STUDY SKILLS

A useful model!The Information Processing ModelAnalogy between the Brain and a Computer

3 Sequential Processes:• Registration - encoding to make it

meaningful• Retention - storage ready for future

use • Retrieval

Atkinson/Shiffrin - (1968)Stage 1 Receive Information

Stage 2 Some information then stored in Short term memory

Stage 3 Reworking/Rehearsal after which it is then stored in Long term memory

Emphasis on “Elaborative Rehearsal” where new information related to the original is introduced

Once in the long term memory information may be retained permanently or may decay with time

Tony Buzan 1996

Students retain only 4% of a lecture after 2 weeks

But they can retain 80% if effective reworking/rehearsal is undertaken –

When should you revise?Early morning?

But not too late at night!

Bite size chunks - 3 x 25 min is more productive than one block of 75 minutes

How should you revise?If you just sit down to revise, without a definite finishing time, then your learning efficiency falls lower and lower, like this:

How should you revise?

One solid session

4 shorter sessionsThe yellow area shows the improvement

For example,Suppose you start work at 6 pm.

You should decide, looking at your clock or watch, to stop at 6.25 pm -and no later.

Then at 6.25 pm have a break for 5-10 minutes.

When you start again, look at the clock and decide to work until 7 pm exactly, and then have another break.

This way you’re working more efficiently.

How often should you revise?Look at the graph below:

It shows how much your brain can recall later.It rises for about 10 minutes …and then falls.

However,If you quickly re-revise after 10 minutes,

then it falls more slowly! This is good.

Analyse the new graph:

Even better, If you quickly re-revise again, after 1 day,

then it falls even more slowly!

Analyse the new graph:

Exams • Why do people fail exams?• Not taking responsibility for their own learning • Failure to read instructions• Failure to read questions properly• Lack of preparation• Inappropriate preparation• Question choice• Not being familiar with the format of the paper/style

of the questions • Not following the marking scheme

Why do people fail exams?

• Not managing time/running out of time• Getting stuck on one question • Waffle • Poor academic style • Wrong/lack of equipment• Last minute preparation• Panic and stress due to lack of

preparation• Lack of effort