Studying Strategies Every Student Must Know

By Akande Aanuoluwapo

Although the rate at which we desire things differs, most of us still hope to achieve academic excellence. Hence, we as students all study. However, the best technique to achieve this is not just about studying hard, but also about studying smart as well. These 5 evidence-based techniques will help you to not just study effectively but to pass your exams and implement what you have studied.

The first one is called;

Feynman Technique

It is a simple technique developed based on the reading habit and lesson of Richard Feynman, a Nobel Prize-winning physicist. So, what is the Feynman technique all about? It's simple. It's about writing whatever you've learnt from your understanding.  And, it involves 4 easy steps.

● Write down the concept you're studying on a sheet of paper.

● Explain everything about the concept to yourself or, you can explain it to someone else.

● If you feel stuck, you can go back to your textbook or whatever it is you're learning from.

● You can give examples or analogies that will enable you to remember them later

Why do we use the Feynman Technique?

When you attempt to explain a concept in your own words, you are likely to understand it a lot faster.

Retrieval Practice

Another effective method of studying that has to be included in this list because of how effective it is. Retrieval Practice allows information to move from short-term memory to the long dark memory. Although it may be a little stressful, it does reduce forgetting.

Note: flipping a page over, assuming you know the information it entails, is not retrieval. Test it, can you recall it?

Here are some ways to practice retrieval.

based on the concept of remembering at a later time. Recalling an answer to a question improves learning more than looking for the answer in your textbook. And, remembering and writing down the answer to a flashcard is a lot more effective than assuming you know the answer and flipping the card too early.

If you practice retrieval, you are more likely to remember the information later on. Below are some ways you can implement retrieval.

● You can practice tests or questions to quiz yourself, without looking at your book or notes.

● You can ask yourself questions or tell others to do so for you.

● Use flashcards: Create flashcards, but make sure to practice your retrieval technique. Instead of flipping a card over prematurely, write the answer down and then check.

● you could write or sketch out everything you know about a certain topic without looking at your notes. Be as thorough as you can be. Afterward, check what you’ve written compared to your class notes for accuracy and to fill in points you may have missed.

Sleep after Reading

This may underestimate this but Sleep is very  important for brain function, memory formation, and learning. Studying before you sleep, whether it is reviewing flashcards or notes, can help improve recall. According to Scott Cairney, a researcher from the University of York in the United Kingdom, “When you are awake you learn new things, but when you are asleep you refine them, making it easier to retrieve them and apply them correctly when you need them most. This is important for how we learn but also for how we might help retain heat sheehy brain functions.”

When you’re asleep, the brain organizes your memories. Instead of pulling an all-nighter, study a few hours before bed and then review the information in the morning.

Spaced repetition

Based on Ebbinghaus's research, we forget most of what we learned after learning it. In order to prevent that, that's where spaced repetition come in. It involves trying to remember a particular thing you've learnt that at increasing intervals between each repetition, we can optimize memorization and retain the most information in the least amount of time.

So, it's better to study 8 hours in the space of two weeks than to study 8 hours in one sitting as spaced repetition gives you the chance to recall information that has been forgotten.

Spaced repetition is most powerful when the timing is just right. If too little time elapses between repetitions, the information is not reinforced as strongly. If too much time passes, you forget and are unable to recall the desired information.

Dual Coding

If you're a visual learner, this would really help you. To most effectively implement dual coding, don’t simply look at a visual and think, “ah yes, I know this,” but rather actively explain the concept in your own words. Even better, take the information you’ve read about in a textbook or heard about in lecture and create your own visuals. we cannot instantaneously absorb multiple things as we can with the image.