Top Tips to Help You Study Effectively

Studying with focus and pointed attention is almost always a challenge for most students. Sparing a select few, short attention spans coupled with clouded thinking and procrastination often make studying an arduous task for students across age groups. The nights before are especially difficult with panicked students trying to cram all the information they can before they sit the exam. But how effective is this method after all? Knowing how to study effectively can solve numerous problems including academic anxiety and last-minute information overload. Using time-tested study tips and memorization techniques can help you utilize your time effectively, while also aiding your journey to better grades on your tests. 

Beyond tips and tricks to study effectively, it’s also imperative to stick to schedules and incorporate a degree of discipline to remain consistent in your efforts. Though there are numerous methods to retain information and study better, only a few of them might apply to you. Be sure to take your time to understand, implement, and try these methods before inculcating them as regular study habits and routines. Studying is always a continuous process that involves practice and reinvention. Don’t forget to approach your existing methods and tweak them occasionally based on the ever-evolving academic environment.

What You Should Know

While studying is directly impacted by effort, there are also numerous methods to make you more efficient. Inculcating a good regimen when studying is key to bettering your grades at school. That being said, it is just as important to understand how learning and memorization work before you get down to implementing the best study methods. Analyze core facets of how you should be preparing for your course before you set out to implement the methods mentioned below. These include: 

• The subjects you need to prepare for 
• The time available to you for studying 
• What you already know about learning, memorizing, and recollecting 
• The study material you have at your disposal 
• Managing academic stress

Having a basic idea of the above-mentioned aspects will help you set up a better strategy to study effectively and do better at school.

How to Study Effectively: Effective Study Tips for College

Though these methods don’t promise miraculous transformation of grades overnight, they do, however, ensure improvement when deployed diligently in your studying efforts. 

The Basics

While studying might be a purely academic undertaking, numerous factors affect your effectiveness when it comes to retaining information. Taking an organized approach and considering all the aspects of how you can make the best use of your time is imperative. Tracking your progress is essential in making steady improvements and achieving your study goals.

1. List Your Distractions & Set Them Aside

• Getting distracted is among the most common reasons for insufficient time and a lack of effective preparation.
• Avoid studying while having your technological distractions such as phones around. Constant notifications and social media tend to draw you away from your assignments and derail your study efforts. Try to turn off data or wireless internet and leave your phone on only to accept important calls until you’re done studying. 
• Similarly, avoid studying in a place with a running television, or rather, don’t have the TV on when studying. Splitting your attention between studying and watching something on the TV can dilute what you learn and ruin the memorization process. 
• Close all the web pages on your computer that are not related to your coursework and avoid accessing social media through it. This tip applies if you really must use a computer when studying. 
• If you tend to study in a group, try to promote and encourage discussions related to the topics at hand unless you’re on a break.

2. Set a Target

• Clearly defining what you want to achieve by the end of a particular time frame is a great way to begin. 
• The brain is capable of functioning better when it has a clear goal to focus on. 
• Jot down what you want to study and how much time you would need for each topic. In case you’re studying for a test, understand what you would need to know to score well and plan your targets accordingly. 
• Try not to be excessive when setting your goals. It’s important to be realistic and augment your efforts accordingly. Setting targets in an overoptimistic manner and then falling short ends up demotivating numerous students. Try to compartmentalize what you’re capable of doing in a given period and focus your efforts accordingly. 
• Above all, while setting targets is one aspect of how to study effectively, the other entails sticking to these targets and following through.

3. Organize Your Calendar & Create Schedules

• Set aside time on the weekends to plan your schedule for the forthcoming week. Get into every last detail, and check your timetable to make a note of the classes you’re set to take. Also, include the details of the time you must set aside for the content covered in each class. 
• Allocate time for your assignments and homework while determining how much time you require to complete them. Make realistic estimations and ensure that you don’t ignore daily assignments in your attempt to study better. Instead, use them as opportunities to improve your study efforts. 
• Create an outline for the week’s tasks on the weekends, and get into the details of the study plans for the next day the night before. 
• Dedicate enough time for yourself to relax and recoup your faculties, so you can focus better. Packing your schedule too tightly without any time for you to take a breather has a detrimental impact on your academic performance. 

4. Organize Your Study Material 

• Setting everything in order will not only allow you to keep track of the topics you’ve covered but also help you in being conscious of the progress you’ve made.  
• Maintain a notebook or a journal to enter everything you’ve studied daily. Structure the journal based on date and time, so you have a clear record of how much you’ve done and what still needs to be addressed. 
• This approach helps you save time since you will have a detailed record of your academic progress. 
• If you find it convenient, you may also use digital journals and tracking applications to organize and schedule your study efforts.

The Best Study Methods Begin in the Classroom

Most students view their time in class as something separate from their time spent studying. However, you can begin your approach to better grades in the classroom, given that it is your primary point of contact with new information related to your coursework. Capitalizing on the time spent in class has a major impact on how you process information and study. Be sure to remain attentive when something new is being discussed, and make an effort to review it after your day at school.

1. Practice Active Listening

• Remain focused on what the teacher is saying throughout the class. One of the best tips for studying better is to gather information accurately when you first come across a new topic. For most students, this is in a classroom. 
• Stay away from distractions and pay attention to every bit of information your teacher has to share. 
• Take notes actively and also include bits of information mentioned by the teacher in passing. These might contain valuable cues on how to deal with the topic. 
• Avoid jumping to conclusions and wait for the discussion to begin before you begin asking questions. Also, don’t hesitate to address your queries and clarify any points of confusion during the Q&A sessions. 

2. Write Detailed & Clear Notes

• Several points of import might be lost due to the nature of short-term memory and the tendency to leave out minute details. To address this aspect of human memory, you will have to note down everything discussed in class in a detailed, yet readable manner. 
• Use short sentences to help you keep up with the teacher’s monologue. While being succinct, ensure you don’t leave out any crucial details to avoid missing out on important information about the topic. 
• Writing down what’s being discussed has another advantage – storing information in your brain’s long-term memory. By writing the information in a notebook, you reinforce its contents to promote better understanding and future recollection. 
• You might want to spend some time after the class to condense the information you noted down. Use tools such as flowcharts and bullet points to categorize and collate all the data in your notes. 
• If you end up missing a class, contact your friends and classmates to help you update your notes. 

3. Don’t Hesitate to Ask Questions

• Even outside of the classroom, do not avoid approaching your teachers and counselors. Discussing what you find complex or confusing might help you resolve important issues that might be necessary for you to fare better at school. 
• Taking the initiative to speak with your teachers can go a long way in helping you study effectively. 
• Teachers are capable of pointing you in the right direction when it comes to preparing effectively for your exams. You might even be able to ask your teachers for effective studying tips they stand by. 
• Interactions with your teachers are bound to give you a new perspective on your study material and help you structure your efforts better.

Tips for Studying: Know How Learning Works

Everyone has different methods of studying and utilizes what works best for their academic necessities. It’s important to have a clear picture of how you learn to allow you to structure your study plans. The best study methods are often subjective, with no two people learning a topic in the same manner. However, it’s also important to consider time-tested strategies and methods before settling on a few to help you prepare effectively.

1. Try out Different Methods 

• You might not find the best method to help you study in your initial attempts. However, it’s important to spend some time trying to find what works best for you. 
• Try out each method separately and at least for a week. This will help you assess the method’s potential for producing tangible results. 
• Weed out methods that don’t seem to fit your style, and stick to what produces the best results. 
• However, it is important to note that you might also find a combination of methods to be effective. Using the best practices from a variety of study methods is highly effective for some students. 

2. Study with a Group to Understand the Experience 

• Many students find studying with partners and a large group to be a very fruitful undertaking. 
• The interactive environment promotes a variety of discussions that aids better understanding, memorization, and recollection of information. 
• Moreover, members of the group including yourself might have numerous doubts and questions regarding the topics being discussed. This allows you and your study partners to test their own learning by addressing these questions and discussions. Not only does this clarify various confusions about the topic, but it also allows the students clarifying these confusions to revise and test their understanding of the material. 
• Group settings promote a positive learning atmosphere and provide a highly motivating environment for students to do better. If a group member feels low or concerned about their progress, study partners often jump in and raise their spirits to help them prepare effectively. 
• However, it must also be noted that many students are solitary learners and might prefer the confines of their room or a corner of the library to carry out their preparations. Try each of these methods and observe what produces better results. 

3. Don’t Rely Merely on Reading

• Many students try to simply read the study material and notes repeatedly in an attempt to absorb the information for their exams. 
• However, learning occurs only when you decode the content in your books to effectively create stable memories of the information. 
• You might even have to engage the content effectively and make associations with what you learned in class. Formulating analogies and creating a detailed understanding of each concept might also be crucial to effective learning and recall. 
• For subjects that require visual cues and explanations, rely on diagrams, flowcharts, and models to help you further your learning. While viewing and visualizing the concepts might help, it is equally effective to imitate the diagrams in your textbooks or modules so you effectively formulate your understanding pictorially. 
• Understand why problems are solved using the concepts in your study material. Come up with original questions and examples that you can solve using the techniques mentioned in the subject matter. 
• As far as subjects like math go, analyze each step of the problem and how it connects to the previous as well as the forthcoming step of the solution. 
• Highlight important points and laws that might have to be stated as is in a test. 

4. Understand & Stick to the Study Cycle

• The study cycle is an important part of the studying process. It categorizes academic preparation into four different stages:
  • Pre-reading
  • Attending classes 
  • Rereading 
  • Studying 
• It’s important to briefly read what your teacher is going to cover in the upcoming class before you attend it. While the contents might not make much sense before the class, reading the text might help you make associations when your teacher covers the various aspects of the topic in class. This strengthens your understanding by associations since your brain links your learning in class to the pre-reading exercise. 
• Be attentive in your classes and jot down all the important points discussed for reviewing and rereading later. Follow the points mentioned in the previous section when writing notes for your classes. 
• Make it a point to take time and read through your notes after you’re done with your classes. This further strengthens your familiarity with the subject matter by reinforcing existing concepts and memories created during the pre-reading exercise and from class. The rereading process helps you revisit all concepts and points discussed by your teacher and decode the concepts with clarity. 
• The process of studying begins following the rereading exercise. Approaching studying after these three steps will have you fully prepared for the intricacies of each topic and will essentially be the fourth time you approach it. Apart from repetition, this process also promotes novel approaches to the subject matter every time you return to it. This strengthens your rationalization of the topic and enhances memorization.

Tips for Studying Systematically

No matter how extensive, taking the right approach to studying will help you truly learn, instead of merely memorizing what’s in your textbook. Taking the systematic approach will allow you to not only learn everything recommended by your teaching staff but also enable you to quantify your learning and chart accurate estimations for future preparations.

1. Pick the Right Place to Study

• For some, this might be the library, whereas for others it might be in the confines of their room. While this is left to your discretion, make sure that there’s enough light and a rather calm ambiance to support your efforts. 
• Try and pick a place that’s free of distractions and constant foot traffic. You may find designated study areas in your school or college to be conducive spots for studying effectively. 
• If you’re planning to study with a group, ensure your group picks a place that is spacious, well-lit, and easily accessible to all of its members. 

2. Avoid Stretching Yourself Thin

• Adding too many topics to your study schedule can result in demotivation and added stress. The goal of organizing your study efforts is to reduce the existing academic strain and compartmentalize it, so you can deal with it appropriately. 
• Moreover, adding too many topics to cover within a short period will not allow you to get into the depths of the subject and prevent effective learning. Instead, by compounding your stress levels, it impacts memorization negatively and impedes mental health. 
• Outline what isn’t clear and make a note of it to discuss it with your instructors later. Instead of wasting time on a single topic that isn’t being understood, you might as well move on to covering something that you have a better grasp on. 

3. Split Your Study Sessions 

• If you’re not comfortable with studying for long hours, there’s no reason to push yourself to do it. Instead, you can split your studies into smaller chunks of time. This promotes better learning and also helps you remain stress-free. 
• You might want to consider studying in short periods of 30 minutes followed by 5- to 10-minute breaks to help your mind rejuvenate. Breaks improve your efficiency and also provide an incentive to study with dedication and make better use of your time. 
• While most students emphasize studying for extensive durations, it is important to note that it is the quality of studying that matters when you’re trying to fathom how to study effectively. 

4. Use Examples & Sample Solutions

• While you might be stuck solving complex problems listed under the essential academic outcomes section, be sure to take a detailed look at the sample solutions in the study material. 
• The sample tasks and solutions often list several important steps and their associated explanations for students to learn from. 
• These samples provide a well-rounded understanding of all the concepts involved in solving problems and answering associated questions. 
• You might even want to look at sample problems, essays, and solutions online to help you practice further. Solve and analyze each of them diligently to enhance your preparation and reinforce your learning of the topic. 

5. Utilize Self-testing

• Self-tests are a great way to understand how effective your preparation is. From online tests to sample papers, you can check your progress using mock tests. 
• Be honest with yourself in your self-assessments. Evaluate yourself with honesty and make a note of the topics which might need more effort to perfect. 
• Recalling solutions to problems and questions strengthens your learning. Furthermore, writing it down reinforces it even more, establishing it as a concrete memory in your brain. 
• Moreover, taking mock tests also helps you understand the time available to you during the actual exam. This goes a long way in inculcating effective time management practices.

Additional Practices & Supportive Study Tips

Apart from studying, it is also important to take into account all the factors that influence your mental health and memory. A stressed mind is often unable to focus effectively and soak up sufficient information. Now, this does not mean you shouldn’t challenge or push yourself to do better from time to time; however, taxing yourself beyond a limit is detrimental to your long-term progress and can harm your efforts.

1. Keep Yourself Motivated

• Though your recommended learning goals might seem daunting, it’s important to stick to your plans and remain positive. 
• There might be setbacks and stages in your preparation where you might find yourself to be stagnating. However, don’t overthink this and get back to your study plans to assess what you can change instead of panicking. 
• Take small steps and cover a manageable set of topics in a given period. Though this might seem slow at the start, the portions add up and allow you to cover considerable swathes of the syllabus. 
• Getting demoralized affects your preparation in more ways than you can think. Stay consistent and stick to your study plans. However, don’t fret if you seem to be missing out on some of your planned sessions. Try to take charge of your schedule and manage your time better to cover up for what you missed. 

2. Set Time Aside to Relax

• The human brain is not capable of maintaining focus constantly for extended periods. Not only does this impact the quality of your studies, but it also affects your mental health. 
• Ensure your schedule has ample time for you to indulge in activities apart from studying. 
• It could be anything from playing a sport, meeting with friends, playing video games, or exercising. Utilize your relaxation time to the fullest to help your brain recuperate from rigorous efforts. 
• Also, take some time to breathe consciously or to meditate. Not only does this boost focus, but it also helps you de-stress and remain calm.

3. Reign in Anxiety 

• Anxiety and nervousness hamper your preparation the most. These conditions impact memory and dampen your concentration. 
• If you’re stuck wondering about how to study effectively for exams, the first exercise to undertake is to control anxiety and manage stress. 
• If you find yourself to be panicking and excessively stressed, step away for a bit and try to calm yourself down by taking time to breathe. Deep breathing and methods such as square breathing can help you manage anxiety and stress. 
• If you find yourself frequently haunted by anxiety attacks and bouts of stress before your exams, you might want to speak to your counselor for further advice and assistance.

The above-mentioned tips and methods will help you in your journey to understanding how to study effectively and score better in your assessments. However, it is also important that you analyze, implement, and test out these methods before you make them a part of your study habits. Everyone has their own approach to studying; the above suggestions are a simple guide to help simplify the same.