Study Skills 101: How To Study Effectively

Do you ever feel as if your study habits aren’t cutting it? Do you ever wonder what you could be doing to improve your grades and test scores? In this article, we’ll give study techniques to help you achieve academically and otherwise.

What exactly does it mean to study?

In the most basic sense, studying is teaching oneself information. It’s also useful to consider studying in terms of memory. When we study effectively, we transfer information from short to long-term memory. Point out to your child that our brains are generally constantly in “forgetting mode” because most of what happens during the day does not require long-term memory. Our brains must let go of a lot of information so that they can function properly when we need them to. What did you have for breakfast last Monday? Who cares! To that end, studying must be a conscious decision to put our brains into “remembering mode.”

Scientists say that most of us need to see a piece of information four times before we can remember it. We also need to sleep in between such exposures because our brains transfer information from the hippocampus (where short-term and working memory dwell) to the cortex (where long-term memory stays).

Reading and Studying are not the same.

Reading and re-reading texts or notes does not constitute a genuine engagement with the material. Simply reread your notes. Only ‘doing’ the texts for class is not considered studying. It’s just doing the reading for class. Re-reading leads to fast forgetfulness.

Consider reading to be a vital aspect of pre-study, but learning involves active participation in the material (Edwards, 2014). Active engagement is the process of developing meaning from reading, which includes drawing connections to lectures, creating examples, and self-regulating learning (Davis, 2007). Active studying does not imply highlighting or underlining content, re-reading, or rote memorization. Though these activities may help you stay focused on the work, they are not considered active studying approaches and have a poor correlation with better learning (Mackenzie, 1994).

Ideas for active learning include:

• Create a topic-based study guide. Formulate questions and difficulties, then write detailed replies. Make your quiz.
• Become a teacher. Say the knowledge aloud in your terms, as if you were an instructor teaching the topics to a classroom.
• Provide instances that are relevant to your personal experiences.
• Create idea maps or diagrams to describe the content.
• Create symbols to represent concepts.
• Determine the main ideas in non-technical classes (e.g., English, History, Psychology) so that you can explain, contrast, and re-evaluate them.
• In technical classes, solve problems and explain the procedures and why they work.
• Study in terms of questions, evidence, and conclusions: What is the question posed by the instructor or author? What evidence do they present? What is the conclusion?

Organizing and preparing will allow you to actively study for your courses. When studying for an exam, organize your materials first, then begin actively reviewing by topic (Newport 2007). Professors frequently include subtopics in their syllabuses. Use them as a guide for organizing your stuff. For example, compile all of the materials for one topic (e.g., PowerPoint notes, textbook notes, articles, homework, etc.) and place them in a pile. Label each pile with a topic, and then study by topic.

Comprehend the Study Cycle

Frank Christ’s study cycle outlines the various components of studying, including previewing, attending class, reviewing, learning, and verifying your comprehension. All too frequently, students attempt to cut corners and lose opportunities for quality learning, even if each step may appear clear at first glance. One may decide not to read ahead of time because they believe the professor will cover the same material in class, but by doing so, they are losing out on an important chance to learn in two different ways—by reading and by listening—as well as from the repetition and distributed practice (see #3 below) that come from both reading ahead of time and attending class. It’s important to recognize the significance of each phase of this cycle so that you don’t pass up chances to learn something new.

Setting aside enough space is beneficial.

Spreading out your studying into multiple short study sessions over multiple days and weeks is known as “distributed practice,” and it’s one of the most effective learning tactics (Newport, 2007). Working on each class for a brief period each day is the most productive approach. You’ll study for the same length of time overall—or less—than one or two long library visits, but you’ll learn the material more thoroughly and remember it for far longer, which will help you ace the test. Not the amount of time you study, but how you use it is what matters. Extended study sessions result in diminished focus, which in turn impairs learning and memory.

You must have control over your schedule if you want to space out your studying over multiple days and weeks with short study sessions. You can incorporate regular, active study sessions for each class by making a list of daily chores to perform. Every day, try to complete something for every class. You shouldn’t have more chores on your list than you can finish in a given day, so be precise and realistic about how much time you expect to devote to each one.

For instance, instead of doing all of your arithmetic homework the hour before class, you might complete a few problems each day. You can actively study your class notes for history for fifteen to twenty minutes per day. As a result, your study time may remain the same, but instead of preparing for just one class, you will prepare for all of them in quick bursts. This will help you concentrate, keep on top of your task, and remember knowledge.

In addition to deepening your understanding of the content, spacing out your work helps you avoid procrastinating. Rather than having to face the dreadful project for four hours on Monday, you may do it for 30 minutes every day. The shorter, more consistent time it takes to complete a hated assignment is more likely to be accepted and less likely to be postponed till the last minute. According to Wissman and Rawson (2012), it is advisable to create flashcards for any information that needs to be memorized for class, such as names, dates, and formulas, and to review the material regularly during the day. This is preferable to dedicating a protracted memorization session.

It’s beneficial to be intense.

Not all research is created equal. A thorough study regimen will help you achieve more. Studying intensively will help you complete tasks with the least amount of wasted effort because the sessions are brief. It is more productive to study quickly and intensely than to study slowly.

Splitting up your studying into several sessions is perhaps one of the most effective study techniques (Newport, 2007). Studying intensively might involve active learning techniques and last for thirty or forty-five minutes. One active study technique that raises learning efficiency and study intensity is self-testing, for instance. Making plans to self-test for hours on end, however, is probably going to make you lose focus and become sidetracked.

But, you are far more likely to pay attention and remember the material if you schedule a 45-minute quiz on the course subject and then take a break. Furthermore, the pressure required to avoid procrastinating will probably be increased by the shorter, more intensive sessions.

Stillness isn’t ideal.

Recognize your finest study areas. You might not be in the ideal mood for silence in a library. It’s crucial to think about what kind of noisy environment suits you the best. It’s possible that background noise improves your ability to focus. While some people believe that listening to classical music while studying improves their ability to focus, others find it to be extremely distracting. The idea is that a library’s quiet could be even more distracting than a gym’s cacophonous commotion. Therefore, if you would rather study at a library but find silence to be distracting, consider going to the first or second floor where there is more ambient noise.

Remember that active learning seldom happens in silence since it frequently necessitates speaking the content aloud.

Challenges are your ally.

Solving and resolving problems is crucial for technical courses (economics, math, etc.). Know how to explain the problem-solving processes and their rationale.

Working through problems rather than reading the text is typically more significant in technical courses (Newport, 2007). Note down in full the practice problems that the instructor models in class. Make notes on each step and, if you’re still unclear, ask questions. Even if you forget the steps, at the very least, write down the question and the response.

Make a lengthy list of test-related problems derived from the lectures and course materials. Solve the challenges and justify the procedures used (Carrier, 2003).

Think twice before multitasking.

Numerous studies show that multitasking hurts results rather than increases efficiency (Junco, 2012).

You should try to study less, not more, by removing distractions from your study periods. If you let them, social media, online browsing, gaming, texting, and other activities will negatively impact how intense your study periods are! Empirical studies have consistently demonstrated that multitasking during study sessions—such as replying to texts—increases learning time and lowers learning quality (Junco, 2012).

You will be able to concentrate fully throughout your study sessions if you remove the distractions. Don’t use your computer if you don’t need it for homework. You can place time limitations on how much time you spend at specific locations throughout the day by using applications. Switch off your phone. After a long day of study, reward yourself with a social media break (but plan it carefully!). For additional advice and techniques, go to our handout on technology management.

Change the configuration.

Find multiple study locations on campus, and if you decide that your current area isn’t conducive to your work, make adjustments.

Determine your ideal study times and locations. It’s possible that at 10:00 PM, you’re not as focused as you were at 10:00 AM. Maybe you work better at your home study lounge or a coffee shop with background noise. You could fall asleep while studying in bed.

Make use of a range of locations on campus and in the surrounding area that provide conducive study spaces. You may then locate the ideal study space wherever you are. It may get too comfy for you to study there after a while, in which case it’s time to move to a new location!

Become an instructor.

Assuming the role of the teacher, try to explain the subject in your own terms. You can work on this alone, with a study partner, or in a study group. Speaking the content out loud will make it clear to you where you are unclear and where you need further explanation, as well as aid in memory retention. Make links between concepts and provide examples as you go through the topic, just like a teacher would. To accomplish this with your notes in your hands is acceptable—in fact, encouraged. Before long, you’ll be able to teach the content without consulting your notes; at initially, you might need to rely on them to explain it.

To think like your lecturer, make a quiz for yourself. What information is your lecturer trying to get across? A very successful study method is to give yourself a quiz. To examine the questions and answers throughout the day and over multiple days, make a study guide and keep it with you at all times. You should quiz yourself just on the questions you are unsure of. Vocalize your responses. This will support your ability to remember the material and make the necessary modifications. Complete the sample problems in technical courses and provide an explanation of your reasoning for answering each one. Go back and redo the issues that are bothering you. By actively engaging your brain, this kind of learning will greatly enhance your memory (Craik, 1975).

Take charge of your schedule.

• You can achieve your goals if you have control over your distractions and timetable.
• Taking charge of your schedule can help you keep on top of your coursework and finish your assignments. To take charge of your calendar, take the following actions:
• Make a weekly routine on the same day every week (maybe on Sunday evenings or Saturday mornings).
• Make a list of the assignments you would like to complete for each class this week as you go through them.
• Check your schedule to see how many hours you have left to do your assignment.

Check to see whether you can finish your list in the time you have available. (You might want to include the estimated time needed to do each assignment.) As necessary, make modifications. You will probably need to prioritize your readings if, for instance, you discover that doing your task will require more hours than you have available. It is a luxury to finish all of the readings. Depending on what is covered in class, you will need to choose what to read. The preferred class source is the one that is used frequently in the class; you should read through all of the assignments there and take notes on them. This could be a reading that specifically addresses the day’s theme or the textbook. It’s possible to skim the further readings.

• Mark the times on your calendar that you intend to finish your responsibilities.
• Make your day plan before you turn in for the night. Having a plan when you wake up will increase your productivity.

Benefit from downtime

Weeks that seem “easy” should be avoided. This is the quiet before the storm. Longer projects might be started or work toward completion during lighter work weeks. Make use of the extra hours to begin large projects or papers, or to get ahead on homework. Even if you don’t have any assignments due, you should schedule time each week to focus on all of your classes. In actuality, it is best to complete some homework for each lesson each day. Three hours a week can be earned by dedicating thirty minutes per day to each lesson; however, it is more efficient to divide this time over six days rather than to fit everything into a single, three-hour session. If you’ve finished all of the work for a certain class, use the 30 minutes to move ahead or begin a larger project.

Conclusion

Effective study habits can have a substantial impact on a student’s academic performance. Students can improve their learning and recall of new material by using effective study practices. Educational psychology and research in psychological science have shed light on many study approaches that promote effective learning.