Studying effectively is key to success in your TAFE course. To help you make the most of your study time, we've compiled a list of valuable study hints and strategies.
Practical tips and resources
- Get organised This simple Assessment Planner can save you time and make life easy! Check out this page for the template and a video about how to plot out when your assessments are due: Keeping Track of Your Assessment Due Dates
- Improve your note-taking Make your notes count by using sub-headings, diagrams and key words. It’s also helpful to make a note of any questions that you need to ask your lecturers, or terminology that you need to check in your learning material.
- Make space Do you focus better in the library or at home? Know yourself and what you need to be effective, e.g., a quiet room, good light. Let people know in advance that you have study commitments to minimise distractions.
- Use the tools If you want tips for presentation skills, report writing or research strategies head to our NMTAFE Library Study Skills page. If you want to maximise your use of the Microsoft 365 applications (e.g. Outlook, Word and Powerpoint ), view the Microsoft 365 Support page.
- Know the rules Ensure that you are clear about the guidelines around referencing and how to avoid plagiarism. There are rules around use of Chat GPT and other AI tools too. Select this page of our library site for more - Online Resources and Social Media.
Tips for good habits
- Be consistent Don’t skip class! Be consistent with your attendance, so that you can learn the course material first-hand. Remember that you’ll retain more information if you have a few short study sessions during a week, rather than one long cram session.
- Stay motivated Do you study best in the morning or evening? Does it help to set the goal of doing just 1 hour to start? Conquer procrastination by figuring out when your motivation and concentration are highest, so that you can maximise your study time.
- Reward yourself We’re humans, not robots! So make sure that you take breaks (5 mins/hour) to keep your energy high and you can reward yourself with time out, when you’ve reached your goal.
- Connect to support Whether it’s chatting to other students in class, asking questions of your lecturers or going online to seek more information, there’s always help available. View this video for details of study assistance that we offer: Study Support at NMTAFE.
- Manage your stress Keeping balance in your life and making time for socialising, sport and a good sleep routine is great for your brain and your overall health. Check out our Supporting Student Wellbeing page for more.
Now you’re all set for a successful semester. Good luck!