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Create A Study Plan

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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
356 views8 pages

Create A Study Plan

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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Create a Study Plan

What is a study plan?

A study plan is an organized schedule outlining study times and learning goals. Just
like with work or school schedules, college students should develop a schedule that
sets aside dedicated time each week for studying. This schedule should include
dates of quizzes, tests, and exams, as well as deadlines for papers and projects.

Why do I need a study plan?

A study plan is an effective way to help you navigate through your college education,
and hold you accountable for your own learning outcomes.

Time management can be challenging. Besides your classes, you likely have other
commitments like extracurricular activities, work, and social engagements. Creating
a study plan allows you to see how you spend your time, and ensures that you are
setting aside enough time outside of class to complete homework assignments,
study for tests, and review and retain the information you are learning.

Study plans are particularly important for online students, since you need to have
self-discipline and determination to complete your studies without the constant
reminders of an instructor.

6 tips for creating a study plan


It’s important to understand that there is no “right” way to make a study plan. Your
study plan will be personalized based on your specific needs, classes, and learning
style.

Follow the guidelines below to get started on creating your study plan:

#1: Analyze your current study habits and learning style – Think about what
works and what doesn’t work for you. Are you able to study for long blocks of time
once or twice a week, or is it more effective if you study nightly for thirty minutes?
Are you more productive at a certain time of day? Do you retain material better if you
study a subject immediately after class, or do you need a break first?

#2: Evaluate your current schedule and time management – Use a digital or
paper calendar to block out all of your standing commitments, including classes,
work, and extracurricular activities. This will let you see how much of your time is
already spoken for, and what time you have available for studying.

If your schedule leaves little room for studying, you may need to evaluate what you
can cut back on, or how you can rearrange your schedule to have more open time
for studying.

#3: Plan how much time you need to study for each class – For many years, the
accepted rule has been that you need to study two hours for every one hour of class
time, meaning that if you’re taking a typical 15-credit semester, you will spend 30
hours a week outside of class studying. There is some question about the efficacy of
this ratio, especially in light of new technology that makes research and writing
faster.

At the beginning of each term, your instructors will give you syllabi for the classes
you are taking. The syllabi will usually include the dates of any major exams or
projects. You can use these as guides for calculating how much time to set aside for
each class, as some courses might be more intensive than others. It will also help
you schedule your study sessions to make sure you have enough time to complete
all your assignments and prepare for exams.

#4: Develop a schedule – Now that you understand how much time you need for
studying, and how much time you have available, you can schedule your study
sessions. Add your study sessions to your calendar like any other commitments.
This ensures that you remember this is time set aside specifically for studying.

Plan out which subject you will study on which day, to ensure that you’re devoting
enough time to each subject. For example, Mondays and Thursdays can be set
aside for math, while Tuesdays and Fridays can be devoted to English.

If your schedule is busy, you may have to be somewhat flexible and creative in
finding time to study. For example, if you commute to school via public
transportation, you can use that time for reading. Or perhaps your job allows you to
study when it’s not busy.

#5: Assess your weekly calendar –

Identifying your learning goals for each class will help you determine how much time
you need to spend studying. At the start of the term, think about what you want to
accomplish in each class. Maybe you want to master a specific skill, or improve your
grade. These are overarching goals to help motivate you during the term.

Then, at the beginning of each week, determine why you need to study and what you
plan to accomplish in each study session. Are you preparing for a big exam? Is there
a paper due? Are you able to read a chapter ahead in preparation for the next few
classes? Adjust your study plan as necessary to meet your weekly goals, and get the
most out of each study session.

While it is tempting to skip your study session when there isn’t a test looming, you
will reduce your future test preparation time by reading ahead and preparing for
lectures.

#6: Stick to your schedule – A study plan works best when it is followed
consistently. You should try to develop a study plan that you can follow for the length
of each term. You will have to adjust your plan as necessary when you switch your
classes each term. Remember, the most important thing is sticking to your plan.

4 strategies for sticking to your study plan


#1: Remember to take breaks
If your schedule includes long, multi-hour study sessions, be sure to take brief
breaks every so often to stretch, hydrate and rest your mind. This will keep your
brain fresh and help prevent you from feeling overwhelmed

#2: Schedule time for other activities


By achieving a balanced schedule, your mind will be more receptive during time
devoted to studying. If you schedule several long days in a row of studying, you will
get discouraged and be tempted to give up. It’s recommended that you schedule
time for nonacademic activities, such as exercise, hobbies, and socializing with other
students.

#3: Maintain accountability


Some students find it helpful to study with a partner, as it provides accountability, as
well as opportunities for discussion and collaboration. When creating your study
plan, check with other classmates to determine if you can coordinate study sessions.
However, if you tend to socialize more than study when you are around others, stick
to an independent study plan. If you do have a study partner, make sure it’s
someone with whom you are likely to stay on task.

#4: Evaluate your study plan, and adjust as needed


Your study plan is all about helping you be more efficient and productive. If you find
that it’s not working, don’t get discouraged. It’s ok to make changes as you figure out
what works best for you.

Leverage tools for creating a study plan

If keeping a paper and pen schedule is not helpful to you, consider other ways for
keeping your studies on track. Use a calendar app and set reminders when it’s time
to start and end your study session. There are also a number of study planner apps
like My Study Planner and myHomework, which can help you manage your study
schedules.v>
Interested in a degree instead?

Learn more about online degrees, their start dates, transferring credits, availability of
financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.

Manage Your Time - Intelligent

What is time management?

Time management is the practice of organizing and planning your time to fulfill
obligations and accomplish tasks. Whether you are a college freshman creating your
own schedule for the first time, or an adult learner juggling work and family
obligations, effective time management is essential to your success in college.
However, many individuals struggle with time management. This chapter offers
strategies for managing your time and incorporating studying into your other school
and life commitments.

Why is time management important?

As a college student, you must devote a significant amount of time to attending


class, studying, and doing homework, but you also likely have personal
commitments like work, family, and friends that you need to consider.

While it may be tempting to cut out all other activities in favor of studying, and there
will certainly be times when you have to forgo a work shift or social event to
complete a school assignment, striking a healthy school-life balance is critical to your
long-term success and quality of life in college. Neglecting relationships, personal
interests, and self-care is a recipe for burnout.
Time management is all about organizing your life so you can have an optimal
balance between school and life. If you are prepared for tests and project deadlines,
you won’t have to miss hanging out with friends to pull an all-nighter, and if you know
when your life obligations are, you won’t have to be studying at your cousin’s
wedding.

8 Tips for Good Time Management

Follow the tips below to start developing good time management skills!

Tip #1: Keep a detailed schedule for school and life commitments
As discussed in the last section, having a detailed study plan is key in committing
time to studying. Part of creating the study plan is mapping out important dates for
school work, like tests, exams, and project due dates. Do this at the start of each
term; each course instructor should give you a syllabus detailing all of this
information within the first few days of class.

You should also include life commitments, like work deadlines and social events, on
this calendar. This long-term planning may feel like a drag, but it will save you time
and stress when you don’t have assignments or obligations sneaking up on you.

Tip #2: Write down your study plan


Instead of just planning study sessions in your head, include them on your calendar
so you are reminded every time you look at it. You will be more likely to follow
through with your study plan if it is clearly marked on your calendar. If you use a
calendar app, set reminders for what you should be studying, and when. Making a
schedule and sticking to it will allow you to develop a routine that you can easily
follow.

Tip #3: Prioritize your assignments


When you are juggling a multitude of tasks, as most college students are,
prioritization is very important.
You can prioritize based on the urgency of assignments – reading a chapter that will
be discussed in class tomorrow should be prioritized higher than studying for
midterms in two weeks. But be sure not to de-prioritize things too much – the
purpose of a study plan is to avoid putting off studying and assignments until the last
minute.

Another way to prioritize is by assessing the difficulty of the subject or assignment.


You may want to devote more time to studying subjects that are new to you, or those
in which your grade needs improvement. Also, remember to study the harder
subjects first so that you tackle them with a fresh mind.

Whichever way you decide to prioritize, write down your tasks in the order in which
you plan to complete them. Not only will this provide a visual reminder of what you
plan to accomplish, but crossing items off your check-list can provide a motivation
boost.

Tip #4: Break down big assignments into smaller chunks


Few things can be more intimidating than having to complete a large assignment,
like a term paper, all at once. Avoid this by breaking the work into smaller, more
manageable tasks. For example, if you are writing a term paper, the steps could be:

1. Doing research and taking notes


2. Writing an outline
3. Writing the introduction and thesis statement
4. Writing the body
5. Writing the conclusion
6. Revising

These tasks can be spread out over the course of several days or weeks, so you’re
not sitting down in front of a blank screen right before the paper is due

Tip #5: Be realistic about how much time assignments will take
A big part of time management is understanding how long it takes you to complete
tasks. It’s common for people to underestimate how much time they will need to
complete a task (a phenomenon called “the planning fallacy”), so try to avoid this
pitfall by trying different time-tracking techniques, and being honest with yourself
about your productivity.

Tip #6: Avoid distractions and time-wasters


Distractions and disorganization can significantly undermine your time management
skills. An hour of study time is not nearly as effective if you spend thirty minutes
checking your email, responding to texts, or browsing social media. Cut down on
distractions as much as possible by:

 Finding a quiet, private place to study


 Asking roommates to not interrupt you when studying
 Putting your phone on silent, and stashing it out of sight
 Using apps that block social media, messages, and other distractions on your phone
or computer

Staying organized will also help you to avoid wasting valuable time. Since you will be
enrolled in several classes at a time, it is important that you organize your study
materials in an easily accessible way. Find an organization method that works for
you, such as using a separate binder or folder for each class. Also, when going into
a study session, make sure you have anything you need. You don’t want to interrupt
your study session by searching your room for flash cards or notes. If you are taking
online courses, learn how to organize files in the most efficient way possible to avoid
wasting time sifting through your hard drive for course materials.

Tip #7: Minimize multitasking


When you have multiple tasks to accomplish, it can be tempting to try to address
them all simultaneously, in the practice known as multitasking. However, there
is evidence that multi-tasking can actually decrease humans’ productivity, and that
it lowers students’ retention of material and impacts grades negatively.

Make the most of your study sessions by focusing on one subject or assignment at a
time. This will help you finish tasks faster, improve the quality of your work, and
ensure you retain more of what you have studied

Tip #8: Reward yourself


The purpose of time management is to ensure that you don’t need to spend every
waking moment studying or doing homework. It’s easier to stay on track and stick to
your study plan when you reward yourself for accomplishing your study goals. This
can mean taking a short walk to break up a study session, or treating yourself to a
movie after you finish a large project. Take time to practice self-care, whether it’s
eating a healthy meal, meditating for a few minutes a day, or getting a full night’s
sleep.

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