Studying

Study Tips That Will Change Your Life

Study Tips That Will Change Your Life 
 
Midterm season is here! You might be looking at your schedule and wondering how you can possibly find enough time in the day to study for all your exams. Instead of trying to find a way to study 23 hours a day, follow these tips to study smarter and make the most of the time you do have! 

1. Stop Rereading 

Rereading is the least efficient way to study, but it’s a method many students fall back on when they’re not sure what to do. The key is to do more with the material you’re trying to learn. Take your own notes, rewrite things in your own words, do as many practice questions as you can, and try to explain tricky concepts to friends. 

We know from decades of research on memory that the best way to study is to create meaningful connections between concepts and to your own experience. So put down the highlighter and get to work! Active studying is harder than rereading, but it is a much more efficient way to spend your time. The more difficult you make studying, the easier the test will be. 

2. Do the Practice Questions and Problems 

Wize courses come with lots of practice questions, concept clarifiers, problems, and opportunities to test your knowledge. Doing the practice questions will help you figure out what you already know and what you need to work on more. 

Do each question before looking at the answer. If you get it right, great job! If you get it wrong, try to figure out what led you astray – did you miss a keyword? Do you just need to study that concept more? 

It can be tempting to skip the practice short answer/long answer, especially if your exam won’t have those types of questions, but resist the urge! Recalling information (which is required for short and long answer questions) is more difficult than recognizing the right answer (like a multiple choice question), but practicing with short and long answer questions can help you improve your performance on all aspects of the test. 

3. A Little Bit at a Time

Break it up as much as you can in the time you have left. Sit down and make yourself a schedule so you can cover the material in smaller chunks. Cramming (or what psychologists call massed practice) can work in the short term, but if you take the time to break it up now you won’t have to study as hard for your final exams. 

If you have multiple exams in a short period of time, try to alternate between different types of material. Study chemistry for an hour, then physics for an hour. The next study session, start with physics and then chemistry. Start at a different place in your notes or on a different chapter each time. This will help you reduce interference between information and help you get the most out of the time you have. 

4. Stick to a Schedule

Regular meals, exercise, and sleep will go a long way to performing well on your exam. I know an all-nighter can be tempting, but keep in mind that staying up for 24 hours is roughly equivalent to a .08 blood alcohol content. You wouldn't write your midterm under the influence, would you? 

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