By Kaustuba Baratam and Aditi Bharathkumar Studying is definitely important to doing well in classes, however there isn’t a set way to study that works for everyone. What works for you definitely won’t work for all 30 of your classmates, so how do we find the best solution for each person? In this article: we have descriptions of some of the best study methods that have worked for us and other people we have spoken to. We hope that you are able to take away some good study tips:)
BECOMING A BETTER STUDIER Let's start off with some basic tips that might help you become a better studier. First, designating a strict study area is more important than many may think. Freshman year of high school, I studied on my bed often and usually fell asleep later. The following year, I set up a desk and made sure I kept it (somewhat) neat; I kept track of my work with my new organization skills and did much better sophomore year. Having a place that you associate mainly with studying has proven to be useful and produces better results than using other places. Another important factor to keep in mind when designating your study area is checking what noise level is good for you. This factor is of course based on the individual. Do you prefer blasting music or having pin-drop silence? There has been a lot of research done about sounds that may help you focus: wave frequencies, classical music, etc. I recommend looking this up if you don't know what might work best for you. Personally, I prefer little to none when studying:) Along with having a set space and noise level to study, it's critical to have a set time. After school, most people tend to take a break and then start working. Whether you choose to take a break or finish homework right when you get home, make sure you are consistent with the times at which you complete your after school activities. By maintaining a uniform routine after school, you make it easier for yourself to associate a certain time with studying. STUDY METHODS Another important factor of learning to study better is knowing methods that will maximize your results. Here are three popular methods that are often used to study: First up is the 80/20 rule, also known as the Pareto rule. This basically means that if you spend 20% of your study time focused and not distracted whatsoever, this will equal to 80% of the time you spent studying somewhat distracted and getting off topic. Focusing and getting work done in less time is better than studying for 5 hours and getting off topic every 10 minutes, and allows you to grasp the content better so that you really understand what you’re studying. This is pretty confusing, so again additional research might help! Next up, we have the Pomodoro method. It is a widely used time management technique. It especially helps people who can't pay attention for long periods of time. The method is broken up into 5 steps:
SOME GREAT STUDY TOOLS Once you have a set routine, the next step is to develop good strategies that help you study efficiently. Taking notes is the first step to retaining the information you are given. Any study materials you create will be made from the information in your notes, so make sure you are taking thorough and precise notes in class. Pay attention, especially to topics that your teacher hints will be on your next test. .First, it might be helpful to paraphrase some sections of your notes that you struggle with. As mentioned earlier, one critical rule when studying is that you know a topic well enough when you can confidently explain it to someone else. You can better understand concepts by applying analogies that work in similar ways, but make sure that the analogies are accurate and can be applied to that situation. Once you have cleared up any trouble areas, judge the material that you are studying to see which tools might be best moving forward. For example, flashcards and Quizlets are great for vocabulary or simple memorization, flowcharts and diagrams are great to explain a system or process, and memory games are best to use after you have a basic foundation on topics. And of course, it might be best to use a combination of these methods for your topic. While some of these tools may seem time consuming to make, remember that the Internet is on your side! Most of the time there are great study materials that already exist online. All it takes is a Google search to find interactives, notes, presentations, articles, and online flashcards to help you study the way that works best for you. Once you have gotten the bulk of your studying done, you can make a condensed cheat sheet on the topic. Include pictures or colors as needed to help remember key details. Studies have shown that using blue ink when writing helps retain more information- so give that a try! THINGS YOU MAY BE DOING WRONG While most people think that they have been using good studying strategies, there are several common mistakes. For example, you might think that taking a long period of time to study is ideal, but studies have shown that taking short breaks while studying increases efficiency. Similarly, studying the same subject for a long period is equally unhelpful. Instead, try studying in small chunks of time and switching up subjects after each break. Another bad habit is skimming through notes instead of doing interactive activities like the note-taking skills mentioned earlier. One of the most common mistakes includes trying to memorize information rather than understanding the processes. If there is one thing that we want you to leave with, it’s that a single method definitely won’t work for everyone and that everyone’s study plan will be different. It is important to recognize that finding an effective study schedule is important for your academic career. We hope that you are able to learn something useful from this blog! Let us know what study method works best for you!
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