Study Versus Homework

Homework = Survival, Study = Success

Study and Homework are different!

Study v Homework

What is the difference between study and homework? Many students think that they are one and the same but they are not. Homework, is the work that you do at home to complete unfinished work from the day. It includes notes and exercises and is work that you are told to do by your teacher. Homework is also work that may get you into trouble if you don't complete it. Study, is extra work that you "choose" to do, and is above and beyond homework. No one forces you to study and you do not get into trouble if you don't complete it. However, homework alone for most people will get them a B/C in subjects they enjoy and a C or lower in subjects they do not enjoy. Extra study is the only way to boost your grades in subjects that you don't enjoy or aren't naturally good at or to guarantee an A in your top subjects.

Homework/Study Balance

Now that we know the difference between homework and study we need to know how to strike a homework/study balance. Generally your goal setting will help here. For example, say your study goal is to do 2 hours of study 5 times a week (Mon to Thu and again on Sat morning). Monday, you get home and you have about 1 hour of homework. To reach your goal, finish your 2 hours off with an hour of general study. Tuesday, you get home and miraculously you have no homework at all! Tuesday night you will do a full 2 hours of general study. Wednesday feels like the busiest day of your life. You come home with 3 hours of homework. You can't just stop after 2 hours, you have to finish it. Because of the extra homework you let the study go for that night. As you have exceeded your goal of 2 hours Wednesday night, you may even reward yourself by taking the extra hour off on Thursday.

What leads to success?

Think of homework like treading water. It keeps you on the surface and stops you drowning. However, if you have high expectations of yourself or want to get a higher result then you need to do that extra study above and beyond what is required. You will learn more in the "putting it all together" page.

Activity

Write down a list of all your subjects. Reflect on how hard you find each subject. Which subjects only require homework and which could do with some extra study?