Learning Tips #6

Menghafal

Kaedah menghafal adalah menjadi kegemaran para pelajar sebagai satu persediaan menghadapi peperiksaan. Walaupun menghafal tidak dapat menentukan seseorang itu menguasai subjek yang berkaitan , ia sedikit sebanyak membantu dalam menghadapi peperiksaan. Tujuan utama menghafal adalah supaya perkara yang dipelajari itu diingat semasa menjawab soalan. Jika hafalan disertai dengan pemahaman dan dibuat dengan lebih sistematik, proses ini akan lebih bermakna.

Kaedah hafalan :

1. Ringkaskan perkara yang perlu diingat dengan fokus kepada isi-isi penting.
2. Susun bahan tersebut dalam bentuk yang mudah seperti carta ataupun diagram.
3. Hubungkaitkan bahan tersebut dengan kehidupan anda seharian.
4. Jangan cuba nak ingat perkara yang belum anda fahami.
5. Hafal pada masa-masa yang agak tenang seperti selepas Suboh.
6. Doa.

Learning Tips #5

Begin With The End In Mind

(from Covey's T7HOHEP)

To begin with the end in mind means to start with a clear understanding of your destination. It means to know where you’re going so that you better understand where you are now and so that the steps you take are always in the right direction.

The most effective way to begin with the end in mind is to develop a personal mission statement. It focuses on what you want to be and to do and on the values or principles that you base your life upon. Some examples of such mission statements are as follows :

• Plan tomorrow’s work today
• Be sincere yet decisive
• Keep a sense of humor
• Be orderly in person and in work
• Do not fear mistakes
• Listen twice as much as you speak
• Hear both sides before judging
• I will study hard and ask questions
• I will always try to keep myself free from addictive and destructive habits


A personal mission statement based on correct principles becomes the same kind of standard for an individual. It becomes a personal constitution, the basis for making major, life-directing decisions, the basis for making daily decisions in the midst of the circumstances and emotions that affect our lives. It empowers individuals with the same timeless strength in the midst of change.

Take time to write down your own personal mission statement !

Learning Tips #4

Menghadapi peperiksaan

Persediaan Sebelum Peperiksaan

1. Belajar dalam kumpulan adalah satu kemestian untuk lulus dengan cemerlang. Pastikan ahli kumpulan terdiri daripada mereka yang serius untuk belajar bukannya kawan rapat yang suka bersembang. Pilihlah mereka yang agak cemerlang agar anda akan banyak mendapat manafaat daripadanya.
2. Diskusi mesti disusun dengan teliti agar pertemuan tidak disia-siakan begitu saja. Bincang sebanyak munkin masalah yang berkaitan dengan subjek Pastikan anda faham semua masalah dan jawapan yang diberikan. Jika ragu-ragu dapatkan nasihat pensyarah.
3. Bentuk Nota Kecil. Buatkan nota kecil ini dengan meltakkan isi-isi penting berkaitan dengan subjek tersebut.
4. Pastikan cukup tidur. Tidur yang cukup adalah amalan yang paling baik sebelum menghadapi saat-saat peperiksaan. Walaupun amalan ini tidak diamalkan oleh sebahagian besar pelajar, cubalah dapatkan seketika untuk melelapkan mata dan merehatkan minda. Luangkan masa bersolat hajat dan berdoa agar dilapangkan minda dan diberkati segala usaha kita.
5. Bangun awal.
6. Pastikan akan tiba awal di Dewan peperiksaan.
7. Peralatan. Sediakan peralatan peperiksaan sebelum anda tidur seperti kad matrik,slip peperiksaan, pen,pensil dsbgnya. Persediaan kecil ini akan memberi sedikit keyakinan bahawa anda telah bersedia untuk menghadapi peperiksaan.

Cara Menjawab Soalan Peperiksaan

1. Mulakan dengan Bismillah dan sekelumit doa semoga berjaya dalam peperiksan ini. Baca semua soalan sebelum anda mula menulis.
2. Pilih soalan yang anda rasa mudah dan jawab. Teruskan menjawab soalan-soalan mudah dikuti seterusnya dengan soalan yang susah.
3. Sentiasa aktif !!! Tulis jawapan anda secara berterusan selagi ada idea. Bila tersekat, fikir seketika dan jika tidak dapat juga tinggalkan soalan tersebut buat seketika dan teruskan dengan soalan yang lain. Jangan habiskan banyak masa mencuba sehingga tertinggal soalan-soalan lain yang munkin lebih banyak pecahan markahnya. Jangan termenung panjang bila anda tidak dapat menjawab, cubalah soalan yang lain dahulu.
4. Tunjukkan jalan kerja dengan jelas. Pensyarah perlu melihat keupayaan anda menguasai soalan yang ditanya untuk diberi markah .
5. Pastikan semua soalan dijawab. Jika anda tidak dapat menjawab pun cuba tulis perkara-perkara yang berkaitan.
6. Tulis jawapan dengan jelas dan teratur. Cara-cara menulis jawapan munkin telah dibincang dalam kelas atau anda boleh dapatkan daripada skema jawapan yang lepas. Cara menulis jawapan yang berbeza akan mendapat markah yang berbeza.
7. Tanya jika tak faham. Semasa peperiksaan dijalankan calon-calon boleh tanya soalan. Terutama sekali jika soalan yang diberikan itu munkin salah ataupu tidak cukup maklumat.
8. Jangan panik. Jika anda rasa berpeluh ataupun resah, gunakan beberapa minit untuk rehatkan minda. Minta izin ke bilik air. Bila dah selesa, cubalah sambung semula peperiksaan anda.
9. Jika ada masa, semak jawapan anda berulang kali. Jangan terlalu gopoh untuk meninggalkan dewan.
10. Hantar buku jawapan anda bila masa tamat. Bisikkan pada diri anda bahawa itu adalah yang terbaik. Semoga akan mendapat kejayaan yang cemerlang. Raikanlah dengan penuh ceria kerana anda telah berjaya menjawab dengan baik.

Click image to see bigger pic.

Learning Tips #2

Preparation for Listening

In order to take good lecture notes, you must give your full attention to listening. Anything that distracts you from listening will prevent you from taking the best notes you can take. The first requirement for listening is to eliminate anything that might make it difficult for you to concentrate on what your lecturers say.

Therefore, select seats in your classes to make it possible for you to see and hear the lecturer comfortably. The most distracting seats are usually near windows that give a view of activities going on outside of classrooms. The least distracting seats are ordinarily the ones in the centre and front of a room, because they usually provide the best view of lecturers. If you find yourself sitting near a student who annoys you for any reason, do not sit near that person.

Also, if you are physically uncomfortable, it will be difficult for you to concentrate on listening. Common sources of physical discomfort are being too warm or too cold, being hungry or needing to go to the toilet. You can eliminate these sources of distraction by planning ahead:

1. Dress comfortably (according to the weather condition) but still observe the proper dress code
2. Find a comfortable/suitable ‘spot’ in the classroom ( location of fan, air-cond blower, etc)
3. Carry snacks to eat between classes, if there is no time to eat a proper meal
4. Go to the toilet before class, or sit near the door in a classroom if you believe you may need to leave the class to go to the toilet

Ask permission before you leave classrooms for any reason, or at least give a gesture to the lecturer. If you know you must leave a class while it is in session, sit near the door so that you will not distract others unnecessarily when you leave.

Finally, it is not possible to concentrate on listening to a lecture if you are worrying or thinking about something that happened before class began or something that will happen after the class is finished. If you find your mind drifting off to thoughts such as these, refocus your attention on what is being said in the classroom. Some suggestions to help you focus your attention on lectures are :

1. Listen for major points and details - clues given by lecturers are they may:
• pause before or after stating a major point
• repeat things that are important to include in notes
• change the loudness of their voices for emphasis
• look for details to include for a major point
• use the board to help students directly state the number understand what should be included in notes
2. Listen for definition and examples
3. Listen for test questions

Learning Tips #1

Characteristics of Good Lecture Notes

If you want to take lecture notes that are similar to the notes taken by most successful students, the notes you take will have these characteristics:

1. They are written on lined paper specifically A4 size because most students prefer notebooks of this size. Furthermore there are lots of files, folders, portfolio covers and cases of this particular size in the market.

2. The notes for each class meeting have a heading that includes

• The name or code of the course
• The lecturer’s name
• The date
• The topic of the lecture

Students write this information at the beginning of each class to put themselves in the proper frame of mind for taking notes on what they will hear.

3. The major points stand out clearly. They can either be highlighted or underlined and written farthest to the left side of the page.

4. The details are listed under major points in an orderly fashion, and the details are often numbered or sometimes bulleted

5. Notes include examples. Lecturers give examples to help students understand the ideas and concepts they explain

6. Notes do not repeat lecturers’ words exactly; they rephrase what lecturers say. It is not possible to write exactly what lecturers say. Good note-takers put ideas in their own words whenever possible

7. Notes include information that is put on the board. Lecturers use the board to write information that is especially important. Those who take good notes include almost everything that is written on a board.

Make sure your notes are complete. If you are aware as you are taking notes that they are incomplete, raise your hand and ask the question that will help you complete it.

Good Luck!