How to Study More Effectively

Setting Yourself Up for Success

Perform a resource reconnaissance. Sit down and make a list of what you think will be on an exam or quiz. Next, write down all the resources you have at your disposal to help you learn the information, such as taking a practice exam or joining a study group. If you are studying for an exam, look back on the previous quizzes. Some of that information is bound to come up again. Quizzes are smaller than exams, and typically only cover information from the current section or chapter. If you can't find a practice exam or study group, create your own!

Create a study plan. Once you figure out what you need to study and how you will take advantage of the resources at your disposal, sit down and make a study schedule. Block out periods of time within your schedule to dedicate to studying and stick to the plan. You can change your study schedule slightly, but try not to change it too much! Make sure you give yourself more time than you think you need, specially if it is a subject that you struggle with.

Get in a positive mindset. You need to be in as positive a mindset as possible when you sit down to study. If you are emotionally distracted, you will be less effective at learning and retaining information. Try to think positively while studying, and don’t compare yourself to others. Try saying something positive to yourself before you being studying, like, “I am going to ace this exam!” If you find yourself thinking negative thoughts like, “I’m going to fail that quiz,” stop the thought in its track. Replace it with a positive thought, like, “I’m going to master this material and succeed!”

Find a quiet study spot with minimal distractions. Where you study affects how effective your study sessions are. If you are distracted by television, the Internet, or your roommate, you won’t study as effectively as you would in a quiet place with fewer distractions. Take advantage of the library. Find a cozy spot with light foot traffic and start studying. Spend the afternoon studying in a quiet coffee shop. Study when your roommate is at work or class, and you have the place to yourself.

Studying Smarter

Study in intervals. Long, extended study sessions with no breaks will not help you learn information effectively. To be an effective learner, you will need to take regular breaks as you work. Try studying in 30 minutes intervals, and taking a 5-10 minute break at the end of each interval. If you find that your concentration is starting to falter, you may have to pause studying for the day or switch to a different subject. Do something relaxing during your break that doesn't take too much concentration, such as stretching or walking.

Quiz yourself. Use flash cards, mock quizzes, and practice exams to more effectively learn information. Taking a test helps you learn information better than simply re-reading the information. Try creating flash cards to quiz yourself. You can also create, or ask your instructor for, a mock quiz or practice exam. You can create a simple mock exam for yourself by copying all of the questions from your previous quizzes and answering them. Consider taking a mock quiz or exam first. The topics that you struggle the most with are the ones that you should focus on when studying.

Use as many senses as possible. Some people retain information better if multiple senses are engaged in the study process. One way to incorporate multiple senses while studying is by reading your notes out loud as you rewrite them. This approach uses multiple senses and might help you retain information more effectively.

Play a memory game. Try using a song, acronym, or mnemonic device to help you remember information. For example, if you need to memorize the notes of the treble scale, EGBDF, you can assign the letters a set of words or phrase that is easy to remember, like, “every good boy does fine.” Memory games don't work for everyone. If you find yourself struggling to memorize information using this method, skip it.

Using Notes to Study

Rewrite your own notes. When you rewrite your notes, you are reiterating information that you are already familiar with. This repetition can help you recall information from the notes more effectively. Try writing a copy of your notes before an exam or quiz to help you remember the information. Consider rewriting your notes using the same ink color that you will be using for the exam. For example, if you'll write in blue ink, write your notes in blue ink.

Put other people’s notes or outlines in your own words. It’s okay to copy someone else’s notes once in a while, but you should put them into words and phrases that make sense to you. Putting information into your own words can help you remember the important stuff later on.

Outline the information you need to learn. Creating an outline from class notes and materials is an active way to study your notes and other materials from the class. Try taking your lecture notes and making an outline of the information you took down in class. You can also incorporate information from your textbook in the outline.

Use your notes to teach someone. Teaching someone from your notes is a great way to solidify the information in your own mind. Try using your notes to develop a short lesson and ask a friend to listen to you give it. Your friend could even do the same if they are in the same class as you, so you can both reap the benefits of this activity. For example, you could create a brief PowerPoint using your notes, or write key talking points on index cards and use them to help you present the material.

Try the Cornell note-taking method. This method of note-taking requires you to plug in essential answers to questions using the information in your notes. As a result, you will be better able to retain the information in your notes.