By forexlibrary 
Do you feel like your study habits need to be fixed? What can you do to be more effective in class and on exams? Many college students find that their high school studies could be more helpful in college. It is understandable as college is very different from high school. Professors are less involved in the classes, exams are more valuable, reading is more intense, and courses are more rigorous. This doesn’t necessarily mean you need to be better. It just means that you need to improve your study skills. There are many effective and active study strategies that can be used in college classes.
This handout contains several tips for effective studying. These tips will help you learn course material efficiently and effectively by being a part of your daily study routine. Try them all and discover the ones that work best for you.
Reading is not the same as studying
It is not active engagement to read and re-read texts or take notes. This is simply rereading your notes. It is not learning if you only ‘do’ the readings in class. This is just doing the readings for class. It is easy to forget when you re-read.
Reading is an essential part of pre-studying. However, learning information requires active engagement with the material (Edwards 2014). Active engagement refers to the act of making meaning from text. It involves connecting lectures and creating examples. You can also regulate your learning (Davis 2007). It does not include highlighting, underlining, rereading, or memorization. These activities can be useful in keeping you focused on the task but they are not active learning techniques and have weak links to improving learning (Mackenzie 1994).
Planning and organization will make it easier to study effectively for your courses. To prepare for a test, first, organize your materials and then start your active review by topic. (Newport 2007). Professors often provide subtopics to the syllabus. These subtopics can be used to organize your materials. You can gather all the materials related to a topic, such as PowerPoint notes, textbook notes, articles, homework, and so on. Put them all together in a pile. Each pile should be labeled with the topic. Then, study according to the topics.
Understanding the Study Cycle
Frank Christ developed the Study Cycle which breaks down different aspects of studying. These include reviewing, previewing, attending class, and reviewing. While each step may appear obvious, students often try to skip important steps and miss learning opportunities. You might skip reading before class to cover the same material. This is a mistake that can lead to you missing an opportunity to learn in different ways (reading and listening) as well as the repetition and distributed practice (see #3) that comes from both attending class and reading ahead. It is important to understand the importance of each stage of the learning cycle so that you don’t miss out on opportunities to learn.
Spacing out is a good idea
Distributed practice is a great learning strategy. It allows you to spread your study over a number of short periods over several days or weeks. It is best to spend a small amount of time in each class each day. This will make it more effective. While the total time you spend studying will not be as long (or shorter) than a few marathon library sessions, you will still learn more and retain more information over the long term. This will help you get an A on your final. It is not how many hours you study that matters. Studies that are too long can lead to poor concentration, which in turn leads to less learning and retention.
You can learn more by spacing out your work. This will help you avoid procrastination. Instead of spending four hours working on the dreaded assignment Monday through Friday, you can work on it for only 30 minutes each day. A shorter and more consistent work time on a project that is feared will be easier to accept and less likely to be missed. If you need to remember material for class (names of dates, formulas, etc. ), it is better to make flashcards and review the material throughout the day than to do a long memorization session. To learn more, see our handout memorization strategies.
It’s great to be intense
All learning is not equal. If you study intensely, you will achieve more. You will be able to accomplish more if you study intensively for a short time. Intensive study sessions that are shorter and more efficient than long-term studies are better.
Newport, 2007, states that the best way to study is to spread your work over several sessions. Intensive study sessions are 30 to 45 minutes long and can include active learning strategies. Self-testing, for example, is an active strategy to increase the study intensity and learning efficiency. But, if you plan to spend hours on self-testing, it is possible to lose your focus and become distracted.
However, it is much easier to retain and pay attention to the course material if you have a plan. The shorter and more intense sessions will likely increase the pressure to avoid procrastination.
Silence is not golden
Find out where you prefer to study. You might not find the quietest place to study in a library. Consider what type of noise environment is best for you. Some people find background noise helps them concentrate. While some people find classical music helps them focus, others find it distracting. It is possible that the quiet of the library can be as distracting or more distracting than the gym’s noise. If silence is too distracting but you still prefer to study in the library’s library, then the first or second floors are better because there’s more background noise.
Active studying is not always silent. It often requires you to speak the material out loud.
You can count on your friends to help you with problems
For technical courses, such as math and economics, it is essential to work on and re-work problems. You should be able to explain how the problem works and the steps involved.
It is often more important to solve problems in technical courses than to read the text (Newport 2007). Write down the problems that the professor has demonstrated in class. If you have any questions, ask them. Record the question and answer, even if you don’t understand the steps.
Prepare a list of problems from lectures and course materials to help you prepare for the tests. Then, work the problems and explain how they work (Carrier 2003).
Multitasking is a possibility
Research has shown that multitasking can actually hinder efficiency and even lead to lower results (Junco 2012).
You will be able to study more effectively and less distracted if you eliminate distractions from your studies. You can’t allow social media, internet browsing, gaming, texting, or any other distractions to interrupt your study sessions. If you allow these things, they will greatly impact the intensity of your study sessions. Multi-tasking (e.g. responding to texts while you study) increases the time required to learn the material and reduces learning quality (Junco 2012).
You will be able to focus on your studies if you eliminate distractions. Don’t use your computer to do homework. Apps can help you limit the time you spend on certain sites. Your phone should be turned off. You can reward intensive study with a social media break. But make sure to time your break! For more strategies and tips, see our handout managing technology.
Change your setting
You can find many places to study on campus. If you feel it is not working for you, you can move it.
Find out when and where your strengths are. Your focus may shift at 10:00 PM. Your focus at 10:00 AM may be less sharp than it is at 10:00 AM. You might be more productive in a coffee shop that has background noise or in the study area of your residence hall. Maybe you are more productive if you study on your own bed.
There are many places on campus that offer great study spaces. This will allow you to find the perfect spot wherever you are. You might eventually find your current spot too comfortable to be a good spot to study. It’s time for a change!