In any classroom, we find various kinds of students. There are some who seem to work the hardest and yet end up with fairly average grades. Then, there are others who are never seen putting in extra efforts than the bare minimum required of everyone, and yet seem to pass with flying colors in the examinations. It is often assumed that these students are the gifted lot and their achievements are thought of as an exception rather than something which, with the right guidance, most students can work towards and achieve.
While it may be true that some students are naturally better at studying more efficiently, there is no reason why others can’t learn to do the same. “How to study?” is a question which is time and again ignored and more focus is put instead on “What and how much to study?” by educators and students alike. Educators should also learn how to teach online in order to become better suited at helping their students improve their study skills. Most students are never taught how to study in an effective and efficient manner so as to get the best bang for their buck. Having good study skills will help you not only with your academics, but will help you in learning anything more efficiently throughout your life. Here are some of the best-known, scientifically proven hacks which will definitely improve your study skills and help you in kicking your academic performance up a notch or two. So, without further ado, let us begin….
Spaced Studying-
Research on student psychology shows that most students prefer burning the midnight oil a day or to prior to a big examination than distributing their workload into short, regular and spaced intervals. Needless to say, spacing your studies is quite beneficial as compared to cramming everything in one go, as your brain has a limit to how much it can absorb and assimilate in a single sitting. It can be better understood with the help of a leaky bucket analogy. Your brain is like a bucket from which a little amount of water(information) is leaking every moment to make room for new water. Now, if you pour in large amounts of water into the bucket, the water will obviously overflow which is what happens when we try to get in large chunks of information in our brain, in a single sitting. However, if the same information was gained in a multiple, timely and spaced intervals, it would give us the best chance of remembering, reproducing and applying most of our knowledge in the examination environment. Moreover, when we forgo our sleep a night prior to any exam, we are half as focused and efficient that we would be if we were well rested. So, students, you should make sure that you space out your studying.
Practice-
Practice makes a man perfect. Just like musicians practice their instruments regularly in order to maintain their skill, students should also practice more in order to be a better learner. Make sure that you test yourself regularly after reading the study material.
Learn from Mistakes-
Many students get demotivated by mistakes and give up once they become a regular occurrence. Mistakes are the only guaranteed way which helps us progress and correct our course. Students should learn to accept their mistakes as an essential part of life. However, they should also make sure that they analyze their mistakes and learn something from them so as to not repeat the same mistake multiple times.
Avoid Rereading the Study Material-
Rereading the study material multiple times, might not be as effective as many of us assume it to be. Psychologists categorize rereading under bad study skills. Actually, most of the rereading done by the students is superficial and does little to solidify the information into the brain. Instead, try to look for more active ways of internalizing the material after your first reading itself, especially if you have understood the concepts clearly. Testing yourselves, answering questions based on the material you read and explaining the material to your peers are just some of the ways in which you can solidify your knowledge more effectively.
Even though often ignored, knowing how to study is just as important, if not more than knowing what to study. By following the tips mentioned in this article, any student can improve their study skills and improve their academic performance with minimum efforts.