Effective Study Methods

As we get closer to finals, it’s imperative to develop effective time management skills and study techniques that help retain the most information. Try going into finals with new strategies and try some of these effective study methods below!

1. The SQ3R Method

SQ3R is an acronym that stands for the five steps of the reading comprehension process.

• Survey: Instead of reading the entire book, start by skimming the first chapter and taking notes on any headings, subheadings, images, or other standout features like charts.

• Question: Formulate questions around the chapter’s content, such as, What is this chapter about? What do I already know about this subject?

• Read: Begin reading the full chapter and look for answers to the questions you formulated.

• Recite: After reading a section, summarize in your own words what you just read. Try recalling and identifying major points and answering any questions from the second step.

• Review: Once you have finished the chapter, it’s important to review the material to fully understand it. Quiz yourself on the questions you created and re-read any portions you need to.

2. Spaced Practice

Spaced repetition is an effective study method mentioned over and over again by professors. Try studying over a longer period of time instead of cramming the night before. When our brains almost forget something, they work harder to recall that information. Spacing out your studying allows your mind to make connections between ideas and build upon the knowledge that can be easily recalled later.

One app you can use to study over time include, my favorite, ANKI! It’s free to download on your computer and is a very effective spaced repetition software.

• If you want to try using Anki, use this link to download the app for free to your laptop!

3. Mind Mapping

If you’re a visual learner, try mind mapping, a technique that allows you to visually organize information in a diagram. First, you write a word in the center of a blank page. From there, you write major ideas and keywords and connect them directly to the central concept. Other related ideas will continue to branch out.

The structure of a mind map is related to how our brains store and retrieve information. Mind mapping your notes instead of just writing them down canimprove your reading comprehension. It also enables you to see the big picture by communicating the hierarchy and relationships between concepts and ideas.

Try out some of these methods and see which one you like best! Happy studying!

Written by: Adhwaitha Nambiar