As the term progresses and more assignments become due, it is a timely opportunity to remind students that St Edmund’s subscribes to a wide selection of specialist databases. These resources are invaluable in finding quality information quickly as they have been curated by experts especially targeting the needs of school and College students. Databases such as Echo Online and EBSCO provide excellent, balanced points of view, useful for not only assignment work, but also debating, AST preparation etc, while products such as World Book Online, Library Webs, and Facts on File are quality, up-to-date resources.
The library staff have been working with classes in History, Religion and Science to assist the students to find authentic resources that will provide accurate research for their assignments. Use the Library page on Canvas to access quality information and articles in the most efficient way.
Study Skills Handbook – Building Concentration Skills
Many students find it difficult to concentrate and stay focused when they are doing their schoolwork at home. So what can we do to improve concentration levels? Try these top tips:
- Improve the environment: Have a good hard look at the environment you are trying to concentrate in. Is it noisy? Are there more exciting things happening around you? Is it too hot? Too cold? Are you uncomfortable? Too comfortable? What can you do to make the space more conducive to concentration?
- Blocks of time: If you are someone who finds it difficult to concentrate at home don’t try and study for too long at a time. Instead, tell yourself you will work for 20-30 minutes then you can have a break. If you know it is only 20-30 minutes it is much easier to concentrate than if it was for an indefinite period of time.
- Anchor to the present: Create a focus word that brings you back on task. We all daydream. The key is to start to pay more attention to when you are doing it and then immediately take action. If your keyword for example was ‘orange’ when you notice you are day-dreaming say ‘orange orange orange’ to refocus your attention on your work.
- Reset the brain: Sometimes you just need a time-out from what you are doing in order to be able to concentrate again. If your attention is constantly wandering, then get up and have a drink, walk outside, kick a ball – just take 5 to 10 minutes to clear your head so you can come back fresh to your work.
- Work out peak times: Start to pay attention to what time of the day you are most focused. That’s when you need to do the harder work or the work that requires the greatest concentration. If you know you get tired after dinner, don’t leave the difficult work until then.
Carrot and stick: Some people are motivated by working towards rewards, others by avoiding punishments. Give yourself a target time to focus with a little reward at the end if you achieve it – or maybe a little punishment if you don’t!
You can learn more about how to be a more effective student at www.studyskillshandbook.com.au by logging in with the details that can be found on the Library page on Canvas.
Lisa Millar (Head of Library & Information Resources)