Checklists provide a simple but effective way of drawing together, and keeping track of, everything you need to do.
Use checklists in your student planner to save time re-thinking the basics – such as your standard shopping list, things you take back and forth each term or tips from tutors you want to draw on for assignments.
Think back to an assignment that you have recently worked on. Did you:
- Have a working environment that helped you stay focused?
- Prepare well-ahead of a deadline or exam?
- Keep all materials well-organised so you could locate them easily?
- Have an overall strategy towards completing your work?
Have a look at the checklists below, and see if there's something that you can use for your work.
Study strategies and mindset checklist
Have a go at exploring the series of points to see how it might help you in an upcoming assignment.
Visit the topic about Studying effectively to help define an approach for your work.
Work through the topic: Practise identifying effective learning strategies to help structure a way to achieve your academic goals.
Examine how to create realistic and challenging goals by using the topic Set high expectations and standards from the Writing skills module.
Explore some of these strategies in the topic Effective learning from the Getting ready for academic study module.
Practice applying some of these strategies using the Active learning topic from the Getting ready for academic study module.
Use the topic Understanding what is expected from the Writing skills module to find and assess appropriate sources of information when working on an assignment.
The topic can help you find out the type of learner you are: What kind of learner am I?
Create your own expectations and learn what motivates you: What motivates me?
Find out how you can increase your Motivation in this topic.
Read about how you can use setbacks to your advantage: Setbacks - the seeds to future success
The more your brain feels you are in charge of completing a task, the less it gives you a nagging sense of things yet to do, and the happier you feel.
Try these checklists
Depending on where you are in your studies, you could use these checklists to structure your way of working. Explore more in the pages below.
How to create your own 'To do' lists
1) Write a fresh list of things to do on a piece of paper or sticky note
2) Divide the list into ‘Today’ and ‘Soon’ (so you are aware of what you need to do longer term). Write items under headings so that they are easy to see: ‘Study’, ‘Home’, ‘Other’ (or whatever headings suit you)
3) Be as precise as possible about what exactly you are going to do
4) Star or highlight the essential items.
5) Attach or paperclip the list to the page opposite the current page of the diary
6) Cross out all completed items so that you are clear what is left to do
