Stefan Tørnquist Fisher-Høyrem is a university librarian at UiA, has a PhD in history and has taught study skills. Here is his most important advice.
“These are the points that I consider to be most important. With these you can have a successful student life.”
1. Stay focused
Familiarise yourself with the learning objectives of the courses you take. There will always be a connection between the learning objectives and the questions you get on the exam. Keep them in mind when reading or writing.
2. Study at a set time and place
Arrange set times and places for study and make a plan for what to do each week. Check out the tips from PULS on study strategies and study techniques and sign up for courses in study technique to learn how to spend your time well and manage it effectively.
3. Pen and paper
During lectures and seminars, you should take notes and write keywords by hand. This gives your brain time to keep up, and you will remember the content better. There is also less chance of being distracted by the internet. Spend half an hour after each lecture to clean up your notes (on the computer if you like). This allows you to repeat the content of the lecture and will help you remember it, and you will get an overview of what questions to ask at the next lecture.
4. Use the library
The library at the heart of campus is a toolbox full of high-quality study and research tools. Get to know what it has to offer. Find out who is the subject librarian for your department, check what resources they have gathered on your subject pages, and use them actively. The library also gives courses on literature searching, referencing, EndNote, study and reading techniques, Eikon, and more. Check the library course calendar and sign up, that will save you a lot of time later on.
5. Read smart
Textbooks should not be read from cover to cover. First get an overview of how the book is structured; start with the table of contents. If the book has a concluding chapter, read it to find the author's main points. Then read the introductory chapter to find out what context the author puts his text in - who is the target group, why is there a need for this particular book, etc. Flip through the book, use headings and summaries to familiarise yourself with the content. Then read the chapters you think are most relevant for what you are writing about at the moment.
6. Write many different things
Be aware that writing a text such as a term paper, an essay, or a thesis is a chaotic process. You draw mind maps, draft long texts that have to be thrown out or shortened, adjust the topic, reorganise paragraphs or polish phrases - and all of this is done simultaneously, never in a fixed order. This is normal. A good text is a bad text that has been changed and rewritten many times. Write a little every day, and in different ways to break the barrier. Find out what you want to write by explaining it to a good friend. Come by the Writing Centre and bring your unfinished text, and a mentor can help you find out what the next step in your writing process can be.
7. Be a friend
Remember that almost all the other students are more or less new here as well and that everyone experiences stress and worry. Find out what the Resource Centre has to offer and aim to visit something there at least once during your time here. Attend student events and seek good friendships. If you experience difficulties during your time at UiA, what will help you are not your good grades, but the good friends you surround yourself with and are a good friend to.