Studying Online;Succeeding through Distance Learning at University

190 Studying online 
PRACTICAL TIPS 
y
Prepare for assessments in advance.
Taking assignments and ex-
ams can be stressful. The sooner you prepare for all assessments, 
the less anxiety you will suffer. Check out every assignment as 
soon as you are told about it and fnd out precisely what you 
need to do. 
y
Manage your time.
Poor time management is a signifcant factor 
in lower marks for students. There is a clear relationship between 
high marks and good time management. If you are aiming for 
high marks, managing your time is crucial. The “Four D” method 
of time management, of “Do it”, “Diarise it”, “Delegate it”, or 
“Dump it”, works well for students. 
y
Get your assessment environment ready.
Make sure that you 
are writing assignments free of distractions. Get your family to 
understand you are doing something important and don’t want 
to be interrupted. Ensure that your digital environment is or-
ganised with everything you need collecting into one folder or 
directory. 
y
Take all the formative tests. 
Online students will face several 
optional tests and quizzes. There is often a temptation to avoid 
them. However, these tests help consolidate your learning and 
lead to higher marks in the assignments and exams you will take 
at the end of the module. 
y
Take care with assignment submissions.
You will lose marks 
in your assignments and exams if you do not submit correctly. 
Check the date you are required to submit, the kind of fle you 
should send, and the maximum fle sizes. Be sure to submit the 
correct fle too. 
y
Avoid accusations of plagiarism.
Use an effective notetaking 
system to avoid inadvertent copying. Don’t fall into the trap 
of believing some of the myths that circulate, suggesting you 
can avoid being accused of plagiarism as long as you include a 
reference. 
 
REFERENCES 
Adams, R.V. and Blair, E. (2019) ‘Impact of Time Management Behav-
iors on Undergraduate Engineering Students’ Performance’, 
SAGE 
Open
, 9(1). 

---