The "80/20 Principle" Enables The Best Study Results
by: DrMarcR.Dussault |
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If you've ever heard of the Pareto Principle, you know that it states that 20% of the work we do gives us 80% of the results we get. By contrast, the same principle also states that 80% of the work we do gives us just 20% of the results we obtain. So how can this information be used to give us academic success?
Most students don't have the essential study skills they need. Because of this, they spend most of their time preparing for exams less efficiently than they need to, which means that most of their time is wasted. Why should they do this when they could study in a highly targeted fashion and obtain 80% of their study success with only 20% of the effort?
School success does not necessarily rely on intelligence, but on knowing how to play the game. A student of average intelligence who has learned study skills is far more likely to succeed than a highly intelligent student who hasn't. When applied to academic success, the Pareto Principle is not just about effort but about focus.
Ordinarily, most students lack strong and specific focus during study periods. It would not be too much to say that only twenty percent of their total study efforts are focused, which means that eighty percent of the time they spend preparing for exams is wasted.
Of course, students also need to focus on the right material when they prepare for exams. When they have so much study material presented to them, though, how can they choose what to focus on?
Australian State education departments have written syllabus documents for each subject and year of study. The most successful students will target their study toward the outcomes specified in these curriculum documents. Generally, they are available online and can be downloaded to your home computer. These documents will often include a glossary of terms which are essential to understand in order to successfully complete a course of study.
If you require some assistance in covering essential material, you can also purchase study guides that are specific to your home state, for a reasonable price. These guides can save you some time by giving you an important subheadings and headings with summaries of essential information so that you are much more likely to be successful in your exams. These materials can also fill in gaps in the information you receive, which may occur because you've been absent or have somehow had a variation in your school education.
Grades are based on the fact that you meet course outcomes; this means that successfully completing a course cannot be done without meeting the expectations of the curriculum. Parents often don't understand that the education system has changed since they went to school themselves, and believe their children's grades are a reflection of their ability.
However, more often than not, children have not learned how to produce work that will produce good grades. Once they know how to play the game, they are able to get better grades. They are also able to save a lot of wasted time reading over course material.
The Pareto Principle can also be applied to university study. You will be given initial course documents outlining the individual topics you will cover in your course. You will also usually be given a book of readings and perhaps additional textbooks. You will also be given a list of assignments and due dates at the beginning of your course at most universities so you can plan your study time.
Most university courses, especially those in the humanities, require students to do a lot of essay writing and reading. This means that good planning and summaries are mandatory. If you read the essay questions ahead of time and then make notes from your readings, your study time can be greatly reduced by up to 80%. In other words, 20% of your effort can give you much greater results. If you apply targeted effort above this, you can further improve your marks.
Focused attention for shorter periods of time is a key to academic success. However, you need to be focused on the right things. You cannot necessarily rely on what teachers say in class, or what other students tell you. You must abide by the official written material available to you. By using this as a guide, learning to write good essays, and ensuring you cover all aspects of required course content, you will be able to substantially improve your academic performance. Best of all, you will do so easily.
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About the Author
About the author: Dr Marc R. Dussault can show you how to get the best grades With the least amount of effort. Visit the "Get Better Grades" website for more excellent tips on acheiving great marks by studying more effectively.
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