Lack of Reinforcements

If you don't show up at work and do the job, your boss cares -- you don't get paid, and you'll probably be fired immediately. If you don't show up at university or do the work, no one cares (after all, you are the one who is paying, in this case). Diligent studying has few immediate reinforcements (and research indicates that long-term ones don't really help with motivation).

You may find it useful to give yourself short-term rewards for good studying, as described in our handout, Controlling Your Own Study Behaviour

An ideal situation exists when the work you are doing is interesting in its own right. It may never be so interesting that you will pass up a party to do homework, but studying itself can become rewarding if you can get on top of the material by mastering the fundamentals, and if you apply strategies for active learning and critical thinking.

Perhaps the most effective way to build in consequences for your study behavior is to arrange the "context" so that it demands high levels of performance. The context will usually involve other people (fellow students, tutors, TA's, profs) who expect you to demonstrate evidence of learning. For example, a Study Group where members meet regularly to quiz one another, to share notes, and to discuss the course content, can be an efficient context. If you are prepared, there will be natural rewards for your preparation. When you make a commitment to study that involves significant others, it's a strong motivation for action.

The Learning Skills Program offers a number of resources in this area.

More on motivation.