Study More Effectively


If you are studying for an exam or if you need to learn some material for a presentation, you may be wondering how early you should start to study, and how often you should review the material in order to remember it.

Is it best to study large chunks of the information at a time, or should you try to master small bits of it? Should you review the material again the next day? Or is it best to let a few days go by?

Learning experts have proposed several different schedules for reviewing study materials, but the following is one that works well for most people. Try it to see if it works for you, or whether it is more effective to introduce minor changes to the review schedule.

First, study what you can thoroughly learn in a 40-minute period. During this time keep your mind actively engaged in the material by making notes, asking yourself questions about it, speaking out loud, and making learning maps. Then take a five or ten minute break to do something completely different, preferably something which includes physical exercise and deep breathing.

After your ten-minute break, go back and review your original material and your written notes. Review for about five minutes. The next day review the material again for five minutes. A week later review it for five minutes. A month later review it for five minutes.

If you need to remember the information longer, review it for five minutes after two months, and then again after six months.

Your review will be even more successful if you speak your thoughts out loud. You can say a verbal summary out loud to yourself, or you can speak the summary to someone else.

Each time you repeat the same physical action, or review the same study material, there are chemical changes that take place at the synapses between your brain cells, making it easier for the signal to go through the next time you repeat that thought or action. That is why review and repetition help fix acquired skills and knowledge in your brain.

Saying the material out loud, or writing out a few notes again will involve more of your brain cells in the process of remembering.

People who have sustained some brain damage due to advancing age, brain injury, or because of alcohol or drug use may no longer have the ability to easily refresh their knowledge by quickly reviewing material again. These people may have to spend much more time and effort on reviewing material, and still have a lower rate of recall.

For the majority of people however, the above schedule is a time-effective way to keep information easily available to your memory.

This article is taken from the new book by Royane Real titled "How You Can Be Smarter - Use Your Brain to Learn Faster, Remember Better and Be More Creative" If you would like to know how to improve your learning, download it today or get the paperback version at http://www.lulu.com/real


MORE RESOURCES:

Akron scholarship program would provide brighter future
Akron Beacon Journal, OH - 11 hours ago
The scholarships would be for education at an accredited and approved college, university, trade or technical school. • The scholarships would be in an ...


Malaysia Star

Market-driven
Malaysia Star, Malaysia - 18 hours ago
By RICHARD LIM Strongly attuned to industry needs and sensitive to students’ wants, Olympia College is certainly growing from strength to strength. ...


Zweifel eyes efficiency
St. Joseph News-Press, MO - 12 hours ago
by Alyson E. Raletz State Rep. Clint Zweifel, a Republican, is running for state treasurer. He aims to focus his efforts on excellence and fiscal restraint. ...


Trojans Fall on Homecoming Weekend
Taylor University Trojans Athletics, IN - 21 hours ago
On a day where the Trojans recognized six key seniors, the Taylor University men's soccer team dropped its third conference game to the Bethel College ...


Lady Warriors get Forfiet Win at Homecoming
Nyack College Athletics,  United States - 22 hours ago
10/11/08- The scheduled game between the Nyack College women's soccer team and Lincoln University was declared a forfiet win for Nyack when the visiting ...


College, university partner up
Sarnia Observer,  Canada - Oct 6, 2008
Lambton College and Brock University have partnered on a new degree/diploma program in the pharmaceutical field. Students can enroll in the 15- credit ...


Human evolution? That's so over
Chicago Tribune, United States - Oct 11, 2008
By Laurie Goering | Chicago Tribune correspondent LONDON — Human evolution may be winding down as the forces that once drove it—older fathers, ...


Voice of America

Foreign Student Series: College, University or Institute?
Voice of America - Sep 24, 2008
College, university: what's the difference? We answer that this week in part three of our Foreign Student Series on American higher education. ...


Who's news: Orthopedic & Sports Institute names podiatrist
Appleton Post Crescent,  USA - 8 hours ago
APPLETON — Orthopedic & Sports Institute has hired Dr. Todd Derksen, a podiatrist. Derksen is a graduate of Chicago's Dr. William M. Scholl College of ...


Mercyhurst women let 2-0 lead slip away
GoErie.com, PA - 9 hours ago
BOSTON -- The Mercyhurst College women's hockey team came up short in its bid to start the season with a two-game sweep of Boston University on Saturday. ...

College-University - Google News

home | site map
© 2006