Each student learns in a different way, and each kind of study material is best studied using a different method. Here, you will find a list of the five most efficient study methods and what kind of study material each method is most effective for.
All the five methods listed here have been extensively used by me and improved by trial-and-error. These efficient study methods have allowed me to maintain a 4.0 GPA in a highly competitive and challenging major: Biomedical Engineering. From my personal experience, I have included some very helpful tricks and tips to ensure you get the most out of each method.
1. Rewriting Your Notes
Effective for: Concepts, Long Answers, Formulas
Many students complain that they study, but they just don’t actually remember the content comes exam time. This is because passive reading only stores the content in your brain for a short time unless you revisit that content or take the time to process that content in your brain.
Handwriting involves touch sensation, motor skills, and visual perception leading to reinforcement of the natural learning process and increasing the chances of the content being retained for a longer time in your brain.
I distinctly remember multiple instances during which I only rewrote my notes to prepare for exams, but did not have any time to revise the rewritten notes. I would still remember the content well during the exam from just having rewritten it. My personal preference was to write notes very crowded and condensed as shown below, thus overall, I would feel more safe knowing that everything I need to know for an exam fits on 6-8 pages. In my opinion, this is the best way to study efficiently for any subject and any kind of study material. Most efficient study method!
2. Memory Maps
Effective For: Complex and Extensive Concepts
Sometimes, it is hard to judge exactly how much you know and how much more you need to know before an exam. It is a shame that not many students use memory maps.
Basically, you write down a couple of main topics on a blank sheet of paper in bubbles, then without using any resources, you start writing about anything and everything you know about those topics. You can then create subtopics under the main topics and keep writing as much information as you can until you cannot remember anything more. You will be surprised how much exactly you know about a topic until you start thinking about it without any external help. Additionally, this will also help you pinpoint the gaps in your knowledge, thus making your leftover study time more productive. This method is quick and precise in pinpointing your strengths and weakness to allow you to study efficiently.
3. The flashcard method
Effective for: short answers, definitions
The main objective of using flashcards is to use both sides to study efficiently. One side contains the key term or the question, while the other side contains the definition or the short answer. Basically, when you are making relationships between two things whether you are connecting chemical structures with compound names or where is a certain bone located; the possibilities are endless.
Once flashcards are created, go over them periodically and each time you are done with a flashcard, put it in one of three piles: ‘Know’, ‘Don’t Know’, and ‘Maybe’.
Revise these flashcards regularly (daily, weekly or monthly) based on how soon you need to learn the information. The goal is to have the ‘Know’ pile get bigger and the other piles smaller over time.
Learning with flashcards is not a cramming process. You should make flashcards as you go rather than wait to make them right before an exam.
If you are not a fan of writing your own flashcards, apps such as the AnkiApp or Brainscape.
4. Pomodoro Technique for the procrastinators
Effective For: All Study Materials
Today’s world is full of distractions fighting for our attention. Let’s admit it! We all sometimes struggle with procrastination. The Pomodoro Technique suggests that you should schedule small breaks to let your attention divert from the main studying task at hand.
You should study for 25 minutes straight away from all distractions and then take 5 minutes of break. Once you do this 4 times (about 2 hours), take a break for 30 minutes. You should repeat this process until you are done studying for the day. This is a very effective method as the scheduled breaks keep you refreshed. However, It is hard to carry on with this process for more than 6 hours. After 6 hours, you should take a longer break of approximately 1-2 hours.
The Pomodoro method provides the best time management strategy to study efficiently. This method can be combined with any other methods listed on this list.
5. Group Study
Effective for: All Study Materials
I should emphasize that I do not suggest actually studying in a group. You should study independently first. Group study time should be for you to sharpen your learned concepts and get a better understanding of concepts you don’t understand well enough. In a group, explaining concepts that you already know to someone else solidifies your understanding and increases the chances of the concepts being retained for a longer time in your brain.
Group study also allows you to learn the concepts you are weak in from someone who understands them well. Studying in a group can be beneficial to you whether you are the most prepared person or the most struggling person in the group. Group study should be about 20% of your total study time available for that subject.