Everybody gets the same twenty-four hours a day, and how you spend them can mean the difference between success and failure. This article covers several effective study techniques that can help you learn better and achieve more.

For example, learning by osmosis is ineffective, and it’s best to stick to a productive study routine. Some tips for this include taking breaks, using flashcards, and studying in short sessions.

Efficient note-taking

Note-taking is a vital part of the learning process, whether you’re listening in class or reviewing your instructor’s PowerPoint slides. But it’s not just what you take down in notes that matters, it’s how you use those notes to achieve greater results.

It’s important to develop your own note-taking strategy. The traditional linear approach is fine, but it’s often more useful to write down the most important points in your own words or use a method like the Mapping or Outline Method to make the most of the information.

You also need to be sure to review your notes regularly. Studies show that those who don’t review their notes within 24 hours forget more than 40 per cent of what they learned in class. But those who review their notes three times — within a week — remember more than 80 per cent. That’s why it’s important to be an active learner rather than a passive one.

Group studies

Students often feel disinterested in studying alone, so joining a study group can be helpful. Group studies also offer a sense of accountability. When a student fails to complete their homework or study for an exam, their classmates will notice and encourage them to work harder.

Another advantage of group studies is that they can help students understand difficult concepts. The process of explaining a topic to others helps students retain the knowledge longer and makes it more comprehensible. In addition, it can help students learn new study techniques that they might be able to use when working independently.

When students join a study group, they must commit to attend each session and actively participate. This helps prevent procrastination and improves attendance rates. In addition, the group must be structured so that each member contributes to the study sessions. It can be a good idea to assign a portion of the final grade that derives from the group’s work. This can help combat free riders, and it will promote a strong sense of interdependence.

Time management

Time management is a useful skill that can help you achieve greater results. It involves setting goals and priorities for tasks and activities and then practicing techniques to realize these goals efficiently. It also helps you focus on the most important tasks and avoid wasting your time on less urgent or not important things.

Having good time management skills can help you feel more confident in your work abilities and improve your productivity. It can also help you prioritize tasks and reduce procrastination by establishing clear deadlines for tasks and limiting distractions. This can be done by creating a schedule for each day and blocking out dedicated periods of time to accomplish each task.

Research has shown that students who have good time management skills have a higher GPA than those who don’t. However, this research was conducted with students in the Department of Electrical Engineering and further research is needed to establish its generalizability.

Revision

Revision is the most time-consuming and frustrating part of the study process. Students often find themselves avoiding revision in favour of more exciting activities and this can have detrimental effects on their results. To achieve greater results, revision must be purposefully personalized and adapted to the student’s learning style. This can include using graphic organisers, spaced repetition, and quizzing apps for quick-fire bursts of revision.

Revision should be based on the concept that students learn best through practice and demonstration. This will help them to understand the subject and remember what they have studied. It is important to make revision fun and interactive – group work, flash cards, past papers and mind maps are all effective strategies for revising. It is also important to take regular breaks and get a good night’s sleep. This will ensure that the brain can process and recall information efficiently.