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Study and exam techniques – a collection
This is a collection of mostly New Zealand websites that provide support, tips, and techniques for studying. Some advice relates to study at any time of the year, some specifically to study for exams, and some to exam techniques. Although some sites are for tertiary students, the study principles are the same whatever level of education students are working in. We have selected the links most relevant to secondary students.
StudyIt
The Studyit website provides NCEA information, practical advice for undertaking various standards, study advice, and online communication with tutors and other students in NCEA maths, science, English, and other subjects.
- Communications between students and subject specialists
- Advice on NCEA maths, science and English by standard including achievement criteria, subject content, key tips and assessment advice.
- StudyIt Tips and Tricks
NZQA
NZQA resources to help students with study and exams.
Research on study techniques
The following resources provide useful advice for students on the best ways to study. The research-based tips will also have implications for in-class teaching.
This research article is from the Association for Psychological Science, written by John Dunlosky, Katherine A. Rawson, Elizabeth J. Marsh, Mitchell J. Nathan, and Daniel T. Willingham. In the monograph, they discuss ten learning techniques in detail and offer recommendations about their relative utility. They selected techniques that were expected to be relatively easy to use and hence could be adopted by many students.
The Nine Best Scientific Study Tips
This Youtube video has useful advice for students on the do's and don'ts of study.
Six Strategies for Effective Learning
This page on the Learning Scientists' website allows readers access to resources about each of the six strategies: Spaced practice, Retrieval practice, Elaboration, Interleaving, Concrete Examples and Dual Coding. Materials include posters, power points, bookmark guides, videos and blog posts. The website is useful for students and teacher
Open Polytechnic, Kuratini Tuwhera
The Open Polytechnic, Kuratini Tuwhera, has a collection of very useful tips for students on how to study, on memorisation, and on sitting exams. Below is a selection of pages which secondary students should find useful.
- How to study, concentrate and remember what you've learnt
- How to improve your memory
- How to mind map
- How to study for exams
- Tips for answering exam questions
Massey University, Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa
Massey University, Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa, provides valuable information on study and exam techniques.
- The study skills section includes notes on critical thinking, note taking, memory skills, time management, and reading skills.
- The tests and exams section has notes on exam and test study, question types, and what to do in the exam.
Science study websites
These websites are dedicated to providing study and exam advice to science students.
- Pass NCEA Biology contains, as its name suggests, comprehensive notes on all levels of NCEA Biology, along with a section on study skills.
- No Brain Too Small is similar, except it covers all the sciences including junior science. It has revision notes, flash cards, test yourself activities and power points.