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If you've ever heard of the Pareto Principle, you know that it states that 20% of the work we do gives us 80% of the results we get. By contrast, the same principle also states that 80% of the work we do gives us just 20% of the results we obtain. So how can this information be used to give us academic success? Most students who study lack essential study skills. This means that most of the time, they spend a lot of wasted time preparing for exams. Instead, they could be spending 20% of the time utilising highly targeted effort. To succeed in school, you don't just need to know the subject matter; you need to know how to play the game. If you have average intelligence but have learned how to properly utilise study skills, you're much more likely to succeed than someone highly intelligent but who has not. The Pareto Principle, therefore, is about focus, not just about effort. Ordinarily, most students lack strong and specific focus during study periods. It would not be too much to say that only twenty percent of their total study efforts are focused, which means that eighty percent of the time they spend preparing for exams is wasted. You need to focus on the right material when you prepare for exams, but when you have so much study material, how do you know what you should focus on? The Australian state education departments have written syllabus documents for each year and subject of study. Successful students will target their study efforts toward the outcomes that have been specified in these particular documents. These syllabi are generally available online and can be downloaded to home computers. Often, these documents also include a glossary of terms that are essential to understanding and completing a particular course of study. If you need help covering essential material, you can also purchase study guides specific to the state you live in for reasonable prices. These guides can save you time by providing important headings and sub-headings with summaries of essential information for exam success. These books can also fill in gaps in information that can occur as a result of absences and variations from school education standards. Marks are based on meeting course outcomes and marking criteria. This means that successful results can't be separated from curriculum expectations. Oftentimes, parents don't understand how the education system is so different these days compared with when they were at school. They believe that their children's grades are a direct reflection of their academic abilities. More often than not, however, students don't know how to produce work necessary for successful grades. Once they know how to "play the game", they will be able to get the grades they desire. They can also save time when they study by using their time efficiently. You can also use the Pareto Principle as part of your university study. In this case, you are given initial course documents that outline the topics you will cover in the semester's course. You may also be given initial course documents that tell you what readings and other textbooks you may have to utilise. In addition, you'll be given assignments and due dates at the beginning of your coursework, so that you can plan your study time accordingly. Most university courses in the humanities require a lot of reading and essay writing, so good summaries and planning are essential. By reading the essay questions ahead of time and making notes from your readings in response to the demands of the question, you can reduce your study time by up to eighty percent. In other words, twenty percent of your effort will give you eighty percent of your results. Any targeted effort above this can improve your marks significantly. Focusing your attention for shorter periods of time is the key to your academic success. You also need to focus your attention on the right things, however. Don't just rely on what teachers tell you in class, or what other students tell you. Take a look at the official written material available to you and focus on that as well. If you follow these rules, write good essays, and make sure you cover the course content required of you, you'll be able to substantially improve academic performance. You'll also be able to do it much more easily than you otherwise would.
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Author: Dr Marc R. Dussault can highlight ways to get the best grades With the least amount of effort. Visit the "Get Better Grades" website for more excellent tips on acheiving great marks by studying more effectively.
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