The principles of academic success
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I can isolate three important ingredients to academic success: proactivity, consistency and knowledge of the assessment system.
a) Being proactive means to pay total attention in class, ask questions when you don't agree with the teacher or need clarification, probe deeper than what is "required for the syllabus" to enhance your understanding and not accept what you are taught unless you are genuinely convinced through self-learning and validation.
b) Consistency would strengthen your grasp of what you learn through continual reinforcement. I would recommend at least 3 hours of study every week day, even when examinations are not near, and you should increase the number of hours towards the examination period.
c) Knowledge of the assessment system allows you to tweak your learning and studying process to prepare yourself for the questioning style, content and difficulty of the papers. Find out what you are likely to be tested on through whatever means and try to understand an examiner's point of view: why is the question asked (i.e. what is being tested), what answer would suffice to fully solve the question, what is expected of reasonably competent students of your educational level and what are pitfalls to avoid that might reveal your shaky understanding of the subject at hand? The last part is a crucial balancing act between providing adequate explanation and not revealing what you don't truly understand.
Apart from these instrumentalist tips, it's important to get your mind in the correct paradigm. The "how" question is often asked of academic success, but the "why" question is rarely examined by many students. Do you think academic success is important for you to earn a lot of money in the future? Do you want to truly learn and develop an educated, highly cognitive, analytical yet creative mind? Do you enjoy the compliments and credibility that you get with excellent grades? What are you doing in the classroom, where is it taking you? Think really hard about the real reason, see the world a little more, then decide again on your motive. While your objectives might remain practically stagnant (to succeed), your reasons for succeeding are supposed to be dynamic.
I have always been outstanding at examinations (10 A1s at O Level's and 6 Distinctions at A Levels) but have never really understood what I wanted from studying so persistently. In primary school, I did well because I wanted to make my parents proud. I wanted to earn their respect and increase my worth in their eyes. Now, I study harder to enrich my mind, to broaden my world perspective, to attain crucial, indispensable knowledge and skills as well as to learn how the world works so that I can thrive in it.
It might seem like a waste of time to ponder on this, since it's not as urgent as actual preparation for the examinations. But what is not urgent may be more important than what seems to be so pressing at the moment. Learn to snap out of your hectic life once in a while and do a re-evaluation of your life objectives. Write a personal mission statement and change it from time to time.
Most people are more keen to learn the "how" of success because we all know doing well in examinations generally brings positive outcomes. Yet knowing "why" brings assurance, happiness and a sense of inner stability, and would shift our fundamental paradigm and transform our attitude towards learning. In a sense, knowing "why" ultimately underlies your "want" and determines how successful you will be at utilising the "how".
If you do conclude that there is no good reason for you to study, to learn, so be it. I, however, recommend that you speak to others first about how you feel, get some more exposure in life and be truly convinced that your thinking or decision is the right one for you, taking into account your friends' and family's possible perception and treatment of you, your would-be status in society, your range of probable opportunities in the future, etc. Don't delude yourself just because you don't like to study or are not good at it. Your dislike can be overcome by cultivating an interest, and your competence can improve over time through guidance and effort, but a lost opportunity for education is gone forever. -
Hi,
Nice sharing! Thanks and have a very merry christmas!
Cheers,
Wen Shih -
Nice read about your experiences. Can I share on examworld as well? :D
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I always tot u were a RETARDED_MORON
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Did you say 3 hrs per weekday?
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Originally posted by eagle:
Nice read about your experiences. Can I share on examworld as well? :D
Where is it? Can I have a look? -
Originally posted by RETARDED_MORON:
Where is it? Can I have a look? -
Originally posted by davidche:
Did you say 3 hrs per weekday?
That's just my recommended minimum number of hours per day.More than anything else, the key to academic success is consistency -- doing it repeatedly from day one so that your momentum is progressively built up. I don't see any point in studying 10 hours a day one month away from the examinations when you've spent the past three months fooling around. You can't get academic success like that; you can't get any success through last-minute prepatation.
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Principles must be accompanied by techniques as well.
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Originally posted by eagle:
Principles must be accompanied by techniques as well.
The techniques are often well-documented.It's the positive frame of mind, strong motivation and adherence to clear principles that students are often lacking in.
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Originally posted by RETARDED_MORON:
The techniques are often well-documented.It's the positive frame of mind, strong motivation and adherence to clear principles that students are often lacking in.
I know pple who are very hardworking. Somehow, they still cannot score well. That's why I think techniques are equally important...
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Passing exams is really about being exam smart.
There are subjects whereby 100% rote learning is the way to go and there are subjects whereby you can BS your way through just by introducing that subject's jargon into your answers.
As one grows older, one begins to understand how certain exams work.
Some people get it from young, some people need years before they grasp the correct techniques.
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Originally posted by charlize:
Passing exams is really about being exam smart.
There are subjects whereby 100% rote learning is the way to go and there are subjects whereby you can BS your way through just by introducing that subject's jargon into your answers.
As one grows older, one begins to understand how certain exams work.
Some people get it from young, some people need years before they grasp the correct techniques.
That's how to "pass examinations", not how to achieve true learning. I generally advise against such quick-fix short cuts because they are ineffective in the long run and inapplicable in many other situations. There is no short cut in life, plain and simple.
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Originally posted by RETARDED_MORON:
That's how to "pass examinations", not how to achieve true learning. I generally advise against such quick-fix short cuts because they are ineffective in the long run and inapplicable in many other situations. There is no short cut in life, plain and simple.
Tell that to the scholars running the country.
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being a book worm is not good enough, u still need to b street smart
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Originally posted by RETARDED_MORON:
That's just my recommended minimum number of hours per day.More than anything else, the key to academic success is consistency -- doing it repeatedly from day one so that your momentum is progressively built up. I don't see any point in studying 10 hours a day one month away from the examinations when you've spent the past three months fooling around. You can't get academic success like that; you can't get any success through last-minute prepatation.
Not exactly true. Some people started studying hard only like one month before O'lvl/ two months before A'lvl and their results do improve greatly. Can see by comparing their prelim result and their actual exam result, and the hours they put in everyday.But I agree that mostly don't work. If you want to do last minute studying, you will have to study really really hard. Besides, if you've been fooling around for months before, you'll hardly have the habit to make yourself sit for hours suddenly everyday to study, unless your will power is damn strong.
And if you want to look for your teachers for help in those periods, good luck...most other students are doing the same thing too. Best is to look for them and clarify your doubts way before the exam periods.
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Originally posted by annoy-you-must:
Not exactly true. Some people started studying hard only like one month before O'lvl/ two months before A'lvl and their results do improve greatly. Can see by comparing their prelim result and their actual exam result, and the hours they put in everyday.But I agree that mostly don't work. If you want to do last minute studying, you will have to study really really hard. Besides, if you've been fooling around for months before, you'll hardly have the habit to make yourself sit for hours suddenly everyday to study, unless your will power is damn strong.
And if you want to look for your teachers for help in those periods, good luck...most other students are doing the same thing too. Best is to look for them and clarify your doubts way before the exam periods.
Not exactly true. Some people started studying hard only like one month before O'lvl/ two months before A'lvl and their results do improve greatly. Can see by comparing their prelim result and their actual exam result, and the hours they put in everyday.
Because they managed the right techniques as well :D
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nt entirely true la. 3 hours a day borders on overenthusiasm... i cannot say for myself because last time i always hug the buddha leg for major exams, but like what some forumers have pointed out, exams will be much much easier if u either :
add the respective jargon in when you know the topic tested (especially PHYSICS!!! =.-) or, looking at the marks and crafting your answer based on the number of marks given (like chemistry).
of course consistency would be ideal, but if you want the easier way out... =P
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actually... looking at marks and crafting answer based on marks is applicable to physics as well :D
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So.....what's with the big fuss over being academically smart?
I won't study for the sake of that.
I used to do that.
Now I study as my heart desires and I'm happier.
And so what if I'm academically smart? Whence does it lead me to?
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Originally posted by 16/f/lonely:
So.....what's with the big fuss over being academically smart?
I won't study for the sake of that.
I used to do that.
Now I study as my heart desires and I'm happier.
And so what if I'm academically smart? Whence does it lead me to?
It could make your path easier to study what your heart desires later.
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Originally posted by 16/f/lonely:
So.....what's with the big fuss over being academically smart?
I won't study for the sake of that.
I used to do that.
Now I study as my heart desires and I'm happier.
And so what if I'm academically smart? Whence does it lead me to?
To study or not to study, it's really a personal choice. You determine what's right for your life. But make sure that choice is driven by conviction, not by negative feelings towards studies. -
Originally posted by RETARDED_MORON:
To study or not to study, it's really a personal choice. You determine what's right for your life. But make sure that choice is driven by conviction, not by negative feelings towards studies.
Can't disagree with that. -
retarded moron is a straight A student. I dont think last minute studying would EVER get you straight As. I last min study and i get better than avg results, but never straight A.
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retarded moron is a straight A student. I dont think last minute studying would EVER get you straight As. I last min study and i get better than avg results, but never straight A.
This basically means there is no easier way out.