Marianne M. Rexer, Ph.D.. CPA
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Developing good study habits

Don't be distracted by too many items that "pop up." This can lead to a poor study habit.

Set priorities according to due dates, project size, degree of difficulty, and importance of the assignment.

When you don't feel like it, study for a few minutes anyway. Give yourself 20 minutes of honest study effort. After you start studying your mood may change. This will also keep you in a study routine. Study for a few minutes no matter how much you want to do something else. No excuses! Your future depends on you working when you don˙≠t feel like working.

Spend only a few minutes getting ready to study. Keep this time to a minimum (5 ˙ã 10) minutes but use this time to eliminate distractions (radio, phone, cluttered mess, etc.)

Follow a study routine. Study at the same time, in the same place. Use this place only for studying. Your mind will associate it with studying and concentrating will be easier.

Depend on yourself. If you learn your material independently, you will know it better. Often students believe they know the material because they heard a friend say it during a group study session. In reality, that student didn't "know" it but recognized it as familiar information. Groups have a specific purpose and allow for review after you mastered the material individually.

Plan your study routine. Save the simple tasks for later when you are more tired. Quickly review your notes before completing an assignment. You will remember the new information and complete your homework more quickly and correctly.

Study only one subject at a time. Half studying one subject and then taking a break to work on another subject doesn˙≠t allow your brain to integrate the material fully. When you return to the first subject, you need to refresh your brain and remember where you left off. You think you know the material because the "refreshing" seems familiar when, in fact, you have not mastered the material.

Outline your information. Understanding the teacher˙≠s notes is important but also understand how some information relates to other information. An outline will allow you to understand the key points, the relationship between the points. This should allow you to have an overview of the information as well as an understanding of the details.

Ask the teacher what type of questions will be asked. Then try to develop your own test questions. If you study more difficult questions than the teacher will ask, you will be well-prepared.

At a minimum, redo the homework. Do not simply look at the questions with your hands over the answers. Actually, rewrite the answers. This will show you how prepared you actually are. Sometimes the difficutly is in setting up the question. Writing the complete answer will prove you are ready for the test.

Talk to students who are doing well in the course. They may have study hints and you may find ways to help each other study. However, remember to learn the material independently first.

Don't believe every student. Not every student knows how to study. Understand that some students may not accept responsibility for doing poorly and actually believe that they studied properly. While not every good student wants to share their study habits, most are willing to help other students. This provides them with an opportunity to demonstrate how much they know.

Don't wait until the last night to study. The night before a test should be a review and integration of all the material. It is too difficult to master the material, to review the material, and to do well.