Study Smarter Not Harder

Do you ever feel that your studying habits don't work? Do you wonder what you could be doing to perform better in class and on exams? A lot of students realize that their high school studying habits aren't very effective in college. This is quite understandable since college is quite different than high school. The professors are less personally involved, classes are longer, tests are more important, reading is more intense and classes are more demanding. This doesn't mean you have anything wrong with you; it simply means you need to master some effective methods of studying. There are a variety of innovative, efficient study methods that have proven efficient during college class.

This guidebook offers a variety of tips on how to study efficiently. Incorporating these suggestions into your daily study routine can help you effectively and effectively master content from the course. Try them out and discover ways to use them.

Reading is not studying

Simply reading and re-reading texts or notes is not actively engaging in the material. It is simply re-reading your notes. Simply doing the readings for class isn't studying. It's just doing the reading for class. Re-reading leads to quick memory loss.

Reading is an essential component of studying, but learning information requires active engagement with the subject (Edwards, 2014). Active engagement involves constructing meaning from text that is a process of connecting lectures, creating examples and controlling your personal learning (Davis 2007). Active study is not the same as the use of highlighters or underlining texts as well as re-reading or rote memorization. Though these activities may help to keep you engaged in the course but they aren't considered active studying techniques and have no connection to better learning (Mackenzie, 1994).).

Strategies for active study include:

Create a study guide for each topic. Write down questions and problems, and then write the complete answers. Make your own test.
Learn to become the teacher. Say the information aloud in your own voice as like you're the instructor. You will be teaching the concept to a class.
Derive examples that relate to your personal experiences.
Create concept map or diagrams that describe the information.
Create symbols that represent concepts.
For non-technical courses (e.g., English, History, Psychology), determine the main ideas that you will be able to explain your understanding, draw contrasts, and revisit them.
In technical classes, solve with the students and describe the steps and how they are effective.
Studying in terms of question as well as evidence and conclusion What is the question asked by the instructor or author? What evidence do they present? What is the conclusion?

Organization and planning will help you to actively study for your classes. When you're studying for a test start by organizing your material and then start review by topic (Newport, 2007). Many professors offer subtopics on the syllabus. Make use of them as a reference to help you organize your information. For instance, collect all of the materials that pertain to one subject (e.g., PowerPoint notes and text book notes, articles, homework, etc.) and then arrange them into a pile. Label each pile with the topic and study by topics.

For more information on the idea behind active studying read our tips sheet on metacognition.

Spacing out is good

The most impactful learning methods is "distributed practice"--spacing out your studies over a short period of time that span several days and weeks (Newport 2007). The most effective practice is to set a brief time on each class every day. The total time spent on studying is the same (or less) than two or three marathon library sessions, but you'll absorb the knowledge deeper and retain more for the long term--which can result in an A grade on your final. The most important thing is the way you utilize your time studying, not the amount of long you spend studying. Long study sessions lead to the inability to focus and consequently a decline in studying and retention.

To be able to spread study sessions over short intervals of time that span several days and weeks, you need the ability to control how you manage your routine. Maintaining a list with tasks to complete each day will help you to include regular study sessions that are active for each class. Try to do something every day for each class. Be specific and precise about how long you plan to dedicate to each project. You should not have more tasks to complete than you can reasonably complete during the course of the day.

For instance, you could complete a few tasks per day in math , rather than all of them the hour prior to class. In history, it is possible to spend 15 minutes a morning concentrating on the class notes. Therefore, your time spent studying will likely be the same length, however instead of just preparing for a single class, you will be preparing for all of your classes in short bursts. This will help you concentrate to stay on top of your work, and help you retain the information.

Additionally, in addition to understanding the material in depth and systematically, separating your work can help you avoid procrastination. Rather than having to face the project you've always dreaded for four hours on Monday, you can face the dreaded project for 30 minutes each day. The less time-consuming, consistent duration to complete the project you're dreading is most likely to prove more palatable which means it's less likely to the very last minute. If you are required to learn material for your the class (names or dates, or formulas) It is recommended to create flashcards of this material and review periodically throughout the day rather than one lengthy, memorization session (Wissman and Rawson, 2012).

Understand the Study Cycle

It's healthy to be a bit intense

All studying is not equal. You will accomplish more If you are studying in a concentrated manner. Intensive study sessions are short and allow you to finish your work with minimum effort. The shorter, more intensive study sessions will be more efficient than drawn out on studying.

In actual fact, one of the most impactful study methods is spreading out the work in several sessions (Newport, 2007). Intense study sessions may last thirty or forty-five minutes and include active studying strategies. For example, self-testing is an active study strategy that increases the amount of learning and the efficiency of learning. However, planning to spend many hours doing self-tests is likely to lead you to be distracted and lose interest.

However it is advisable to quiz yourself on the material in 45 minutes and then take breaks, you're significantly more likely to stay your attention and retain the knowledge. Furthermore, the shorter, longer sessions will add pressure to which is necessary to avoid the habit of procrastinating.

Silence isn't gold

Know where you study best. The quiet of a library may not be the best spot for you. It's important to consider what kind of ambient noise works best for you. You may find that you're more focused when there's certain background sounds. Certain people find hearing classical tunes while studying helps them concentrate, while other people find it to be extremely distracting. The point is that the silence of the library may be just equally disruptive (or more) than the noise of the gym. Therefore, if the silence is disorienting but you want to work in the library, you should consider the second or first floors in which there is more background noise.'

It is important to remember that active studying is rarely silent since it is often a matter of reading the material aloud.

Problems are your friend

Working on and reworking problems is crucial for technical courses (e.g., math economics,). You must be able to explain the steps of solving problems and the reason they're solved.

In technical classes, it is usually more important to solve problems rather than reading the text (Newport 2007). When you are in class, note each of the exercises presented by the teacher. Be sure to note each step, or ask questions when you are confused. At a minimum write down the question along with the answer (even in the event that you do not follow some steps).

If you are preparing for tests In preparation for exams, create a huge list of problems from the course materials and lectures. Examine the problems and then explain the steps and why they are effective (Carrier, 2003).

Consider rethinking multitasking

The majority of research suggests that multi-tasking is not able to improve efficiency and actually negatively affects outcomes (Junco, 2012).

To be able to study smarter rather than less, you'll have to cut out distractions during your study time. Web browsing, social media playing games, texting and so on. can significantly impact the intensity of your studying sessions if you allow them! Research is clear the fact that multitasking (e.g., responding to texts while doing your homework), increases the time required to study material and lowers the quality of the learning (Junco 2012).).

By removing distractions, it will be possible for you to focus fully on your studies. If you don't require the computer for your work, then don't use it. Make use of apps that can help you determine limits for how much time you are allowed to spend on certain websites during the day. You can turn off your mobile. You can reward your study with breaks on social media (but ensure that you plan your breaks!) Take a look at our guide to controlling technology for more information and strategies.

Change your settings

You can find a variety of study spots around campus. You can change up your space when you realize that it's not a working space for you.

Know when and where you do your best studying. You might find that your focus at 10:00 PM. may not be the same as when you are at work at 10:00 am. Maybe you're more productive at a cafe with background sound, or in your study room in your apartment hall. Maybe when you work on your bed, you are able to fall asleep.

You can find a wide range of locations in and around campus which are ideal study spaces for you. So, wherever you are, you can find your perfect study spot. After an amount of time, you might discover that your place isn't comfortable enough and no longer an ideal location to work It's the right time to hop to an alternative location!

Be an educator

Make sure to present the information in your own words as if you were the instructor. You can do this with an study group, with a study buddy, or on your own. Speak the material aloud to reveal areas that you're unclear and in need of more details and help you retain the information. When you're explaining the subject matter, use examples and link the concepts (just as a teacher does). It's acceptable (even recommended) in this manner using your notes in your hands. In the beginning, you might need to rely on your notes to explain the concepts, but eventually you'll be able to instruct without the use of notes.

Creating a quiz for yourself will allow you get to be like your teacher. What does your professor want you to be aware of? Quizzing yourself is a highly effective study technique. You can create a study book and carry it with you so you can review the questions and their answers regularly throughout the day and across many days. Identify the questions that you aren't familiar with and test yourself on only the ones you don't know. Say your answers aloud. This will allow you to retain the information and make corrections where they are needed. For technical courses, do the exercises and then describe how you went between the query and the answer. Re-do the problem that gives you difficulty. Studying the material in this way stimulates your brain and will dramatically increase your memory (Craik 1975).

Take control of your calendar

Becoming aware of your schedule and distractions will help you to reach your goals.If you're in control of your schedule it will allow you to complete your assignments and keep on top of your coursework. Here are the steps to controlling your calendar:

On the same day each week, (perhaps Sunday nights or Saturday mornings) plan out your schedule for the week.
Review each class and write down what you'd like to get completed in each class for the week.
Look at your calendar and determine the number of hours you have to complete your work.
Find out if your list can be completed in the time you are able to devote. (You may want to indicate the time required to finish each assignment.) Make adjustments as needed. If, for instance, you realize that it will take more time to finish your task than you have available, you may have to sort your readings. Making sure you complete all the required books is an option. You will need to decide about your readings based on the material that you learn in class. Read and make notes on each assignment that you take using the most popular class source (the one that is used a lot in class). This may be the textbook or a reading that is directly related to the subject for the day. You can likely skim supplemental readings.
Pencil into your calendar when you have plans to get assignments done.
Before going to bed each night, make your plan for the following day. If you wake up with a plan will make you more productive.

Make use of downtime

Beware of the 'easy' weeks. This is the calm prior to the storm. Lighter work weeks are an ideal time to get ahead on your work, or begin long-term projects. Use the extra hours to complete assignments or start big projects or writing. It is recommended to plan to finish each class throughout the week, even when there isn't anything due. Actually, it's more efficient to dedicate some time in each class every day. By committing to 30 minutes of class each day will take up three hours per week, but spreading that time over six days is more efficient than trying to squeeze it all into one lengthy three-hour period. If you've finished all the tasks for your particular class, use the 30 minutes to get ahead or start an ongoing project.

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