7 Proven Study Tips

Want to do better on your tests? Or are you finding studying strategies that can help you get good score? We have found scientifically proven study techniques, perhaps these tips help you too ace that final. A new academic year is a perfect time to create your study plan using these techniques. Hope they help you develop a learning strategy that will make you achieve your study goals.

1. Study smaller portions at one go

Study smaller quantities of syllabus every day instead of taking on huge portions. If you hurry with all the chapters you haven’t yet covered, you will be able to memorise very little of it for exam day.

You need to break up information into small portions and then review that consistently over a long period of time. Therefore, learn a few rows every day and review each lesson before starting anything new – you don’t need to memorize the entire periodic table in one sitting.

2. Self-testing

Testing yourself on a regular basis is a great way to prepare yourself for exams – the more you practice, the better you’ll become. You can test yourself with flashcards; get tested by your friends or study partners, or by solving sample papers and previous year papers. Testing helps you encode the information better so you’ll do better on your exam.

3. Take regular breaks

Taking regular short breaks not only help improve your focus, they boost your productivity as well. It is because if you study one thing for too long (in one session) the new information can cause the old information to be forgotten (retroactive interference) or vice versa (proactive interference).

The optimal period in one continuous stretch is 2 hours; you can again break down it into slots of 25 minutes of solid studying followed by 5 minutes of break. If you want to continue studying, take longer breaks of around 20 minutes after every 2 hours.

4. Ask “why”

The more connections you make about a topic, the deeper the processing is, the more likely it is to make into your long-term memory. This can be a bit tricky if you don’t have a lot of background information about the topic, but even something as simple as making up a story about the topic can really help. Turning a topic into stories can help you understand it better and memorise its key details easily. You can weave important details or facts into a story – the more outlandish and ridiculous you can make it, the better.

5. Read it. Write it. Say it.

Reading the chapters and highlighting important portions help a lot, but when you write down the main points you read, it helps you retain information even more. Read important points aloud and write them down after. This ensures that you don’t just see the points, but you hear them and write them too.

6. Get into a routine

Setting up your study routine will help you get organised and make the most of your time- also, it will put your mind at ease. Find the time of day that works best for you and make a plan to hit the books. Some of you are early birds, some are night owls; some prefer to study with a friend, others need complete and total silence. Once you figure out what time is the most effective for you to study, stick with it!

7. Prepare notes effectively

Proper note taking is very important for effectively completing the syllabus at the last minute. In your textbook, you can turn the headings and subheadings into questions that could be asked in the exam. Jot down possible questions at the side of important portions of text. Go through the text again and record important points in your own words separately. Put them in bullets or in boxes for better visual representation. Recite the points you noted to yourself.

If you’re studying in Resonance, you can make an appointment with your mentor to learn proven techniques to study effectively and get help strategise your studies.

All the best!
Team Resonance