Do you know what are the “Secret and Proven Study Tips?” Suppose you have to prepare for something? You have 4 hours for this. So how will you study?
1. Will you study for 4 hours straight? 2. Will you divide the 4 hours into 1 hour sessions? Is a specific routine and place really necessary for studying?
Or is it more effective to study as you wish, wherever you wish, whenever you wish?Is there any relationship between sleep and memory loss?
Is it better to study early in the morning? Would it be better to study late at night? Is taking breaks while studying harmful or helpful?
I will share all these things with you from a famous book, “How We Learn“. The book was written by Benedict Carey.
It was a New York Times best-selling book. One should study by working smart, not by working hard. Let’s start.
Idea number 1: Water Your Brain
You watered a sapling one day. But you didn’t water it for many days. Instead of doing that, if you water the sapling a little bit every day, which one is better? Definitely the second method.
Instead of walking 3 kilometers continuously every day, it is healthier to walk 1 kilometer at a time. Similarly, instead of studying for 4 hours continuously, it is more effective to divide it into 4 parts.
The author Benedict Carry has called this method the spacing effect and distributed learning.
This method can increase brain capacity by up to 46%. This is scientifically proven. When we watch a movie, we remember the beginning and ending parts the most.
This is because our brain’s focus is highest during these two times. So, the period needs to be kept as short as possible. The second reason is that when we forget a lesson, the more we struggle to remember it, the more we remember it.
If we take breaks, we forget them, so we have to revise to recall them. And this event makes that memory permanent.
Idea Number 2: Untested Fluency is an Illusion
Sometimes we stop reading a lesson after just a little bit. Then we feel like we understand the lesson. But when that lesson comes up in the exam, we can’t remember it.
This is called fluency illusion. When a lesson is in front of our eyes, an illusion is created in the brain. The brain then starts to think that the reading has been memorized.
But in reality, it hasn’t.So, it’s much better to read a lesson once and try to recite it from memory with the book closed three times than to read it four times.
Although this is a difficult task. When any data is actively tried to be input into the brain, it becomes a bit difficult. Therefore, in most cases, we skip this step.
Along with this, the illusion of fluency makes us skip the task quickly. So we must not fall into this trap. 20% read and 80% recite. This is how we should study.
Idea Number 3: Change is Good
Parents always tell their children, “Make a specific routine and study.” But science does not agree with the parents.
An experiment was done with some students divided into two groups. The students of the first group were asked to learn 50 different vocabulary within 20 minutes in one room.
And the students of the other group were asked to learn 50 different vocabulary, giving them 10 minutes each in two rooms.
The students of the first group were able to learn an average of 16 to 17 different vocabulary.They were allowed to use a single room only. But the students of the second group were able to learn an average of 25 to 26 words.
Two rooms were allocated for them.
Idea Number 4: Do Test, Teach & Mix
We study many things but forget them quickly. To get rid of this problem, we have to gain expertise in all topics.
For this reason, three steps or ways have to be followed. These are tests, teach, and mix.The first step is testing. That is, after reading any topic, close the book and give yourself a test.
Ask yourself questions. The next step is teaching. Whatever you read, if you discuss it with others, the data will be remembered. You can do this with your friend, younger brother, or sister.
Checking someone’s studies means enriching your own studies. You don’t need a doctorate to teach someone a lesson. The more you teach him, the more your skills will increase.
The final step is to mix. That is, after reading the topics, they have to be accumulated in one place and the problems that arise have to be solved.
If you can do this, then you can assume that you have mastered that subject.
Idea number 5: Sleep & Nap
Two groups were formed again to conduct this experiment. Students from the two groups were asked to study the same topic.
The students of the first group were asked to take a short nap along with their studies. But the students of the second group were forbidden to take a nap.
Later, an exam was taken between the two groups. The students of the first group performed much better than the students of the second group.
Many scientists believe that when we sleep after studying, the data starts to be stored in our brain by our subconscious mind. This is the time when unnecessary data is removed and important data is replaced.
So, if you can get a good night’s sleep, the brain becomes fresh. So, a nap during the day does not harm, but rather benefits.
Now let’s talk about sleep. Is studying in the morning more effective? Or is it better to stay up all night and study? According to human nature, the best time to sleep is from 11 pm to 7 am.
But if someone’s internal body clock system has changed, then this time may or may not be beneficial for them. But everyone should manage this time.
Six hours of sleep are necessary for an adult.There is no specific time to study, such as morning or late at night. The best time to study is when you are “energetic” and fresh-minded.
But if you have a theoretical exam the next day, it is better to sleep quickly the day before. This allows the data from your subconscious mind to be transmitted to the brain.
But if it is a study that requires remembering formulas, then scientifically studying all night is not bad.
Idea Number 6: The Zeigarnik Effect
Most of us believe that we shouldn’t be distracted while studying. They consider it harmful. But a psychologist named Biuma Zeigarnik (20th century) noticed a remarkable thing.
She observed that a hotel waiter could remember the bills of tables that hadn’t been paid more than the tables whose bills had been settled. In other words, he remembers incomplete tasks more than completed ones.
You may have noticed an interesting thing. It is that when we go to take an exam with decent preparation, the lessons remain hazy, but we remember them. But after leaving the exam hall, those lessons are completely forgotten.
The reason for this is that our subconscious mind is alert to which things are completed and which are not. So, it focuses more on finishing the unfinished tasks and removes the completed tasks to input the unfinished ones.
We can use this method for our own benefit. When you are doing a project or studying, taking a nap, walking around, or taking a break in between can be very beneficial for you.
Because the Zeigarnik Effect is at work during this time. As a result, the subconscious mind processes the data and arranges new information in the brain.
