The school and university stages are characterized by causing many nerves, stress, and anxiety among students. Many ask themselves: how can I face the study to optimize my academic performance? How to study effectively? Stay with us.
How to study effectively?
It is proven that memorizing entire texts from top to bottom is not effective at all, it has traditionally been considered that this was the way to study, but this idea is totally out of date.
Fortunately, this is no longer the case, we currently have more modern techniques that offer better results, they are also much more dynamic and entertaining. These techniques improve performance and learning ability.
Here are a few of these techniques how to study effectively
1. Always underline
The best known and simplest is to highlight, with a pen or pencil, the most important part of the agenda. This does not mean eliminating information but synthesizing it, separating the straw 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 and then continue with the study.
2. Make your own notes
Another very common technique along with underlining is making notes. It consists of summarizing the text extracting the most important, noting all the key parts. We can use our own language in a way that makes it easier to understand what we have pointed out. You can use pencil and paper or if you prefer a word processor.
3. Make your mental map
Organize and synthesize ideas creating a mental 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, is 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 along with your mental map mentioned above, this will multiply your ability to assimilate when studying.
5. Make a file
Use study cards, they are remarkably effective to absorb specific data. For example, numbers, words or dates. In this way, learning is much more dynamic and simple since they can be easily consulted.
6. Uses mnemonic rules
A mnemonic method or rule is relevantly useful at the moment of memorizing lists of words or sets . This method consists in associating a concept or a list of words with a term that is easier to remember and that is more familiar to us.
There are endless mnemonic rules, practically as 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, that is, Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen, and Nitrogen.
7. Do practical exercises
Very often the theory becomes more understandable if we illustrate it with a practical case in particular . 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 supplement with a practical case at each moment to understand how it is applied.
8. Perform tests to evaluate your knowledge
At the end of everything, it is very interesting to test yourself by doing tests. The tests will help us identify those parts that we carry more loose, in this way we can focus on an area that we should strengthen.
In addition, if we perform test exams or if we better exchange them with a partner we can make sure that we have overlooked points. To create the test, make test exams and exchange them as a final method before examining.
9. The “Brainstorming”
This technique can be done in a group and it is very fun. The brainstorming, also known as “brainstorming” and literally “brainstorming” is to get together with others to add issues and ideas related to a specific area.
It is important when we do group work, in this way we take into account all perspectives. However, it can serve in the same way to prepare an exam, exchanging the examiner and examiner papers, especially if the test is oral. In any case, using a mental map (see technique 3) is ideal for organizing ideas better.
10. Make a study plan
Finally, it is essential to organize yourself through a study plan. Usually, many students do not take this into account making a huge mistake.
Create a study calendar keeping in mind the previously marked objectives and the disposition of time. To put it in some way is a way to manage. In the same way that a mountaineer does not ascend Everest, you must establish your base fields and determine concrete objectives in a term to finally reach the goal. This is the first step and the key to success in any subject.
11. Tricks to train the brain
If you still want to squeeze more and better your mnemonic skills and your ability to optimize your study hours, we recommend that you read this article. Good luck with your exams!
