5 Quick Study Tips

Posted by Colin Temple on October 28, 2008 in Resources, University

I’m a bit behind on my posting.  The past couple of weeks have been very busy, between school and work.  I’ve been putting in extra hours with both — we’re getting into crunch time at university, and I’m trying to crank out some extra web marketing projects to pay for it all.  But I thought I’d take a quick break to provide some comments, and hopefully some helpful advice for anyone in the same boat.

We’re crossing the mid-semester threshold, in a hectic space between wrapping up midterms, writing papers and assignments, and preparing for final exams.  Whether you’re working long hours or trying to keep up with the social calendar, it can be tough to get enough study time in.  Here are a few things I’ve found useful:

1. Limit your study time

This may seem counter-intuitive, but hear me out.  It’s easy for us to cram all of our studying into one lump right before a test.  Even if you’re one of those elusive responsible students, you may be spending too much time studying in each sitting.

For most people, our attention span is pretty short.  I’ve heard “average” quotes anywhere from 15-60 minutes, but a good estimate is probably about 30-40 before your brain starts jumbling things up and making it worse.  So instead of dedicating hours of study time, try having more, shorter sessions.  After studying, do something more relaxing or mindless to allow your brain to properly sort through the information and file it away.  You’re more likely to retain the content you’re learning.  Then, come back to the material after a while (later that day, or do this once a day for a week or so) for another brief session.

I’m a bit hypocritical in saying this last part, because I haven’t really started yet, but it’s best to space out your studying. It takes time to absorb it all, so begin with at least a couple of these sessions per week well before the exam. Now’s a good time to start.

2. Write it out

One thing that works very well for me is to rewrite my notes.  During class, I’m usually scribbling things down in a frenzy trying to keep up with my profs.  My Greek Civilization prof in particular gives us a seven-course meal of detailed information during each class, and doesn’t slow down.  But everything’s fair game for the exams!  So in those lectures, I’m not so much learning the information as recording it for later.  There’s too much to assimilate in one go.

So as the exams approach, I like to type out my handwritten notes.  This allows me to take my time sifting through the information and organizing it in a way that matches my own thinking patterns.  And the simple act of re-writing it ensures that I think through each piece of information a second time as I write.  I’ve found this to be way more effective than simply re-reading my lecture scribbles.

3. Make flashcards

Dividing information into little pieces makes it easier to assimilate.  If you know the format of your exam — short answers, multiple choice, identification — you can make up questions that match the material.  On one side of an index card, write a question, and put the answer on the other side.

This has the benefit of #2 as you rewrite the question, and provides you with a quick means of studying that’s easy to use.  Carry the flashcards with you to school and ask yourself a few questions in between classes or at lunch.  This enables quick studying within your busy schedule when you can’t devote time to it.

Making up your own fake exams and then taking them yourself works in a similar way, but I enjoy the flashcards as they segment things nicely.  If you have time, you can run through the flashcards in reverse, reading the answers and then determining the questions Jeopardy-style.  This can help you anticipate different ways that the questions may be asked.

4. Talk it out

If you can make friends in your course, or at least have a quick study session with some of your classmates, you may get some different perspectives that help you understand the material.  My wife is in two of my classes with me, and I find that discussing the course content with her is a huge help.  We have different learning styles, so we tend to absorb different information during the lectures.  Comparing notes, we both get a better understanding of what’s important in the lecture, and pick up on some new details.

5. Learn how you learn

Everybody learns differently.  I’m a very spatial learner, so visualizing things works well for me.  I draw diagrams when I can, and when it comes to fine details, I tend to try and remember what the lecture slide or textbook page that had the answer looked like.  The flashcards from #3 work the same way for me, as I can usually remember the different look of each one after having seen them a few times.

But that won’t work for everyone.  Some people learn better by understanding the relationships between facts, while others simply have to memorize and recite the information.  It takes some trial and error, but you need to find out what works best for you, and adapt your study methods to it.

So what about you?  How do you study, and what wisdom can you provide?  I’m sure I could use some!