Last semester, while I was working with the ASK service, I had a student ask me if the only way to study was reading through their textbooks and trying to rote learn everything. The short answer? Hells no.
There are probably as many different ways to study as there are people on the planet, or something exorbitant like that. The following are just a few different techniques that might help you along.
Writing and re-writing
I find that the best way to get information to stick in my brain is to write it out. Something about having to physically move my hand to form the words, and then seeing it in my own handwriting works for me in a way that typing out my notes doesn’t.
I tend to start out by writing fairly comprehensive notes, then re-writing the information again and again, every time condensing it that little bit more. In the past I’ve started with a page and a half of notes that, after this process, have been down to just a single paragraph. If someone other than me were to look at this paragraph, they would probably think I was an incredibly lazy note taker, but to me this paragraph represents the page and a half of notes that I started with. It’s a lot of information, in a little paragraph.
Acrostics
I like to use acrostics if I feel like condensing my notes even further, or if I have a list of things that I need to remember. For example, if I need to remember the stages of group development, looking at a list like this:
- Forming
- Norming
- Storming
- Performing
- Adjourning
Is hella boring, and not super memorable. Something like:
- Foxes
- Nightly
- Shake
- Penguins
- Aggressively
Is a lot more likely to stick in my head, and for a longer period of time.
- Flash cards
Flash cards can be great for learning the definitions of various words, concepts or theories. For those of you unfamiliar with flash cards, they’re cards or paper with a word written on one side, and the explanation/definition written on the other.
You can use flash cards to test yourself, because unlike reading your notes or textbook, the answers are physically hidden from you, so you can’t subconsciously look at the answer before thinking about it. They’re also great to get other people to test you. Yay for fun times with friends and family (and penguins)!
Notes around house
Another popular way of studying is to take your notes and stick them up on your walls all around your house. These can range from a full page of notes, to a teeny little post-it note. Whatever works best for you! The idea behind this is that you can keep studying, even when you haven’t actively set time aside to do so. Having notes up in the bathroom that you can read while you brush your teeth, or near the kettle to read while you’re making a cup of tea (or whatever your hot beverage of choice may be) can really help to solidify things in your mind.
These studying techniques can all be used on their own, or combined in any way, shape or form to create your own Super Study Style! And like I said, there are heaps of different ways to study, and this is by no means an exhaustive list, but just a few examples to get your brains ticking. No two people are going to study in exactly the same way, and finding the study style that’s right for you can take a bit of trial and error.