How to study effectively

 INEFFECTIVE LEARNING TECHNIQUES

Many students use learning techniques that are time consuming and give the illusion of mastery. They become familiar with ideas and information in preparation for a test, but forget it a week later because their learning techniques never led to long-term learning.

1: Study smarter not harder :

Once again exams are approaching and students should be studying (keyword being should). However, what works well for one student, might not be the right method for another. People learn and study in various ways and it is important to know what style suits you best. Effective study habits can be learned to improve the ability of studying smarter.

2 : Color code it, write out notes, and create mental maps :

Connecting is a vital part of learning. Studying using a highlighter helps you make connections visually, not just mentally. Also, you learn by doing- rewriting notes, creating drawings, diagrams, mental maps or study cards. Visualizing information that is difficult to describe (concepts that build upon the understanding of one another) will create a visual memory to recall during an exam. Also use mnemonics, memory tricks that aid information retention by becoming associated with something more meaningful/relatable. Mnemonics can be acronyms, memorable phrases, images, spelling mnemonics, rhymes, etc. Remember how you learned the alphabet by singing the ABC’s? That’s a music mnemonic. Knowing what type of exam it will be can also help. If it is multiple choice, you will probably need to work fast, know definitions, years, and concepts. On the other hand, essay type exams focus on overall understanding and connecting learned material, often through examples (which you can also try to prepare in advance).

3 : Create a study plan :

Once you figure out what you need to study and how you will take advantage of the resources at your disposal, sit down and make a study schedule. Block out periods of time within your schedule to dedicate to studying and stick to the plan.
You can change your study schedule slightly, but try not to change it too much!
Make sure you give yourself more time than you think you need, specially if it is a subject that you struggle with.

4 : Study in intervals :

Long, extended study sessions with no breaks will not help you learn information effectively. To be an effective learner, you will need to take regular breaks as you work. Try studying in 30 minutes intervals, and taking a 5-10 minute break at the end of each interval.
If you find that your concentration is starting to falter, you may have to pause studying for the day or switch to a different subject.
Do something relaxing during your break that doesn't take too much concentration, such as stretching or walking.

5 : Sleep : 

The amount of sleep you get will determine how well you are able to stay attentive. If you are sleep deprived you will have a hard time focusing while attempting to study. Besides, while you sleep the brain uses this time to reactivate and reorganize recently learned material. More specifically, memory consolidation takes place during sleep through the strengthening of the neural connections. It is assumed that specific characteristics of brainwaves during different stages of sleep help with the formation of particular types of memory.

6 : Taking Good Notes as Insurance Against Forgetting :

Learn to take good notes efficiently as your instructors stress important points in class and as you study your assignments. Good notes are a “must” for just-before-test-reviewing. Without notes, you will need to reread and review the entire assignment before a test. This may require you to read anywhere from 100-300 pages of material in one sitting. With notes, you can recall the main points in just a fraction of the time. The time you spend in note taking is not lost, but in fact, is a time-saver.