Parents and teachers often tell students, “study hard” but if students are not using the right study techniques they won’t be able to learn fast and get good grades in examination. There are students who put so much time and effort in their studies still they struggle to perform better. On the other side, there are students who seem to not study at all, put less effort in their studies, and yet they are able to ace the test and secure straight As’.
If you are wondering, “What is the secret sauce behind it”, trust me, the secret is that there are scientifically proven ways to study smart and enhance your learning skills. By learning how to study smart, you can spend less time on your studies as well as enhance your learnings more effectively and efficiently.
This blog provides you techniques that help you to study smart.
Study smart tips for students
Use recall of information periodically
A lot of us most likely forget the information that we have acquired after a few days. Many students often get frustrated and lose motivation to study when they fail to remember information during exams.
As fading theory suggests “ the brain memory is like a path you make in the woods. If you don’t walk along the same path, it eventually disappears”. In other words, most information will fade away if you don’t recall it. That’s why periodic recall of information is essential if you want to retain information in your memory for a long time.
For most students, the best practice is reviewing what you learn within a day or two after attending a class lecture or reading books. Afterward, when you review the materials for next time, you don’t have to recall the full topic; instead, you can review the important points and the key facts. This will take approximately 15-20 minutes of study time, and you will be able to learn at a faster pace, hence saving more time to carry other activities.
Involve your study material and friends
Have you ever experienced reading books up to the finish line and then you realize you don’t know anything at all or you can’t even recall the details in the storyline?
As you sit to study, your mind wanders a lot because your brain gets bored. Does this happen to you when you are watching a movie? Probably not at all, right? This is because you are paying attention and there is ongoing interaction with the character while you are watching a movie. In the same way, your study will be really enjoyable and effective if you involve and interact with the study materials.
Most students study but very few of them test themselves by asking questions, practice answering those questions during the study session. So don’t just passively re-read your textbook. Instead, study smart by asking questions or quizzing yourself or explaining yourself what you understand after finishing a topic. One of the best effective study smart techniques is writing down notes of anything that you have studied. You can extract all the main points or rephrase them in your own language. This way, your brain will re-engage with information and strengthen your long term learning.
Similarly, another effective way to study smart is teaching your friends. In the words of Albert Einstein– “If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough”. Teaching allows you to have a deeper understanding of the subject. When you explain to others, you will repeat information so that it will retain in your long term memory. Next time, if your friend asks you any questions or needs any help, don’t hesitate to teach him/her.
Understanding is key
Oftentimes, many students fall under study trap, they study for long hours without improving any grades in their examination. The problem with many students is they try to memorize everything without understanding the context. They often get trouble during the exam if the question requires understanding and application of knowledge.
When you understand a concept, you can answer any type of question asked in your exam. Here are some tips you can follow to get a better understanding of the subject matter:
- Alternate different problem-solving techniques during your practice.
- Use explanatory questioning and simple analogies.
- Connect what you know to the concept you are trying to learn.
- Use different resources to learn the same information. For instance, videos, books from different authors, images to name a few.
Space your study sessions
Have you ever had trouble concentrating on a task for a long time?
Studies show that taking small breaks help to improve your attention. In other words, the human brain is effective at absorbing and retaining information if you take multiple, shorter study sessions than cramming in all the information at once.
In the words of Marty Lobdell, who gives a famous lecture on “study less, study smart”, the human ability to retain information diminishes after 30 minutes. So studying in chunked session is an effective smart study technique for students. You can take a small break during your study session and reward yourself with some fun activities. So if you are planning for studying 2 hours at once, try to break into four study session of half an hour each. This way feel less anxious and able to retain information easily.
Do not cram
Most students procrastinate and let themselves fall behind their study. When the exam comes they start cramming before the exam day and try to finish all their lessons at once. But the problem with cramming is you might pass the exam but you won’t be able to retain for a long time. Note that cramming before an exam is a bad idea. Research shows that cramming results in lower Intelligent Quotient (I.Q) and emotional distress.
The best way to study smart is to follow study routine consistently. Instead of pulling an all-nighter, you can follow a consistent routine and apply time bound study goals. This study smart approach helps you develop good study habits, therefore, you become more productive which helps you succeed academically.
Avoid multitasking
You might feel “productive” when you are doing multiple things at a time. However, studies show the opposite, even if you think you are good at multitasking, it makes you less productive than what you can actually accomplish. So when you start your study period, avoid multitasking and just focus on one thing at a time i.e, one lesson at a time.
The most notable thing among most students is using a smartphone while studying. Studies show that active use of electronic devices can be really distracting for your study and result in diminishing performance. To study smart you must have a deeper concentration on your study so that you will learn faster.
That’s why keeping your phone away or keeping it in silent mode improves your focus and helps you learn faster. Besides, you can use productivity apps to study smart and limit your digital habits. For instance, using Studious apps help you study smart by organizing your study schedule. To know more about mobile applications that help you study smart, read here.
When it comes to studying, there is no one size fit solution for all types of students. However, you can follow the smart study tips and ace your exam. We all learn in different ways, so you need to find what works for you.
Samriddhi School, one of the best schools in Kathmandu, is committed to inspire and motivate students to achieve the highest standards of intellectual development as well as personal growth, through a stimulating and comprehensive educational program. At Samriddhi School, our teaching method is focused not only to improving grades but also we emphasize study smart techniques that really work for our students. Our learning resources and facilities create a unique learning environment beyond the traditional classroom that aims towards exploring the full potential of our students. In terms of the overall academic program, we at Samriddhi School places a pronounced emphasis on preschools, primary and secondary level education as well as +2 management as part of our education program.
For more information about our school in Kathmandu, please visit our website or Contact us– 014390590/ 4383777.