For better or worse, studying is part of college life. It is also a technique that requires patience, practice, and trial and error. As you think about studying methods that are right for you, consider the tips below. You might find techniques that will help you get the most out of your college classes (both the engaging and the not-so-engaging ones).
Stick to Print
Tablets and other eLearning media are convenient and portable, but research suggests that traditional print materials still have the upper hand when it comes to studying. Some researchers argue that adopting interactive habits like scrolling, clicking, and pointing enhances the academic experience, but more than 90% of students polled said they prefer a hard copy or print over a digital device when it comes to studying and school work. Furthermore, a psychology lecturer finds that students required more repetition to learn new material if they were reading on a computer screen versus reading printed material.
Listen to music
While some experts argue the ability to concentrate during silence or listening to music while studying is left up to personal preference, many agree that playing certain types of music, such as “obscure 18th century composers,” can help students engage parts of their brain that help them pay attention and make predictions. Not to mention, listening to music may improve your mood and change your whole outlook about studying in general.
Relax
Stress hinders learning. UC Irvine researchers find that stress lasting as briefly as a couple of hours can engage corticotropin-releasing hormones that disrupt the process of creating and storing memories. Taking study breaks to exercise or drawing a few deep breaths will help your studying if they lower your stress level.
Get Some Rest!
Studying at your tiredest can help your brain retain higher concentrations of new skills, such as speaking a foreign language or playing an instrument. There’s even a term for it: sleep-learning. As the memory-consolidation process does its best work during slow-wave sleep, your brain could be getting both the restoration and reactivation it needs during its time of rest. All of this means that reviewing study materials before bed can help you brain learn, even in your sleep.
Change Your Scenery
A change of scenery impacts learning and concentration abilities. Psychologist Robert Bjork suggests that simply moving to a different room to study (or going a step further and learning amongst the great outdoors) could increase both your concentration and retention levels.
Use Active Recall
This controversial method of studying was a hot topic in 2009, when a psychology professor published an article advising students against reading and rereading textbooks — which, he argued, merely lead students to thinking they know the material better than they do since it is right in front of them. Conversely, he suggested students use active recall: closing the book and reciting everything they can remember up to that point to practice long-term memorisation.
Make Connections
Experts argue that the difference between “slow learners” and “quick studiers” is the way they study; for example, instead of memorising, “quick learners” make connections between ideas. Known as contextual learning, this process requires students to customise their own methods of learning, thus making connections that inspire all of the information to fall into place and make sense for them individually. Some students find that recording all information visually in one place (such as on a sheet of paper or chalkboard) can help to paint a fuller picture and aid their connections within the learning process.
Take on the Role of Teacher
Research shows that students have better memory and recall abilities when they learn new information with the expectation of having to teach it to someone else.
This makes sense, as teachers are charged with not only learning information for themselves, but also with organising key elements of said information to explain it clearly to others. Studies also suggest that students are more engaged and will instinctively seek out methods of recall and organisation when expected to take on a “teacher” role. This can be especially effective with subjects like reading comprehension and science, though part of the magic involves working out how you’d “teach” each subject on a case-by-case basis.
Think About Your Thinking
Metacognition, or thinking about thinking, thrives on self-awareness. To achieve this, students need to be able to assess their level of skill and where they are in their studies, as well as monitor their emotional well-being around potentially stressful studying activities.
Stop Multitasking
Multitasking is a myth. You may think you’re killing two birds with one stone by texting while studying, for example, but you’re actually forming poor study habits. According to researchers, so-called “multitasking” extends your study time and ultimately may damage your grades.
Forget About “Learning Styles”
Researchers and learning experts debate the concept of learning styles, some even go so far as to say they don’t exist. Our conclusion is this: Despite the amount of work on the subject, scientists have found “virtually no evidence” to support the concept of learning styles, though they left the possibility open to further investigation in years to come. We recommend you don’t go out of your way to try to make your material fit a specific style because it may not be worth the time or effort.
Bonus Tip:
Don’t Focus on One Subject for Too Long
If you’ve never felt “burned out” from repeatedly studying pages of history notes, scrutinising chemistry formulas, or practicing music scales, consider yourself lucky. But know that the threat is real. It’s best to vary your material rather than zeroing in persistently on one area. (It is acceptable to join related or similar subject areas together; for example, instead of only memorising vocabulary, mix in reading as well. If doing math, tackle several concepts together instead of just one.)
