Time management
Studying in the upper floor of the New College Library
Copyright © John Cairns Photography. This image comes from Oxford University Images - All rights reserved.

Making the most of your study time

At University you may often be required to work independently and you will need to learn how to effectively manage your workload to ensure you submit your essays and other work on time.

A short guide to managing your time

However obvious it may seem, time management is of the utmost importance. You should buy a diary and use it. Work out how much time you should allocate to each element of your course and try to stick to a timetable.

You should aim to study in a regular pattern, perhaps by working a set number of hours a day. Make sure you allow sufficient time to plan and write your assignment so that you do not have to work into the small hours of the morning.

Watch this short video on time management.

Tips for essay writing

The ‘essay crisis’ may be an Oxford tradition, but you are unlikely to produce your best work this way. Watch this video to learn about interpreting questions you may face, and watch this video for advice on planning and structuring your essays. 

Essay writing in science subjects

Writing an essay for a science subject requires you to consider additional areas including how to present any evidence and diagrams. Watch this video for advice on how to approach the reading list, planning which information to include in your answer and how to write for your audience. You can find additional material in the PDF on the right of this page.

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