How To Polish Your Study Techniques

By Staff Writer

Studying is a highly personal endeavor, because people have different learning curves and intelligences. Thus, study habits that made one student excel in particular subject may not work for another student. However, there are some general principles that you can follow in order to polish your own study techniques.

Determine your learning style. People have different learning styles. Some people learn through reading, while some learn through listening. For example, those who have photographic memories remember what they read without really making an effort to remember it. Others find it easier to learn by hearing recorded class sessions or listening to an audio book. Knowing your learning style will help you maximize your learning potential.
Determine your productivity period. Each person has what is called a "peak" productivity period. This refers to the period of time in a day when they are most productive or, as for the purposes of this discussion, more receptive to learning. Some people learn better when they study in the early morning, while some learn best when they study in the evening before going to bed. To find out what your peak productivity period is, try studying at different times of the day and observe when you are most receptive to learning. Once you know what it is, set that time as your daily study time, and do your best to stick to it.
Find a place conducive to studying. Ideally, any quite place is conducive to studying. The simple explanation is that there are no other environmental stimulants to distract you from studying, which makes your mind more receptive to learning. This makes the library a good place to study. However, not all people find it ideal to study in a library or any quiet environment. The silence lulls them to sleep. They are better off studying in their rooms with the radio or television on, producing noise in the background. Find a study place of your own by trying out different places to study.
Concentrate on your lessons during class. In a room full of people, it is easy to just stare at the teacher and pretend that you are listening to him while your mind is truly somewhere else. You should refrain from doing this. You would be amazed at how much info your mind can retain when you actively participate in class, listen to what the teacher is saying and read what's being written on the blackboard. To avoid getting distracted in class, do not sit at the back, near the window, or near the door. Always sit in the first or second row.
Learn how to take better notes. Note taking is an essential part of the learning process. It aids in helping your mind retain the information that you are receiving, whether it's from your teacher, a book, or an audio recording you are listening to. There are a lot of note taking techniques that you can use, including the 2-6 Method and the Split Page Method. If none of these works for you, then you can certainly develop your own note-taking technique.