How to Study - As an Adult

There is a formula to creating successful assessment.

1. READ the question, statement etc. Now read it again. Now read it out aloud to yourself. Ask yourself these questions and write notes:

Be cautious when you first read a question that you do not assume the meaning immediately, remember this is written for the read/marker.

What are the task words? Verbs - doing words- for example - Judge, appraise, assess, conclude, compare, contrast, describe how, discriminate, justify, defend, evaluate, rate, determine, criticize, choose, value, question.

What are the task words? This is how you have to approach this task or assessment. Define what that word means, write it down.....

What are the content words? This explains the topic areas, focus of research or boundaries of the task. Write them down.....

What are the limiting words? These will narrow down a broad topic, indicate areas to focus upon. Write them down....

Now read the question again, highlighting the task, content and limiting words.

See https://www.une.edu.au/library/students/academic-writing/analyse-the-question for a printable PDF of this task analysis process.

2. There will always be content in the MyLearn site, go and read it, watch videos, do the suggested work. Take notes. Now take it further....

3. Do some QUALITY research. Journal articles, reliable organisations etc...save all valid and suitable material to a specific file. The file should be name UNE T2 ENAB101 Task or Assessment No. Your surname and Initial. Save as much as possible as a PDF.

ALL assertions you are making are not your opinion, they need to be support by quality evidence. You then need to quote or paraphrase to support that assertion.

4. Set up your assessment task plan. Start with a title page -

UNE T2 ENAB101 Assessment Task No. Coordinator Your name and Student Number Word count Due date.

Then add these headings while you are getting use to this structure but remove the headings in the final edit.

Introduction paragraph

Topic sentence - 1 idea per paragraph

Content - what is this paragraph saying.

Connecting sentence- what will we talk about first.

Preferable to have none or minimal references.

1st paragraph - most important concept.

Topic sentence - 1 idea per paragraph

Content - what is this paragraph saying. Add references.

Connecting sentence to the next point.

2nd paragraph - next major point.

Topic sentence - 1 idea per paragraph

Content - what is this paragraph saying. Add references.

Connecting sentence to the next point.

3rd paragraph etc...

Conclusion paragraph No need to say 'in conclusion'- that should be obvious!

Topic sentence - what did this task say, no new information.

Content - what was covered, nothing new.

Concluding sentence, wrap up your argument. Preferable to have none or minimal references.

Reference List APA 7 style

5. Add the question to the top of the page, so you can refer back to it constantly. Remove in the final edit.

6. Make notes to determine your three or four points you will be discussing in order of importance to answering the question.

7. Set a topic sentence, of how you are going to approach answering the question. What content you will be covering and then start writing.......

8. Edit, edit, edit, read it out aloud to yourself. Draft, draft, draft, read it out aloud to yourself. Listen for tone, tense, grammar etc....Use Studiosity to check your work.

9. Save this to the same file as you have saved your research and email it to yourself, then

10. Upload.