Top 10 Topics – Successful Futures

Exam Prep May 26, 2023

Preparing for Case Study exams

Exam questions that ask you to anlayse case studies (also called scenarios) are usually designed to test your ability to relate theories and concepts to real-world situations. Scenario questions often require a longer answer, so they will be allocated more time and more marks. Generally there is no ONE right answer, but there are concepts that the lecturer will be expecting you to apply.

Preparing for the exam

Identify the theories and concepts covered in your unit. Organise and review the information you have on these theories/concepts so you understand them.

Practise reading case studies and identifying relevant information. It’s probably useful to do this with a time limit similar to what you’ll have in your exam.

Use flash cards, mind maps and acronyms to learn and rehearse the key concepts, theories, models and protocols.

Try relating concepts and theories to real-world situations: ask lecturers and check textbooks or Canvas for examples. Try finding past exams if possible to see if there are examples of case study questions.

During the exam

Plan your time for each scenario or question. Have a clear idea of time you have for reading the exam question, reading the case study and writing your answer.

Read the exam question(s).

Then skim read the case study to get the general idea. Highlight or underline key points.

Reread the question to make sure you understand it and to focus your attention when you reread the case study. Make sure you know what is being asked of you.

Reread the case study carefully. Make a note of any ideas that you think of.

Answer the question linking relevant theories and concepts to specific information from the case study. Usually you’ll need to write your answers in clearly formed paragraphs which have a clear topic that is well-supported with evidence and examples.

Don’t just describe or restate information from the case itself, use specific details or examples to support the points you are trying to make. This is where you link theory to the facts from the case study.

Knowing how to prepare for exams and implementing strategies for preparation is a big part of managing your study time and getting good grades. Exam time can be a period of stress and anxiety for many students but if you know how to prepare for your exams, apply effective study strategies, and take care of yourself, at least you’ll feel more in control of the situation.

speaking August 31, 2022

How to make the most of Small Talk

Do you avoid making small talk? Is it something you dread? Some people seem to be naturals when it comes to small talk but many of us struggle to know what to say. But small talk has its place and building rapport using casual conversation is a useful tool to have in all areas of your life. So try these simple tips to make it less of a chore.

Be Prepared

Part of the problem is not knowing what to say so it helps to have some simple stories prepared. Whether it’s about the coffee you spilled first thing in the morning, an interesting problem that is challenging you, or a funny conversation you had with a friend, find something that has a clear beginning, middle, and end that you feel comfortable talking about.

Find Common Ground

It’s human nature that we’re not always interested in things that don’t directly involve us. If you really want to enage the person you’re talking to it’s best to base your story on something you have in common. Whether it’s your study, the public transport or a contact you both know, talking about something that the other person can relate to will help to keep his or her interest.

Keep it Short

If you’re sharing an anecdote make sure it takes no longer than a minute to get through. Remember that you’re having a conversation rather than delivering a presentation and you want the other person to engage with you. You have to be careful not to dominate the discussion and leave your partner with no chance to respond.

Ask Open-ended Questions

Most people enjoy speaking about themselves because it’s easier than talking about a subject you don’t know much about. An open-ended question allows the other person to answer using their complete knowledge and understanding. These questions can help you generate dynamic, exciting conversations, and encourage the other person to share information.

Small talk is a simple exchange that is not meant to delve into your deepest thoughts, feelings, and ambitions. It fills the silence while waiting for something or during an introduction, but you never know where it might lead. If you want to improve your skills in this area, look for opportunities to make small talk and approach people as if they are already your friend.

QUT’s Speakeasy Peer Program offeres a range of interactive sessions aimed at helping you gain the confidence you need for success at university and beyond.

Yes, you CAN be organised!

In the second part of the semester life gets pretty hectic and if you’re not careful it can all start to feel out of control. As you juggle those last assignments and start revision it helps to have a solid plan. This means being organised so you can make the most of your time. If this doesn’t come naturally to you, don’t stress! It’s never too late to develop new strategies to help you take control and in no time at all you won’t even think about it.

Check out these study habits to help you through those final assessments:

Be clear about your goals

It’s easy to feel overwhlemed when we have a lot of different things to do but setting goals can help prioritise our time. Your goals can be long or short-term but it’s important to make them attainable. Start with your plan for the week then break it down further to each unit. Apps like ToDoist can really help to keep you on track. Don’t be unrealistic and overload yourself with too much at once as you’ll either give up or burn out. Use your goals to track achievements and then take a moment to celebrate them. Once you’ve submitted an assignment do something nice for yourself!

Managing time

Time management is a big part of achieving your goals but sometimes it’s hard to know where to start. It helps to divide your days into areas like study | work | social | exercise | relaxation etc so that you can clearly see what you’ve got going on. Use a planner, study timetable, or calendar to block out the time you need for study which includes all your mini-goals for revision, reading and assignments etc. At different times you might need to change your priorities to focus on different aspects of your life so it’s important to remain flexible. Check out our Exam Plan & Prep Guide (PDF).

Say goodbye to clutter

Did you know too much clutter can actually disrupt your brain’s ability to process information? Yes, it’s a real thing. Most of us feel better when things are tidy or orderly because it gives us a sense of control and calm. Make your study space productive by removing rubbish and piles of papers etc. If you’re at home then make sure you have a dedicated space with everything you need in a drawer or cupboard that’s easy to access. You can use magazine holders or desk trays to organise material for different units. Surround yourself with a few things that make you feel happy but don’t overdo it. If you’re going to study in the library then make sure you make a list of what to take and only have what you need on the desk.

Connection is key

Being a student can be lonely. Hours at your desk or hidden away in the library. It’s important to stay connected to your friends, family and the uni community. Make sure you are communicating with the people around you; let them know your study schedule, ask for time off work; create a study group and make time to meet at uni or online. If you feel overwhelmed with your studies or have some personal issues this will impact your ability to study so it’s important to reach out. Tell your tutor or unit coordinator early on rather than just avoiding something. Contact Student Counselling to make a confediential appointmet. The QUT Wellbeing app is also worth a try as it has a collection of activities that provide tools and ideas to enhance your overall wellbeing.

Bring organised doesn’t come naturally to most of us – it’s is a skill that takes practice and finding what works best for you! But being organised and having strategies to deal with your study will help you manage your study load and ace those assessments.

Top 10 tips for being an active learner

Would you describe yourself as an active learner?
Active learning means participating in ways that actively engage your brain. Activities that require you to discuss, practise, and review new information are more effective than relying on passive strategies. This means you’re more likely to understand and remember what you do. You probably do this already in many ways but there’s always room for improvement. Check out these strategies for study success:

semester planner

weekly timetable

study guide

Regularly review your notes

review your notes every week

identify any weaknesses

30-60 minute blocks

mind map or knowledge tree

Use these questions as exam revision

different approaches to study

study group

Review the feedback

Academic Help and Workshops

self-study resources

Kitchen Lab awarded Women in Research grant

Great news! The Kitchen Lab team have been awarded a Women in Research grant to further develop work that was piloted in 2020.

The project is titled “From the lab bench to the kitchen bench: expanding the accessibility to science skills training in uncertain times” and aims to determine how to better teach science students in remote learning situations. All students, including regional and remote, off shore and students with vulnerable health conditions will be able to access hands on laboratory learning in their home environment.

Our team is busily ‘hacking the pracs’ in preparation for deploying kits in semester 1, 2022. Watch this space!

How to study effectively during lockdown

While we’re all used to studying online it’s not the same as studying through lockdowns. Working from home full time and being unable to attend campus can take a lot of adjustment both practically and psychologically. It helps to have a few strategies in place to help you through these challenging periods.

Make a study timetable

Possibly one of the hardest things about studying and working from home is sticking to a schedule. It’s so easy to blur the boundaries between daily activities and study. One minute you’re doing your weekly reading and the next you’re catching up on laundry. Or in the other extreme you spend the whole day in front of a computer on just one unit. To create balance and prioritise tasks it helps to have a daily timetable that divides the day into chunks of study. Start by listing the things you want to achieve and then work out the best order to do them. Don’t panic if you don’t get through everything – just carry the unfinished tasks to the next day. Make sure you include regular breaks and leave time for some exercise. Learn more about managing your time.

Organise your study space

Not everyone has the luxury of a dedicated space to study but it’s important to try and find an area that you can use. Keeping your study space neat and tidy helps you feel organised and in control. Make sure you have everything you need so you don’t distract yourself by wandering through the house looking for things. If you share a space with others let them know you’re working so they can keep disturbances to a minimum. Sometimes it helps to change your environment so take some reading outside or do some writing at the kitchen table to change it up a bit.

Minimise distractions

We’re all prone to procrastination and it’s even more of a problem when studying at at home. There’s always something else to do and it’s more difficult to avoid the temptations of social media, gaming, streaming your favourite show and so on. This is the time for self-discipline. Try limiting time that you can use your phone. Put it in another room an access it only when you have a scheduled break. Noise-cancelling headphones may help you concentrate or you could find ‘focus’ playlists which feature instrumental music to help keep you in the zone. Check out an earlier post with tips for being organised.

Understand how you learn

Different students learn in different ways so it’s worth thinking about what works for you. If taking endless notes and re-reading material doesn’t seem to help you process infromation then change it up. Try creating flashcards to test yourself or create a mind map to explore different aspects of a topic. Experiment with note-taking and find a method that suits you. The Cornell method is useful for organising notes to revise later. It involves dividing a page into a main column, a narrower column beside it and a space at the foot of the page. The main column is for main notes, the right-hand column is for headings and/or key words and the space at the bottom is for a summary. This format allows you to test yourself easily and the process of creating the notes actually forces you to think about the meaning of the content. Learn more about note-taking in QUT’s study resources.

Stay connected

While we’re all in lockdown it becomes the norm to stay in touch with friends and family using FaceTime, Skype, Zoom etc but it’s also important to make contact with other students. Use social media, video links, email, chat or voice calls to share ideas, discuss assignments, test each other or just share experiences. Commit to attending online tutorials and support sessions to make sure you stay connected with your lecturers, tutors and classmates. If you feel that you need extra support or some advice on how to manage your study book a Success Coaching appointment. QUT also offers free, confidential counselling services for all current students.

Don’t forget to keep checking for COVID-19 updates.

Girl using laptop

Successful habits July 19, 2021

Preparing for uni

Whether you are new to uni or returning to study after a break, it can be both exciting and overwhelming when the semester finally begins. Here are a few things you can do to make sure you have everything you need to set yourself up for success.

Download the QUT app

This is a great first step in getting organised. The free student app really helps you manage your studies. Use it to search and register for all kinds of eventsand keep track of your classes. If you are on campus it can even help find a car park, check shuttle bus times and locate rooms.

App Store download
Google Play download

Connect with on social media

There are a range of social media channels to help you connect with QUT and your peers. Check out the official channels to stay up to date with all things QUT.

Facebook
Twitter
Insta

You will also find many more connections through your faculty so make sure you look out for this info in your units.

Attend orientation and study skills sessions

Make sure you join your essential orientation events. They cover everything you need to know about studying in your faculty and give you a chance to meet others.
Look out for other workshops to help you prepare for study at university.

Don’t worry if you miss something as most session will be recorded and available to access online.

Have everything you need

Be ready to start with all the text books and study materials you need for each unit. Once you have enrolled you can view your personalised booklist.
Don’t forget to check out what’s available in QUT Library as it stocks a small supply of prescribed readings and textbooks.

Strategies for managing exam stress

It’s that time of semester again and we all know that the exam period can be super stressful for many of us! Even though we know it’s coming and we have the best of intentions things often begin to unravel at the end of semester. It helps to have a plan and a reminder of some of the simplest things you can do to set yourself up for success:

Check in with yourself

Often we forget to really notice what’s going on for us. Stress can manifest in all sorts of ways but these are some common signs:

Feeling confused

Losing touch with friends

Feeling moody

Having trouble making decisions

Feeling overwhelmed

Lacking motivation

Trouble sleeping

Upset stomach, or feeling sick

Tense muscles and headaches

So how can you minimise the impact of stress when trying to prepare for exams and assessments?

Get into a healthy routine

It may seem like a good idea to pull an all-nighter but lack of sleep has a significant impact on your mood and energy levels. It’s hard to focus on revision when you’re sleep-deprived and your body starts to crave all sorts of things like caffeine! Try to aim for at least 7-8 hours of sleep a night and also make time to enjoy other activities like spending time with friends and family. Balance is the key!

Set realistic goals

Make a plan and divide your tasks into realistic goals with a reasonable timeframe. It can help to break each unit into sub-topics to focus on in one study session. Chunk your time down to 30-minute sessions so that you can see what your priorities really are. Make sure you allocate time for breaks as well as food and sleep! Seeing a plan in front of you can also help you stay on track so try printing it out or add it to your screen background.

Look after your body

We all know that nutrition plays a huge part in our wellbeing but when we feel stressed it’s easy to reach for something quick and easy. Unfortunately highly processed food and fast-release carbs can make you feel sluggish and unmotivated after the initial food high. Surround yourself with healthy snacks (fruit, nuts, energy bars, healthy smoothies, eggs etc) and try to plan your main meals during the entire study period. Drink plenty of water and eat a balanced diet to give yourself the energy you need to power through this intense time!

Look after your mind

When you start to feel anxious or overwhelmed it helps to just stop and re-set. Take some time to close your eyes and just focus on your breathing for a few minutes. By calming down your breathing you can decrease your body’s response to stress and give yourself a new perspective. It’s also important to find time to exercise. Just moving your body for 30 minutes a day can increase your energy, focus, and boost your endorphins! You don’t have to fit in a full gym workout – just a walk will do.

Balancing study with everything that’s going on can be a real challenge. Just remember that it’s only for a short time and there is always someone at QUT that can support you. There are also plenty of useful resources available!

Successful habits March 5, 2021

Tackling your first assessment

Starting an assessment task can be stressful. Not sure where to begin? Here are 5 steps to help you get on track:

Understand the task

During your course you’ll be expected to submit lots of different types of assessment. Understanding the assessment requirements and reading the task instructions carefully will help you stay on track and submit what is actually required. If you’re unfamiliar with academic writing you might what to check out types of assignments. The assessment guidelines include the marking rubric (CRA) which outlines the standards used to grade your work. These often contain extra information about weighting of marks and how many references to include so it pays to read them carefully for EVERY assessment task. The instructions also include information about the accepted format, referencing style and mode of delivery for presentations. Find out more about CRA sheets.

Analyse the task instructions

Once you’ve checked out the task itself and looked at all the criteria it helps to break it down further. You can unpack the assignment by identifying key words that tell you more about what is required:

Content words

Directive words

Limiting words

Use the key words to brainstorm everything you know about the content (topic) so that you are ready for the next step. Find examples of directive words in the Task Word Glossary.

Research the narrowed down topic

Use the content words (which tell you about the topic) and limiting words to make a research plan. Make a list of questions that you need to answer and make sure you read with that purpose in mind. It’s important to note the searches you do so you can keep refining the search and find the most relevant, current information. If you don’t feel confident about researching a topic QUT Library has a stack of online resources to guide you through the process.

Organise your notes effectively

You need to read and note the information you have identified as useful for your assessment task. There’s no one method that works for everyone but it helps to have a basic system and to keep reviewing and refining your skills during the semester. So, make sure you develop a process to organise your information in a way that makes your life easier. Record the reference material every time you refer to a source. If you are doing this electronically use file names that make it easy to locate the information later and store the files under topics so you can locate them again for future reference. Learn more about effective notetaking in our study guides.

Make a detailed plan

Whether you’re writing an essay or preparing a presentation it always helps to have a really good plan. Use the task instructions to map out what you need to include in your assessment task.
Most written assignments require you to organise the information logically and the task instructions will often give you a structure to follow.
It may be tempting to think that it’s not so important to write a plan for a presentation but careful planning goes a long way! Planning the content, structure and timing of a presentation is essential to achieve maximum grades. Check out QUT’s guides for preparing a presentation.

The first assessment you do at uni or the first assessment for a new unit can feel a bit overwhelming and it’s easy to let self-doubt creep in. The good news is, you’re not alone at there are so many resources to support you. Check out academic help and workshops available to you this semester.

Successful habits February 12, 2021

Top tips for starting uni

Starting your first year of uni or returning to study after a break can be overwhelming. To feel more comfortable and confident about your study there are lots of things you can do to set yourself up for a successful semester at QUT.

Attend Orientation sessions and activities

Orientation runs every semester and is designed to help you get a great start to uni. It’s important to attend essential orientation events for your course as they give you a chance to meet your classmates and teachers, and get to know key information. You’ll learn about workload expectations, how and where to access support, peer programs, career planning and extra study opportunities (like exchanges and internships). Sessions are run by academics in your study area, as well as student support staff, student club executives and experienced students from your course.
Once you’ve registered for your essential events, there’s lots more to explore in our campus tours, help sessions, postgraduate and mature-age student events and skills workshops.
Check out your orientation program online.

Connect and get involved

O-week is great opportunity to connect whether you’re on campus or online! Speaking to people in the same sessions can help you make friends and network before semester even starts. If you don’t get a chance to connect at orientation, then engaging with other students in your lectures and tutorials can be just as effective. Perhaps suggest forming a study group to help motivate each other and share what you’ve learned.

Joining a club or society is also a great way to get involved and meet like-minded people. QUT has dozens of options and something to suit everyone. Check out the full list online.

Get familiar with the campus

If you’re studying on campus it helps to be familiar with your environment before you start. Take time to work out where everything is on your campus and decide on the best transport options for you so there are no surprises. Access campus maps and shuttle bus times to make sure you’re fully prepared.

Whether you’re planning to do some quiet study in the library, or you need to book a room for group work, there are plenty of options for you on both campuses. You can find out more about booking rooms and accessing computer labs, audiovisual and multimedia equipment, assistive technology rooms, and printers, copiers and scanners on the student site.

Learn how to balance study

Staying on top of your studies and creating a healthy balance is important for long-term success. Use your time wisely and plan how you’re going to spread your workload across the week. Make the most of time on public transport and catch up on reading or review lecture material. Check that your schedule includes times to have a break and build in other acticities.

Making the most of social and sporting events can be a great way to take a break from studying. To encourage a healthy body as well as a healthy mind you have the option of using pools, gyms and sports facilities on campus. QUT Guild organises all sorts of events throughout the year as well as providing free advocacy, legal and tax help to assist you when needed.

Don’t wait to ask for support

Studying can be a real challenge for a number of reasons and QUT offers a wide range of support for all students including free counselling services for current students. Our counsellors are qualified professionals and their services are flexible and confidential. Counsellors can work with you to develop strategies that best meet your needs via phone or face-to-face appointment.

We also have a academic help and workshops for undergraduate and postgraduate coursework students in all faculties. Whether you’re looking for a quick chat or are needing some assistance to get on track with your studies, you can book in for a one-to-one coaching session to start working on your own individual success plan. There is a wide range of workshops on offer to help you improve your academic and communication skills.