Summary
Highlights
Instead of cramming, spread out your study sessions over a longer period. For example, 5 hours of study over two weeks is more effective than one intensive 5-hour session. This reduces stress, improves learning, and minimizes the need to re-learn information later. Schedule short, consistent study sessions, reviewing material from each class a day later, and revisiting older information to keep it fresh. Leave 2-3 days between study sessions for the same subject, and avoid simply re-reading notes.
During a single study session, switch between different ideas, topics, or types of problems. This technique, called interleaving, helps highlight similarities and differences between concepts, aiding in choosing correct approaches for problem-solving and encouraging links between ideas. While it may feel harder, it's more effective than focusing on one topic for too long. Ensure you understand an idea before switching, and vary the order of topics in subsequent sessions to strengthen understanding.
When reviewing notes and textbooks, ask yourself 'how' and 'why' questions about the material. Explain and describe ideas with detail, connecting them to your daily life. This forces deeper understanding, helps organize new information, and makes it easier to recall. Create a list of ideas, question how they work and why, then use your class materials to find answers and make connections between ideas.
Use specific, concrete examples to demonstrate and explain abstract ideas. Human memory retains concrete information better. For instance, illustrate 'scarcity' with the example of a ticket scalper profiting from demand-driven price increases for a popular event. Gather examples from teachers, textbooks, or daily life. Creating your own examples is most beneficial, but ensure their accuracy and relevance with your teacher.
Combine verbal material with visuals to create two ways of understanding and remembering information. Analyze how words describe images and how images represent text. Explain visuals in your own words and draw your own pictures for class materials. This strategy is not about learning styles but about leveraging the effectiveness of combining words and visuals for better learning.
The most valuable study skill is practicing retrieving information from memory without notes or textbooks. This reinforces learning, makes recall easier, and improves your ability to remember information during exams. It also highlights areas where you need to focus more study time. Take practice tests, write down everything you know about a topic, or draw concept maps. Ensure there's a time gap after initially learning the material. Check your recall against class materials for feedback on what you got right, wrong, or didn't remember.