Exam one

Just sat F4 (ENG) and thought it was a fair paper.

I have to Pass

A positive attitude means everything. Even as the mounds of papers with information that you have yet to absorb piles up in the days leading to the exams - you have to keep positive. This attitude will help you get through it. 

There is nothing that you cannot do with a sensible approach. The number one thing is to never panic - keep calm. We can only try our best. 

"Restlessness is discontent and discontent is the first necessity of progress. Show me a thoroughly satisfied man and I'll show you a failure" - Thomas Edison 

Never give up - just keep going at it hard. You will find yourself amongst the elite - fists clenched and arms hoisted up in the air - triumphant. We will prevail!

Social Networking getting in the way?

I can finally admit that I am somewhat addicted to facebook. I find myself spending far too long on there when I've got much better things to be doing. That's why today I did something about it...

Google a program called 'ColdTurkey'. It helps you block access to sites like facebook and myspace on your computer for a period of time that you specify. After this, you will get an 'error not found' page when you key in these URLs on your web browser.

Spend less time social networking - and more time achieving your goals. Crunch time is where champions are made - go big or go home.

Osama Bin Laden is dead!

Great to hear news that the world's most notorious terrorist is dead.

http://tinyurl.com/6jzpbay

Professional Stage

I'm learning the hard way - don't take the fundamental and skill level papers for granted. They are assumed knowledge at the professional stage. I am currently studying for the P3 examination, a 500 page study text combined with interweaving of F5 and F9 paper material, and i must profess it is daunting.

I am always up for a challenge but three exams culminating in a professional level paper with very technical and intricate details and model after model to learn is proving to be a tall order. The next few weeks is going to require a substantial amount of concentration and effort in order to get through.

In fact, I still have one more book to read before I hit my revision stage! Tall order indeed.

Knowledge Mapping for Success

In my earlier post I have discussed the importance of ensuring that you are fully aware of the higher levels of the syllabus and the interrelationships between each section of the syllabus. This is a key examinable skill that sets apart the fit from the weak. You need to have this in your repertoire to put yourself in the position to succeed.

Unfortunately, I find that the key revision materials that are being published don't necessarily put you in the position to visually connect areas of a syllabus together easily. A set of ring binded index cards are not going to give you what is needed to visually conceptualize the different areas. Monotone text organised in undifferentiated pages within a endless text book is not going to really help you out too much either. Especially as the exams draw in closer, many will tend to just 'get through the material' rather than invoke learning. Remember that this is the wrong approach. If you need to find more time to make sure the information sticks, do it. However, I suggest an alternative approach... 

I find that right after you read a chapter in the book, you have enough retained knowledge to answer a few basic questions over what you've just read. But as soon as you move on to the next chapter, the knowledge that you have seemingly obtained dissipates. This short termism can be counteracted by a technique I have picked up - knowledge mapping:

* Finish reading the chapter and recap the information by briefly flicking through the pages and looking at the headings. 

* Have a quick look at the related syllabus learning outcome statements

* Get a blank sheet of paper and put the chapter title on the top and highlight it in your favourite colour. 

* Start working through the chapter, and plotting the different elements that you think are important. Start linking them together. Use things like diagrams and charts as much as possible to visually represent the material. 

* Only use one side of the paper, leave the other side blank. 

* After you are done with a book, you will have anywhere from 11 to 26 pieces of paper with the key important elements. 

* During the revision phase you can lay them out in front of you in an open space and start flicking through them, and you will find that the related topics just tend to flow. You can organise the papers to put two of these topics together and compare and contrast them, find linkages and further your investigation as necessary. 

* You can use the blank sides of the papers to now enter in any additional notes (maybe as a result from practice questions, or a review of the syllabus) and key concepts that you want to drill in to create a comprehensive set of visual aids. 

I think you will find that you start to think of these areas quite visually and these images (of your notes) will start coming to you when you are doing your exams. Part of this method's effectiveness is that you are approaching something with a new method which challenges your mind in ways that you might not ordinarily be inclined to do.

Procrastination

The drag is really setting in heavy and it's starting to get to me. The sun's out, the kids are kicking the football around in the garden and the mojitos are flowing. I'm inside, rocking my 5 o'clock three-days-later shadow. I think that I am studying but really the information is not sticking.

I'm sure that most of you will feel my plight, the pressure is not at its highest and the work week is long. So how am I going to get through this make-me-or-break-me hump. I figure I'll go do what I like for a while, listen to some music, make a nice meal, watch a movie. What's the point in studying if you don't absorb the information.

So for all the nine-to-fivers, people with kids and workaholics with long commutes - remember what the end game is. Don't force it.