Article: Find a place where you will be able to consistently work and study without distractions. If you plan to do classwork at home, make sure that you will not be distracted by family members or roommates while you're working. Cafes and coffee shops usually have consistent Internet access. Check with the owner to make sure that you are able to occupy a table for extended amounts of time. Libraries are a good option if you prefer to work in a quiet space. Many have desktop computers available for your use, which is helpful if you do not have a laptop. Many public parks offer free wifi. You may find it relaxing to study in the park, as long as there are no distractions nearby. As soon as you receive the course syllabus, write down the due dates for any important assignments, papers, and exams. Many online courses require online assignment submissions to be made by a certain time. If each weekly assignment is due at 5pm on Sunday, make sure to note this specific time so you can keep your assignment submissions organized. Use a paper planer or online calendar to keep all of your assignment dates organized and accessible. If you are taking more than one course at a time, create a master list that has each of your course assignment due dates listed. Each week, organize your schedule and make a priority list for assignments that are due that week. A study schedule will help you to stay organized as you progress through the course, and will help you manage your time efficiently. Be as detailed as possible in your schedule. Plan ahead and take in to account any outside commitments that you've made like vacations or doctors visits that will disrupt your normal schedule. Use the list of assignment due dates that you wrote down at the beginning of the course to set aside time to study for large exams and to complete projects or papers. Stick to the schedule that you set for yourself. You will need to follow your schedule to accomplish your coursework on time. Create weekly to-do lists that map out your assignment deadlines and required coursework. Take detailed notes for each of your class readings and lectures either by hand or in an online document. Be prepared to take notes during each online lecture. Organized and detailed notes will be your best study tools to prepare for exams. It can be tempting to zone out or not pay attention during online lectures since you aren't physically in a classroom, but taking notes can help you to avoid this temptation. Keep your notes in a centralized and organized space. If you take notes by hand, dedicate a large notebook or binder to holding all of your notes. If you take notes on your laptop, create an online file to hold all of your notes in one place. Your online course will have specific deadlines for assignments, just as any other class would. Always meet these deadlines and produce your best work on assignments. Online courses are great for independent learners since you are held accountable for your ability to follow a syllabus and meet deadlines outside of a physical classroom. You must reliably meet deadlines and turn in your work on time. Missing deadlines can have a large negative impact on your grade. Plan ahead if you know that you have a busy week coming up so you won't have to struggle to get your work done.

What is a summary?
Set up a dedicated workspace. Make a list of course due dates. Create a study schedule. Take detailed notes. Meet course deadlines.