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Effective Study Techniques to Try This Year
Set the Stage
Get a good night’s sleep: A recent study found a positive relationship between students’ grades and how much sleep they’re getting. However, this doesn’t only mean getting a full 8 hours of sleep before a big test. What matters even more is getting enough sleep for several nights before you do the bulk of your studying.
Switch up your study environment: This might not seem like a promising study strategy, but studies show that switching up your study environment can increase recall performance. Instead of studying at home every day, try checking out a new coffee spot each week or heading to your local library. A change in scenery can improve both your memory and concentration levels.
Stick with an environment that works: If you you have a good study space at home or a café that is reliably a productive place for you, it makes sense to stick with this when you are under pressure.
Listen to calming music: You can listen to any music you like, but many agree that classical, instrumental, and lo-fi beats make good background music for studying and can actually help you pay attention to the task at hand. Songs with lyrics can be distracting.
Eliminate distractions: Eliminate distractions by silencing your phone and annoying background noises such as the TV or radio. Make a pact with yourself to avoid checking social media until your study session is over.
Snack on smart food: Coffee and candy will give you a temporary boost, but then you’ll have a blood sugar crash. For energy that is more focused and sustainable, try healthy snacks such as edamame, apples, or nuts.
The SQ3R Method
Retrieval Practice
Retrieval Practice
Survey: Instead of reading the entire book, start by skimming the first chapter and taking notes on any headings, subheadings, images, or other standout features like charts.
Question: Formulate questions around the chapter’s content, such as, What is this chapter about? What do I already know about this subject?
Read: Begin reading the full chapter and look for answers to the questions you formulated.
Recite: After reading a section, summarize in your own words what you just read. Try recalling and identifying major points and answering any questions from the second step.
Review: Once you have finished the chapter, it’s important to review the material to fully understand it. Quiz yourself on the questions you created and re-read any portions you need to.
Retrieval Practice
Retrieval Practice
Retrieval Practice
Utilize practice tests: Use practice tests or questions to quiz yourself, without looking at your book or notes.
Make your own questions: Be your own teacher and create questions you think would be on a test. If you’re in a study group, encourage others to do the same, and trade questions.
Use flashcards: Create flashcards, but make sure to practice your retrieval technique. Instead of flipping a card over prematurely, write the answer down and then check.
Spaced Practice
The Feynman Technique
Spaced Practice
Spaced practice (also known as “distributed practice”) encourages students to study over a longer period of time instead of cramming the night before. When our brains almost forget something, they work harder to recall that information. Spacing out your studying allows your mind to make connections between ideas and build upon the knowledge that can be easily recalled later.
The PQ4R Method
The Feynman Technique
Spaced Practice
This method takes an active approach to learning that improves memorization and understanding of the topic. Similar to the SQ3R method above, PQ4R is an acronym that stands for the six steps in the process.
The Feynman Technique
The Feynman Technique
The Feynman Technique
The Feynman Technique is an efficient method of learning a concept quickly by explaining it in plain and simple terms. It’s based on the idea, “If you want to understand something well, try to explain it simply.” What that means is, by attempting to explain a concept in our own words, we are likely to understand it a lot faster.
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