Study Smarter Not Harder
Have you ever had the feeling that your methods of studying are insufficient? Do you ever wonder how you could be doing to get higher grades and test scores? Many students come to the realization that their study techniques from high school don’t work well in college. This makes sense because high school and college are so different. Less personal involvement from the teachers, larger class sizes, higher exam scores, more concentrated reading, and considerably more challenging coursework are all present. This does not imply that you are flawed; rather, it indicates that you need to acquire more efficient study techniques. Thankfully, there are many of active, successful study techniques that have been demonstrated to work in college settings.
This sheet provides a number of useful study recommendations. By incorporating these strategies into your usual study schedule, you’ll be able to absorb course content quickly and effectively. Try them out and see which ones work best for you.
1, Recognize the Study Cycle
Frank Christ’s Study Cycle deconstructs the process of studying into its component parts: previewing, attending class, reviewing, studying, and verifying your comprehension. Even while every step can appear clear at first look, students far too frequently attempt to cut corners and lose possibilities for effective learning. If the professor covers the same material in class, for instance, you might decide not to read ahead of time. However, by doing so, you’ll miss out on an important chance to learn in two different modes—reading and listening—as well as the repetition and distributed practice that come from both reading ahead of time and attending class. Comprehending the significance of every phase in this cycle will guarantee that you don’t overlook chances to acquire knowledge efficiently.
Frank Christ’s Study Cycle deconstructs the process of studying into its component parts: previewing, attending class, reviewing, studying, and verifying your comprehension. Even while every step can appear clear at first look, students far too frequently attempt to cut corners and lose possibilities for effective learning. If the professor covers the same material in class, for instance, you might decide not to read ahead of time. However, by doing so, you’ll miss out on an important chance to learn in two different modes—reading and listening—as well as the repetition and distributed practice that come from both reading ahead of time and attending class. Comprehending the significance of every phase in this cycle will guarantee that you don’t overlook chances to acquire knowledge efficiently.
2, Distancing is beneficial.
You must have control over your schedule if you want to space out your study sessions across a few days and weeks. It will be easier for you to include regular, active study sessions for each class if you have a list of daily chores to do. Make an effort to participate in each class every day. When estimating how much time you will spend on each activity, be precise and reasonable. Don’t add more activities to your list than you can possibly finish in a given day.
For instance, you may work on a few arithmetic questions each day as opposed to finishing them all an hour before class. You should dedicate fifteen to twenty minutes a day to thoroughly reviewing your class notes in history. As a result, even if you are studying for the same amount of time, you will be studying for all of your classes at short intervals instead of just one. This will support your ability to concentrate, keep organized, and retain knowledge.
Spreading out your work not only allows you to absorb the information more thoroughly but also prevents procrastination. You can deal with the unpleasant assignment for thirty minutes every day instead of having to deal with it for four hours on Monday. A hated project is likely to be more acceptable and less likely to be postponed until the last minute if it is worked on in a shorter, more regular amount of time. Lastly, rather than committing to a lengthy memory session, it is preferable to create flashcards for any information you need to know for class—such as names, dates, and formulas—and review it often throughout the day.
3, Being intense is a wonderful thing.
Not every study session is the same. Studying hard will help you achieve more. Short, intense study periods can help you complete your assignment with the least amount of wasted effort. Studying quickly and thoroughly is more productive than studying slowly. Actually, spreading out your studying across several periods is one of the most effective study techniques (Newport, 2007). Active studying techniques are a part of intensive study sessions, which might run 30 or 45 minutes. One active study technique that increases learning efficiency and studying intensity is self-testing. But, if you intend to self-test for hours on end, you’ll probably become sidetracked and lose focus.
However, you are far more likely to pay attention and remember the content if you schedule a 45-minute exam on the course subject and then take a break. Additionally, the shorter, more intensive sessions will probably increase the pressure required to avoid putting off tasks.
4, Quietness is not ideal.
Recognize your optimal study location. You might not be best served by the quiet of a library. It’s crucial to think about the noise level that suits you the most. You may discover that some background noise helps you focus more easily. While some find listening to classical music while studying to be quite distracting, others find it to be helpful for concentration. The idea is that the quietness of a library might be even more distracting than the cacophony of a gym. Therefore, try the first or second levels of the library where there is more background “buzz” if you want to study there but find stillness to be disturbing. Remember that active learning never happens in silence since it frequently necessitates speaking the content aloud.
5, Take up teaching.
As though you were the instructor, try to explain the subject in your own terms. This can be completed alone, in a study group, or with a study partner. Speaking the content out loud can both assist you remember it and identify any areas where you are unclear or in need of further explanation. Use examples and draw links between ideas as you describe the material—just like a teacher would. Holding your notes in your hands while doing this is OK, even recommended. You may ultimately be able to teach the content without the aid of your notes, but initially you might need to rely on them to clarify it.