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Study & revision: a Practical Guide

The Pareto Principle

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The Pareto Principle


What is the Pareto Principle?


The Pareto Principle, often called the 80/20 rule, is the broad observation that approximately 80% of outcomes or results come from about 20% of your inputs or effort. Therefore you should concentrate on areas where you can get 'big wins' with comparatively little effort.

We can apply this idea to university study by focusing on 'high-yield' topics (the stuff that gets us the big marks) and by using active learning techniques that can offer better results with less time invested.


Using the Pareto Principle when studying

  1. Set a Goal: Define what you’re aiming to achieve with your study session.
  2. Identify key topics: Not all subjects within a course are created equal... 
    • Identify the important stuff: the (roughly) 20% of material or tasks that will contribute to about 80% of your exams or assignments. Focus on going through that information.
    • Don't get hung up on the 20/80 proportions — they're just a guiding principle and this isn't a maths test (unless you're a maths student).
  3. Revise, and practice 'Active Learning': Study the material through active methods like summarisation, teaching others, and solving problems (don't just passively read the material).
  4. Evaluate and re-strategise: After a test or exam, review your performance:
    • Did the 20% of topics you focused on actually yield about 80% of your marks? If not, adjust your approach.


Using the Pareto Principle when reading

Step 1: Pre-reading scan

  • Skim through headings: Quickly glance through the chapter or article’s headings and subheadings to get an overall idea of the content.
  • Highlight 'important' sections: During your skim, identify which sections include the main arguments or important data. 

Step 2: The reading

  • Start with these 'important' sections: Rather than reading from start to finish, jump directly to the sections you’ve identified as key.
    • This is your '20%' that is likely to provide 80% of the value.
    • It might include the introduction and summaries — so you know the information.
  • In-depth reading of 'important' sections: Read these sections carefully, taking notes and highlighting important points.
  • Quick scan of the rest: A lighter read or skim can suffice for the remaining sections.
    • Your aim here is just to fill in the gaps and provide context to what you’ve read in the 'important' sections.


Advantages and Disadvantages

Advantages

  • Makes studying more efficient by focusing on high-impact topics.
  • Encourages prioritisation and strategic planning.
  • Reduces stress by simplifying study goals.
  • Allows for self-evaluation to refine future study strategies.
  • Helps manage and reduce information overload.

Disadvantages

  • May oversimplify complex subjects.
  • There is subjectivity in identifying the critical '20%'.
  • Only universally applicable to some subjects, as others may require a more comprehensive approach.
  • Risk of neglecting important information if not balanced carefully.

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