11 vital study techniques to learn more
How to study and remember all the facts better? We explain several keys to learning.
The school and university stages are characterized by a lot of nerves, stress and anxiety among students.
Many of them ask themselves: How can I face the study to optimize my academic performance? Are there any study strategies or techniques that can help me?
Study techniques to help you pass your exams
It has been proven that memorizing entire texts from top to bottom is not effective at all, traditionally it has been considered that this was the way to study, but this idea is totally outdated.
Fortunately this is no longer the case**, nowadays we have more modern techniques that offer better results**, besides being much more dynamic and entertaining. These techniques improve performance and learning capacity.
Here are some of these techniques, a total of eleven effective strategies to study better. we offer you some of these techniques, a total of eleven effective strategies to study better..
1. Always underline
The best known and simplest consists of highlighting, with a marker or a pencil, the most important part of the subject matter. This does not mean to eliminate information but to synthesize it, to separate the chaff from the grain.
We can also use different colors if we prefer, so it will be easier to organize the reading. First we must read the text globally to extract its meaning and then underline what is most relevant to continue with the study.
2. Make your own notes
Another very common technique along with underlining is to make notes. It consists of summarizing the text by extracting the most important parts of the textby noting down all the key parts of the text. We can use our own language so that it will be easier to understand what we have written down. You can use pencil and paper or if you prefer a word processor.
3. Make your mind map
Organize and synthesize the ideas by creating a mind map.. A well done mind map will help us to better manage the time we invest in the study and to settle our ideas effectively.
4. Draw
Associating concepts with drawings facilitates the memorization of these, it is a good advice for people with good visual memory.. It is a great idea for most subjects and a great mnemonic method. You can also complement these images with your mind map mentioned above, this will multiply your assimilation capacity when studying.
5. Create a file
Use study cards, they are remarkably effective for absorbing concrete data, such as numbers, words or dates.for example numbers, words or dates. In this way, learning is much more dynamic and simple since they can be easily consulted.
6. Use mnemonic rules
A mnemonic method or rule is very useful when memorizing lists of words or sets of words.. This method consists of associating a concept or a list of words to a term that is easier to remember and more familiar to us.
There are as many mnemonic rules as there are people. A trick to give an example would be to use the invented word "CHON" to remember the chemical elements essential for the existence of life, i.e. Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen and Nitrogen.
7. Do practical exercises
Very often theory becomes more understandable if we illustrate it with a concrete practical case.. This system is essential for subjects such as mathematics, physics, chemistry or logic, and in general all those subjects that contain numbers, symbols or problems.
So as we learn the theory it is advisable to complement it with a practical case at every moment in order to understand how it is applied. As the logical problems, an example would be the following exercise:
It is sunny or it is cloudy.
It is not cloudy.
Therefore, it is sunny.
Whose solution would be:
↓ p ↓ q
¬q
Therefore, p.
8. Perform tests to evaluate your knowledge
At the end of it all, it is very interesting to test yourself by performing tests.. The tests will help us to identify those parts that we have the weakest, in this way we will be able to focus on the areas we need to strengthen.
In addition, if we make test exams or if we exchange them with a colleague we will be able to make sure which points we have left overlooked. So create tests, make mock exams and exchange them as a final method before examining yourselves.
9. Brainstorming
This technique can be done in a group and is a lot of fun.. Brainstorming, also known as "brainstorming" and literally "creative meeting", consists of getting together with other colleagues to add questions and ideas related to a particular area.
It is important when working in a group, so that all perspectives are taken into account. However, it can be used in the same way to prepare for an exam, exchanging the roles of examiner and examinee, especially if the test is oral. In any case, using a mind map (see technique 3) is ideal to better organize ideas.
10. Make a study plan
Finally, it is it is essential to organize yourself through a study plan. Usually, many students do not take this into account and make a huge mistake.
Create a study calendar keeping in mind the objectives previously set and the time available. In a manner of speaking, it is a way of managing oneself. Just as a mountaineer does not climb Everest in one go, you must establish your base camps and determine concrete objectives in a time frame in order to finally reach the goal. This is the first step and the key to success in any subject.
11. Tricks to train your brain
If you still want to squeeze more and better your mnemonic skills and your ability to optimize your study hours, we recommend you to read this article. Good luck in your exams!
(Updated at Apr 13 / 2024)