The Learning Centre UNSW

Begin studying early. Ideally you should begin about four weeks before your exams.

Make a revision timetable and plan how you will use the study time leading up to your exam.

Study for set lengths of time. Don't study for longer than 50 minutes without taking a break. Concentration will slip.

Work out when you study most effectively and schedule study times that suit your personal rhythms.

Organise your material. Make sure you have a complete set of lecture and tutorial notes for each course. If you've missed lectures, borrow copies of the notes from another student.

Once you have organised all your material, you can study by topic.

Spend more time studying the subjects you find most difficult. Schedule these first.

Make a study area

• Choose a quiet place where you won't be easily distracted.


• Make yourself comfortable


• Make sure you have good lighting to read by.

Set yourself a goal for each study session. Deciding what to complete in a session will help you keep track of what you are studying.

Review past exam papers. Work through them and look at how they fit into the course. Practice doing the papers under exam conditions and carefully review your answers.

Look at the wording of the questions and familiarise yourself with the clue words (pick up a copy of Exam Skills - Clue Words from The Learning Centre).

Form a study group with other students. Swap practice exams and give feedback. Drill each other on study topics.

Each semester at uni can feel like running a race, Week one looms and the clock is ticking; before you know it, assignments are due. Planning your workload over a session and having a schedule is critical to success. However, even the most efficient students will fall behind at some time. Unforseen events occur, life happens. What is important is to a) recognise that you are behind schedule and b) have a plan to catch up.

Try the following:

1. Don’t Panic. OK, you’ve fallen behind, but now look ahead and determine what needs to be done.

• Do you have any late work? If you haven’t handed an assignment in, speak to your tutor about it asap and find out what your options are.


• Do you have an assignment due in the next few days? Identify what is urgent - If you have an assignment due within the week, it is your number one priority.


• What assignments do you have between now and the end of the semester? Time for some longer-term planning.


• Do you need to do any group work? Is anyone relying on your contribution to a collaborative project/ assignment?

2. Make a Solid Plan. After completing all urgencies create a solid plan that will get you back on schedule ‘til the end of semester. Make a list of the assignments you have to complete and the due dates. Re-draw your Semester plan. Draw up a new weekly planner to accommodate extra work.

3. Just Do It. Now is not the time for procrastination and anxieties about excellence, it’s the time for completing the work that is due NOW. Stay focused - it’s better to produce something (whatever the quality) than nothing at all.

Tips to get you through

• Tell people – Support is important, so let the relevant people know that you’re behind and are working your way through it. Tell those you live with that you’ll need some quiet for study; tell your friends you’ll be MIA for a while. By keeping everyone informed, they can understand where you are at.


• Maintain your current workload - No matter how far behind you are, don’t skip one class/ assignment to work on another – you’re only increasing the amount of catching up you’ll have to do. You still need to keep up with your assigned reading.


• Maintain your sanity. Sleep and eat well. Avoid too much sugar and caffeine and avoid too many late nights. Don’t work so hard that you forget to take short breaks about every hour. Breaks also include evening relaxation. Make sure you leave at least an hour between studying/working and sleep to unwind.


• You still need some form of relaxation. Don’t be too much of a hermit. You can still go out, just take it easy - spend a few hours with friends, but don’t stay out till 2 a.m.


• Be realistic about your workload and make some short-term adjustments. Can you (at least temporarily) work fewer hours and reduce or suspend your commitments to sporting activities, clubs etc?


• Sacrifice a few time-wasters: Facebook, television, Blogs, newsfeeds. Turn off your mobile and hang a ‘do not disturb’ sign on the door.


• Learn from your mistakes. Once you get caught up, make sure that you have a plan to continue to stay on track. Try to identify why you fell behind. Although some obstacles are unavoidable, if you fell behind through poor planning or procrastination, be counscious of your behaviours and try to change your habits.

Handing in your first essays before semester break? Good presentation makes your work look professional and indicates to your marker that you take your work seriously.

Assignments should:

• be printed on A4 paper (single-sided)


• have 1.5 or double line spacing


• have wide margins (so your marker can write feedback)


• use a clear, easy to read font (Times, Arial, Helvetica, at least 12 point)


• have numbered pages


• be firmly stapled in the top left hand corner


• be within the word limit


• be thoroughly edited and proof-read


• be correctly referenced

Most assignments require an assignment cover sheet. Check with your tutor about where to find them.

A final tip – make sure you know when, where or to whom your assignment should be handed in. Most schools have a box for students to submit their essays, so double-check to make sure. You don’t want a late penalty simply because you weren’t sure where to go.

For more study tips and resources, visit The Learning Centre website