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POMODORO TECHNIQUE - My Favorite Tool to Improve Studying and Productivity

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Papers & Essays: Crash Course Study Skills #9

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For many such students, each essay brings with it the challenge of making it that little bit better than the last one. The problem is that when you write essays regularly, it's easy to get stuck in a rut of repeating the same formula each time - particularly when you already receive good feedback from the teachers who read them. So how do you take your essays to the next level and go from great to brilliant? Here are some practical tips and techniques that will help you write consistently impressive essays, especially if you're considering attending an Oxford summer school.

Just as the books you read subconsciously help mould your own writing style, so reading other people's essays can help you develop and build on your own essay-writing style. Try to read a range of other essays, including those of your peers and of academics. Read essays on a wide variety of subjects, not necessarily just those that you're studying; different disciplines might apply different kinds of arguments or styles, so the wider you read, the more possible techniques there are for you to pick up and use in essays of your own.
As you read other people's essays, don't just take them at face value. Be critical: what do you like about them? What don't you like about them? How persuasive do you think they are? Is the argument a balanced one, with points adequately supported with evidence? Has the writer used any techniques you've not seen before?
Another good source of essays is the broadsheet newspapers. Read the opinion pieces and dissect how the writer has supported their points with evidence, and again, be critical; note where they've left things out to try to persuade you to a particular opinion. Essays should be balanced, so you can learn from the best of these writers and pick up some techniques to help you shape a balanced piece.

A good vocabulary will allow you to express exactly what you mean, as clearly and concisely as possible. Economy with words is a characteristic of all good essays, because readers (and essay-markers) don't like having their time wasted with long, rambling points that could have been expressed in half the number of words.
One way of ensuring that you can communicate clearly and to the point is through accurate and effective use of advanced vocabulary. A good essay writer should never rest on their laurels when it comes to vocabulary; it's something you should be working on continually, as there are always new words to learn that could help convey a point more effectively. What's more, deploying a good vocabulary displays intelligence and allows you to be more persuasive in your essay-writing. Here are some ways in which you can build your vocabulary:
- Subscribe to a 'word a day' email (such as this one from Merriam-Webster). Create a folder in your email account for new word emails, so that you can file each email away and have them all in one place ready to flick through and learn from in an idle moment.
- Read widely, and refer to a dictionary for words you don't know as you go along; this way, you'll learn the new word as well as seeing it in context so you know how to use it properly. Read different genres of fiction, and non-fiction covering a range of topics, and you'll have the added bonus of widening your general knowledge as well as your vocabulary.
- Use a thesaurus - if you find yourself using the same words over and over again, add variety to your language by looking up those words in a thesaurus and finding other words that mean the same thing. A word of warning: words you find in a thesaurus can't always be used interchangeably; even words with similar meanings can differ subtly in a way that makes them inappropriate in certain contexts, so find examples of a word used correctly before you use a new word for the first time.
- Learn prefixes, suffixes and roots - it sounds boring, but this shortcut will help you learn a great many more words. Many roots come from Latin and Greek words, such as "bene" in Latin, meaning "good", which gives rise to words such as "benefactor", "benevolent" and "benefit". It's often possible to deduce the meaning of a new word if you know its root and read it in context. Prefixes are added to the beginning of a word to change the meaning, such as "semi" or "ante", while suffixes are added to the end, such as "-able" or "-ance".
- Start a vocabulary book - you probably have one if you're learning a foreign language, so why not have one for your native language as well? Buy yourself a nice notepad and use it to collect new words and their meanings. The act of writing down the definition will help you remember it, and you could include an example of how the word is used to increase your chances of memorising it for use in essays. It may help to have different sections for words on particular themes; you could have a general section, and then further parts of the notebook could be dedicated to words of use in history essays, science essays and so on.

We've probably all had it hammered into us that we should write an essay plan before we start writing, but before you even do that, you need to know what the argument you're going to make actually is. Only then can you start writing the structure for an essay that builds up to your overall conclusion. To condense what you're trying to say into a short, snappy summary for you to work from, try making an 'Elevator Pitch' style summary of what you intend to write and why readers should be interested in it.
The Elevator Pitch is a technique used by salespeople when condensing the arguments for buying a product into the shortest possible summary of why a customer should consider a purchase. The salesperson is told to imagine themselves in a lift; in the time it takes for that lift to reach the desired floor, they should have given a compelling argument in favour of that product that would result in the customer buying it, or at least wanting to know more. Your Elevator Pitch for your essay should sell the idea of it to a reader, leaving them wanting to read the essay in question. This is quite a tough exercise, as it forces you to be ruthlessly concise in your thinking and choice of words; but you can use this summary to help you write your introduction, and it'll help you achieve clarity in what you're trying to say.

We've mentioned this on a previous article on essay writing, but it seems pertinent to mention it here too. Essays are a chance for you to show off how widely read you are, so make sure you quote other people's opinions, and original sources, on what you're writing about. For example, if you were to write a history essay on early religious practices in Britain, you could quote original texts on that topic (such as Bede's Ecclesiastical History of the English People) and also mention what a range of modern scholars have to say about the topic. Contrasting views should be sought; it's unlikely that everyone agrees on the topic, so show you've looked at all the possible angles.
For each of the subjects you're studying, start a page in a notebook for important people in that field, with a summary of when they lived and what their views are. That way, you'll have something to refer to when you're writing an essay and want to consult appropriate scholars or other writers whose opinions you might wish to include.
Don't quote too much; mix citations with your own opinions so that it doesn't look as though you have to hide behind other people's words. It's fine to disagree with a scholar you quote, provided you can give evidence and reasoning for doing so. This shows that you have thought about it and made your own mind up, rather than blindly accepting what that scholar has said; this demonstrates strong critical reasoning skills, one of the hallmarks of brilliant students.

You may not consciously realise it when you're reading, but sophisticated sentence structures make the world of difference to how intelligent you sound. As we've already said, the most important consideration when you're writing is making yourself easy for readers to understand; but you can still do this and utilise a range of interesting syntax at the same time. Employ a variety of sentence structures, long and short, but don't let your sentences become too long and rambling, or they become difficult to read. Effective punctuation is vital in conveying your arguments persuasively; the last thing a teacher or lecturer wants to read is an essay riddled with poor grammar. What's more, the reader shouldn't have to read a sentence more than once to understand it.
You probably already have a tone of voice you use for writing essays, but is it interesting and engaging? Read through some of your old essays and ask yourself honestly whether you find them absorbing. If they're not, it could well be because you've not established the right tone of voice. Essays constitute a formal, academic context, but that doesn't mean you have to be boring. A confident tone of voice will help show the reader that you know what you're talking about and reassure them that they're in safe hands.
Writing in the active rather than the passive voice is a well-known trick of the trade that writers use to give their writing a sense of immediacy and make it more compelling; you too can deploy this technique in your essays by steering clear of the passive voice (for example, rather than writing "Much work is being done to...", say "Scholars are putting a great deal of effort into..."). Over the course of an entire essay, you'd be surprised what a difference this makes to your tone.
We hope you've found these tips and techniques useful and that they help you take your essay-writing to new heights. If you would like to improve your writing skills even further, then why not sign up to our Creative Writing summer school.
If you have any tips you'd like to share with us, do let us know by leaving a comment below!

Images: sleeping student, dictionary.

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How to Write Better Essays: 5 Practical Tips

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For many such students, each essay brings with it the challenge of making it that little bit better than the last one. The problem is that when you write essays regularly, it's easy to get stuck in a rut of repeating the same formula each time - particularly when you already receive good feedback from...

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How to Start a Bullet Journal | Plan With Me

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However, the skills we've discussed up to now have been generic, and have not taken into account the fact that different subjects require different skills when it comes to writing excellent essays for them. In this article, we look at the particular skills needed to write great essays for individual A-level subjects, so that you can familiarise yourself with what you need to do to excel in whatever A-levels you happen to be studying.

English

Good English literature essays revolve around intelligent interpretation. The problem many students have with this is organising their interpretations into a tightly structured essay that flows well; many simply let their ideas run wild and flit aimlessly between one point and the next. To combat this problem, you need to consider the writer's overall aims and then show how they have conveyed those aims, paragraph by paragraph, with each paragraph devoted to a particular technique or focus. A good structure to use is as follows:

Point - make a statement, such as "Brontë uses the bleakness of the moorland setting to reflect Heathcliff's temperament."

Explanation - elaborate on the statement in more detail. In this example, your explanation would involve explaining the parallels between Heathcliff and the moors - their unpredictability and wildness, for instance, and the violence of the weather mirroring Heathcliff's violent personality.

Evidence - now provide quotes from the text to back up what you mean. In the Heathcliff example, you could quote specific words and phrases that show similarities in the way Heathcliff is described and the way in which the moorland landscape and weather are described.

Reiterate - close off the paragraph by reiterating the point, and perhaps developing it a little further or introducing the idea you're going to carry into the next paragraph. For example, "This ties in with a wider theme running through the book as a whole, which is that nature parallels human emotions."

Good English essays pay close attention to detail, noting specific words, phrases and literary devices a writer has used, and to what effect. They quote liberally from the text in order to support each point, deconstructing the writing and analysing the use of language; they look at different interpretations, seeing beyond the surface and picking up on possible deeper meanings and connotations. But they also consider the meaning of the piece as a whole, and the overall effect created by the specific details noted. All this should be considered within the framework of the genre and context of the piece of writing. For instance, a poem by William Wordsworth would be considered within the context of the Romantic poets, and might be compared with work by contemporary poets such as Shelley or Keats; the historical background might also be touched upon where relevant (such as the Industrial Revolution when discussing the poetry of William Blake).

History

Though it's also a humanities subject, History requires its own very particular set of skills that differ to an appreciable degree from those expected of you in English. A history essay is unequivocal about its writer's opinion, but this opinion must be based on a solid analysis of evidence that very often can't be taken as fact. Evidence must be discussed in terms of its reliability, or lack thereof. The good historian considers what biases may be inherent in a source, what vested interest the source might have, and what viewpoint that source was written from.
For instance, you might analyse a source by discussing whether or not the person was present at the events they are describing; how long after the events they were writing (and therefore whether they are remembering it accurately if they were there, or whether they are getting their information second or third hand from someone else; and if so, how reliable the original source is); whether they are trying to show evidence to support a particular political view; and so on. So, each time you make a point, back it up with evidence, and consider the strengths and weaknesses of that evidence. A good history essay makes connections between what's been written about, considering how issues interrelate, so think about how what you're writing about ties in with other things; what was the impact of the event you're discussing, did it happen in isolation, and what were the events that led to it?

It's vital to look at both sides of the argument - or, where many possible viewpoints exist, to acknowledge these nuances. It's fine to contradict yourself, provided you do so consciously; that is, you can build up an argument and then turn it on its head, observing that you are doing so (for example, "So far, so compelling; but what about the less well-known evidence from such and such?"). You can use quotes from historians you've read, but use these in the context of discussing scholarly opinion. Don't quote a historian's words as evidence of something, because this is only someone's opinion - it's not proof. Finally, where possible, use specialist terms to show that you know your stuff ("proletariat" instead of "workers", for example).

French

The primary task that lies ahead of you in writing a French essay is, of course, to demonstrate your superior language skills. Keep the content itself very even-handed, sitting on the fence rather than presenting a forceful opinion that could distract attention away from the quality of your use of French. Focus on using as wide a variety of vocabulary and tenses as you can. It will help your essay if you can learn how to say more sophisticated phrases in French, of the sort you would use if you were writing an essay in English. This useful document from RealFrench.net, Writing Essays in French, will give you numerous useful French phrases to help you put together an impressive essay, including the vocabulary you need to present a balanced argument.

Geography

Geography is a subject that crosses the divide between the sciences and the humanities, considering both physical processes and human activities (and their effects on the world around us). Essays for Geography may differ depending on which of these focuses the essay is discussing, and the evidence you might include in your essay could vary from phenomena observed and data gathered in the natural world to the results of population censuses. To write a good Geography essay, you'll need to include both theory and detailed, real-world case studies to support your answer. Mention specific places by name, and communicate the facts accurately. Your teacher will be assessing not just your knowledge, but your ability to support what you say with relevant information that proves it. You shouldn't just rattle off everything you know about a particular case study; you should deploy relevant facts from the case study to support a specific point you're trying to make. Keep linking each point back to the question, so that you're always working towards answering it; this also helps you ensure that everything you include is actually relevant to the question.
Showing that you've thought about an issue from multiple perspectives, and that you appreciate how they interrelate, is important in Geography. You can do this by organising the content of your essay into categories, considering different factors in turn, such as the scale of the issue, and the timeframe and environment involved. Discuss the various factors involved logically, one by one, such as the environmental impact of climate change or a natural disaster (such as a tsunami or volcanic eruption), followed by its physical, economic, social and political implications. Acknowledging the numerous nuances of the situation will demonstrate your appreciation of its complexity and show that you are thinking at a high level.

Classical Civilisations

As the study of the ancient world (primarily ancient Rome and Greece), Classical Civilisations combines archaeology and history, looking both at what survives materially (from small finds, to art and sculpture, to temples) and what survives in the way of texts by ancient authors. A good essay for this subject analyses, evaluates and interprets. The historical elements of the subject will require the same set of skills we discussed for History earlier, while the archaeological components of this subject require slightly different skills.
With your archaeologist hat on, your job becomes similar to that of a detective, piecing together clues. Archaeology crosses over into science, and with that comes scientific considerations such as how archaeological evidence has been gathered - the methods used, their reliability, whether or not they could have been tampered with, how accurately they were recorded, and so on. You'll look at a variety of different types of evidence, too, from the finds themselves to maps of the local topography. As with Geography, for which you're required to learn lots of detailed case studies and names, you'll need to learn plenty of examples of sites and finds to use as sources of evidence in building up a picture of the ancient world. And, as with any subject, looking at both sides of any argument is crucial to good grades. If the evidence you're discussing could show one thing, but it could also show another, don't just present one possibility - show that you've thought in depth about it and consider all the possible interpretations.

Science subjects

The sciences - Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Mathematics - are generally less essay-focused, so we're grouping them together here because the essay skills required for each of these subjects are very similar. While the fundamentals of scientific essay writing are the same as any other subject - having a logical structure, well-developed argument, and so on - there are a few subject-specific considerations to bear in mind, and some common pitfalls to watch out for. The first is that there is no room for opinion in a scientific essay; unless you're specifically asked for it, leave your own thoughts out of it and focus instead on a completely objective discussion of the evidence gathered through scientific research, which will most probably be quantitative data. Avoid vague language such as "it is thought that..."; be as precise as possible.
Start with a hypothesis, and then discuss the research that supports or disproves it. Back up every statement you make with solid data; it's not enough simply to drop in the name of the research, so briefly describe what the findings were and why they prove the statement you've just made. Another mistake many students make is to confuse cause and effect; this arises because of the tendency to assume that correlation implies causation, which is a common logical fallacy. Just because two things appear to be related, it doesn't mean that one caused the other, and committing this error in an essay is a major faux pas that will lose you marks. It's also a good idea to ensure that you've included every piece of research that could be relevant; if you don't, you could be leaving out a crucial piece of evidence. Finally, mention any limitations there may have been with the methodology used to gather the data you discuss.

Psychology

Psychology essays are best approached with a scientific mindset, but it's far more difficult to prove anything in this subject - and this should be acknowledged in your essay. The task becomes one of assessing which theory is the more probable one, based on an analysis of the data from various studies. Make liberal reference to named and dated psychological experiments and research, but acknowledge the fact that there may be more than one theory that could account for the same set of results. When these experiments are quoted as evidence, this should be done with reference to any possible limitations of how the experiment was conducted (such as a small sample size).
If you've reached the end of this article, you're now equipped with the knowledge to write fantastic essays guaranteed to impress your teachers. You're also well on the way to thinking in the right way for university-level essays, so keep working on these skills now and you'll find it much easier to make the leap from sixth former to undergraduate.

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banner; Wuthering Heights; Diet of Worms; factory workers; Charioteer; Hubble Space Telescope; Psychology.

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How to Write a Great Essay for Different A-Level Subjects

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In previous articles, we've given you lots of advice on how to write the perfect essay. You should also read... 6 Practical Tips for Writing Better Essays How to Do Research for an Excellent Essay However, the skills we've discussed up to now have been generic, and have not taken into account the fact that...

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It's likely that at some point in your course you'll have to write an essay. To achieve top marks find out how to successfully plan and execute your work

Taking the time to properly plan an essay can lead to higher grades, with lecturers welcoming a logical structure that clearly demonstrates your understanding of the subject. However, knowing where to begin and how to go about completing the assignment is not always easy - especially if you've not had to write at undergraduate level before and are still adjusting to university life.

Mastering how to write an essay early on will help you prepare for writing your dissertation in your final year.

We've asked two academic experts for their recommendations on how to plan and write a first-class essay.

Adopt a strategy

Planning your essay makes the writing process quicker and easier. You'll be able to focus on expressing your ideas while remaining within the word count, rather than having to organise your thoughts as you write, which often leads to waffling.

Michael Shields, academic skills tutor at Leeds Beckett University, argues that there are numerous different planning strategies - though key stages generally include evaluating the topic, doing your research around it and formulating an argument.

'Many successful essay writers plan consciously and deliberately, and commit to extensive notes, lists or mind maps,' he says. 'Some - those who work less consciously - may have a very sketchy plan.

'Others, however, will have no tangible plan at all and begin by writing a draft. They then do their planning in reverse by altering the order of ideas, adding examples and expanding on their original draft.'

It's up to you to decide which essay writing strategy to adopt but pick the one that works best for you.

Address the topic

First and foremost, you must fully understand what you're being asked and in how much depth you're required to answer the question. Michael says that one of the biggest problems students face when it comes to essays is squarely addressing the topic.

'You may have to approach the lecturer who devised the essay to understand what precisely is being asked and the complexity of the response expected from you,' advises Michael.

Breaking up the title is the first step to analysing exactly what you should be exploring in the essay. For example, the question, 'Compare and contrast the representation of masculinity in two James Bond films from the 1960s and 2000s', can be classified like this:

instruction (i.e. compare and contrast)

topic (i.e. the representation of masculinity)

focus (i.e. in two James Bond films)

further information (i.e. from the 1960s and 2000s).

Place the question and these individual components in the context of your subject's key issues, then create a list, diagram or mind map collating your ideas and thoughts on the essay topic. Ask yourself:

What is significant about the question and its topic?

What existing knowledge do you have that will help you answer this question?

What do you need to find out?

How are you going to successfully address this question?

What logical sequence will your ideas appear in?

Gather resources

With so much information available, it's vital that you only look for directly relevant material when researching. 'Decide where the gaps in your knowledge and understanding are, and identify the areas where you need more supporting evidence,' Michael recommends. 'Make a list of keywords that describe the topic and use them to search with.'

Useful resources include:

course material

lecture notes

library books

journal articles

websites.

Once you've done your research, create another mind map. Carefully note the key theories, information and quotes that will help you to answer all components of the question. Consider grouping these into three or four main themes, including only the most significant points. You must be ruthless and exclude ideas that don't fit in seamlessly with your essay's focus.

Create an essay plan

When you have a good idea of what points you're going to address in your discussion, and a rough idea of the order in which these will appear, you're ready to start planning. There are two main ways to do this:

Linear plans are useful for essays requiring a rigid structure. They provide a chronological breakdown of the key points you're going to address. This means that, when writing your essay, you can progress through these points.

Tabular plans are best for comparative assignments. You'll be able to better visualise how the points you're contrasting differ across several aspects. This should hopefully give you a clearer picture of how your discussion will progress.

Scrutinise the notes that you've already made - including those from your evaluation of relevant materials from your literature search - and ensure that they're placed into a logical order.

The key themes that you've identified should begin to form into clear sections, while the individual points within these sections should also develop a structure. 'Aim for a clear, objective and logical presentation of material,' Michael suggests.

Tackle the introduction and conclusion

Michael recommends that you begin writing your essay by expanding your plan. 'You may find it helpful to write the conclusion first, especially if you know exactly what it is you want to argue,' he adds. 'This can help you to clarify your ideas and also give you something to work towards.

'If you're unsure what shape your argument may take, you're best to leave both your introduction and conclusion until last.'

Plans should have the flexibility to change as your work develops, but remember to ensure that any adjustments are consistent across the essay. Dr Michelle Reid, study adviser at the University of Reading, suggests that noting new ideas in a separate document before incorporating them will give you thinking space to judge whether they're relevant.

'The success of a plan is not whether you stick to it rigidly, but how well it helps you to generate, sort and group your ideas to make the writing process more efficient and your structure more coherent,' she says. 'Deviating from your plan is natural, as your ideas will refine as you work out what you really think.'

Evaluate what you've written

Once you've written your first draft, leave it aside for a couple of days if possible. When you return, edit its ideas and how you've organised your thoughts if you need to. Michael adds that, while rereading the draft, you should ask yourself:

Is your thesis or argument clear?

Have your organised your proof in a logical and easy-to-follow way?

Should you add more examples to prove your case?

Do you need to make your argument more cohesive?

Have you summed up appropriately?

Once you've completed your second edit, you should proofread it for any spelling or grammar errors, check your citations and references, and ensure that you've not inadvertently plagiarised.

Find out more

Written by Jemma Smith, Editor

Prospects · February 2020

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It's likely that at some point in your course you'll have to write an essay. To achieve top marks find out how to successfully plan and execute your work Taking the time to properly plan an essay can lead to higher grades, with lecturers welcoming a logical structure that clearly demonstrates your understanding of the subject.

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To examine or re-examine for the purpose of improvement or amendment; to alter so as to make more efficient, apposite, or effective.

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lofi hip hop radio 📚 beats to relax/study to

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Exam years at school can be incredibly tough, even when the exams themselves are still weeks or months away.

We've written before about how to keep a positive mindset during exams and the immediate run-up to exams, but in some ways it can be easier to cope during exams, when the end is blissfully in sight, than at the start or in the middle of the school year, when it feels like there is an unimaginable slog of work to get through before it's all done.

During exams, you face stress - you're hyperactive, can't switch off, overreacting to everything, swamped with adrenaline but lacking in energy - a state that is by no means fun, but it can get you through those hellish few weeks and out the far end. But during a tough year, you face burnout - a state where you're exhausted, can't motivate yourself, struggling to react fully to anything, detached, and still lacking in energy but without any kind of adrenaline buzz to get you through. Stress isn't fun, but burnout is worse, and the long challenge of an exam year is exactly the kind of thing that causes it. So how do you avoid it? Here are our top tips.

1. Get a little help from your friends

It's very easy to notice when you're stressed - buzzing around like a caffeinated hamster but not feeling like you're getting anything done. But noticing when you're approaching burnout can be considerably harder because it doesn't involve the intensification of emotion that goes with stress, but rather a blunting of emotion. You might find yourself getting irrationally annoyed with people, but you might also find yourself becoming increasingly indifferent towards things that you probably ought to care about. And when it's over a long haul, you might adjust to a new "normal" that isn't normal at all.
This is where supportive friends and family are invaluable. If you can, agree with your friends at the start of the year that you're going to keep more of an eye on each other than might have been necessary previously, because it can be easier for others to spot the warning signs of burnout in you than it is for you to notice them in yourself. Once you've noticed warning signs, it's easier to do something about it.

2. Don't compete over who can be the most stressed

Humans are naturally competitive, but sometimes we compete over unnecessary things. Think about the diet group that competes so much that its members are pushed into unhealthy levels of weight loss, or the running group where the runners want to be the best so much that they end up with otherwise avoidable injuries.

It's possible to end up doing the same thing with hard work and stress in an exam year. If your friends are saying things like, "I'm so stressed, I only slept 5 hours last night" and "well, I'm so stressed, I only slept for 3", it can be hard to break in with, "I'm doing OK, I slept for 8 hours last night" - you can end up feeling like you're doing something wrong by taking adequate care of yourself. It's obvious that competing for who can work the most could be damaging, but competing over who is the most stressed seems self-deprecating rather than boastful, so it seems like it might be OK - yet it can be just as harmful. Friendly competition can be motivating, but keep an eye on how it's making you feel.

3. When you're eating, focus just on eating

Does it seem odd that this is a point all on its own? Yet it matters a great deal. It's intuitive that you should do your best to sleep the right amount, and well, but less logical to care about how you're eating as well as what you're eating.

During exam times, it does make sense not to worry too much about what you're eating or when you're eating it, so long as it contains a decent amount of vitamin C and you're not going to be facing a sugar crash halfway through an exam. But for the rest of the year, it makes sense to take more care of yourself.
This isn't a lecture about healthy eating but instead about avoiding distracted eating. Distracted eating is a sign of burnout - shoveling food into yourself in front of a computer, over a textbook or on the bus, and focusing on it so little that you let it go cold, or can't remember how it tasted. Food is a simple pleasure, and taking the time to focus on it and enjoy it, even for the 15 minutes or so that it might take you to eat a meal, can do a great deal for your well-being.

4. Focus on one thing at a time

Our world is set up to help us multitask - you can have your morning coffee while on the bus, while listening to an audiobook, while scrolling through social media. This is great if you're at peak productivity, bouncing full of energy, but if you're struggling to keep afloat, it can feel less like you're doing lots of things at once than that you're failing to do lots of things all at the same time. The feeling of trying to juggle too many balls at once is a warning sign of both stress and burnout.

Focusing on one thing at a time can help a great deal with this. If you're doing schoolwork, focus on each specific topic at a time; if there's more information you'd like to look up and cross-reference, great, but it might be best to write down what you'd like to look up and come back later. Similarly, if you're relaxing, take time to relax - don't watch a TV show with your textbook on your lap, because that way you won't learn anything or enjoy the show. And most of all, if you're trying to concentrate on anything, turn off your phone.

5. Take care of yourself if you feel unwell

Depressingly, it's not unusual to find your health suffering during exam years. However healthily you eat or however much exercise you do, stress might be affecting the quality of your sleep and you're certainly unlikely to be getting as much fresh air or sunshine as would be good for you.
So if you start to feel unwell, take good care of yourself before it snowballs into something worse. It will feel hard - perhaps even lazy - to take a couple of days off when you are just about well enough to study or go to school, but better that than running the risk of making yourself properly ill and then setting back your work schedule by a week or more.

6. Take breaks

Lots of advice on coping in exam years or other situations where you have a lot of work to take on will advise you to take regular breaks - for instance, daily periods of "me time", when you'll do yoga, indulge in a bubble bath, or go for a run. Or at weekends, they'll suggest that it's OK to take time out for a hiking trip to clear your mind.

If you enjoy yoga, bubble baths, running or hiking, then by all means take this sort of break. Setting aside regular "me time" every day is an excellent idea. But the crucial thing is that the way you take a break is relaxing. It shouldn't need to be virtuous as well. So if you'd sooner watch soaps, play video games or get to the next level on Candy Crush - and these things leave you relaxed and refreshed - then by all means prioritise them over breaks that you enjoy less. It's foolish and self-defeating to turn relaxation into just another area where you have to strive to achieve externally-set goals.

7. But also find something fun to do that doesn't involve a screen

If you're struggling with sleeping, it can help not to do anything like working, reading or watching TV in bed. This helps you associate bed with sleeping rather than with other wakeful activities. And to a certain extent, this applies to relaxing as well.

If you work at your computer, and you socialise at your computer through social media, and you relax at your computer by watching Netflix or playing games, it can make it harder to relax fully just as it is harder sleep in bed if your mind is full of non-sleep associations. This is one of the reasons people do recommend worthy-sounding means of relaxation like yoga or running, because they're likely to be distinctly different from the work you're doing, which helps you relax. So among the things you do when you're relaxing, whatever they may be, build in something that takes you away from a screen.

8. Get things down on paper

When you're feeling worn out from studying and like you're losing focus, one thing that can help is getting your thoughts down on paper. For some people, this means writing a diary, or starting a journal where they can put down whatever is on their mind, with no intention of rereading it. For others, this can mean something much simpler like a series of to-do lists.
Whatever format works for you, this can be very helpful in overcoming the feeling of having a brain that's exhaustingly full of thoughts. And in a work where we can write on paper, laptops, phones and a dozen other things, it makes sense to write down notes and thoughts without giving yourself the additional stress of trying to memorise anything that's important for you to know.

9. Plan for the long run

There are two parts to this point. The first is that when you get yourself into a schedule of study, remember that this is for the long haul. Previously, you might only have had to work at full intensity for a few short weeks in the run-up to exams, and you might plan to work at the same rate now - but that almost certainly won't work. You need to work out a schedule that you can stick to; plan for a marathon, not a sprint.
The second is to have a backup plan. This doesn't have to be complicated or fleshed out. But remember that things don't always work out how we hope. What if you end up seriously ill halfway through the year? Can you repeat the year? Can you manage with lower exam results than you would have hoped for? This isn't about doom and gloom; this is about the reassurance of knowing that if things don't work out precisely as you'd like, you still know that there are good options available.

10. Ask for positive feedback

Some really great teachers motivate their students with criticism that inspires the students to strive for the best work they can possibly do. They'll give a student 19 out of 20 and the student will feel gutted that they didn't put that little bit more effort in to get 20 out of 20. This can be a wonderful way to do your best work in normal circumstances.

However, in an exam year, if you're struggling to keep motivated as it is and you don't really have that extra bit of effort left to put in, teachers who take this approach can instead by deeply demoralising. It can feel as if none of your work will ever be good enough. Be reassured that your teachers don't want you demoralised; they want you to do the best you possibly can, and they're just trying to help you achieve that. If this sounds familiar, and you could really do with a little positive reinforcement, don't be afraid to ask. Any teacher worth their salt, when told that you're struggling and could do with motivation, will provide the positive feedback that you need to get yourself feeling motivated and engaged again. Image credits:
What techniques have you used to avoid burnout? Let us know in the comments!
burned match; tired cat; candle; friends; bedroom; breakfast; sofa cushions; medicines; dog in bath; children playing on computer; diary; marathon runner; exercise book;

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Exam years at school can be incredibly tough, even when the exams themselves are still weeks or months away. You might also enjoy... How to Cope With Deadlines The Essential Year-Round Exam Countdown Checklist We've written before about how to keep a positive mindset during exams and the immediate run-up to exams, but in some...

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With A-level and university exams drawing ever closer, it can be difficult to stay motivated, especially when the sun is shining, but you feel you need to be revising. So here are some of my top tips for staying motivated during this exam season:

1) Remember why you are doing this.

When you're revising it can feel like all you are doing is revising. However, there has to have been a reason why you wanted to do well in the first place: perhaps it's meeting the offer for your first choice uni; maybe it's that you would like to secure a particular placement or job following your degree. Whatever the reason is, make sure to fix that in your mind whenever you're revising, as both a motivation and a goal for you to aim for. I put a photo of my first choice uni on my wall, as a constant reminder that, if I did the revision, I could be able to go there, and a similar constant visual reminder of your goals can be really helpful.

2) Don't work all the time.

This may seem like a strange piece of advice, but hear me out. If you're working all the time, chances are you're probably getting sick of your work and you're also becoming very tired. Remember that you need to rest, as well as revise, in order for you to be able to perform your best in the exams. So make sure you do take some time off, because after that break, you'll be able to take much more in and work better.

3) Little and often is ideal.

Although it sounds impressive to say 'I've been working for six hours straight', it may not be producing the results you would expect. This is because we can become distracted from tasks if we've been doing them for too long. It can be helpful to instead vary your revision topics throughout the day. If you're doing A-levels, you can mix up your revision by revising each subject for an hour before switching to a different subject. And for uni exams, the same idea can be applied to different modules.

4) Vary your revision methods.

Just like how you may want to change up your revision topics, so you may also want to revise in different ways. There are a myriad of different revision techniques (flashcards, past papers, mindmaps), and you don't have to always work alone in your room. Revising in different places and sometimes with friends can help you to gain a new perspective on the topic, which is particularly helpful for essay-based subjects.

5) Plan something fun.

Revising can feel like an all-consuming bubble, but there will come a time when you no longer have to learn about trigonometric equations or the pluperfect tense. If you have something fun planned after exams, it can be a really great motivation and something to keep your spirits up. Whether it's compiling a list of tv shows you want to binge watch, or planning a holiday with the lads/gals, make sure you've got something to look forward to and treat yourself - you deserve it!

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With A-level and university exams drawing ever closer, it can be difficult to stay motivated, especially when the sun is shining, but you feel you need to be revising. So here are some of my top tips for staying motivated during this exam season: 1) Remember why you are doing this.

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Stick to your daily plan. Be strict in your routine.

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Focus on the Journey, Not the Outcome

Constantly fixating on the outcome, on success or failure, can seriously impair motivation. In her research on different mindsets, psychologist Carol Dweck has found that praising children for fixed traits (such as being smart or attractive) can actually decrease motivation and persistence in the future.﻿﻿

This type of praise, she believes, causes people to develop what is known as a fixed mindset. People with this mindset believe that personal characteristics are simply inborn and unchanging. They think that people are either smart or dumb, pretty or ugly, athletic or non-athletic, and so on.

How Can You Avoid Developing a Fixed Mindset?

Whether you are trying to lose weight, run a marathon, earn a degree, or complete some other type of goal, motivation plays a critical role in your overall success or failure. Some of these research findings might contradict your existing ideas about what works and what doesn't in terms of motivation. Try incorporating a few of these strategies into your daily habits to improve your enthusiasm and drive to succeed.

Read about 20 of the best motivational podcasts.

Get Advice From The Verywell Mind Podcast

Follow Now: Apple Podcasts / Spotify / Google Podcasts

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5 Surprising Ways to Increase Motivation

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Constantly fixating on the outcome, on success or failure, can seriously impair motivation. In her research on different mindsets, psychologist Carol Dweck has found that praising children for fixed traits (such as being smart or attractive) can actually decrease motivation and persistence in the future.﻿﻿ This type of praise, she believes, causes people to develop what is known as a fixed mindset.

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A simple Pomodoro Timer app that works on a desktop & mobile browser. Pomofucus will help you manage your time and let you focus on any tasks such as study, writing, or coding.

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Taking Notes: Crash Course Study Skills #1

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The (conscious or unconscious) stimulus for action towards a desired goal.

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How to revise: a more effective alternative to cramming

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How to manage your time more effectively (according to machines) - Brian Christian

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You might have heard of the concept of "teaching to the test".

It's teaching that's not necessarily about true understanding of the material, but instead about maximising the possible marks you could get in an exam scenario. That might mean focusing narrowly on the topics the exam covers, and ignoring related material. It might mean prioritising memorisation over deeper analysis. It might mean a relentless focus on the particular form of the exam (a particular style of essay, or answering multiple-choice questions) rather than looking at the subject more broadly.
With higher-level exams, or well-written exams more generally, teaching to the test often does still leave you with a solid understanding of the subjects you've studied, as you couldn't have passed your exams without them. And you may be grateful for being taught to the test if you end up with better exam results than you might have achieved from a more holistic approach.
But you might also find yourself wondering whether your top marks actually reflect real understanding, or just the fact that you know a particular exam format inside out - and if you're facing university admissions interviews, or other non-exam tests of your knowledge - it's probably worth knowing the answer. Here are eight ways to tell how deep your understanding of a subject goes.

1. Teach someone else

The classic way of checking whether you've actually understood what you've been taught is to teach someone else. For instance, if you're revising with a friend and you have different levels of knowledge on different topics, then teaching one another is a great way to see how deep your understanding goes. Often you only realise that you don't understand something as well as you thought when you have to explain it - for instance if you've memorised a term, but don't entirely grasp its definition. However, if you've been taught to the test, trying to teach someone who's going to be taking the same test might not reveal gaps in your understanding, as their approach will be broadly the same as yours.

If you have a patient parent, sibling, or friend who isn't taking the same exams as you, trying to teach them what you've learned may be a better option. They won't have the same mindset as someone focused on your particular exam, so the questions they ask and the points that they get confused about will be more useful in figuring out the gaps in your own knowledge. It may be that you know a great deal of answers to questions about how something works or what happened, but not the answers to why - and that's the kind of question that someone you're teaching is likely to ask.
You don't need to be an expert in teaching for this method to work, by the way. Just spend an hour or two trying to explain your notes, or the focus of a couple of your lessons in school, and that should do the trick. After all, if you're explaining things to someone who won't be taking the exam, if they actually learn something from you, it's a bonus, not an essential.

2. Try out a different set of past papers

Using past papers is a great way to revise, but it might seem like the ultimate in being taught to the test - you're literally assessing how well you can do at the exam, rather than looking at your knowledge and understanding in general. Yet if you're someone who likes the concrete approach of being able to give yourself a score out of 100 (rather than, say, trying to figure out if it's meaningful that you can't explain a particular technical term to your parents), then there is still an option for using past papers.

For popular subjects, there are a whole range of past papers available beyond the ones for your particular syllabus and exam board. It may be that the curriculum has changed, and only papers from a particular exam board and from the past three years are useful in predicting your ultimate mark in the exam. But they aren't the only ones that are useful in testing your knowledge more generally. You could look at different exam boards, which might cover different material or use different question styles. You could try some much older past papers, if you can get hold of them (your school may have a dusty storeroom somewhere that you might get permission to look through). Depending on the subject, you might even be able to take past papers from a different country. The overall content should be broadly the same (there are only so many ways to teach calculus or ) but any exam-specific strategies that you've learned won't be useful to you, so it's a purer test of your knowledge.

3. Set yourself questions an examiner wouldn't ask

On a similar note, try coming up with questions that an examiner wouldn't ask. If your subject is something like Maths, this is likely to be quite tricky, but for something like History or English it's reasonably straightforward. One way to come up with essay questions an examiner wouldn't write is to come up with something ridiculous. That might be "Why is Of Mice and Men so short?", "Should be ginger?" or "Was Henry VIII really annoying to live with?" Think about the kind of thing a toddler might ask, and take it from there.
This is worth doing because it leads you to approach the topic from a different perspective. In some fields, you're likely to have learned a few defining themes to focus on. In the case of , that might be revenge, tragedy and madness. Every exam question will pick up on one of these identifiable themes, though it might take some digging to get to it. But this approach to a topic means that you might never have considered the topic without immediately resorting to those themes - so for instance, you might never have thought about from the perspective of war and international politics, and might struggle to know how to answer a question about it. Coming up with questions outside the box like this can help highlight gaps in your studies.

4. Compare what you know with more advanced materials

More advanced courses can go two different ways. Sometimes, you'll have to specialise, and focus on an ever-narrower field of study. Sometimes, you'll be expected to increase your range and breadth of understanding. When studying literature, for instance, you'll go from being asked about the interpretation of specific themes to being expected to figure out what the important themes are for yourself. You can expect a lot less spoon-feeding of information at more advanced levels regardless of whether you'll progress to greater breadth or greater depth.
This is great if you're trying to assess your own level of knowledge. More advanced textbooks should be easy enough to borrow from your school library, and you can read through the introductory chapters to see which parts you can and can't understand on the basis of your previous studies. You shouldn't look too far ahead (so don't go from GCSE to university-level material, for instance) but a year or two above your current level is fine.

5. Test your knowledge in the wild

Your understanding of certain subjects is best tested not in an exam hall, but in real life. The most obvious example of this is foreign languages, where the main purpose of learning them is to be able to communicate with people in that language, alongside understanding it in other forms, such as reading literature written in it.

You might be able to handle set conversations about ordering a meal in a restaurant, booking a hotel room or discussing your hobbies, but that's no good if you struggle the instant you have to use the language in a context that you haven't specifically practised for - for instance, if you're on holiday in a country where the language is spoken, your car breaks down and you have to explain to the mechanic what happened. Using the language in real life is the best way to find out where there are gaps in your vocabulary - for example, would it have occurred to you normally to learn the words for 'tyre' or 'steering wheel'?
There are other examples of how this can work beyond foreign languages. You might be using your Maths skills for budgeting (though that might sound like basic arithmetic, comparing savings accounts can be complex) or seeing how what you've learned in Religious Studies compares to the actual religious practices of your friends and family.

6. Try counterfactuals

A great way to see if you've understood the topics you've learned enough to analyse them, rather than just regurgitating things you've memorised, is to look at counterfactuals. This is easiest to explain from the perspective of History, but could work in other subjects as well.
Essentially, instead of looking at what happen, you can look at what might have happened but didn't, and think about what that might have led you to conclude instead. Set yourself lots of questions along the lines of 'what would have happened if...?' and work out the answers. For instance, what might have happened if Henry VIII hadn't married Catherine of Aragon, or if the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V hadn't been her nephew? It'll require you to think about causes and consequences from a different perspective, and that can be valuable.
But this needn't be restricted to History. For instance, you could look at famous experiments in Physics, and consider what the conclusions might have been if the results had been just a little bit different. You could assess how our approach to particular texts in English Literature might change if we were to learn that their authors had been someone different entirely. With a little bit of thinking, you can come up with this kind of question for most subjects.

7. Analyse the subject itself

There is debate among historians about the value of looking at counterfactuals; some argue that it's a different perspective that can enhance our understanding of what actually happened, while others suggest that it's pointless to study things that didn't happen. This debate is an example of historiography: the study of the methodology of historians.

Similarly, there's a debate in the study of Literature that asks whether the author of a text is in any way relevant to the study of that text. Formalism, for instance, is a type of literary theory that argues that a text should be analysed without reference to its context; that focusing on the author or the history of the times in which the text was written means that proper literary analysis of the text is given second place to what is essentially biography. Other schools of literary criticism argue that texts can't possibly be fully understood without reference to their context. Many disciplines have this kind of meta-level discussion of how the subject should be pursued - there's historiography, literary theory, and jurisprudence, which is the philosophical theory of
law, among others. Looking at your subject from this level illuminates your understanding not only of what you've been taught, but also the way that you've been taught it.

8. Test yourself with Oxbridge interview questions

Interview questions at Oxford and Cambridge are notoriously challenging, and that's partly because they're specifically designed so that memorisation of information isn't good enough; you have to be able to analyse your subject. (The other reason, of course, is because they're intended to root out the best of the best among the candidates).

You might think that you know a great deal about all the poetry you've studied at school, for instance, but can you answer an Oxbridge interview question like 'should poetry be difficult to understand?' Similarly, another classic Oxbridge interview question is 'tell me about a cactus', which demands not only that you provide information about cacti, but also that you're able to figure out what's relevant and what's not. The answer to 'tell me about a cactus' could be quite different depending on whether you're being asked this in the context of Biological Sciences, Ecology or something completely different like Fine Art. There are plenty of example Oxbridge interview questions available online for you to test yourself with, and see how deep your understanding of your subject really goes. Image credits:
bookshelf; typing at laptop; pointing at globe; past paper on table; small girl; library; chalkboard; question mark; kitten looking at pile of books; cactus reading the dictionary

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8 Ways to Check If You've Really Understood Your Studies

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You might have heard of the concept of "teaching to the test". You might also enjoy... 8 Ways to Work Harder Without Even Realising It 10 Ways to Have Fun While You Study It's teaching that's not necessarily about true understanding of the material, but instead about maximising the possible marks you could get in...

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How to develop clear arguments in your academic writing

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The benefits of a good night's sleep - Shai Marcu

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Do you ever have difficulty concentrating in class?

1. Make sure you're hydrated and rested

The best way to ensure that you can concentrate in class is nothing to do with what's actually happening in the classroom; it's about what you do before you head to school. Specifically, it's about getting enough sleep so that you're not feeling tired, and getting enough water that you're not feeling hydrated. Keeping a bottle of water in your schoolbag so that you can have a drink whenever you feel thirsty can go a long way towards staying sufficiently hydrated. Similarly, if you're finding that being hungry ends up distracting you in lessons, having a healthy snack like nuts and seeds in your bag to eat quickly between lessons can make all the difference.
It can be surprising how much looking after our bodies' needs can impact our ability to concentrate. Research has suggested that judges are more lenient to criminals after they've had a lunch break ; if basic creature comforts make such a difference even to a group of people who are well aware of how important it is to make decisions impartially, imagine how they could be affecting you. Admittedly, the school day is not that well adapted for teenagers to sleep well - several studies have suggested that early starts are especially difficult for adolescents - but you can try to get a decent night's sleep where possible, and staying well nourished and hydrated is more easily achieved.

2. Eliminate distractions

3. Do work at the right level of difficulty

4. Think of questions

5. Get involved in discussion

6. Take detailed notes

7. Find a source of motivation

8. Check for medical difficulties

9. Use aids like gum, eyedrops or fidget devices

Towards exam time, you might very well know what it is that's making you struggle to concentrate - such as stress, insomnia or simply too much work - but not necessarily be able to do anything about it.
This is where you might want to consider using additional aids to help your concentration. Eye drops can help with tired and aching eyes, for instance. If your school allows it, you might also find that chewing gum helps to keep you awake. Similarly, devices such as fidget spinners can actually be an aid to concentration rather than a distraction for some people. They were initially developed for people with autism or ADHD, who sometimes find that keeping their hands occupied helps them focus, by directing their inclination to fidget into something harmless rather than distracting. You might find the same effect holds true for you, even if you're struggling with concentration for different reasons.
What has help you stay focused in class? Share your thoughts and ideas in the comments.

Images: sleeping on pool table; kettlebells; w questions; raising hand; taking notes; fidget spinner; girl sleeping in class; classroom chaos

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Do you ever have difficulty concentrating in class? You might also enjoy... 6 Top Revision Tips to Ace Your Exams This Year The 6 Levels of Educational Complexity and How to Use Them Maybe you've had the experience of glancing up at the teacher and realising that you haven't heard a thing that they've been...

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“The Importance of Resilience”  | Caleb Sharman | TEDxMountainViewHighSchool

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6 Top Revision Tips to Ace Your Exams This Year

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Revision seems like a simple concept, but most people get it wrong all the same. You might also enjoy… 8 Ways to Check If You’ve Really Understood Your Studies 10 Ways to Avoid Burnout in Exam Years There are lots of revision traps that are easy to fall into, such as thinking that covering a...

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The ability to make effective notes is a crucial academic skill. But remember, there is no single right way to make notes.

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You think reflectively all the time, you probably just don't realise you're doing it. Have you ever missed the bus and then thought 'next time I'll leave the house 5 minutes earlier'? It's an example

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Plan out your revision by making a revision timetable. That way, you know what to study and when. This will also allow you to split up your study into chunks, making it seem much more achievable. Be realistic when creating this timetable, to not cram too much revision into one day.

Give yourself plenty of time

The earlier you can start your revision, the better. You'll be more prepared heading into your assessments and can spend more time studying the topics you find difficult.

If you're unsure when to start revising for A-levels, we spoke to some sixth form students to ask when they begin revising and how to get going.

Understand the assessment objectives

Make sure you understand how you'll be assessed and what questions might come up. This should dictate both what and how you study. The more knowledge you have of the assessment before it happens, the better prepared you'll be when the time comes.

Try different learning methods

Switch up how you learn by engaging some different senses. If you typically learn best by reading and writing, try also verbalising your revision out loud or teaching it to a friend. Adding variety can help to commit ideas more firmly to memory.

Use different learning materials

Don't just stick with learning a topic through a textbook. The Internet is your oyster. Watching documentaries or videos on the topics you're trying to learn can be a new and engaging way to revise. Seek out articles, podcasts and books on the topic too. It's also worth asking your teachers for additional learning material.

Past papers are a great indicator of what might come up in your assessment. Time yourself while doing them to see how you perform under test conditions. This way, when it's time to be tested, you'll feel more prepared.

Ask your teachers and tutors for past papers. You can also usually find past papers online.

To revise effectively, you'll need to split up your study with breaks. It's not wise to study for hours on end without stepping away from your work. Taking breaks allows your brain to refresh and reset. This is particularly useful if you're finding a certain topic challenging.

Incorporate exercise into these breaks too, as moving your body will give you more energy to continue learning.

Avoid having your phone with you while you study. The allure of social media, and other apps, can be too distracting. Try leaving your phone in another room so you don't get tempted to reach for it. If you need it nearby, download the Forest app which will motivate you to stay focused and not use your phone.

You'll struggle to study effectively without sufficient rest. You'll find it difficult to concentrate on your work and your motivation to study can fade. Lack of sleep also impairs memory, making it hard to recall important ideas when it matters. Prioritise getting between 7 to 9 hours each night.

Be mindful of what you eat

What you put into your body will affect the quality of what you put out. Fueling your brain and body with a balanced, nutritious diet will only benefit the effectiveness of your revision. Foods that'll ensure your brain is firing include fruit, nuts, seeds, wholegrains and vegetables. Don't forget to supplement this with plenty of water.
Header image: Photo by fotografierende on Unsplash

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wondering how to revise for a-levels? from revision timetables to finding a balance of work and rest

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How to revise for A-levels | A-level revision

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Plan out your revision by making a revision timetable. That way, you know what to study and when. This will also allow you to split up your study into chunks, making it seem much more achievable. Be realistic when creating this timetable, to not cram too much revision into one day.

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Turning Personal Skills into Study Skills

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Turning Personal Skills into Study Skills

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How a student changed her study habits by setting goals and managing time | Yana Savitsky | TEDxLFHS

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Research is the investigation and study of materials and sources in order to establish facts and reach new conclusions.

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What do top students do differently? | Douglas Barton | TEDxYouth@Tallinn