For self-studiers like me , yes , reference books are vital .

But if there's a good teacher , the process will be much smoother and pleasant . Some students require teachers to teach concepts they cannot comprehend , like Physics , Maths . Especially Maths , you cannot just read the book and score . There are also things to consider like answering techniques , experiments conducted in lab , etc .

This is subjective . Sometimes I only spend an hour , if I'm really tired and not in the mood due to extra classes conducted by school . When I'm really in the mood , very motivated , get enough rest , and thinks that in two weeks time there will be an important test / exam coming up , I will spend close to 8 - 10 hours per day . That's my brute force method for subjects like Biology , Sejarah , and sometimes Ekonomi Asas . I then refresh by re-reading what I've studied to make sure I'm able to retain the facts in my brain . For science subjects like Chemistry , Physics , and Maths / Add Maths , I spend about 3 - 4 hours max per day by learning new material or doing exercises ( mostly past year questions from 1993-2004 ) .

I'm going to spend more time studying since this is the final public exam for me .

For me, normally I study 4 hours a day. During holidays, I just study until I sleep Of course, not the whole day, as I have some regular pauses. During pauses, I surf the web, or go to have some little snack. But still, I have no confident in my SPM examination.