Studying isn't simply for the night before an assignment is due or an exam is scheduled.
It's never too late – or too early – to establish effective study habits. The sooner you get into a decent study routine, the less difficult things will be and the better your chances of achieving good grades will be.
With a growing community of learners, there is always research and studies that discuss certain behaviors, particularly habits that promote a smarter and more efficient learning environment.
Before diving into the approaches, it's important to first grasp the concept of efficient learning. In a nutshell, efficient learning is a catch-all term for a variety of methods.
There is no one method of learning that is superior to all others. It's any method you can think of that speeds up the learning process and makes it easier to remember what you've learned.
The idea of spacing out learning, for example, was one of Inc.'s suggestions. According to research, "distributed practice" is the way to go if you want the information to stick. The concept is to study for a short time, take a rest, and then study again.
Other advocated in the past are similar to these intensive bursts of learning over a long period of time. As a result, they are extremely useful in any field. Self-directed learning, using a memory palace, and more are some other examples.
As you can see, these methods make studying and learning much easier than they would be otherwise.
Whether you go to school or not, the approaches listed below will help you understand and retain information more effectively.
Here are a few pointers to help you get the most out of your studies.
1. Keep your study area organized
Check that you have adequate room to spread out your textbooks and notes. Do you have enough light? Is your chair a good fit for you? Are your computer games hidden from view?
Remove all distractions and ensure that you are as comfortable and able to concentrate as feasible. For some, this may imply near-complete quiet; for others, background music may be helpful. To concentrate, some of us need everything to be perfectly clean and ordered, while others thrive in a messier atmosphere. Consider what works best for you and take the time to perfect it.
2. Be mindful of what you eat
Certain meals have been found to enhance learning while others impede it, according to research. The general function of the brain is the focus of these studies.
Many of the foods to avoid are those that contain refined sugar or are heavily processed. Baked products such as doughnuts and cookies are also included. Other foods, on the other hand, may come as a surprise. Margarine, fruit juice, and white bread are all examples.
When it comes to brain nourishment, meals high in Omega-3 fatty acids and folic acid are recommended. Sardines, salmon, walnuts, broccoli, spinach, celery, avocados, and blueberries are all good choices.
According to the study, consuming these specific meals – whether raw or cooked – can help you focus and remember things better. These nutrients also help to prevent brain damage.
All you have to do is consume the proper foods at the right times around the time you intend to study. This also entails avoiding the above-mentioned harmful foods at all costs during that time, even after you have completed your studies.
3. Get enough sleep
This one appears to be counter-productive, but it isn't. Harvard researchers discovered that dreaming may be utilized to reactivate and restructure previously learnt data. This makes reasonable, given that sleep has been linked to improved brain function in general in numerous studies.
But don't believe you'll need a lengthy night's sleep to make this work. Even a 6-minute snooze, according to a German research, can aid boost memory.
4. Avoid multitasking
We've gotten into the habit of doing numerous tasks at once over the years. For example, texting, reading, and streaming media all at the same time. That, however, will not function in a school context.
Attempting to multitask is a waste of time. It impairs our brain's ability to store and appropriately process new information. After all, we're asking our brain to switch gears from one task to another.
To avoid multitasking, create a learning atmosphere in which you will not be distracted. A library, a café, or a quiet space in your home or apartment are all good options.
5. Find a study group
There are numerous advantages to working in a group. When you're in the proper group, studying and learning together can have a lot of advantages. One study from Science Direct found that through this, students:
- Improved both collaboration and communication skills;
- Were more engaged with other students and the topic;
- Had a deeper understanding of the subject;
- And had long-term retention benefits.
Of course, for some persons, this strategy may or may not work. Some people might not always have the opportunity to learn in a group setting. Some people may choose to study on their own. There are also advantages to learning alone. Consider self-directed learning, which emphasizes individual learning.
However, there are certain advantages to studying in a group, such as finding inspiration and learning fresh views. Who knows, maybe you're just one discussion away from solving a problem you've been pondering.
6. Teach someone else
There is an old saying: “While we teach, we learn.”
This is true, thanks to a study published in Memory & Cognition. Students who taught – or even thought they had to teach – the content learned more efficiently, according to the study.
According to the findings, those students spent more time considering how they would explain topics or concepts. As a result, their overall understanding and grasp of topics and theories improved.
Even if you don't wind up teaching someone, just thinking about it might help you reinforce concepts.
Parents and siblings don't have to be annoying towards exam time. You can use them to your advantage. Explain the answer to a question to them. That will help you to get it clear in your head, and also to highlight any areas where you need more work.
If you really must use your laptop, consider using programs such as ColdTurkey or Anti Social to shut out unwanted distractions.
7. Use of diagrams and Pictures
When reviewing, visual aids can be really beneficial. Challenge yourself to write down what you already know about a topic at the start of the topic, and then emphasize where the gaps are. Condense your revision notes into one-page diagrams as the exam approaches. After you've written down your ideas in this concise format, you'll be able to swiftly recollect what you need to know throughout the exam.
Nebel advises paying attention to diagrams and graphs in your instructional materials. “Those pictures can really boost your memory of this material. And if there aren’t pictures, creating them can be really, really useful.”
McDaniel reaffirms by saying; “I think these visual representations help you create more complete mental models”.
Even humorous images may be beneficial. Nikol Rummel is a psychologist at Germany's Ruhr University Bochum. She and coworkers offered cartoon drawings to college students along with information about five scientists who investigated intelligence in one study from 2003.
The narrative about Alfred Binet, for example, was accompanied by a drawing of a race car driver. To protect his brain, the driver wore a bonnet. On a test, students who saw the illustrations performed better than those who just received text material.
8. Stay hydrated
Water makes about 73 percent of our brain. If you don't feel like your brain is operating properly, you're probably dehydrated. Even a mild bout of dehydration can impair your ability to learn. According to one study, when we are thirsty, our cognitive suffers a 10% reduction.
Although 10% may not seem like much, it can make a significant difference. It can mean the difference between correctly grasping and processing information and incorrectly interpreting it.
So drink plenty of water throughout the day. If you have trouble recalling that or any other information, bring a water bottle to class and drink from it.
9. Be sure to practice everyday
There is an old saying that goes, "Practice makes perfect".
Instruments are practiced by musicians. Athletes put their sporting skills to the test. Learning should be treated in the same way.
"Practice is the finest thing you can do if you want to remember something," Katherine Rawson adds. She works at Kent State University in Ohio as a psychologist. Students in one 2013 study took practice assessments over the course of several weeks. On average, they received a full letter grade higher on the final exam than students who studied in the traditional manner.
College students studied information and then took memory tests in a study conducted a few years ago. Some people just took one test. Others took many tests with several minute gaps in between.
The second group recalled the material better a week later.
10. Know what works for you
The majority of us have a learning style that we prefer. Learn about your preferred learning style and study in the manner in which you learn best.
It's important to remember that these styles are only a way of thinking about different study methods; they're not hard and fast rules that state you should only study in one way. Try out each one to discover which one best suit you.
Auditory learners:
Listening is a better way to learn for them. Try reading your notes out loud and talking about them with others. You might want to record and playback critical points.
Visual learners:
They prefer to learn by observation. To assist represent significant points, try using colors in your notes and drawing diagrams. You could try to recall some concepts by visualizing them.
Tactile/kinesthetic learners:
Rather than reading, they like to learn by doing. To revise crucial topics, use approaches like role-playing or making models.
These are just a few suggestions for getting the most out of your studies. It's possible that you already have other options that work better for you.
Find out what your friends do during the school day. Perhaps your professors can make some suggestions as well.
Whatever it is, whatever technique you devise, once you've discovered something that works for you, put it into action and go for it!
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