How to Study More Effectively

Students grapple with many issues in their lives, and because of all of the competing things for your attention, it’s hard to concentrate on studying. And yet if you’re in school, you have to do at least a little studying in order to progress from year to year. The key to effective studying isn’t cramming or studying longer, but studying smarter. You can begin studying smarter with these ten proven and effective study habits.

1. How you approach studying matters

Too many people look at studying as a necessary task, not an enjoyment or opportunity to learn. That’s fine, but researchers have found that how you approach something matters almost as much as what you do. Being in the right mindset is important in order to study smarter.
Sometimes you can’t “force” yourself to be in the right mindset, and it is during such times you should simply avoid studying. If you’re distracted by a relationship issue, an upcoming game, or finishing an important project, then studying is just going to be an exercise in frustration. Come back to it when you’re not focused (or obsessed!) by something else going on in your life.
Way to help improve your study mindset:

• Aim to think positively when you study, and remind yourself of your skills and abilities.
• Avoid catastrophic thinking. Instead of thinking, “I’m a mess, I’ll never have enough time to study for this exam,” look at it like, “I may be a little late to study as much as I’d like, but since I’m doing it now, I’ll get most of it done.”
• Avoid absolute thinking. Instead of thinking “I always mess things up,” the more objective view is, “I didn’t do so well that time, what can I do to improve?”
• Avoid comparing yourself with others, because you usually just end up feeling bad about yourself.

2. Where you study is important

A lot of people make the mistake of studying in a place that really isn’t conducive to concentrating. A place with a lot of distractions makes for a poor study area. If you try and study in your dorm room, for instance, you may find the computer, TV, or a roommate more interesting than the reading material you’re trying to digest.
The library, a nook in a student lounge or study hall, or a quiet coffee house are good places to check out. Make sure to choose the quiet areas in these places, not the loud, central gathering areas. Investigate multiple places on-campus and off-campus, don’t just pick the first one your find as “good enough” for your needs and habits. Finding an ideal study place is important, because it’s one you can reliably count on for the next few years.

3. Bring everything you need, nothing you don’t

Unfortunately, when you find an ideal place to study, sometimes people bring things they don’t need. For instance, while it may seem ideal to type notes into a computer to refer back to later, computers are a powerful distraction for many people because they can do so many different things. Playing games, going online, IM’ing, surfing the Web, and answering emails are all wonderful distractions that have nothing to do with studying. So ask yourself whether you really need a computer to take notes, or whether you can make do with the old-fashioned paper and pen or pencil.
Don’t forget the things you need to study for the class, exam or paper you’re focusing on for the study session. Nothing is more time-consuming and wasteful than having to run back and forth regularly because you forget an important book, paper, or some other resource you need to be successful. If you study best with your favorite music playing, make sure your iPod is with you.

4. Outline and rewrite your notes

Most people find that keeping to a standard outline format helps them boil information down to its most basic components. People find that connecting similar concepts together makes it easier to remember when the exam comes around. The important thing to remember in writing outlines is that an outline only words as a learning tool when it is in your own words and structure. Every person is unique in how they put similar information together (called “chunking” by cognitive psychologists). So while you’re welcomed to copy other people’s notes or outlines, make sure you translate those notes and outlines into your own words and concepts. Failing to do this is what often causes many students to stumble in remembering important items.

It may also be helpful to use as many senses as possible when studying, because information is retained more readily in people when other senses are involved. That’s why writing notes works in the first place – it puts information into words and terms you understand. Mouthing the words out loud while you copy the notes before an important exam can be one method for involving yet another sense.

5. Use memory games (mnemonic devices)

Memory games, or mnemonic devices, are methods for remembering pieces of information using a simple association of common words. Most often people string together words to form a nonsense sentence that is easy to remember. The first letter of each word can then be used to stand for something else – the piece of information you’re trying to remember. The most common mnemonic device example is “Every Good Boy Deserves Fun.” Putting the first letters of every word together – EGBDF – gives a music student the five notes for treble clef.
The key to such memory devices is the new phrase or sentence you come up with has to be more memorable and easier to remember than the terms or information you’re trying to learn. These don’t work for everyone, so if they don’t work for you, don’t use them.
Mnemonic devices are helpful because you use more of your brain to remember visual and active images than you do to remember just a list of items. Using more of your brain means better memory.

6. Practice by yourself or with friends

The old age adage, practice makes perfect, is true. You can practice by yourself by testing yourself with either practice exams, past quizzes, or flash cards (depending what kind of course it is and what’s available). If a practice exam isn’t available, you can make one up for yourself and your classmates (or find someone who will). If a practice or old exam from a course is available, use it as a guide – do not study to the practice or old exam! (Too many students treat such exams as the real exams, only to be disappointed when the real exam has none of the same questions). Such exams help you understand the breadth of content and types of questions to expect, not the actual material to study for.
Some people enjoy reviewing their materials with a group of friends or classmates. Such groups work best when they’re kept small (4 or 5 others), with people of similar academic aptitude, and with people taking the same class. Different formats work for different groups. Some groups like to work through chapters together, quizzing one another as they go through it. Others like to compare class notes, and review materials that way, ensuring they haven’t missed any critical points. Such study groups can be helpful for many students, but not all.

7. Make a schedule you can stick to

Too many people treat studying as the thing to do when you get around to it or have some spare time. But if you schedule study time just as your class time is scheduled, you’ll find it becomes much less of a hassle in the long run. Instead of last-minute cramming sessions, you’ll be better prepared because you haven’t put off all the studying into one 12-hour marathon. Spending 30 or 60 minutes every day you have a class studying for that class before or after is a lot easier and will allow you to actually learn more of the material.
You should study regularly throughout the semester for as many classes as you can. Some people study every day, others put it off to once or twice a week. The frequency isn’t as important as actually studying on a regular basis. Even if you just crack open a book once a week for a class, it’s better than waiting until the first exam in a massive cram session.
Scheduling is even more important if you’re going to be a part of a study group. If only half of your members are committed to a study group for every meeting, then you need to find other study group members who are as committed as you are.

8. Take breaks (and rewards)

Because so many people view studying as a chore or task, it’s human nature to avoid it. If, however, you find rewards to help reinforce what you’re doing, you may be pleasantly surprised by the change you may find in your attitude over time.
Rewards start by chunking study time into manageable components. Studying for 4 hours at a time with no breaks is not realistic or fun for most people. Studying for 1 hour, and then taking a 5 minute break and grabbing a snack is usually more sustainable and enjoyable. Divide study time into segments that make sense and work for you. If you have to digest a whole textbook chapter, find sections in the chapter and commit to reading and taking notes on one section at a time. Maybe you only do one section in a sitting, maybe you do two. Find the limits that seem to work for you.
If you succeed in your goals (such as doing two sections of a chapter in one sitting), give yourself a real reward. Perhaps it’s saying, “I’ll treat myself to some good dessert tonight at dinner,” or “I can buy a new tune online,” or “I can spend an extra 30 minutes gaming for every 2 sections of a book chapter I read.” The point is to find a reward that is small but real, and to stick to it. Some may view this as absurd, since you’re setting limits you can easily ignore. But by setting these limits on your behavior, you’re actually teaching yourself discipline, which will be a handy skill to have throughout life.

9. Have a game plan

  Once you understand what you will have to study, it's time to execute a game plan that will make the most of your time and will help you prepare for the exam or assignment well in advance so you don't end up cramming the night before and giving yourself a headache or a low grade. Here's what you should do:

• Always have a planner. Write in all of your courses, activities, and social engagements. Looking over your planner will give you a better sense of how your week, month, or even semester will look like, and will help you see when you'll be having a really busy week, or when you'll have a lot of free time.
• Whether you're studying for an exam or just studying to keep up with course materials, block out "study" time for a few hours of every week. Treat this blocked-out time as seriously as you would a real class. If your friend wants to hang out during that time, say that you're busy and will have to reschedule.
• Try to study around the same time of day. Pick a time when your brain is most alert. Some people like to study course material right after the class is over while the material is fresh in their minds, while others need a break from the material to be able to study.
• Don't plan to study the hour before an exam. Plug that into your schedule as "relaxing" time. If you've executed your game plan, you should be ready to go by then!
• Create an agenda for all of your studying time. Make a detailed list of which chapters, concepts, or ideas you will be studying during each of the study sessions you have allocated for yourself. This list will become refined once you have a better sense of the course material.
• Create an agenda for each session. Before you jump into a study session, create a detailed list of a few items that you will cover during each session. Check each one off when you've got it covered.
• Don't forget to include being healthy in your game plan. You should still have enough time to catch at least 6-8 hours of sleep a night and to exercise for 30 minutes a day or 1 hour a few times a week, even in the middle of a grueling study period. Don't forget that if your mind and body aren't healthy, you won't perform as well on the exam. While you may be sleeping and exercising a bit less, don't cut out on these important things entirely.

10. Have the right attitude

 The right attitude will put you in a positive frame of mind, which will make you more open to and excited about studying. The wrong attitude can make you feel defeated before you even start and will keep you from being focused and absorbing the material. Before you embark on your studying journey, there are a few things you should tell yourself to maintain the right attitude.

• Remember that you're not just studying to get an A, but to gain knowledge. That's why you're in school, isn't it? And that's pretty cool.
• Tell yourself that you will succeed because of your hard work. Even if you're not expecting an A-plus, just tell yourself that by taking the initiative to study more effectively, your actions will have lasting effects on your grade and will make you a more diligent person. Don't tell yourself that you're going to fail no matter how hard you study, or you will.
• Don't worry about how others are studying. Don't compare yourself to your friend who studies for 80 hours a week, or your other friend who seems to never study but always succeeds in school. Keep your focus on finding what works best for you.
• Don't obsess over what grade you will get on the exam. Though you obviously want to get a good grade, don't obsess so much about how you will actually do until you start taking the test, or you won't be using your energy to actually study for the test.