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Science

How to Study

Location

Find a place to study that is free of interruptions and distractions. This is necessary to master information.

Self direction

Establish your own behavior patterns of what, when, where and how much to study. Establish your own directives, or discuss other's suggestions. Use what others have found helpful. Don't be afraid to ask for help and seek encouragement from your classmates.

Self -discipline

Develop your own study rules and stick to them. You must motivate and remind yourself. You must establish your own study times, listen to lectures actively, conscientiously do the lab exercises, etc.

Study in 1 hour blocks

The amount you need to study for a class differs from person to person. You never want to study in blocks longer than 1 hour. If you sit with a textbook for 4 hours, you will gain information during the first hour; after that your brain leaves. After an hour, take a break. You can spend 10 minutes drinking a pop, talking to your friend about the weather, whatever, just don't study. Your brain can only handle 50-60 minutes of work, then it needs a break. After a break, go back and focus.

How to begin

Every time you sit down, quickly overview all of the material then choose what needs your most attention. Figure out what you don't know and concentrate time on that. Then return to what comes easier. Keep practicing each day or you will lose information.

Repeat

The only way to learn is repetition. After you initially memorize information and do nothing to reinforce it, within 24 hours after you have been exposed to the information you will have only about 35% of the memorized information. Only about 10% remains after an additional 24 hours.

Techniques

Teach someone else or pretend to; study with a partner; re-do drawings; write memory songs/poems; link with applications; study in a group; get a tutor; draw it; symbolize it; write it out; speak the words out loud; explain in sequence a list of events; make a little story out of the information; make flash cards for terms or symbols. Imagine what questions you would ask if you were the professor. Learn the new terms and symbols. Relate the information to what you already know or to experiences you have had. Teach someone in your family and have them quiz you. Find the techniques for study that work best for you and make time to focus on those.

Study in groups

Find fellow members of your class to study with, not necessarily your friends. Everyone has different strengths and weaknesses. In a good study group, for every concept there is usually someone who understands that concept. Your strength might be someone else's weakness. If you can explain a concept to someone, then (and only then) do you understand it yourself. Study groups work best with 4-6 people.

Exams with problems to solve

When studying, look at potential exam problems and mentally solve the problems. After all, this is what you are going to have to do during an exam, since you have a time crunch. Don't pick up a pen until you know exactly what you are going to do. Know the steps you will do in what order, what information you need and what equations. When doing chapter problems (as well as exam problems) method is the important thing.

Study Effectively

Make your study time as uninterrupted as possible. Pick a good time. Keep stocked up on things you need so there is no reason to interrupt your studies. Use the same place. Be efficient with your time. Study in seclusion, (when the kids are at school). Turn off the phone, TV etc. Put away all other distractions. Even make it a luxury for yourself. Every time you get interrupted, you lose information. Make a regular study area - no clutter around you.

Test Yourself

Develop a method of testing yourself to make sure you are retaining information. (Index cards, study notes, study tapes.)

Be realistic about expectations for yourself!

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