How to get the most out of your study time

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Set achievable goals

Be realistic about what you can achieve in each study session and set concrete goals. Let’s say you’re studying Hybrids – rather than expecting to understand the whole topic in one session, break it down. Aim to understand what a hybrid instrument is and how it can lead to a tax deduction for one entity with no income for the other. If you achieve this within the study session you will feel positive and motivated; anything else you accomplish in that session will make you feel you’re ahead in your studies.

Active study

Actively work through the study material, rather than just reading. Make brief notes on the key points of the chapter – imagine you’re providing your own summary of that chapter.

Work through illustrations and examples yourself first, covering up any explanations in the study text then check your understanding is correct. If your study materials include a question bank, consolidate your knowledge by attempting questions as soon as you finish the chapter. Why not try this out using our free ADIT taster questions on the Tolley Academy?

Look out in the media

One of the great things about the ADIT exams is that they are very practical and topical. Try to spot relevant international tax subjects in the news and current affairs. Recent examples include the taxation of the digital economy and proposals for a global minimum tax rate. This gives you the opportunity to undertake studying outside your formal study session.

Keep it short

This is not a new idea – most study guides include this tip. Shorter study sessions with good breaks are more productive. Aim for study sessions no longer than an hour; where possible the break should include leaving the room you’re studying in and going outside.

Question practice

Question practice is the best way to gauge whether you understand a topic. Your study package may include question banks, case studies and quizzes. These are an invaluable part of the package as they are a great way to see how much you understand.

Essay writing

Practice essay writing. One of the keys to success in the ADIT exams is well-planned essays. An exam question may ask if you agree or disagree with a statement; for example “There are many problems with applying the Arm’s Length Principle for transfer pricing. It is time to find an alternative approach?” For a question like this, write the essay that supports your opinion then write the opposing essay. This will help you to write balanced essays when you get to the revision phase.

Teach

There is no better way to check if you understand a topic, than trying to explain it to someone else. When you’re happy with a topic, try teaching it to a friend or colleague. If you can’t find a willing participant to listen, imagine your audience. Speak out loud, with brief notes if it helps – this will highlight any areas of uncertainty.

Focus on your weaknesses

Write a list of your least favourite subjects and/or areas you don’t feel so confident on and make sure you study these areas some more. It is always tempting to study what we enjoy and feel confident on, but this is a waste of valuable study time.

If we draw an analogy with sport, a decathlon athlete won’t be equally as good in all events. However, they must work on each event and may need to dedicate more time to their weakest event to reach the required standard. They don’t need to pull their weakest event up to the standard of their best, but they do need to work on it.

Each ADIT exam has a syllabus divided into key areas. Taking Principles of International Tax as an example, there are five subsections within the 2021 syllabus each of which is further broken down. You need to be confident on all aspects of the syllabus, however you don’t need to have the same depth of knowledge on each aspect as you will note from the syllabus.

Finally

Some study sessions may go better than others – sometimes you will feel on top of things, other times you may feel that you have not achieved as much as you wanted to. Remember that everyone feels like this at some point – stay positive and focus on the progress you have made.

If you would like support from our specialist tutors, then Tolley Exam Training provides a variety of tuition, revision and retake options for many of the ADIT exams. Visit www.tolley.co.uk/adit or contact us at [email protected] or +44 (0)20 3364 4406 for more information.