Getting
higher grades is what studying is all about
By Don Penven
1. Setting up shop. The place to study is
important to the outcome. Many students prefer the library for its low-key
atmosphere and the quick availability of reference material. But others prefer
working at home or in the dorm room. Regardless of the setting, you should be in
control of the environment. Room temperature ia a factor. Ideally the space
should be temperate, that is around 70 degrees F. Be certain that you have
adequate lighting too. Some require a little background music- That’s OK, just
keep it conducive to good concentration on your studies and not distracting.
2. Keep it short. Many educators
recommend that studying in short burst is a much more productive way to retain
the subject matter. Work for 10 to 15 minutes, and then take a break. Pick up
the books and begin again. This distributed learning process is very efficient
since it accounts for the way that the brain likes to work. Isolating yourself
for hours on end with your nose in a book is not just very boring, it causes
fatigue and increases stress. You will not learn much when you are tired,
stressed and distracted.
3. Pay attention to your emotional state. If you are uptight or stressed, studying under those conditions will be counter-productive. In order for the brain to take on the characteristics of a sponge, you must set aside any anger and frustration. If you are tired—take a quick nap. If you are in a hurry, slow down. Forcing yourself to sit and study when your mind is miles away is a total waste of time!
4. Adopt a study routine by advanced planning. Establishing a study routine requires discipline. If you schedule a certain time duringf the day to study, you’ll geslip into a routine and get more accomplished. If you just “fit it in” during your day, chances are that there will never be any real time. An effective way to do this is to literally mark it down in your day planner calendar like you have an appointment, like going to the doctor. For example: “Wednesday 7-9:30 P.M. — Study Ancient History.”
5. Be astudy goal-setter. A prime reason many people don’t reach their goals is because they are set too high. By setting goals that are manageable, even if they seem too simple, you will develop the mindset leading to developing a habit of accomplishing them and gradually you can set higher goals. It is also important for you to recognize the difference between long-term and short-term goals. Set your vision on a long-term dream, but your day-to-day activity should be focused exclusively on the short-term, enabling short but deliberate steps.
6. Review the same day. When you learn new material, go over these points the same day. If you wait a few days and then make efforts to review this material, it will seem much less familiar. A quick review later in the day will tend to cement the information into your brain so that the next “official” study session, you will recognize it and it will seem easy.
7. “Stuff” Happens—especially “Brain Fade.” It is normal for the brain to have an attrition rate and to forget “stuff.” This does not mean that you are a Dunce! Instead of getting frustrated about this, you should prepare yourself to expect it and deal with it as best you can. See your brain as depositing layers of knowledge. As you place more information on top, the lower levels become buried and less available to your immediate summons. The trick here is to simply review. Since you can anticipate the eventual fading of your memory, creating a review aspect to our study session will solve the problem. Once every two or three study sessions, simply review the older material that you will still need to recall. Often, a quick overview is sufficient. Sometimes, a complete detailed study session of the older material is appropriate. “Brain fade” is completely normal, unless you are gifted with a photographic memory, which is extremely rare.
Motivation to Study Page
3. Pay attention to your emotional state. If you are uptight or stressed, studying under those conditions will be counter-productive. In order for the brain to take on the characteristics of a sponge, you must set aside any anger and frustration. If you are tired—take a quick nap. If you are in a hurry, slow down. Forcing yourself to sit and study when your mind is miles away is a total waste of time!
4. Adopt a study routine by advanced planning. Establishing a study routine requires discipline. If you schedule a certain time duringf the day to study, you’ll geslip into a routine and get more accomplished. If you just “fit it in” during your day, chances are that there will never be any real time. An effective way to do this is to literally mark it down in your day planner calendar like you have an appointment, like going to the doctor. For example: “Wednesday 7-9:30 P.M. — Study Ancient History.”
5. Be astudy goal-setter. A prime reason many people don’t reach their goals is because they are set too high. By setting goals that are manageable, even if they seem too simple, you will develop the mindset leading to developing a habit of accomplishing them and gradually you can set higher goals. It is also important for you to recognize the difference between long-term and short-term goals. Set your vision on a long-term dream, but your day-to-day activity should be focused exclusively on the short-term, enabling short but deliberate steps.
6. Review the same day. When you learn new material, go over these points the same day. If you wait a few days and then make efforts to review this material, it will seem much less familiar. A quick review later in the day will tend to cement the information into your brain so that the next “official” study session, you will recognize it and it will seem easy.
7. “Stuff” Happens—especially “Brain Fade.” It is normal for the brain to have an attrition rate and to forget “stuff.” This does not mean that you are a Dunce! Instead of getting frustrated about this, you should prepare yourself to expect it and deal with it as best you can. See your brain as depositing layers of knowledge. As you place more information on top, the lower levels become buried and less available to your immediate summons. The trick here is to simply review. Since you can anticipate the eventual fading of your memory, creating a review aspect to our study session will solve the problem. Once every two or three study sessions, simply review the older material that you will still need to recall. Often, a quick overview is sufficient. Sometimes, a complete detailed study session of the older material is appropriate. “Brain fade” is completely normal, unless you are gifted with a photographic memory, which is extremely rare.
Motivation to Study Page
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