Assignment: Step-By-Step Guide

Table of contents

• 1 How to Structure an Assignment?
• 2.1 The research part
• 2.2 Planning your text
• 2.3 Writing major parts
• 3 Expert Tips for your Writing Assignment
• 4 Will I succeed with my assignments?
• 5 Conclusion

How to Structure an Assignment?

To cope with assignments, you should familiarize yourself with the tips on formatting and presenting assignments or any written paper, which are given below. It is worth paying attention to the content of the paper, making it structured and understandable so that ideas are not lost and thoughts do not refute each other.

If the topic is free or you can choose from the given list — be sure to choose the one you understand best. Especially if that could affect your semester score or scholarship. It is important to select an  engaging title that is contextualized within your topic. A topic that should captivate you or at least give you a general sense of what is needed there. It’s easier to dwell upon what interests you, so the process goes faster.

To construct an assignment structure, use outlines. These are pieces of text that relate to your topic. It can be ideas, quotes, all your thoughts, or disparate arguments. Type in everything that you think about. Separate thoughts scattered across the sheets of Word will help in the next step.

Then it is time to form the text. At this stage, you have to form a coherent story from separate pieces, where each new thought reinforces the previous one, and one idea smoothly flows into another.

Main Steps of Assignment Writing

These are steps to take to get a worthy paper. If you complete these step-by-step, your text will be among the most exemplary ones.

The research part

If the topic is unique and no one has written about it yet, look at materials close to this topic to gain thoughts about it. You should feel that you are ready to express your thoughts. Also, while reading, get acquainted with the format of the articles, study the details, collect material for your thoughts, and accumulate different points of view for your article. Be careful at this stage, as the process can help you develop your ideas. If you are already struggling here, pay for assignment to be done , and it will be processed in a split second via special services. These services are especially helpful when the deadline is near as they guarantee fast delivery of high-quality papers on any subject.

If you use Google to search for material for your assignment, you will, of course, find a lot of information very quickly. Still, the databases available on your library’s website will give you the clearest and most reliable facts that satisfy your teacher or professor. Be sure you copy the addresses of all the web pages you will use when composing your paper, so you don’t lose them. You can use them later in your bibliography if you add a bit of description! Select resources and extract quotes from them that you can use while working. At this stage, you may also create a  request for late assignment if you realize the paper requires a lot of effort and is time-consuming. This way, you’ll have a backup plan if something goes wrong.

Planning your text

Assemble a layout. It may be appropriate to use the structure of the paper of some outstanding scientists in your field and argue it in one of the parts. As the planning progresses, you can add suggestions that come to mind. If you use citations that require footnotes, and if you use single spacing throughout the paper and double spacing at the end, it will take you a very long time to make sure that all the citations are on the exact pages you specified! Add a reference list or bibliography. If you haven’t already done so, don’t put off writing an essay until the last day. It will be more difficult to do later as you will be stressed out because of time pressure.

Writing major parts

It happens that there is simply no mood or strength to get started and zero thoughts. In that case, postpone this process for 2-3 hours, and, perhaps, soon, you will be able to start with renewed vigor. Writing essays is a great (albeit controversial) way to improve your skills. This experience will not be forgotten. It will certainly come in handy and bring many benefits in the future. Do your best here because asking for an extension is not always possible, so you probably won’t have time to redo it later. And the quality of this part defines the success of the whole paper.

Writing the major part does not mean the matter is finished. To review the text, make sure that the ideas of the introduction and conclusion coincide because such a discrepancy is the first thing that will catch the reader’s eye and can spoil the impression. Add or remove anything from your intro to edit it to fit the entire paper. Also, check your spelling and grammar to ensure there are no typos or draft comments. Check the sources of your quotes so that your it is honest and does not violate any rules. And do not forget the formatting rules.

with the right tips and guidance, it can be easier than it looks. To make the process even more straightforward, students can also use an assignment service to get the job done. This way they can get professional assistance and make sure that their assignments are up to the mark. At PapersOwl, we provide a professional writing service where students can order custom-made assignments that meet their exact requirements.

Expert Tips for your Writing Assignment

Want to write like a pro? Here’s what you should consider:

• Save the document! Send the finished document by email to yourself so you have a backup copy in case your computer crashes.
• Don’t wait until the last minute to complete a list of citations or a bibliography after the paper is finished. It will be much longer and more difficult, so add to them as you go.
• If you find a lot of information on the topic of your search, then arrange it in a separate paragraph.
• If possible, choose a topic that you know and are interested in.
• Believe in yourself! If you set yourself up well and use your limited time wisely, you will be able to deliver the paper on time.
• Do not copy information directly from the Internet without citing them.

Writing assignments is a tedious and time-consuming process. It requires a lot of research and hard work to produce a quality paper. However, if you are feeling overwhelmed or having difficulty understanding the concept, you may want to consider getting accounting homework help online . Professional experts can assist you in understanding how to complete your assignment effectively. PapersOwl.com offers expert help from highly qualified and experienced writers who can provide you with the homework help you need.

Will I succeed with my assignments?

Anyone can learn how to be good at writing: follow simple rules of creating the structure and be creative where it is appropriate. At one moment, you will need some additional study tools, study support, or solid study tips. And you can easily get help in writing assignments or any other work. This is especially useful since the strategy of learning how to write an assignment can take more time than a student has.

Therefore all students are happy that there is an option to  order your paper at a professional service to pass all the courses perfectly and sleep still at night. You can also find the sample of the assignment there to check if you are on the same page and if not — focus on your papers more diligently.

So, in the times of studies online, the desire and skill to research and write may be lost. Planning your assignment carefully and presenting arguments step-by-step is necessary to succeed with your homework. When going through your references, note the questions that appear and answer them, building your text. Create a cover page, proofread the whole text, and take care of formatting. Feel free to use these rules for passing your next assignments.

When it comes to writing an assignment, it can be overwhelming and stressful, but Papersowl is here to make it easier for you. With a range of helpful resources available, Papersowl can assist you in creating high-quality written work, regardless of whether you’re starting from scratch or refining an existing draft. From conducting research to creating an outline, and from proofreading to formatting, the team at Papersowl has the expertise to guide you through the entire writing process and ensure that your assignment meets all the necessary requirements.

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College Info Geek

40+ Study Tips to Help You Work Smarter This Semester

C.I.G. is supported in part by its readers. If you buy through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Read more here.

Though you’ve likely been studying since at least kindergarten, how often do you stop to think about why you study the way you do?

With a bit of examination, you’ll realize that you could probably improve the way you study.

However, you’re busy enough as it is without adding a class called “study skills.” To save you time, we’ve put together a list of our most useful study tips.

While you’ve likely heard some of them before, there are probably at least a few you haven’t considered. And even if you have heard a study tip before, you could likely do a better job of applying it (we all could).

So without further ado, here are the very best study tips out there. We hope they make your studies more efficient, effective, and even enjoyable.

Put your classes on your calendar

Have you ever missed an important lecture, presentation, or class discussion because you forgot class was happening? It’s easier to do than most of us would like to admit, especially with all the other demands college can place on your time.

To make sure you never forget a class again, put each class on your calendar as a recurring event. If you’re not sure how to do this, check out our guide to efficient calendar use . Also, be watch for any changes to the class schedule and update your calendar accordingly.

Put your homework on a to-do list

Your calendar is a great tool for keeping track of your busy schedule, but what about specific, day-to-day assignments? For this, I recommend using a task management app such as Todoist .

When you put your homework assignments on a to-do list, you’re much less likely to forget them. Plus, you get the satisfaction of crossing off each assignment after it’s done.

For more advice on setting up a task management system, check out our guide to staying organized in college .

Have a study space

Where do you study? Your dorm room? The library? Lying in your bed? The place you study matters more than you think. Having a dedicated study space will help you avoid distractions and signal to your brain that it’s time to learn.

We have an entire guide on creating a study space (including examples from real students). But, in general, find a space that will let you focus for long periods of time, has all the supplies you need, and is free of interruptions.

The details will vary based on your preferences. I need quiet and isolation to do my best work, so in college I usually opted for a secluded place in the library basement.

But some people prefer working with background noise or activity, meaning a coffee shop or the student center common area might be a better choice.

More than anything, think about the conditions that help you study best and find a space that fits them.

Schedule time for homework

Let’s face it: there are dozens of things you’d rather be doing than homework. But homework is key to truly learning and retaining the material, especially for subjects with too much content for the professor to cover in class.

With most assignments, the biggest challenge is often getting started. Instead of leaving this up to your willpower, schedule time to do your homework.

You’ll have to experiment with how much time to plan for each class. But the act of putting homework time on your calendar and “showing up” the same way you would to an appointment will make it easier to get started.

Plus, it can remove some of the dread that comes from not knowing how long an assignment will take to complete.

Use the Pomodoro technique to avoid procrastination

While scheduling time to do homework will help with general procrastination, sometimes you’ll come across an assignment that feels like a slog. For some people, it will be research papers; for others, reading assignments or problem sets.

Whatever it is for you, the Pomodoro technique can help you overcome your resistance and power through the hard work.

We discuss the Pomodoro technique at length here , but the gist of it is this:

• Pick one assignment to complete
• Set a timer for 25 minutes
• Work on only that assignment until the timer is up
• Take short breaks in between sessions (usually 5 or 10 minutes)
• Repeat the process until you’ve finished the assignment

With a proper productivity system, nothing ever slips through the cracks. In just one hour, you'll learn how to set up your to-do list, calendar, note-taking system, file management, and more — the smart way.

Remember Parkinson’s law

Parkinson’s law states that work expands to fill the time allotted. This is somewhat unintuitive, as we tend to assume that an assignment will take “as long as it takes.”

But with Parkinson’s law, we realize that we can (somewhat) influence how long a task takes by adjusting the amount of time we schedule to complete it.

You’ve likely experienced Parkinson’s law in practice when you’re finishing an assignment at the last minute. You write that 10-page essay a few hours before it’s due because you have no choice, even if it would normally take you twice that amount of time.

While I don’t recommend waiting until the last minute to finish assignments, you can still use Parkinson’s law to spend less time on work.

If you think it will take you 2 hours to complete a set of problems, see if you can do it in an hour. Even if it ends up taking you longer than that, the very act of attempting to finish it faster will likely reduce the amount of time it takes.

Keep a distraction log

Do you struggle with distracting random thoughts or ideas while you’re working?

Maybe, in the midst of your calculus homework, you remember that you need to schedule a meeting for a club you’re part of. Or, while doing your philosophy reading, you recall that one of your library books will soon be overdue.

How do you prevent these random (but often important) thoughts from derailing your study session?

The best technique we’ve found is to keep a distraction log. This is a piece of paper next to you where you can write down any thoughts that occur to you while studying.

Writing down these random thoughts gets them out of your head, freeing up space in your working memory. Plus, it lets you act on them later when you have a chance to add them to your to-do list, calendar, etc.

Take breaks while studying

I already alluded to this in the section on the Pomodoro technique, but be sure to take breaks while you’re studying. This practice has several benefits.

First, taking breaks keeps your study sessions effective. No matter how long your attention span, there’s a limit to how long you can truly focus on difficult concepts or complex mental tasks. Taking short breaks lets your mind rest and then return refreshed once you resume.

Additionally, taking a break gives you a chance to stretch and move your body. Even if you’re working at a standing desk , staying fixed in one position for too long is still unhealthy. Getting your blood flowing will help you keep from getting tired or losing focus, as well as keeping you generally healthy.

Finally, taking a break can give your unconscious mind a chance to work on difficult problems . While there is a lot of power in actively concentrating on how to solve a problem, sometimes it’s better to let the question percolate in the back of your mind. When you return to studying, you may be surprised at how obvious the solution now seems.

Take notes as you read

You’re probably used to taking notes during lectures, but how often do you take notes while doing assigned reading?

While it can seem like a lot of extra work, taking notes as you read can save you time in the long run.

If you take notes as you read, it will be much faster to study for exams or come up with material for essays. This is because you won’t waste time re-reading the textbook (which, aside from taking lots of time, isn’t a very effective way to study).

Plus, taking notes as you read forces you to engage with and think about the material, helping you to internalize it more deeply than if you were just looking at the words on the page.

Take notes on paper

While we’re discussing note-taking, I encourage you to take notes on paper if you can. A 2014 study published in Psychological Science found that students who took notes on laptops didn’t do as well on tests of conceptual understanding compared to students who took notes by hand.

The study’s authors speculate this disparity in performance occurred because taking notes on a laptop makes it easier to transcribe what a professor says verbatim. When you write by hand, in contrast, the slower speed forces you to summarize and put concepts in your own words, which leads to better understanding.

To be clear, I do think your computer is an excellent place for storing and organizing your notes. But you’re better off using your phone to scan your notes later (or typing them up by hand) than taking digital notes from the start.

Focus on understanding concepts, not memorizing facts

One of the key differences between college and high school is that there’s less focus on memorization and more on conceptual understanding.

For instance, a high school history class might require you to memorize lots of dates and names of people and then reproduce them on a test.

A college history class, in contrast, will be less concerned about memorizing when/what happened and more about analyzing historical trends or cause and effect.

If you’re only accustomed to memorizing information and regurgitating it on a test, this new mindset can take some getting used to.

Your professor will likely give you an idea of what they expect you to understand for exams, which can help you adjust your studies accordingly. But, in general, be sure to spend time learning the concepts behind the subject in addition to rote memorization.

Test your understanding with the Feynman technique

One of the best techniques for testing your conceptual understanding is the Feynman technique . Popularized by Nobel Prize-winning physicist Richard Feynman, this technique will help you determine if you truly understand a topic (as opposed to just knowing the name or idea of it).

First, get a sheet of paper and write the name of the topic at the top. Next, write as simple (yet comprehensive) of an explanation as you can. Imagine you’re explaining it to someone who knows nothing about the topic.

Once you’ve written your explanation, compare it to your notes or the textbook. Look for gaps in your understanding, as well as places where you’ve used unnecessary technical language. Now, re-write the explanation to include any information you missed and to simplify any jargon.

If you use this process as part of your studies, you’ll be much better prepared for exams, class discussions, and other forms of assessment.

Use “rubber ducking” when you’re stuck on a problem

The Feynman technique is great for reviewing material for an exam, but what about when you’re struggling to solve a homework problem? Another helpful tool you can use is “rubber ducking.”

Popular among programmers for debugging code , rubber ducking means explaining code, line-by-line, to an inanimate object such as a rubber duck. In the process of explaining what the code is supposed to do, the programmer will often arrive at the solution.

While you can certainly apply this if you’re studying programming, I’ve found it to be helpful for any time I’m stuck on a problem.

If I can’t figure out how to express a certain idea in writing, for example, I’ll explain it out loud as if talking to a friend. You can also use rubber ducking for math or science problems, talking through your current solution line-by-line and seeing if it helps you reach a breakthrough.

Don’t expect to immediately understand new material

College-level classes often introduce you to material you’ve never studied before. This could be a subject that wasn’t offered in high school (such as geology or philosophy) or more advanced topics that high school classes don’t cover.

Regardless, you may find yourself thinking, “This makes no sense to me, I must be stupid.”

However, this mindset is flawed. Just because you don’t immediately understand new material, that doesn’t mean you’re stupid. Furthermore, it doesn’t mean you’re incapable of understanding it. Rather, it just means you need to put in more time and effort to grasp it.

College classes often involve studying concepts that are unintuitive or completely unfamiliar. But just as you didn’t learn to read or subtract in one day (or even month), you may need more than a few days (or weeks) to grasp new college-level material. View this as part of the learning journey, rather than a reflection of your intelligence.

Reward yourself with “high-density fun”

When we discuss how to study, we often focus on what happens during the study session.

But it’s just as important to take time outside of your studies to have fun and relax. Of course, this reduces stress. But it can also motivate you, giving you something to look forward to when you’re done studying.

To make sure you’re truly rewarding yourself, however, we recommend scheduling “high-density fun.” These are activities that truly excite you, rather than just killing a few minutes here or there.

It’s the difference between taking breaks while you work to scroll Instagram (low-density fun) and scheduling a DnD session after you finish your homework (high-density fun).

The definition of high-density fun will vary depending on your interests. But whatever it means to you, make sure to get some of it in your life each day (and especially after intense study sessions).

Don’t cram for exams

Cramming is a popular study method, but I don’t recommend it. While it’s possible to jam enough information into your head in one night that you can pass an exam, doing so is both ineffective and unnecessarily stressful.

Based on our understanding of how memory works , you should ideally spread your studies out over multiple sessions across multiple days (or even weeks). This will give your brain time to absorb information and commit it to long-term memory.

Plus, spreading out your studies will give you time to focus on the concepts you understand least and spend time quizzing yourself (instead of scanning the same set of notes over and over). Cramming the night before an exam leaves time for none of these activities.

Furthermore, cramming is stressful. Instead of focusing on learning material, there’s a nagging feeling of fear in the back of your mind that you won’t be able to remember enough. Plus, you’re likely to be anxious when you show up for the test, which can further hurt your performance.

Don’t pull all-nighters

I like to think of all-nighters as Parkinson’s law taken to unrealistic extremes.

Even if you can finish a project or paper in one night, it’s unlikely to be your best work.

And, as with cramming, all-nighters introduce excessive stress into your life.

Finally, operating on no sleep means you’ll be less effective at whatever you attempt the day after your all-nighter. This is especially bad news if you happen to pull an all-nighter before an exam.

Luckily, all-nighters are easy to avoid. If you keep a calendar of all your due dates and plan to start working on a project a few days (or weeks) before it’s due, you’ll have enough time to complete assignments without resorting to sleep deprivation.

Use the library

As the ads for my local library used to say, “Books are only half the story.” The same is true of your college’s library system. While the library is a great place to study or check out a book for class, it’s also a useful resource for all kinds of academic work.

Particularly if you’re writing a research paper , the library staff can be immensely helpful. My college’s library let you book “research consultations,” in which a librarian would work with you one-on-one to help find useful sources for all kinds of projects.

Your library likely has something similar, and I strongly encourage you to use it. Don’t be intimidated by the librarians; it’s their job to help you.

Use the right music to help you focus

Music can be an extremely powerful tool for focusing on assignments . However, it’s key to choose the right music.

Part of this is a matter of preference and experimentation.

One person might find classical music to be an amazing focus tool, while another might find it puts them to sleep. And some people will love the energy that heavy metal brings to the studying process, while others might find it distracting. Try different genres and see what works for you.

On the other hand, you can also turn to specialized resources for more help. Brain.fm , for instance, uses music created by AI to help induce (and maintain) deep focus. And our study playlist , while less high-tech, is carefully curated to include tracks that will help you hone in on your assignment.

Finally, if music is too distracting, then don’t use it while you study. There’s no rule saying you have to.

Rehearse presentations

Does giving a presentation to the class fill you with dread? Likely, you just need some rehearsal.

First, you need to create your presentation far enough in advance that you have time to rehearse it (another benefit of not cramming).

Then, you should practice it out loud , ideally in a setting similar to the place you’ll be giving the real presentation. Your library likely has study rooms you can reserve for such purposes, though a dorm room can also work in a pinch.

For even more realistic practice, give the presentation to a friend or group of friends. Offer to let them rehearse their presentations for you in exchange (obviously, this works best if your friends are in the same class).

If you take some time to rehearse, then you’ll be much less anxious (and give a much better presentation) when the real thing arrives.

Simulate exam conditions to reduce test anxiety

Just as rehearsing a presentation can help you be less nervous, simulating the conditions of your next exam can help calm test anxiety. By “conditions,” I mean the setting, time limit, and even format of the exam.

If you can mimic all of these when you’re taking practice exams or quizzing yourself, then you’ll be much less anxious when the real exam comes.

Try to get as close to the real exam as you can. Here are some ideas:

• See if you can work on practice questions in the same room (or a similar room) as where you’ll take the exam.
• Work with a timer set to the actual length of the exam (this will also help you with pacing).
• Gather as much information as you can about the exam’s format so that you can work on the right kinds of practice questions.

If you do all of the above, then you’ll be able to focus on performing your best, not on the anxiety that comes from the unknown. For more help with test anxiety, read this guide .

Go to office hours

Your professor has office hours for one reason: to help you succeed in class. It’s in your best interest, therefore, to attend them.

Even if you aren’t struggling in a class, attending office hours is a chance to get to know your professor and show that you care about their subject.

And if you are struggling, then office hours are invaluable. However, you need to approach them the right way.

Don’t go to office hours with vague requests such as, “Help me understand this subject.” Instead, you should prepare specific questions in advance, such as:

• “How do I solve this particular equation?”
• “Is this a good list of sources for the upcoming research paper?”
• “Can we practice the French subjunctive tense?”

This way, you’ll make the most of your (and your professor’s) limited time.

Use the learning center and tutoring services

Office hours are a great place to get help, but sometimes they aren’t enough. Your professor probably doesn’t have enough time to regularly work with you one-on-one. Or, you may feel more comfortable getting help from another student.

If either is the case, then you should visit your college’s learning or tutoring center. There, you can arrange to regularly meet with a tutor who can help you with all manner of academic matters.

In addition, your college may have a “writing center” or “math center” where you can make an appointment or even drop in to get homework help.

Using these resources doesn’t make you less intelligent; on the contrary, it would be foolish not to use them.

Use third-party study resources

Are you struggling to understand a particular concept, even after going to office hours or working with a tutor?

While some things just take time to grasp, you can also get extra practice with third-party study resources. Your professor may already recommend some of these in their syllabus, but don’t be afraid to seek them out yourself.

However, be sure that you’re using high-quality resources. Here are some of our favorites:

• Crash Course – Free, professionally produced lectures on pretty much any “gen ed” class you might be taking (plus more specialized topics such as organic chemistry).
• Khan Academy – Crash Course is great for understanding general concepts, but Khan Academy is the place to go if you need help with calculations or more specific questions.
• Symbolab – An online tool that can solve any math problem and show you free, step-by-step solutions. Be sure to use it only after you’ve done your best to solve the problem on your own, not as a substitute for studying.
• Better Explained – A website that teaches math concepts (from trigonometry to vector calculus) using intuition, not memorization. Pair with Khan Academy for best results.
• Chegg Study – Need step-by-step solutions to problems in your textbook? Want to chat with a subject matter expert about your homework? Chegg Study will let you do both.

Approach group study with care

For some people (and some subjects) studying in groups is very helpful. Particularly if you’re all struggling to understand a new concept, then drawing on collective knowledge and problem solving skills can make finishing homework (or preparing for an exam) much easier.

However, be sure to balance group study sessions with solo practice and review. Unless you’re working on a group project, you alone will be responsible for understanding the material when it’s time to take the exam or write the final paper. When you only study in a group setting, it’s easy to develop illusions of competence .

Like studying in groups but are stuck at home? Use our “study with me” video for some companionship.

Use flashcards to memorize large volumes of information

While I mentioned earlier that college classes tend to focus less on rote memorization, there will still be cases where you have to memorize equations, processes, reactions, or even historical events. If you find yourself in such a situation, flashcards are your best friend.

Assuming you give yourself enough time and use the right memorization techniques , you can use flashcards to learn massive amounts of information. And if you use a spaced repetition app such as Anki , you can make the process even more efficient.

Learn more about the best ways to make (and study) flashcards .

Avoid comparing yourself to other students

Assuming your college uses traditional letter grades, it’s easy to compare your performance to that of other students. And even beyond grades, you may hear fellow students discussing how “easy” an exam was or how “simple” the concepts in the day’s lecture were.

If you thought the exam was impossible and the lecture incomprehensible, don’t beat yourself up. Everyone has different strengths, and people learn at different paces. Your learning journey is ultimately a personal one, and comparing yourself to other students won’t help you learn.

Get your study materials ready the night before class

Despite our admonitions to get enough sleep , there will still be nights when you stay up late to finish homework (or even get in one more Smash Bros session).

Given this reality, the last thing you want to do in the morning is run around your room frantically looking for the textbook you need for your 8 AM class.

To avoid this stress, prepare your study materials the night before. Find the textbooks, notebooks, writing utensils, and whatever else you need, and put them in your backpack. Then, drift off to sleep with the blissful knowledge you’re prepared for the day to come.

Wondering what you should keep in your backpack? We’ve got your covered .

Put your phone away while studying

Do you check your texts or scroll your social feeds every few minutes while studying? If so, I recommend changing the way you study.

Your phone is a huge source of distraction , and checking it compulsively means it will take you longer to finish whatever you’re supposed to be working on.

Instead, put your phone away. Ideally, put it physically out of reach, either in a different room or at least in your bag. If that’s not practical, then install an app such as Forest , which will reward you for not touching your phone.

Building habits isn’t just about discipline; there are real-world steps you can take to set yourself up for success! In this course, you'll learn how to set realistic goals, handle failure without giving up, and get going on the habits you want in your life.

Use mind maps to aid brainstorming

If you’re in a class (or major) that requires you to write a lot of essays, one of your biggest challenges is likely coming up with topic ideas. One of the most helpful techniques I’ve found for overcoming this “topic block” is making mind maps.

With a mind map, you draw a circle (or whatever shape you like) in the center of a piece of paper with a general topic.

Then, you draw branching lines out from the central circle connected to smaller circles. In each of these smaller circles, you write a more specific topic or idea.

After you repeat this process a few times, you’re likely to come up with at least one or two good topics that you can refine into an essay.

If you’re skeptical, give it a try. There’s a certain magic to the process, something about getting your hand moving that leads to unexpected ideas.

Use flat outlines to speed up essay writing

I’m a big believer in creating outlines for any lengthy piece of writing. However, the outlining technique I used in college (and still use today) is a bit different than the strict, hierarchical outlines you probably learned to write in middle or high school.

Instead of such a rigid outline, I use what Cal Newport calls a “ flat outline .”

Here’s how flat outlining works:

• Make a list of topics you want to cover in a paper
• Research each topic, finding quotes related to them
• Drop your supporting quotes into a list under each topic
• From there, it’s just a matter of shaping that collection of quotes and topics into a full draft

This technique works because it recognizes that writing is a process of discovery. You don’t really know what you’ll say in a paper until you start writing it.

The flat outline aids you in the process of discovery by giving you quotes and general ideas as a starting point for your final draft. As a result, you spend less time outlining and more time writing.

For more tips on speeding up essay writing (without sacrificing quality), see this guide .

Beware of plagiarism

As I’m sure your teachers have been telling you since you started doing any kind of research, plagiarism is a serious matter. I won’t beat you over the head with all the reasons plagiarism is wrong; you already know that.

However, I will give you some tips for avoiding it. First, always cite a source if you have any doubts. It’s better to have too many citations than to risk plagiarism.

Second, use a third-party tool such as Quetext to check your paper for potential plagiarism. Your professor will likely use such a tool themselves, so do yourself a favor and beat them to it.

Keep papers to a reasonable length

This one is for all the overachievers out there. While there’s nothing wrong with going “above and beyond” on assignments if you have the time, there’s such a thing as too much.

If a professor says a paper should be 10 pages, try not to exceed that. 11 or even 12 pages is fine, but 20 pages is ridiculous. Not only does this create lots of extra work for your professor, but it could also be a sign that your paper is rambling or unfocused.

Longer ≠ better.

Never underestimate the time it takes to cite sources

This is a lesson I learned the hard way. The night before I planned to turn in my senior thesis, all I had left to do was cite all my sources (in proper MLA format), generate my bibliography, and print the final copy.

Given all the challenging mental work that had gone into writing my thesis, all this citation business would be easy in comparison…or so I thought.

Four hours later, I was still tracking down citations and making sure they were properly formatted. As midnight passed and I finally printed my thesis, I resolved to never underestimate the time citations can take.

Even if you’re working on a shorter paper without scores of sources, be sure to budget some time for the citation process. You’ll be glad you did.

Don’t create bibliographies by hand

While citing sources still requires a certain amount of grunt work, creating bibliographies is thankfully much easier than it used to be. There are now many tools that can take a list of sources and turn it into a properly formatted bibliography or works cited in the citation style of your choice.

Which tool you use doesn’t matter, so long as it’s reputable (your professor can likely provide recommendations).

But, in general, I prefer EasyBib for short papers (under 10 pages) and Zotero for long research papers or theses.

EasyBib is a bit easier to use, making it great for when you’re done writing and just need a bibliography. Zotero, while having more of a learning curve, is a great tool to use during the writing and research processes. Not only can it automatically generate citations, but it can also help you track and reference sources as you’re writing.

Know when you should drop a class

Dropping a class should be a last resort, something you do only after you’ve used all the study resources we’ve mentioned thus far. But sometimes, it’s a smart, strategic decision .

If your grades are consistently low, or you realize that a class is way over your head, then dropping it can be a good way to avoid unnecessary damage to your GPA.

Of course, you shouldn’t take this decision lightly. Talk to your professor and advisor before making a decision. And explore alternatives, such as auditing the class or taking it pass/fail. Also, check if dropping a class will affect your eligibility for any scholarships you have.

Don’t over-study

When you start college, you’re bound to encounter advice that goes something like this:

“For every hour you spend in class, you should spend 2 hours studying outside of class.”

While I think this advice is well-intentioned, aiming to help students avoid taking on too heavy a workload, I also think it’s b.s.

There’s no hard and fast rule for how much studying a class will require. Studying for a class should take as long as you need to understand the material and complete assignments, no more or less.

While this doesn’t excuse you from doing your homework, don’t feel like you aren’t studying “enough” if the week’s assignments take less than the prescribed 2 hours per hour of class. It’s not a competition to see who can spend the most time studying.

Always back up your work

Studying is already enough work without losing an important assignment due to a computer error. Always, always, always back up your work.

At a minimum, this means writing in a program like Google Docs, which automatically saves your work to the cloud. However, I also recommend keeping copies of important assignments on your computer in case you’re without internet access (a common problem in lecture halls).

Finally, for extra safety, consider creating a remote backup of your hard drive with a service such as Backblaze .

Backblaze runs in the background and automatically backs up everything on your computer to a remote server. This ensures you can quickly recover your data if your computer crashes, gets stolen, or dies a death by spilled coffee.

Don’t obsess over grades

Grades are a big focus in high school, so it’s normal to enter college very concerned about them.

While you should certainly care about your grades (particularly if you’re looking to attend grad school or keep your scholarships ), don’t obsess over them. Once you graduate and get a job, no one will care about your GPA.

Plus, if getting a job is your goal, then GPA is a minor factor in the scheme of things. Prospective employers will care more about the internships you did , the projects you worked on outside of class, and how well you present yourself in interviews . Don’t focus on grades so much that you forget to be a well-rounded person.

Use project management tools to coordinate group projects

In theory, group projects are a chance to practice the collaboration you’ll do in the workplace. But in practice, they’re often a nightmare in which one or two people do all the work while everyone else slacks off.

To make group projects less painful (and help divide the work evenly), try using a project management app.

I’m using “project management app” in a very broad sense, meaning any app that helps coordinate your group efforts. In many cases, this could be as simple as a shared Google Doc to collaboratively write a paper. Or a shared Google Slides project for a group presentation.

For larger projects (such as those that last all semester), considering using a more serious project management app such as Trello or Asana .

While these apps take a little time to set up and learn, they let you assign tasks to specific group members and keep track of your project’s overall progress. This can help make sure that a large project doesn’t get derailed due to poor organization or coordination.

Take care of your health

Never spend so much time studying that you forget to exercise, eat healthy food, get enough sleep, go outside, or spend time relaxing. While it can seem like a worthwhile tradeoff in the short-term, the damage to your overall quality of life isn’t worth it.

Plus, remember that your brain is part of your body. If you want to perform at your best, then taking care of your health isn’t optional. (Learn more about the connections between health and mental performance in our interview with Dr. John Ratey , author of Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain . )

Study Tips Can’t Replace the Hard Work of Studying

As you can now see, there are lots of things you can do to study more effectively, no matter what you’re majoring in or what classes you’re taking.

However, never forget that you still have to do the work. The tips in this article will help you study better, and likely spend less time studying.

But there isn’t some magic pill that will help you learn things instantly, à la Limitless . Ultimately, you still need to put in the time and hard work that studying requires.

Wishing you a productive study session!

Image Credits: man studying at table

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How to Start an Assignment

Last Updated: January 29, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Michelle Golden, PhD . Michelle Golden is an English teacher in Athens, Georgia. She received her MA in Language Arts Teacher Education in 2008 and received her PhD in English from Georgia State University in 2015. There are 8 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 110,966 times.

Getting started on an assignment or homework can often times be the hardest step. Putting off the assignment can make the problem worse, reducing the time you have to complete the task and increasing stress. By learning how to get started and overcome the urge to procrastinate, you can get your assignments done on schedule and with less stress, opening up more free time.

Restructuring Your Assignment

• For example, you might research areas of a report that you find most interesting before moving on to other areas.
• If your math assignment has different types of questions, try doing those that you enjoy the most before moving on to the others.
• You might also try tackling smaller or easier tasks first so you can cross a few items off your list. Seeing that you've already made progress may help you feel motivated to continue.

• Promise yourself that you will meet your goal of working for five minutes on the assignment.
• Once you get started, you may find that you don't want to stop working. Otherwise, you can take a break and come back to the assignment, knowing you're at least five minutes closer to finishing than you were before.

• Try to set reasonable periods of time that you know you can meet. For example, you might set aside two hours on a Friday to dedicate to your assignment. If you don't have that much time all at once, try to carve out a few 20- or 30-minute blocks.
• You may or may not wish to continue working after your time limit has gone by.
• Have a realistic understanding of how fast you can write and plan your schedule accordingly.

• It can help to read the assignment as soon as you get it and then ask any questions you might have.
• If you're not sure if you understand the assignment, try rewriting it in your own words or explaining it to someone else. If you find you can't or have a lot of questions, you may need more information.
• You should have an overview of the assignment, understand the main task, and understand the technical and stylistic requirements.
• Look for important words in the instructions to understand the assignment. These words might include define, explain, compare, relate, or prove.
• Keep your audience in mind and write a paper that would best deliver information to them.

• Goals that are too big or not well defined can be difficult to start working towards.
• Smaller and well defined goals can seem easier to achieve than larger ones.
• For example, you could break a research paper down into several smaller tasks: 1) do preliminary research, 2) write an outline, 3) draft an introduction, 4) draft body paragraphs, 5) write conclusion, 6) revise. Each of these is much more do-able on its own.

Changing Your Focus

• You might want to go for a quick walk after working for a set amount of time.
• Try reading a website or book that you enjoy for a few minutes after working.
• Alternatively, try a quick burst of exercise before setting to work. Exercise releases feel-good chemicals called endorphins and can also help boost your memory. [8] X Research source

• Instead of dreading your work, focus on how good it will feel to make progress. You won't have it hanging over your head. You can actually enjoy the weekend instead of feeling guilty.
• Keeping your eye on long-term rewards can help you stay motivated to finish your assignment.

• Avoid moving your workspace constantly.
• Don't get lost on tangential research.
• Don't take constant breaks to get a snack.

• For every hour you waste procrastinating, you can limit how much television you watch that night.
• If you waste too much time procrastinating, you might deny yourself a favorite snack later on.

Community Q&A

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/solving-unsolvable-problems/201408/4-steps-stop-procrastinating
• ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/friendship-20/201405/the-surefire-first-step-stop-procrastinating
• ↑ http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/procrastination/
• ↑ https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/homework.html
• ↑ http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/understanding-assignments/
• ↑ https://open.alberta.ca/dataset/ab22ff64-3358-4387-9761-8c58878a6b84/resource/3ee38320-17e4-46f9-b24f-c95f9f345eb9/download/ipp7.pdf
• ↑ http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/08/07/how-exercise-can-help-us-learn/
• ↑ https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/happy-life.html

About This Article

To start an assignment, try working on the most enjoyable or easiest parts of the assignment first to get the ball rolling. Even if no part of the assignment seems enjoyable or easy, set a timer and try to make yourself work for at least 5 minutes, which is usually enough time to build momentum and overcome procrastination. You can also try breaking your assignment up into smaller, more manageable tasks and scheduling yourself regular breaks so it doesn't seem as overwhelming. To learn how to stay positive and avoid procrastination while working on your homework, scroll down! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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Studying 101: Study Smarter Not Harder

Do you ever feel like your study habits simply aren’t cutting it? Do you wonder what you could be doing to perform better in class and on exams? Many students realize that their high school study habits aren’t very effective in college. This is understandable, as college is quite different from high school. The professors are less personally involved, classes are bigger, exams are worth more, reading is more intense, and classes are much more rigorous. That doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with you; it just means you need to learn some more effective study skills. Fortunately, there are many active, effective study strategies that are shown to be effective in college classes.

This handout offers several tips on effective studying. Implementing these tips into your regular study routine will help you to efficiently and effectively learn course material. Experiment with them and find some that work for you.

Reading is not studying

Simply reading and re-reading texts or notes is not actively engaging in the material. It is simply re-reading your notes. Only ‘doing’ the readings for class is not studying. It is simply doing the reading for class. Re-reading leads to quick forgetting.

Think of reading as an important part of pre-studying, but learning information requires actively engaging in the material (Edwards, 2014). Active engagement is the process of constructing meaning from text that involves making connections to lectures, forming examples, and regulating your own learning (Davis, 2007). Active studying does not mean highlighting or underlining text, re-reading, or rote memorization. Though these activities may help to keep you engaged in the task, they are not considered active studying techniques and are weakly related to improved learning (Mackenzie, 1994).

Ideas for active studying include:

• Create a study guide by topic. Formulate questions and problems and write complete answers. Create your own quiz.
• Become a teacher. Say the information aloud in your own words as if you are the instructor and teaching the concepts to a class.
• Derive examples that relate to your own experiences.
• Create concept maps or diagrams that explain the material.
• Develop symbols that represent concepts.
• For non-technical classes (e.g., English, History, Psychology), figure out the big ideas so you can explain, contrast, and re-evaluate them.
• For technical classes, work the problems and explain the steps and why they work.
• Study in terms of question, evidence, and conclusion: What is the question posed by the instructor/author? What is the evidence that they present? What is the conclusion?

Organization and planning will help you to actively study for your courses. When studying for a test, organize your materials first and then begin your active reviewing by topic (Newport, 2007). Often professors provide subtopics on the syllabi. Use them as a guide to help organize your materials. For example, gather all of the materials for one topic (e.g., PowerPoint notes, text book notes, articles, homework, etc.) and put them together in a pile. Label each pile with the topic and study by topics.

For more information on the principle behind active studying, check out our tipsheet on metacognition .

Understand the Study Cycle

The Study Cycle , developed by Frank Christ, breaks down the different parts of studying: previewing, attending class, reviewing, studying, and checking your understanding. Although each step may seem obvious at a glance, all too often students try to take shortcuts and miss opportunities for good learning. For example, you may skip a reading before class because the professor covers the same material in class; doing so misses a key opportunity to learn in different modes (reading and listening) and to benefit from the repetition and distributed practice (see #3 below) that you’ll get from both reading ahead and attending class. Understanding the importance of all stages of this cycle will help make sure you don’t miss opportunities to learn effectively.

Spacing out is good

One of the most impactful learning strategies is “distributed practice”—spacing out your studying over several short periods of time over several days and weeks (Newport, 2007). The most effective practice is to work a short time on each class every day. The total amount of time spent studying will be the same (or less) than one or two marathon library sessions, but you will learn the information more deeply and retain much more for the long term—which will help get you an A on the final. The important thing is how you use your study time, not how long you study. Long study sessions lead to a lack of concentration and thus a lack of learning and retention.

In order to spread out studying over short periods of time across several days and weeks, you need control over your schedule . Keeping a list of tasks to complete on a daily basis will help you to include regular active studying sessions for each class. Try to do something for each class each day. Be specific and realistic regarding how long you plan to spend on each task—you should not have more tasks on your list than you can reasonably complete during the day.

For example, you may do a few problems per day in math rather than all of them the hour before class. In history, you can spend 15-20 minutes each day actively studying your class notes. Thus, your studying time may still be the same length, but rather than only preparing for one class, you will be preparing for all of your classes in short stretches. This will help focus, stay on top of your work, and retain information.

In addition to learning the material more deeply, spacing out your work helps stave off procrastination. Rather than having to face the dreaded project for four hours on Monday, you can face the dreaded project for 30 minutes each day. The shorter, more consistent time to work on a dreaded project is likely to be more acceptable and less likely to be delayed to the last minute. Finally, if you have to memorize material for class (names, dates, formulas), it is best to make flashcards for this material and review periodically throughout the day rather than one long, memorization session (Wissman and Rawson, 2012). See our handout on memorization strategies to learn more.

It’s good to be intense

Not all studying is equal. You will accomplish more if you study intensively. Intensive study sessions are short and will allow you to get work done with minimal wasted effort. Shorter, intensive study times are more effective than drawn out studying.

In fact, one of the most impactful study strategies is distributing studying over multiple sessions (Newport, 2007). Intensive study sessions can last 30 or 45-minute sessions and include active studying strategies. For example, self-testing is an active study strategy that improves the intensity of studying and efficiency of learning. However, planning to spend hours on end self-testing is likely to cause you to become distracted and lose your attention.

On the other hand, if you plan to quiz yourself on the course material for 45 minutes and then take a break, you are much more likely to maintain your attention and retain the information. Furthermore, the shorter, more intense sessions will likely put the pressure on that is needed to prevent procrastination.

Silence isn’t golden

Know where you study best. The silence of a library may not be the best place for you. It’s important to consider what noise environment works best for you. You might find that you concentrate better with some background noise. Some people find that listening to classical music while studying helps them concentrate, while others find this highly distracting. The point is that the silence of the library may be just as distracting (or more) than the noise of a gymnasium. Thus, if silence is distracting, but you prefer to study in the library, try the first or second floors where there is more background ‘buzz.’

Keep in mind that active studying is rarely silent as it often requires saying the material aloud.

Problems are your friend

Working and re-working problems is important for technical courses (e.g., math, economics). Be able to explain the steps of the problems and why they work.

In technical courses, it is usually more important to work problems than read the text (Newport, 2007). In class, write down in detail the practice problems demonstrated by the professor. Annotate each step and ask questions if you are confused. At the very least, record the question and the answer (even if you miss the steps).

When preparing for tests, put together a large list of problems from the course materials and lectures. Work the problems and explain the steps and why they work (Carrier, 2003).

Reconsider multitasking

A significant amount of research indicates that multi-tasking does not improve efficiency and actually negatively affects results (Junco, 2012).

In order to study smarter, not harder, you will need to eliminate distractions during your study sessions. Social media, web browsing, game playing, texting, etc. will severely affect the intensity of your study sessions if you allow them! Research is clear that multi-tasking (e.g., responding to texts, while studying), increases the amount of time needed to learn material and decreases the quality of the learning (Junco, 2012).

Eliminating the distractions will allow you to fully engage during your study sessions. If you don’t need your computer for homework, then don’t use it. Use apps to help you set limits on the amount of time you can spend at certain sites during the day. Turn your phone off. Reward intensive studying with a social-media break (but make sure you time your break!) See our handout on managing technology for more tips and strategies.

Switch up your setting

Find several places to study in and around campus and change up your space if you find that it is no longer a working space for you.

Know when and where you study best. It may be that your focus at 10:00 PM. is not as sharp as at 10:00 AM. Perhaps you are more productive at a coffee shop with background noise, or in the study lounge in your residence hall. Perhaps when you study on your bed, you fall asleep.

Have a variety of places in and around campus that are good study environments for you. That way wherever you are, you can find your perfect study spot. After a while, you might find that your spot is too comfortable and no longer is a good place to study, so it’s time to hop to a new spot!

Become a teacher

Try to explain the material in your own words, as if you are the teacher. You can do this in a study group, with a study partner, or on your own. Saying the material aloud will point out where you are confused and need more information and will help you retain the information. As you are explaining the material, use examples and make connections between concepts (just as a teacher does). It is okay (even encouraged) to do this with your notes in your hands. At first you may need to rely on your notes to explain the material, but eventually you’ll be able to teach it without your notes.

Creating a quiz for yourself will help you to think like your professor. What does your professor want you to know? Quizzing yourself is a highly effective study technique. Make a study guide and carry it with you so you can review the questions and answers periodically throughout the day and across several days. Identify the questions that you don’t know and quiz yourself on only those questions. Say your answers aloud. This will help you to retain the information and make corrections where they are needed. For technical courses, do the sample problems and explain how you got from the question to the answer. Re-do the problems that give you trouble. Learning the material in this way actively engages your brain and will significantly improve your memory (Craik, 1975).

Take control of your calendar

Controlling your schedule and your distractions will help you to accomplish your goals.

If you are in control of your calendar, you will be able to complete your assignments and stay on top of your coursework. The following are steps to getting control of your calendar:

• On the same day each week, (perhaps Sunday nights or Saturday mornings) plan out your schedule for the week.
• Go through each class and write down what you’d like to get completed for each class that week.
• Look at your calendar and determine how many hours you have to complete your work.
• Determine whether your list can be completed in the amount of time that you have available. (You may want to put the amount of time expected to complete each assignment.) Make adjustments as needed. For example, if you find that it will take more hours to complete your work than you have available, you will likely need to triage your readings. Completing all of the readings is a luxury. You will need to make decisions about your readings based on what is covered in class. You should read and take notes on all of the assignments from the favored class source (the one that is used a lot in the class). This may be the textbook or a reading that directly addresses the topic for the day. You can likely skim supplemental readings.
• Pencil into your calendar when you plan to get assignments completed.
• Before going to bed each night, make your plan for the next day. Waking up with a plan will make you more productive.

See our handout on calendars and college for more tips on using calendars as time management.

Use downtime to your advantage

Beware of ‘easy’ weeks. This is the calm before the storm. Lighter work weeks are a great time to get ahead on work or to start long projects. Use the extra hours to get ahead on assignments or start big projects or papers. You should plan to work on every class every week even if you don’t have anything due. In fact, it is preferable to do some work for each of your classes every day. Spending 30 minutes per class each day will add up to three hours per week, but spreading this time out over six days is more effective than cramming it all in during one long three-hour session. If you have completed all of the work for a particular class, then use the 30 minutes to get ahead or start a longer project.

Use all your resources

Remember that you can make an appointment with an academic coach to work on implementing any of the strategies suggested in this handout.

Works consulted

Carrier, L. M. (2003). College students’ choices of study strategies. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 96 (1), 54-56.

Craik, F. I., & Tulving, E. (1975). Depth of processing and the retention of words in episodic memory. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 104 (3), 268.

Davis, S. G., & Gray, E. S. (2007). Going beyond test-taking strategies: Building self-regulated students and teachers. Journal of Curriculum and Instruction, 1 (1), 31-47.

Edwards, A. J., Weinstein, C. E., Goetz, E. T., & Alexander, P. A. (2014). Learning and study strategies: Issues in assessment, instruction, and evaluation. Elsevier.

Junco, R., & Cotten, S. R. (2012). No A 4 U: The relationship between multitasking and academic performance. Computers & Education, 59 (2), 505-514.

Mackenzie, A. M. (1994). Examination preparation, anxiety and examination performance in a group of adult students. International Journal of Lifelong Education, 13 (5), 373-388.

McGuire, S.Y. & McGuire, S. (2016). Teach Students How to Learn: Strategies You Can Incorporate in Any Course to Improve Student Metacognition, Study Skills, and Motivation. Stylus Publishing, LLC.

Newport, C. (2006). How to become a straight-a student: the unconventional strategies real college students use to score high while studying less. Three Rivers Press.

Paul, K. (1996). Study smarter, not harder. Self Counsel Press.

Robinson, A. (1993). What smart students know: maximum grades, optimum learning, minimum time. Crown trade paperbacks.

Wissman, K. T., Rawson, K. A., & Pyc, M. A. (2012). How and when do students use flashcards? Memory, 20, 568-579.

If you enjoy using our handouts, we appreciate contributions of acknowledgement.

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Step-by-step guide to tackling assessments

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The steps below will help you plan, research, write and review your assessment.

The most important thing is to start and start early. If you give yourself enough time to plan, research, write and revise your work you won't have to rush. Once you've started, you’ll also have something that you can improve on.

For help working out how much time you will need for each step try the  Assignment Planner – RMIT University

Step 1 – Understand the assessment task

Before you start your assessment make sure you analyse the assessment task or question and understand what you have been asked to do. This will help you focus your research.

Find out how to understand your assessment task

Also check what type of assessment you are doing. Is it an essay or a report? This will help you focus your research and know how to structure your assessment.

Learn more in the types of assessments page

Find  how your work will be assessed

Step 2 – Plan

Planning how you will answer your assessment task or question will help you focus and make writing your assessment easier. You will have a structure to follow, and can make sure you answer the assessment task correctly.

Step 3 – Do your research

Next, research your topic and find relevant and reliable information. You will find some in your course materials and recommended readings, but you can also try:

• the Open Polytechnic Library
• online sources
• talking to experts.

Tips on how to research

  Tip – After you do your research review your plan to make sure it still works with the information you found. 

Step 4 – Write

It will then be time to start writing.

First draft

• Write your first draft following your plan. Fill in the gaps, writing your main points for each section.
• Write freely. Get as much down as you can without worrying about the wording being 100 per cent right.
• You may find it easiest to start with the conclusion, so you know the direction your writing is heading.
• Leave the introduction until last.

Don’t spend too much time trying to make this draft perfect as it will change!

• Revise your draft, and check that it makes sense and includes everything it needs to.
• Fine tune the wording, and make sure your writing flows well.
• Keep different copies of your drafts as you may want to go back to them.
• Compile your bibliography or reference list.

More on writing skills and academic writing

Step 5 – Review

Once you're happy, take a break. Get some distance so you can check your work with a fresh eye. Then edit and proofread.

Look at the big picture

• Have you answered the question you were set? Check your work against the marking schedule as well as the question.
• Is the structure correct? Is the content logically arranged?
• Have you included all relevant parts? For example, the title page, introduction, conclusion, reference list?
• Does your assessment read well with each section flowing smoothly on to the next? A good way to check this is to read it aloud.
• Have you used your own words and acknowledged all your sources?
• Is your assessment well presented?

Check the details

• Have you used academic English (if needed)?
• Check the grammar, punctuation, and spelling. Don’t just use a spell checker (it won’t pick everything up).
• Check your referencing. Is your APA referencing correct?
• Are your pages numbered?
• Have you included your name, student ID, the assessment details and the date on each page?

Tip – If possible, ask a friend or family member to proofread your assessment, as it can be difficult to see mistakes in your own work.

Once you’re happy, submit your assessment.

Submitting your assessment

Got a question?

If you want to talk with someone about planning your assessment, contact The Library and Learning Centre | Te Whare Pukapuka Wāhanga Whakapakari Ako. 

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The Best Study Tips for Psychology Students

Dougal Waters / Digital Vision / Getty Images

At a Glance

Using research-backed study strategies can help you deepen your understanding of psychology and succeed as a student.

Psychology classes can be challenging, especially if students have never studied the topic before. Since psychology is such a diverse field, students can become easily overwhelmed by the amount of information they’re expected to learn.

Even an introductory psychology  course includes discussions of psychology's philosophical background,  social statistics , biological influences,  experimental methods , social behavior, personality,  research methods , and therapeutic techniques.

Here’s why good study habits are key to mastering new theories and concepts as a psychology student.

Research-Backed Study Methods for Psychology Students

Following a few simple study tips can help you effectively learn new concepts and theories. Creating good study habits won't just help you in your psychology classes, either. These skills and routines will probably come in handy for all your courses.

Make a Study Plan

A study plan is key to staying on track with your learning, whether you’ve got a weekly assignment or a term paper due. At the start of every new class, sit down and come up with a study plan that will lead to success in the course. A little planning now can save you a lot of last-minute stress.

There are a few techniques that can help you plan out your study path.

• Set a timeline:  The time you need to study will probably vary depending on the topic, but plan to set aside time each week for reviewing materials from class. At the start of the week, think about the material you need to cover and estimate how long you will need to finish your assignments, readings, and reviews.
• Make a schedule:  Ideally, schedule a block of time to devote to each of your courses. Try to set aside a specific time every day to concentrate on your  classwork . Stick to your schedule even when you’re busy.
• Use the two-hour rule as a baseline:  A general rule of thumb for studying is that for every hour you spend in class, spend two hours of your own time working through the material.

Use Study Techniques Supported by Research

Throughout your education, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to learn what study methods work best for you as a psychology student. If you’re just starting, here are a few evidence-based pointers about studying to keep in mind.

• Think critically about the material:  Effective studying is more than just reading the assigned texts and skimming through your notes. You need to think about and analyze what you’re reading to deepen your understanding.
• Take notes as you go:  Read through your materials slowly and note the key points as you go. Also, note any questions you have about the subject to discuss with your classmates or course instructor.
• Test yourself:  When you've finished an assigned reading, quiz yourself on the material you have just learned. You can ask yourself questions using the elaborative interrogation technique. For example, you can ask yourself why a specific region of the brain is involved in emotional regulation to give yourself a clear path for studying the anatomy and function of the brain. If you struggle with certain questions, make note of these areas for additional study.
• Try self-explanation. To make sure you fully understand the definitions of words and concepts you’re learning about, try putting them into your own words and teaching yourself what they mean.
• Summarize the main points:  Once you have worked your way through the material, ask yourself what the main concepts are. Review these ideas often as you study.
• Repeated retrieval. Research suggests that if you remember material that you’ve learned multiple times, it’s more effective than just trying to retrieve the information once.
• Space out study sessions. Rather than trying to fit all your studying into a single session, try spacing out your study sessions at various times over multiple days. Research suggests this method is more useful than cramming the night before a test.
• Interleaved practice. While you can dedicate a single study session to one concept, you can also try working on related ideas during the same study session.
• Engage all your senses. You may find that you typically have a certain style of learning that works best—for example, some people need to hear things to learn well, while others prefer to see material. You may find that a combination of learning styles works best, like listening to a recording of a lecture and mind-mapping out your notes with diagrams and charts.

Make Class Time Count

At the start of every new semester, plan for how you’ll make the most of your in-class time. The time spent with your instructors and fellow students is just as important as the study time you have on your own—if not more so.

• Prepare for class:  Read the assigned chapters before you show up for class. Complete any assignments, projects, and pre-tests, and be ready to talk about them.
• Be ready to take part: If you come to each class with a solid understanding of the material, you will be better able to take part in class discussions.
• Listen to others: It’s not only important to listen to your professor or lecturer; you also want to pay attention to what your classmates are saying. They may have ideas that differ from yours and can expand your understanding of the topics you’re learning about or see them in a new light.
• Take good notes: Your psychology class notes should be a  summary  of what you learned in class, not a transcription of everything that your instructor or classmates discussed. Learn how to take brief but effective notes that summarize what was said and leave you with the key takeaways.

Work With Others

To make sure you can fully focus on the material, study on your own at first. After you’ve gotten a bit more comfortable with the material, find others who you can study with.

• Find a group:  Review sessions with classmates or joining a study group can be a great way to make studying more engaging. They can be especially helpful if you need to refresh your knowledge of the material before a quiz or exam.
• Teach others: One way to gauge your understanding of a topic is by trying to teach someone else about it. You can practice teaching concepts and definitions to your group study mates or enlist a friend to be your “student."

Examples of Good Study Strategies

Here are a few examples of how you can use research-backed study techniques as a psychology student:

• If you’re learning about theories of development, keep a running list as you go. Once you’ve got the basics down, go back to your list regularly over the next couple of weeks and practice remembering each theory.
• Use flashcards to quiz yourself on key psychology terminology you expect will be on a test.
• Map out a study plan using the two-hour rule. For example, if you have a two-hour lecture in cognitive science each week, schedule two hours of study time to go over your notes and assigned readings.
• Create charts, mind maps, or other visuals of the study material to help you see it in a new way. You may find that the visuals help you uncover connections you hadn’t made before between concepts. These connections can also serve as memory “hacks” that make it easier for you to remember what you’ve learned.
• Once you’ve covered the material and tested yourself, ask a friend if you can teach them about it. Note any areas where you make mistakes or struggle to explain a concept. This will help you get a sense of where your understanding of a topic isn’t strong.

What to Do If You Have to Cram Before a Test

You have probably been told hundreds of times that cramming is not an effective way to study. That said, even students with a plan and good study habits may eventually be in the position of needing to cram the night before a test.

Tara Kuther, PhD, a graduate school expert, has a handy reference guide with tips for how to cram for an exam. Kuther suggests prioritizing the topics you are going to study, reviewing class notes and required readings, and answering questions about the material in your own words.

You don’t want to make a habit of cramming, but you can use a last-minute study session effectively to review notes and organize your thoughts.

Here are a few tips for cramming:

• Prioritize and make a study plan: Create a quick outline of the topics that will most likely be on the exam. Put a star next to the subjects that are giving you the most trouble, and study those topics  first . Then, move on to the material that you are more familiar with to give yourself a quick refresher.
• Don't take on too much:  Trying to learn an entire semester's worth of material in one night is an impossible task. Instead of attempting to cover every single thing in the text, focus on the material that is most likely to be on the test. A quick rule of thumb: if your instructor talked about it in class, it is  very likely  to show up on an exam. Use your class notes as a guide for what to focus on.
• Get some sleep:  It might be tempting to stay up all night and learn as much of the material as you possibly can, but this strategy can backfire. You’ll just end up exhausted and burned out, which will not put you in the right headspace for your exam. Study as much as you reasonably and effectively can, then get some uninterrupted sleep the night before your exam. If you need more study time, you can wake up early the next morning and review the materials one more time before you test.

Stanford Undergrad Academic Advising. What is a unit? .

UC San Diego Department of Psychology. Other learning techniques .

UC San Diego Department of Psychology. How to effectively study .

American Psychological Association. Six research-tested ways to study better .

UC San Diego Department of Psychology. Spaced practice .

Bay Atlantic University. Eight types of learning styles .

Cen L, Ruta D, Powell L, Ng J. Learning alone or in a group - an empirical case study of the collaborative learning patterns and their impact on student grades . Proc Int Conf Interact Collab Learn (Dubai, UAE) . 2014. doi:10.1109/ICL.2014.7017845

Huang S, Deshpande A, Yeo S-C, Lo JC, Chee MWL, Gooley JJ. Sleep restriction impairs vocabulary learning when adolescents cram for exams: the Need for Sleep Study . Sleep . 2016;39(9):1681-1690. doi:10.5665/sleep.6092

By Kendra Cherry, MSEd Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

Six research-tested ways to study better

Psychology’s latest insights for preparing students for their next exams.

• Learning and Memory

Many students are missing a lesson in a key area that can help guarantee their success: how to study effectively. 

It’s common for students to prepare for exams by re-reading class notes and cramming textbook chapters—study techniques that hinge on the assumption that memories are like recording devices that can play back memories during an exam. “But the storage and retrieval operations of human memory differ from recording devices in almost every way possible,” says psychology professor Robert Bjork, PhD, co-director of the Learning and Forgetting Lab at University of California, Los Angeles. 

What does help our brains retain information? Study strategies that require the brain to work to remember information—rather than passively reviewing material. 

Bjork coined the term “desirable difficulty” to describe this concept, and psychologists are homing in on exactly how students can develop techniques to maximize the cognitive benefits of their study time.  

Here are six research-tested strategies from psychology educators. 

1. Remember and repeat

Study methods that involve remembering information more than once—known as repeated retrieval practice—are ideal because each time a memory is recovered, it becomes more accessible in the future, explains Jeffrey Karpicke, PhD, a psychology researcher at Purdue University in Indiana who studies human learning and memory. 

The benefits of this technique were evident when Karpicke conducted a study in which students attempted to learn a list of foreign language words. Participants learned the words in one of four ways: 

• Studying the list once.
• Studying until they had successfully recalled each word once.
• Studying until they had successfully recalled each word three times consecutively.
• Studying until they had recalled each word three times spaced throughout the 30-minute learning session. 

In the last condition, the students would move on to other words after correctly recalling a word once, then recall it again after practicing other words.

A week later, the researchers tested the students on the words and discovered that participants who had practiced with repeated spaced retrieval—the last condition—far outperformed the other groups. Students in this group remembered 80% of the words, compared to 30% for those who had recalled the information three times in a row—known as massed retrieval practice—or once. The first group, which involved no recall, remembered the words less than 1% of the time ( Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition , Vol. 37, No. 5, 2011).

Many students assume that recalling something they’ve learned once is proof that they’ve memorized it. But, says Karpicke, just because you can retrieve a fact in a study session doesn’t mean you will remember it later on a test. “Just a few repeated retrievals can produce significant effects, and it’s best to do this in a spaced fashion.” 

2. Adapt your favorite strategies

Other research finds support for online flashcard programs, such as Study Stack or Chegg, to practice retrieving information—as long as students continue retesting themselves in the days leading up to the test, says John Dunlosky, PhD, who studies self-regulated learning at Kent State University in Ohio. For flashcards with single-word answers, the evidence suggests that thinking of the answer is effective, but for longer responses like definitions, students should type, write down, or say aloud the answers, Dunlosky says. If the answer is incorrect, then study the correct one and practice again later in the study session. “They should continue doing that until they are correct, and then repeat the process in a couple more days,” he says. 

Concept mapping — a diagram that depicts relationships between concepts—is another well-known learning technique that has become popular, but cognitive psychology researchers caution students to use this strategy only if they try to create a map with the book closed. Karpicke demonstrated this in a study in which students studied topics by creating concept maps or by writing notes in two different conditions: with an open textbook or with the textbook closed. With the closed textbook, they were recalling as much as they could remember. One week later, the students took an exam that tested their knowledge of the material, and students who had practiced retrieving the information with the book closed had better performances ( Journal of Educational Psychology , Vol. 106, No. 3, 2014).

“Concept maps can be useful, as long as students engage in retrieval practice while using this strategy,” Karpicke says. 

3. Quiz yourself

Students should also take advantage of quizzes—from teachers, in textbooks or apps like Quizlet—to refine their ability to retain and recall information. It works even if students answer incorrectly on these quizzes, says Oregon State University psychology professor Regan Gurung, PhD. “Even the process of trying and failing is better than not trying at all,” he says. “Just attempting to retrieve something helps you solidify it in your memory.”

Gurung investigated different approaches to using quizzes in nine introductory psychology courses throughout the country. In the study, the researchers worked with instructors who agreed to participate in different conditions. Some required students to complete chapter quizzes once while others required them to take each quiz multiple times. Also, some students were told to complete all the chapter quizzes by one deadline before the exam, while others were expected to space their quizzes by meeting deadlines throughout the course. The students who spaced their quizzes and took them multiple times fared the best on the class exams ( Applied Cognitive Psychology , Vol. 33, No. 5, 2019).

Although trying and failing on practice quizzes may be an effective study strategy, psychology professor Nate Kornell, PhD, of Williams College in Massachusetts, was skeptical that students would choose to learn this way because many people inherently do not like getting things wrong. He was eager to explore whether it was possible to create a retrieval practice strategy that increased the odds of students getting the right answer without sacrificing the quality of learning. To test this possibility, he led a study in which participants tried to remember word pairs, such as “idea: seeker.” The goal was to remember the second word after seeing only the first one. The students could choose to practice by restudying all the pairs or by self-testing with different options for hints—seeing either two or four letters of the second word in the pair, or no letters at all ( Cognitive Research: Principles and Implications , Vol. 4, 2019).

Most of the students preferred self-testing over restudying, and the results showed that even with hints, the self-testing group performed better on the final test of the words than the restudying group. “It’s a win-win situation because the technique that worked most effectively was also the one that they enjoyed the most,” says Kornell. 

Even more important, students think they are learning more effectively when they answer correctly while practicing, which means they’ll be even more motivated to try retrieval practice if hints are available, says Kornell. To apply this strategy, he suggests adding hints to self-generated flash cards or quizzes, such as the first letter of the answer or one of the words in a definition.

4. Make the most of study groups

Many students also enjoy studying with classmates. But when working in groups, it’s important for students to let everyone have an opportunity to think of the answers independently, says Henry Roediger, III, PhD, a professor in the psychology department at Washington University in St. Louis. One study highlighted the importance of this: Participants tried to learn words in a foreign language by either answering aloud or by listening to their partners give the answers ( Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied (PDF, 426KB) , Vol. 24, No. 3, 2018). As expected, those who had answered aloud outperformed the listeners on a test two days later. The researchers also compared participants who answered aloud with partners who silently tried to recall the answers. Everyone received feedback about whether they had gotten the correct answer. Both groups had comparable performances. “Waiting for others to think of answers may slow down the process, but it produces better retention for everyone because it requires individual effort,” Roediger says. 

5. Mix it up

Researchers have also investigated the potential benefits of “interleaving,” or studying for different courses in one study session ( Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied , Vol. 23, Nov. 4, 2017). For example, rather than dedicating two hours to studying for a psychology exam, students could use that time to study for exams in psychology, biology and statistics courses. A few days later, students could study for the same courses again during another block of time. “This strategy, versus blocking one’s study by course, naturally introduces spacing, so students practice retrieving information over time,” Bjork says. 

But the research on interleaving has had mixed results, says Aaron Richmond, PhD, a professor of educational psychology and human development at Metropolitan State University in Denver. “If the concepts from two subjects overlap too closely, then this could interfere with learning,” says Richmond. “But chemistry and introduction to psychology are so different that this doesn’t create interference.”

6. Figure out what works for you

The ability to effectively evaluate one’s approach to learning and level of attainment is known as metacognitive ability. Research has shown that “when people are new to learning about a topic, their subjective impressions of how much they know are the most inflated,” says Paul Penn, PhD, a senior lecturer in the psychology department at East London University and author of the 2019 book “The Psychology of Effective Studying.” 

“If your impression of your learning is inflated, you have little incentive to look at the way you're approaching learning,” he says.

To increase awareness about the value of sound study strategies, administrators at Samford University in Alabama invited psychology professor Stephen Chew, PhD, to talk to first-year students about this topic during an annual convocation each fall semester. Though an assessment study, he realized that the lecture prompted immediate changes in beliefs and attitudes about studying, but long-term change was lacking. “Students forgot the specifics of the lecture and fell back into old habits under the stress of the semester,” Chew says. 

To provide an accessible resource, he launched a series of five 7-minute videos on the common misconceptions about studying, how to optimize learning and more. Professors throughout the school assign the videos as required classwork, and the videos have been viewed 3 million times throughout the world by high school, college and medical students. 

While this form of campus-wide education about studying is somewhat rare, psychology researchers are optimistic that this could become more common in the coming years. “There is a lot more discussion now than even 10 years ago among teachers about the science of learning,” Karpicke says. “Most students do not know how to study effectively, and teachers are increasingly eager to change that.” 

Further reading

• Improving Self-Regulated Learning with a Retrieval Practice Intervention. Ariel, R., Karpicke, J.D., Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied , 2018.
• Practice Tests, Spaced Practice, and Successive Relearning: Tips for Classroom Use and for Guiding Students’ Learning (PDF, 53KB) . Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Psychology , Dunlosky, J. & Rawson, K.A., 2015.
• Performance Bias: Why Judgments of Learning Are not Affected by Learning . Kornell, N. and Hausman, H., Memory & Cognition , 2017.

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How to Write a Case Study Assignment: All-In-One Guide

But First: What Is a Case Study?

How long should your case study paper be, 5 types of case study assignments, what’s the common case study structure, how is a case study different from a research paper, how to prepare for writing your case study assignment, 7 powerful tips on how to write a case study, how to add a title page & citations to a case study, 3 marketing case study templates to help you out, 3+1 case study examples to inspire you, in conclusion.

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You won’t get through your academic program without at least one case study assignment. That’s because case studies are a powerful tool for gaining a real-world, in-depth understanding of problems – and their solutions.

But as an assignment, they can be confusing and challenging, especially if it’s your first time writing a case study. So, let us share with you everything we know about how to write a case study that’s compelling and fresh – and that’ll get you the top grade.

Before you get to writing a case study, you need to understand what it is to zero in on your goal as the author.

A case study is a piece that examines a particular problem and one or several of its real-world solutions. It can also analyze a certain event, personality, place, or situation in the context of a bigger issue.

And here lies your first piece of advice on how to write a case study assignment. Your goal is to meticulously analyze your case: what problem it tackles, how successful the approach was, etc.

It depends. A case study assignment can be anywhere between 500 and 1,500 words. The precise length depends on how long it needs to be for you to cover every crucial detail of the case and tell your readers the story.

That said, when you get to case study writing, keep in mind these four guidelines:

• Hook your reader within the first 100 words;
• Dedicate the bulk of your text to results and benefits or failing;
• Keep it as concise as you can;
• Use visuals whenever appropriate.

If you buy assignment , verify that the work you get follows these guidelines, too.

When you’re asked to write a case study, remember to pinpoint which case study type matches your topic the best:

• Historical case studies examine past events and draw parallels between them and contemporary trends or issues.
• Cumulative case study writing involves aggregating information about a particular subject.
• Problem-oriented case studies aim to find the best solution by analyzing existing ones and their results.
• Illustrative case studies recount a certain event, break down its outcomes, and reach teachable conclusions.
• Critical case studies involve writing a case study report on the causes and effects of their subject.

To write a case study, follow this standard eight-part structure:

• Executive summary combines an overview of the field and your thesis statement.
• The background is the description of your case: its context, course, and key issues.
• Case evaluation is where you isolate the issues or details you’ll focus on and explain why the solution works – or doesn’t.
• Proposed solutions describe how to improve what works or fix what doesn’t. It’s often the toughest part, so don’t hesitate to turn to cheap assignment help if it’s your case.
• The conclusion is a summary of the previous two sections.
• Recommendations are your substantiated opinion on the best way to tackle the issue.
• Implementation describes the practicalities of putting your strategies to work.
• Citations are where you provide all the references.

These two types of assignments, albeit similar, aren’t the same. So, before we dive into how to write a case study essay, let’s list its four differences from a research paper:

• It’s a more detail-oriented, in-depth look at a particular case;
• When you write a case study, you should flex your storytelling muscles to craft a compelling essay;
• A case study is typically shorter than a research paper;
• It focuses on the practical aspects of approaching a certain problem.

Preparation is a crucial part of how to write a case study. It should include rigorous research, multiple source analysis, and, sometimes, interviewing experts or customers.

Here are five steps you should take during this phase:

• Pinpoint the goal of your case study assignment;
• Zero in on the topic, issue, and subject you’ll describe in it;
• Read up on its background information;
• Round up all the credible sources you’ll rely on in writing;
• Identify the multitude of solutions to the central problem.

Now that you know what a case study is and how to prepare for writing one, let’s break down these seven actionable tips that’ll help you in your writing process.

1. Make Your Interviews as Easy as Possible

If you’re writing a case study that examines a real business, campaign, or individual, it may involve one or several interviews. And when you ask a person to sit down with you, you essentially ask them to spend their time on you. So, make it as easy for them as possible:

• Straighten out all the interview details in advance (when, where, how long);
• Explain how the case study will be used and where it’ll end up;
• Offer to hold an interview the way they prefer (over the phone, online, via email).

2. Hook Your Readers with a Snapshot

Like any good story, its beginning should hook the reader, i.e., make them want to read further. But don’t rely on the intrigue too much.

Instead, in the introduction, describe not just the case setup but its results, too. Don’t worry about the intrigue: the journey from point A to point B should still pique the reader’s interest.

3. Find an Unconventional Perspective

Writing a case study is easy. But writing a compelling one is not. To keep your readers hooked on your case study until the last word, you’ll have to flex your creative muscles.

Here are three tips for that:

• Tell your story as a protagonist-driven narrative;
• Add a teaser at the beginning to hook your readers;
• Find your unique angle; don’t settle for a conventional perspective.

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4. Make Your Story Relatable

A unique angle shouldn’t render your story too ambiguous or cryptic to your readers. Instead, aim to craft your case study to be relatable to your target audience.

For example, when businesses create their case studies to attract potential customers, they should make sure the reader can identify with the protagonist’s problems. Then, as the business describes how its product solved those problems, it essentially tells the reader, “This product can help you with your problem, too.”

5. Pay Attention to Visual Appeal & Readability

Your case study shouldn’t be just a wall of text (if you can help it). Visuals are more efficient at communicating information.

So, add infographics, charts, tables, and other illustrative visuals whenever possible. They’re easier to comprehend and consume.

Readability is another thing to keep in mind. To make your case study easy to read, make it skimmable by:

• Adding subheadings and lists;
• Highlighting important sentences;
• Keeping the paragraphs and sections as short as possible.

6. Don’t Make the Narrative All About Yourself

Unless you have the experience or background to be at the forefront of a case study, avoid I-statements. Focus on your protagonist and tell the story from their perspective instead. This is key to making it relatable for a particular target audience, too.

Think about it this way. If you’re writing a case study for a company, you’ll want them to come across as a helping hand, not a self-proclaimed hero. So, stay humble and avoid boasting.

7. Let Your Subject Tell the Story

Whenever possible, use that interview material and incorporate interviewees’ quotes directly into your story. This will help your case study come across as more credible – and more relatable, too.

How should you use quotes when you’re writing a case study, exactly? Set up the scene or write the transition – and add the quote. And avoid repetition!

Case Study Title Page

The formatting for your title page and citations will depend on the style you’re required to use. Most likely, it’ll be the APA style. You may sometimes need to follow other style guidelines, like MLA or Chicago.

If you need to follow the APA guidelines, adding a case study title page is obligatory. Here’s what it’ll include (each element should be on a new line):

• Author’s name;
• Author’s affiliation;
• Course number and name;
• Your instructor’s name;
• The paper’s due date.

Need an example? Here’s one for a case study assignment:

Greenwashing: Coca-Cola Sustainability Campaign Case Stud Jane B. Doe Harvard Business School, Harvard University MRK101: Introduction to Marketing Prof. John AdamsMay 12, 2022

Case Study Citations

You’ll also need to know how to cite a case study when you write one. The exact rules differ depending on the style, so here are your formulas for APA and MLA styles with examples.

For an APA citation , use this template:

Author’s last name, initials (Publishing year). Title. Source

Doe, J. B. (2020). Apple and Google: an oligopoly case study. Tech Journal, 10, 13. https://website.org/oligopoly-case-study

For an MLA reference , follow this template:

Author’s last name, first name. “Title of source.” Container, publication date, source location

Doe, J. B. “Apple and Google: an oligopoly case study.” Tech Journal 10, 13, 2020, website.org/oligopoly-case-study. Accessed 4 May. 2022.

Don’t know where to start with your case study? Following a template can be a great way to overcome writer’s block – and save some time in the process.

Here are three resources with case study templates you’ll love:

• Canva has a whole case study category in its templates. Use them to make your case study presentation visually appealing – and outstanding!
• Venngage offers dozens of sleek PDF templates for case studies. You just need to create a free account to use them.
• HubSpot gives away a free pack of three text-only and three designed templates, along with a creation kit.

Need business and marketing how to write a case study examples to give you a push in the right direction? Here are three of them you can learn a great deal from:

• “The Met” by Fantasy. Focused on a website redesign for The Met, this case study posted on Fantasy’s website shows instead of just telling. The text is concise while the website showcase is put front and center.
• "In-Depth Performance Marketing Case Study" by Switch. Presented in PDF format, this case study reads as an in-depth research paper on marketing. The client’s name is never revealed, but that doesn’t get in the way of storytelling. Switch also included a glossary of terms to make it more readable for non-marketers.
• “GoFundMe Increases Repeat and Referral Business 180%” by HubSpot. Just like other HubSpot case studies, this one is well-structured and emphasizes figures as evidence. It covers both the client’s problems and how the product solved them in a quote-driven, engaging way.

If you’re looking for more academic case study writing examples or college assignment help, let us share a sample of Greenwashing: Coca-Cola Sustainability Campaign Case Study with you:

The Coca-Cola Company, a global beverage corporation, has been criticized for its plastic production and waste since the 2000s. To improve its public image, the corporation decided to spotlight its sustainability efforts. However, these campaigns only hurt the company’s brand as it was accused of greenwashing (rightfully so).

Coca-Cola pledged to reduce single-use bottles multiple times. In 2017, Greenpeace already criticized the company for failing to achieve its 2015 goal of sourcing 25% of bottle materials from recycled plastic.

The company’s current goal – “using at least 50% recycled material in our packaging by 2030” – can be tracked via Ellen MacArthur Foundation, although the data is self-reported. According to that data, the recycled content accounts for just 11.5% of its packaging material sourcing as of 2020. But it excludes most of the company’s operations in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.

Break Free from Plastic’s annual Brand Audit has named Coca-Cola the number one plastic polluter worldwide five years in a row. The Changing Markets Foundation listed it as a top greenwashing company in 2022, too.

All of this undermines Coca-Cola’s marketing campaign messaging and negatively impacts its branding. So, going forward, a genuine overhaul of its operations toward more sustainable ones – and transparent and full reporting on it – are a must for the company.

A case study is a great way to gain fresh, practical insights into a certain problem or event. When done right, it’s also a more compelling and engaging piece than other research papers.

However, that’s exactly what makes case studies so research-demanding and time-consuming. But if you’re not up to the challenge or lack the time required to do an A-worthy job, don’t worry. You can always turn to assignment help online like ours for help!

Any tips on how to start a case study?

Can you give some advice on how to write introduction for case study, where can i find some examples of well-written case studies, what if i don’t know where to start with my case study assignment, do you have any tips on how to present a case study, what is case study research.

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