Study

If you are returning to study after a break or you have changed your studies, then you may want to rethink your study methods. Monash has excellent services to assist you to adjust your study style and get the most out of your study.

Services

• Lecturers/tutors are usually available during teaching weeks outside of normal lecture times to assist you with questions about subjects discussed in each lecture or to answer questions about assignment topics.

• Language and Learning Service provides assistance with study for all students. You can access with their website, attend a class on using academic English, form a conversation group, or get help from a language expert.

• Community Services provides a course to assist you to focus on study. The 4 week program Get SMART offers help by suggesting ways for study success including improve the ways you learn, motivating yourself, and managing your study stress. Additionally you can also attend EXAM BUSTERS to improve your exam study preparation.

• Q MANUAL is the Faculty of Business and Economics guide for study. It outlines information on how you can achieve quality results in your assessment work including essays, reports, presentations and examinations.
• Private tuition: If you have taken advantage of all the on campus study assistance services but still feel you require more help, you may wish to employ a private tutor. Students have assisted other students in the way for many years. The Monash Careers and Employment service manages a list of tutors for specific units and subject areas

Study Tips:

Here are some hints to get the most out of your study. You may find them useful, but if you don’t send us a one of your study tips as different study strategies work for different people.

• You’re only young once: When you were an undergraduate you might have not started an assignment until the day before it was due. Now you are older and wiser. Try to be wise and start your study early because you may not be very wise at 5am.

• Study Today: The study tricks you learnt 5 or 10 years ago might help you through your course, but they may need strengthening. You would not use a computer that was 10 years old to finish an assignment, so why use the same study skills you did ten years ago without an upgrade. Speak to someone about updating your study skills.

• Try something different: You will need to change something if you want to improve something. If you decide you want to improve an assessment mark then you will need to change some of you actions. Many students believe they can do more of the same to get better marks, but it is more likely that you will need to change something about your study habits to improve your results.

• Remember to think don’t learn to remember: As a postgraduate student you will want to understand and explain your new knowledge instead of just recalling each major subject fact. You may find this different from undergraduate studies, but don’t be put unsettled by this challenge. You will be able to think about these issues

• Group think: Study groups are not just for assignments. You can gain a lot from studying with others. Arrange a group time for study early in semester and you will be able to share your knowledge and gain others. If you are good at equations but need help with essay writing you may be able to buddy with another student and provide tutoring to each other without a cost.

• Stretch your reading eyes: Reading the text book is not the only place to be when you are a graduate student. Again this may have been the focus of your student when you where an undergraduate but now you need to look wider for your information. Even reading the news paper can provide you with topics that are current for an assignment.

• The library has changed: Many students now sit in the library and talk with their friends about life and study. You will also need to know how to use your study time in the library so you quickly find the right articles in the right place. Talk with the Faculty of Business and Economics Librarian to make sure you are achieving your outcomes.

• Be ready for the next assignment: You already know that you’ll receive a number of assignments. Be organised before you receive your assignments. You’ll need a system to track all your references, drafts and due dates before you hand in a paper.

• Exam study starts the first time you open your books: You might need to think about how to study for exams in week 1 instead of week 11. Decide on a study strategy at the start of the semester, and then you can review your exam study notes each week based on lectures and assignments. This will give you more time to refine your exam study towards the end of semester.

• Get your feedback: See your academic staff member when you receive a mark that doesn’t make sense or you want to know why you got a pass not a credit. You may feel unsure about deciding to speak to someone about your marks but if you don’t speak with someone you’ll only be guessing what they think. You can sometimes guess wrongly about a why you got a mark, and if you take that thought into your next assignment, you will make the same mistake.