Study skills > Module
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Concentration
Adapted from J. R. Hayes, The Complete Problem Solver,
Franklin Institute Press, 1981
The art or practice of concentration, no matter if studying biology
or playing snooker, is to eliminate distraction and focus on the task
at hand. If you find that you read through material and suddenly discover
that you have no idea about what you've just read, or if you attend
lectures and have difficulty paying attention to what is being said,
these tips may help:
- stick to a routine: Construct
an efficient study schedule, check out Managing your Time. Make a list
of what has to be done. Give each task a time frame. Get out your work
tools - including your list. Then go to work, watching your schedule and
sticking to it. Don't allow yourself out of your chair until a task is
completed.
- bribe yourself: Promise yourself
that as soon as you finish a certain task, you'll get a reward - anything
from a cup of coffee to the most glamorous prize you can afford. Then
make sure you get it when you complete the job.
- for a study break: Do something
different from what you've been doing (e.g., walk around if you've been
sitting), and in a different area.
- avoid daydreaming: Whenever you
become aware that your thoughts are beginning to wander, yell "STOP!"
(in your mind, of course - not aloud). This will bring your drifting to
a halt and redirect your attention to what needs to be done by asking
yourself questions about the material as you study it.
- before lectures: Look over the
notes of the previous lecture and read the course material pertaining
to the lecture so that you can anticipate the main ideas that the instructor
will cover.
- log your distractions: If you find
that your thoughts are wandering more often than you'd like, keep a record
of where your attention is drifting. Study this log to discover what's
really making you lose your concentration - and do something to eliminate
the distraction.
- resist distractions by sitting
in front of the room away from disruptive classmates and by focusing on
the instructor though listening and note taking.
