Want to know what are some effective studying techniques? Then you’re in the right place.
I set out to write on this topic seeing that students can benefit, especially today, as they have all the resources they can get if they intend to study hard at school. I present to students the best way to motivate themselves and the techniques to improve their efficiency and productivity of study. These methods work well for me, and I hope they are useful and simple for you too.
Effective Studying Techniques For Students:
1. Setting goals
Goals are essential to identify a direction and specific objective for you to work towards. Give yourself a minute to consider and ponder- what do you really want for yourself in the long term? When you ask yourself that, what comes to your mind? Good grades, productive use of your time?
Everyone wants to be successful. It is good to have such ambitions. That is your first step towards achieving it.
Do this: Write down three things you want to achieve in the long term, noting the time frame down too. These are the long term goals you want to work towards. It has to be your own personal goals which will motivate you to study. This is important as it is your driving force and general purpose.
Next, write three short term goals. These three are shorter term objectives, meaning instead of getting the ‘A’ for final examinations, you aim to get ‘A’ for your short term test. This short term goal will give you momentum to achieve the larger goal in the long term.
2. Visualise Success
Now, look at these long term and short term goals. Read each out loud and visualize success in your head. How you will feel on the day and the date which it will happen. When reading the goals, imagine yourself carrying out the task and how you feel while doing that. Read them out with conviction and determination every single day until it sticks to you and you live your life pursuing your goal. This is a crucial step to getting yourself on the path to achieve something good.
3. Plan action steps
For each short term goal, write down three specific action steps you will take to achieve them. They must be steps you are willing to undertake and commit to. These are the concrete actions you will carry out to work towards your goals. Likewise, read them out everyday, visualize how you do it and how you feel. Fill yourself with the motivation and strong desire to achieve your goals.
4. Find a suitable environment
Before you start, you must ensure that your workplace is conducive for you. If you work best in a certain environment, go out and find that environment. If it does not yet exist around you, take steps to create a place for study. For example, the library offers quiet and many resources for your learning.
If your home is suitable, create a space that you will always do your work in when you committed to it. Find somewhere familiar and get used to being comfortable there for productive study to happen. Before you start, make sure your being is in the right place to study.
SEE ALSO: How To Study Better: 10 Study Tips Every Student Should Know
5. Start Now
The Power of NOW cannot be underestimated. Immediately get to what you have planned for. It is utmostly important that you begin work straight away when the motivation is there. There is no bargaining for this. Begin NOW. Do something you have written in your action plan, even if it seems insignificant. This vested effort will begin your investment for more effort to achieve your goal.
6. Understand your learning style
There are many kinds of learners according to learning experts. Three broad categories are: visual, audio and kinesthetic learners. Understand which one you belong in. How you read a book can tell you what kind of learner you are. If you imagine the scene in pictures, you are a visual learner. Audio learners hear characters conversing as they read the story. Kinesthetic learners learn best by gestures, role playing or acting out.
7. Use Learning Techniques
When you understand your learning style, use study methods that work best with your specific learning style. Visual learners can make use of mind maps to organize information into branches of knowledge, with the main branch being the overall topic which is broken down into smaller branches of content and details.
Another kind of learners are audio learners. They learn by reading aloud, listening to lectures and explanations. Audio learners can benefit by reading out information and recording to listen.
Kinesthetic learners learn better with information that they can interact with and move around.
With an understanding of how you learn, you can improve your efficiency of absorbing information. It is not necessary to only use one type of study method to aid your memory absorption. Us e a variety of learning methods to grasp a new concept, but place emphasis on a certain method which helps you learn effectively.
8. Develop study habits
Make it a habit to study at the same period of the day for the same interval of time. Study for 30 minute intervals and take 5 minute breaks in between. Take a moderate approach to the amount of time you study, so that you do not overly stress yourself.
Commit yourself to develop this habit by doing it every day. Build good habits by practicing it daily for a month. Habits can be broken if they are neglected for a week. Good habits help you develop a regular routine to study more consistently.
SEE ALSO: How To Manage Time In College: Top 5 Hacks For College Students
9. Revision
It is important to revise the material that you have spent time learning. Make it a practice to go back to concepts that you have learnt after a days’ time, a week and then a month. This will help you familiarize yourself with new concepts. As you have already comprehend and absorbed these concepts into your long term memory, you would not exert too much effort to remember them. This helps you when you are focusing to solve a given problem on a test.
10. Review good strategies
Tests are there for you to evaluate your performances. They help you review your studying techniques and your effectiveness in how you learn the information. If you are not getting the grades you aimed for, do not lose heart.
Consider asking is there a way to improve your study technique or switching to a more effective one. Would you need to learn to work under timed test conditions? Do not view failure to understand content as de-facto failure itself. Alternatively, see it as feedback and a signal for improvement.
When you are confused with learning new material or solving a difficult problem, do not feel disheartened; feel inspired because confusion is a process whereby your brain is learning new ways of doing things. Being confused in no way means that someone is dull or benighted.
On the other hand, if something works well and it reflects in your test score, make it a habit in your study routine.
11. Consult for help
At times, we require external resources to help us learn better because they improve our understanding of content. Arrange tutoring classes with teachers or external tutors so that they can see your progress and guide you in your study methods. At times, your peers can help too if they grasp the material and are able to communicate it to you. It is also useful if you can teach others a concept that you understand because it helps you retain the information better and communicate it to others.
There are many online resources for the student such as explanation videos. The internet provides solutions online for solving simple problems. This allows the learner to learn at his desired pace.
