Study Habits

[freshnesschronic]

Mr. UT, have you ever considered a sub forum entitled "Education" or something like that. Just wondering. I'd post there a lot.

Anyway I was wondering what people view as good study/work habits for tasks, jobs and projects. Currently I am writing a 6-8 page research paper that I feel has been going pretty well. I have all my hard copies of research collected (periodicals, books, anything that physically exists) and can find Internet sources with the snap of a finger. The paper is due Tuesday (which is two days from this post) and I have about 3 pages done. Now I've been working on this for a little more than a week. But last week I had to get ready for the fashion show dance performance I was in (and posted about earlier) which was yesterday. I'm pretty happy about being half way there and I can now dedicate all my free time to the paper since there is no more practices, run-thrus or dress rehearsals. But I'm just wondering about my study habits. For a paper, I think (and/or research) and then type for about 5 minutes (maybe getting 3 or 4 sentences done). Then I take about a 7-10 minute break to check Yahoo! Sports, The Cellar, Facebook, email, blah blah blah, and then I return to the paper. I repeat the 5 minute work and the 7-10 minute break for about 4 hours or so. This is probably the routine I will use tonite, until I finish my paper I hope around 9:30 or 10ish? Which is in 3.5-4 hours from now.

For studying, I usually start studying a little over a week before the exam, reviewing notes and outlines. I go over an entire section, chapter, whatever, completely (no matter the time taken) and then take about an hour break to do whatever. I do this maybe twice for the early part of the study week but when it comes down a few days before I do this technique except I run through the entire material (instead of individual sections) in a whole day.

So...How do experienced dwellars utilize their work/study/research time and factor in the breaks in between? How would someone critique my study habits? My opinion based on the good grades I've been getting this first 3 semesters, is that it works and is satisfactory. But another part of me thinks these frequent breaks should be eliminated to maximize efficiency; I often hear of all nighters my friends pull and their stress because the have been studying for 4 hours straight. To contrast, I almost never feel stress from school. Almost, never. Hell, I plan on playing basketball tonite after it's done (or near done) even though its due in less than 48 hours. But I'm confused about my study techniques. Yet, my GPA tells me I'm doing fine.
Just wondering about it (I just used a 10 minute break to post this!).

[Cloud]

if it works for you, then don't sweat it.

But remember, that concentration is a useful skill that can be developed, and will stand you in good stead in life. We have so many distractions, and so much media that focuses our attention in seconds rather than minutes, not to mention hours, that school and work suffers sometimes.

I have learned a lot about study skills, (rather than habits); like note-taking, memorization, etc., but it sounds like that's not what you are talking about.

[Aliantha]

I think if you've found a system that works for you, just stick to it. Everyone studies differently, so it's pretty hard to say what the best way is. If you weren't getting good grades, maybe someone could say you should do things differently, but it seems like it must be working for you.

I always used to do my best work in the mornings as far as writing papers go. Afternoons were better for libraries etc, and night time was my break time. I'd get all my research info I needed to write the paper, then I'd usually sit and write a rough draft up the first day which would generally be about half to two thirds of the actual length of the paper, then I'd work on it again a couple of days later after I'd had time to digest it. Usually when I sat down to write I required no interruptions and virtual silence. I was even known to put earplugs in from time to time. I mostly found that I would get so absorbed in what I was doing that I'd look up and 3 or more hours had passed.

This regimen worked well for me because I always started my papers well before they were due. I don't think it'd work too well for those who prefer to leave them till the last minute.

[freshnesschronic]

I'm not sweating it Cloud (remember I don't stress about school :p)!

I just kinda wish I could concentrate better. I agree entirely with you.

Concerning study skills, I developed all that in high school, and I'll probably never change my study skills. It's like learning to write lefty.

Ali sounds like you were a nerd virtuoso. Envious, I am. Probably got your ish done quick.

[Timo]

during my GCSEs I used imagination and excapism during my breaks to make me feel better,
I'd spray my desk with Mango-room-mist, put my head down in my arms and pretend i wasnt there.

After those little breaks on Mango Beach... work was easier,
less of a strain.

[Cloud]

like a mental margarita!

[monster]

If it works, great, Fresh. the only suggestion I would have is to at least have one larger chunk of time at the end, to read through the whole paper and check carefully for repetition, redundancy and to ensure it has a good flow with a definite start, middle and end.

For me, If I took frequent long breaks, I would waste too much time rereading what I had already written to ensure a smoothe flow and logical progression. When I was teaching, it was scary how many papers looked like the author had not bothered to read them through after completion and contained major flaws, with repetition of ideas and entire sentences, and omission of large chunks of reasoning.

[Perry Winkle]

Sounds better than my system, fresh.

I tend to do one work cycle and then take a week break. I'm not real sure how I ever get anything done.

I need help, but I'm not willing to get it

[DanaC]

I tend to be fairly slow about the study/research part of the project. I start a couple of weeks before the paper's due and read a bunch of stuff, taking notes (if not on a bus) as I go. I then get to within a hairs breadth of the handin date and panic kicks in...at that point I write the paper :P For some reason I write best when my back's up against the wall. This is not sustainable though as it ends up with me pulling all nighters and making myself ill lol.

So far this is bringing excellent grades...but I need to learn new habits for the final year when the assignments are much more in depth and complex.

[lookout123]

My method worked for me very well, but I've heard that it isn't effective for others. I started using it freshman year of high school and kept on through military courses and on through college and in professional studies. It works for me.

Regardless of the time frame allowed, once the assignment is known I form a preliminary plan of what point I want to present and then I gather information. When I was in school it was all hard copy, but it should work the same for web sources. Anyway, I would read any and everything I thought would have some baring on the subject and then just let it stew. For a 10 page paper I would start writing about 3 days before it was due. I would sit down and blast out a rough copy of what I wanted to say. Then I would go back and start adding source material, quotes, and point refinement. The next day I'd pick it up and reread it to make sure it made sense and then I'd really make sure that all the phrasing sounded like "me" to make sure I wasn't inadvertantly plagerizing a source. Further refinement, balancing of the sourcing and footnotes, delete the redundant. The morning it was due I'd get up, reread it focussing on grammar and punctuation. Quick final changes and turn the puppy in.

[Trilby]

I always just slept with the book under my pillow the night before and then prayed the morning of. No sweat, kid.

[Clodfobble]

I always needed at least 1-2 full days in between writing the bulk of the main draft and reading back over it. I needed to forget what I had written, to a certain extent.

[lookout123]

i was usually drunk though clodfobble so the timing didn't matter that much.

[Aliantha]

For some reason I write best when my back's up against the wall.

Without stress, no one would do anything. The difference is, people have higher or lower thresholds for stress, and so some are able to leave things till the last minute. Others who have lower thresholds generally get started earlier because they feel the need to get started. That need is their brain causing them to feel stress. Often it's not just stress about the paper though. It can be stress associated with other things also.