Post by Admin on May 5, 2017 17:36:44 GMT
How to Study
(The JC Edition)
Examinations are painful, long, tedious papers that require a lot of preparation. The amount of preparation to be exact varies from subject to subject and as a result, there are various ways of studying for different subjects. In this guide, I will talk about the various ways of studying and what subject(s) the methods work best for.
1. Teaching friends/students
You know me as THE Sryan Bruen who endlessly teaches and helps students on the internet with Studyclix being my main source. There is many reasons why I do so. One of them (which is NOT one of my main reasons I may add, though it could possibly be your best way of studying) is to study. By teaching or helping your friends, you are also helping yourself believe it or not. Your friends might be struggling with something you're an expert on or vice versa OR you both are struggling with something then both of you help each other by studying it from your textbooks or notes and then one of you test the other (which overlaps with another way of studying you will read later in this guide). Teaching or helping others is possibly the best way to study because:
1. It helps improve your social skills.
2. Everybody is getting something out of it. You get your study, they get their study and help.
3. It can help increase self confidence and self motivation.
Teaching friends/students works for all subjects theory based subjects.
2. Getting somebody to test you
This is quite an underrated form of studying I think. What it simply is that you study your notes on the subject and then you give the notes to somebody whom will ask questions based on your notes. Since the person has your notes, you will not be able to see them so it is like a sample test. You may not get many questions right at first sight, unless you're very smart of course but this kind of studying requires a lot of repetition of questions due to the student potentially finding it very boring and difficult to study notes from their textbook or copy. Once the person asks the same questions over and over again - and you're not looking at your notes then the answers will be stuck into your head.
This works for theory based subjects like Geography, Business Studies or History. Maths and the Accounting in Business Studies is not recommended for this type of studying.
3. Head to head oral communication
Oral communication involves you speaking to another head to head in person. It can work on the internet though it is not recommended because you will likely find a translator or dictionary and put your reply into the language through these. Then you send your answer to the person. However, you are not learning anything by doing so which is why internet oral communication is not recommended. When you are talking head to head with one another, you only have you, your brain and the other person whom you are speaking to. You talk normal day conversations to one another except in a different language to practice for oral examinations or even just any written expression in languages like letters or essays.
This works for only language subjects.
4. Mind maps
If you're unsure of what mind maps are, they're basically spider diagrams or brainstorms. There are various different mind maps you can make. You can make ones with simple words and lines. However, that's not recommended as it's very boring to look at and not exciting to study. To make sure you study well, your mind maps have to be appealing to you with colour, layout etc. If you're a heavily visually based learner then make sure to add pictures to your mind maps also. Look at this example of a mind map and see how creative people can get with their mind maps!
As you can see, this example of a mind map for a Tennis match (which goes to show you that mind maps are not just used for studying) has plenty of colour and pictures which makes it appealing to read. Mind maps can be very tedious to do so if you cannot stand doing tedious actions then this may not be for you. It is better to make your own mind maps than to have somebody elses' mind maps.
Mind maps work for pretty much every subject though they are less so used for languages and Business Studies accounts.
5. Quiz Apps
So students just want to have fun right? Students have to learn right? Well combine fun and education and you get quiz apps. Examples of such apps are QuizUp, Duolingo, Memrise, Kahoot and Jetpunk. With the exception of Duolingo which has its own made language courses, each of the above named apps allow you to make your own quizzes. Kahoot unfortunately can only be used with multiple people. You should make your own quizzes instead of relying on other peoples' quizzes as you'll learn better from your own quizzes, just like your own notes and mind maps. Keep doing the quizzes like once every day or once every week. Record your results and look at how you have done over time. Quiz apps are quite revolutionary in how they combine fun and education together making education fun for students and making them want to continue school.
6. Flashcards
Flashcards are cards that simply have words on them along with pictures often though not always. Flashcards are not made for big studying subjects like let's say History which requires some long essays. Flashcards are made for subjects with some vocabulary like languages. Like you could have a Flashcard with the English of a word and you must translate the word into the language you're learning or vice versa. Or you could play a matching game like let's say put the English flashcard beside the correct language flashcard the English word translates to in that language. It is recommended to use other peoples' flashcards and you don't have to make your own as there isn't much variety with Flashcards as there is with Notes, Quizzes or Mind Maps etc.
Like I said, Flashcards are suited to subjects with vocabulary or just quick, snappy information like languages.
7. Revision Books
Revision Books such as Shortcuts to Success, ReviseWise and Less Stress More Success are super books. They are full of information on subjects yet all the information is condensed from your textbooks to free stress from your body. Revision books are recommended if you want to do extra study, you're struggling at a particular subject(s) or you're behind in a subject. Revision Books include Grammar Books for languages by the way. These are all the Revision Books you can choose from for Junior Cert subjects:
Maths
Less Stress More Success Maths Paper 1 (HL)
Less Stress More Success Maths Paper 2 (HL)
Less Stress More Success Maths Paper 1 (OL)
Less Stress More Success Maths Paper 2 (OL)
Irish
Less Stress More Success Irish (HL)
Less Stress More Success Irish (OL)
ReviseWise Irish (HL)
ReviseWise Irish (OL)
Graiméar an Draoi
Shortcuts to Success Irish Grammar Guide
Collins Easy Learning Irish Grammar
Collins Easy Learning Irish Verbs
Collins Easy Learning Irish Dictionary
Briathra na Gaeilge
Irish Grammar You Really Need to Know
Gramadach na Gaeilge
Graiméar Meánscoile
Science
Less Stress More Success Science
ReviseWise Science (HL)
Shortcuts to Success Science
Science Revision
Essentials Unfolded Science
Business Studies
Less Stress More Success Business Studies
ReviseWise Business Studies (HL)
French
Less Stress More Success French (HL)
ReviseWise French (HL)
Francais: Ressources et Revision
Complete French Grammar
French Grammar Made Easy
Spanish
Less Stress More Success Spanish
ReviseWise Spanish
Rapid Revision Spanish
Complete Spanish Grammar
German
Less Stress More Success German
Complete German Grammar
Home Economics
Less Stress More Success Home Economics
ReviseWise Home Economics (HL)
Geography
Less Stress More Success Geography
ReviseWise Geography (HL)
Shortcuts to Success Maps & Photographs
Geography in Action
History
Less Stress More Success History
ReviseWise History
Shortcuts to Success History
History: Resources & Revision
Italian
Complete Italian Grammar
Music
Less Stress More Success Music
Music Workbook
Religion
Less Stress More Success Religion
ReviseWise Religion
Unfortunately, as you can see, Revision Books are very limited among subjects with none for subjects like Technical Graphics, Metalwork, Woodwork, Art or Technology. As a result of 2017 being the first year to examine the new Junior Cycle English, there are no revision books for English sadly. So Revision Books only work for those subjects above. However, if you're able to make your own notes and exercises, then why not? Put your notes in a document or PDF file along with exercises for yourself. Print the document out and boom, you made your own revision book! This can be quite tedious though which is what you might want to consider.
8. Make your own "Sample Answers Copy"
This works for subjects that have a section based on Long Questions especially History and Geography. Just get a piece of paper. Write down all the things you need to know for your exam in terms of long questions. For example, (Geography)
- 2 types of Irish soils
- a low population density
- Hong Kong & Kolkata population densities, 2 urban problems that each suffer
And so on.
Get a copy, preferably A4. Write down Q: (indicating Question) in the first box to the left. Write down a typical exam long question in the lines.
Then below it after you do that, write down A: (indicating Answer) in the box to the left. Remember to skip a line before doing this so it's not all tangled together and looking confusing. In the lines, write out your sample answer you will learn off by heart for that long question. You can highlight key words by underlining, actual highlighting or using a different pen. I would also highlight (well using a different pen) Q: and A:.
Make it look visually appealing so your brain will feel comfortable studying it.
This will be your own copy of Sample Answers that are made by you for the subject you intended to make it for. This is a very good way of studying as it's your own notes and also, you're learning at the same time during the process of making it.
(The JC Edition)
Examinations are painful, long, tedious papers that require a lot of preparation. The amount of preparation to be exact varies from subject to subject and as a result, there are various ways of studying for different subjects. In this guide, I will talk about the various ways of studying and what subject(s) the methods work best for.
1. Teaching friends/students
You know me as THE Sryan Bruen who endlessly teaches and helps students on the internet with Studyclix being my main source. There is many reasons why I do so. One of them (which is NOT one of my main reasons I may add, though it could possibly be your best way of studying) is to study. By teaching or helping your friends, you are also helping yourself believe it or not. Your friends might be struggling with something you're an expert on or vice versa OR you both are struggling with something then both of you help each other by studying it from your textbooks or notes and then one of you test the other (which overlaps with another way of studying you will read later in this guide). Teaching or helping others is possibly the best way to study because:
1. It helps improve your social skills.
2. Everybody is getting something out of it. You get your study, they get their study and help.
3. It can help increase self confidence and self motivation.
Teaching friends/students works for all subjects theory based subjects.
2. Getting somebody to test you
This is quite an underrated form of studying I think. What it simply is that you study your notes on the subject and then you give the notes to somebody whom will ask questions based on your notes. Since the person has your notes, you will not be able to see them so it is like a sample test. You may not get many questions right at first sight, unless you're very smart of course but this kind of studying requires a lot of repetition of questions due to the student potentially finding it very boring and difficult to study notes from their textbook or copy. Once the person asks the same questions over and over again - and you're not looking at your notes then the answers will be stuck into your head.
This works for theory based subjects like Geography, Business Studies or History. Maths and the Accounting in Business Studies is not recommended for this type of studying.
3. Head to head oral communication
Oral communication involves you speaking to another head to head in person. It can work on the internet though it is not recommended because you will likely find a translator or dictionary and put your reply into the language through these. Then you send your answer to the person. However, you are not learning anything by doing so which is why internet oral communication is not recommended. When you are talking head to head with one another, you only have you, your brain and the other person whom you are speaking to. You talk normal day conversations to one another except in a different language to practice for oral examinations or even just any written expression in languages like letters or essays.
This works for only language subjects.
4. Mind maps
If you're unsure of what mind maps are, they're basically spider diagrams or brainstorms. There are various different mind maps you can make. You can make ones with simple words and lines. However, that's not recommended as it's very boring to look at and not exciting to study. To make sure you study well, your mind maps have to be appealing to you with colour, layout etc. If you're a heavily visually based learner then make sure to add pictures to your mind maps also. Look at this example of a mind map and see how creative people can get with their mind maps!
As you can see, this example of a mind map for a Tennis match (which goes to show you that mind maps are not just used for studying) has plenty of colour and pictures which makes it appealing to read. Mind maps can be very tedious to do so if you cannot stand doing tedious actions then this may not be for you. It is better to make your own mind maps than to have somebody elses' mind maps.
Mind maps work for pretty much every subject though they are less so used for languages and Business Studies accounts.
5. Quiz Apps
So students just want to have fun right? Students have to learn right? Well combine fun and education and you get quiz apps. Examples of such apps are QuizUp, Duolingo, Memrise, Kahoot and Jetpunk. With the exception of Duolingo which has its own made language courses, each of the above named apps allow you to make your own quizzes. Kahoot unfortunately can only be used with multiple people. You should make your own quizzes instead of relying on other peoples' quizzes as you'll learn better from your own quizzes, just like your own notes and mind maps. Keep doing the quizzes like once every day or once every week. Record your results and look at how you have done over time. Quiz apps are quite revolutionary in how they combine fun and education together making education fun for students and making them want to continue school.
6. Flashcards
Flashcards are cards that simply have words on them along with pictures often though not always. Flashcards are not made for big studying subjects like let's say History which requires some long essays. Flashcards are made for subjects with some vocabulary like languages. Like you could have a Flashcard with the English of a word and you must translate the word into the language you're learning or vice versa. Or you could play a matching game like let's say put the English flashcard beside the correct language flashcard the English word translates to in that language. It is recommended to use other peoples' flashcards and you don't have to make your own as there isn't much variety with Flashcards as there is with Notes, Quizzes or Mind Maps etc.
Like I said, Flashcards are suited to subjects with vocabulary or just quick, snappy information like languages.
7. Revision Books
Revision Books such as Shortcuts to Success, ReviseWise and Less Stress More Success are super books. They are full of information on subjects yet all the information is condensed from your textbooks to free stress from your body. Revision books are recommended if you want to do extra study, you're struggling at a particular subject(s) or you're behind in a subject. Revision Books include Grammar Books for languages by the way. These are all the Revision Books you can choose from for Junior Cert subjects:
Maths
Less Stress More Success Maths Paper 1 (HL)
Less Stress More Success Maths Paper 2 (HL)
Less Stress More Success Maths Paper 1 (OL)
Less Stress More Success Maths Paper 2 (OL)
Irish
Less Stress More Success Irish (HL)
Less Stress More Success Irish (OL)
ReviseWise Irish (HL)
ReviseWise Irish (OL)
Graiméar an Draoi
Shortcuts to Success Irish Grammar Guide
Collins Easy Learning Irish Grammar
Collins Easy Learning Irish Verbs
Collins Easy Learning Irish Dictionary
Briathra na Gaeilge
Irish Grammar You Really Need to Know
Gramadach na Gaeilge
Graiméar Meánscoile
Science
Less Stress More Success Science
ReviseWise Science (HL)
Shortcuts to Success Science
Science Revision
Essentials Unfolded Science
Business Studies
Less Stress More Success Business Studies
ReviseWise Business Studies (HL)
French
Less Stress More Success French (HL)
ReviseWise French (HL)
Francais: Ressources et Revision
Complete French Grammar
French Grammar Made Easy
Spanish
Less Stress More Success Spanish
ReviseWise Spanish
Rapid Revision Spanish
Complete Spanish Grammar
German
Less Stress More Success German
Complete German Grammar
Home Economics
Less Stress More Success Home Economics
ReviseWise Home Economics (HL)
Geography
Less Stress More Success Geography
ReviseWise Geography (HL)
Shortcuts to Success Maps & Photographs
Geography in Action
History
Less Stress More Success History
ReviseWise History
Shortcuts to Success History
History: Resources & Revision
Italian
Complete Italian Grammar
Music
Less Stress More Success Music
Music Workbook
Religion
Less Stress More Success Religion
ReviseWise Religion
Unfortunately, as you can see, Revision Books are very limited among subjects with none for subjects like Technical Graphics, Metalwork, Woodwork, Art or Technology. As a result of 2017 being the first year to examine the new Junior Cycle English, there are no revision books for English sadly. So Revision Books only work for those subjects above. However, if you're able to make your own notes and exercises, then why not? Put your notes in a document or PDF file along with exercises for yourself. Print the document out and boom, you made your own revision book! This can be quite tedious though which is what you might want to consider.
8. Make your own "Sample Answers Copy"
This works for subjects that have a section based on Long Questions especially History and Geography. Just get a piece of paper. Write down all the things you need to know for your exam in terms of long questions. For example, (Geography)
- 2 types of Irish soils
- a low population density
- Hong Kong & Kolkata population densities, 2 urban problems that each suffer
And so on.
Get a copy, preferably A4. Write down Q: (indicating Question) in the first box to the left. Write down a typical exam long question in the lines.
Then below it after you do that, write down A: (indicating Answer) in the box to the left. Remember to skip a line before doing this so it's not all tangled together and looking confusing. In the lines, write out your sample answer you will learn off by heart for that long question. You can highlight key words by underlining, actual highlighting or using a different pen. I would also highlight (well using a different pen) Q: and A:.
Make it look visually appealing so your brain will feel comfortable studying it.
This will be your own copy of Sample Answers that are made by you for the subject you intended to make it for. This is a very good way of studying as it's your own notes and also, you're learning at the same time during the process of making it.