Yes, there are in fact effective study techniques that can help learners retain information better and they’re not based on fiction or chance, but years of scientific research.

Study smarter not harder. We’ve all heard or read the saying at some point in our lives, but what does “studying smart” actually look and is there, in fact, a science to prepping for your exams. Studying comes naturally for some while others find it challenging. Regardless of your love or hate for the books, effective techniques that help absorb info is a different concept entirely, and it’s one that educators and psychologists have researched for years.

Studying “right” starts with understanding

There’s a small obsession amongst educators, phycologist and physicists to understand the concept of absorbing information quickly and keeping it locked away for as long as possible. While there has been an endless debate, one thing they can all agree on is that the work should be understood first and foremost.

If learners aren’t understating the material, they’ll find it difficult to retain it which is why tutoring platforms have been becoming increasingly popular, helping learners understand over and above simply studying the material. Paper Video’s is one such platform where learners from grade 8 to 12 can unpack challenging subjects like Maths, Physical Science, Life Science and Accounting through video lessons, past exam papers and teachers that help explain the work.

Studying effectively is not just about getting information into our brains to pass an exam, it about saving time and effort, and remembering the work well-beyond that final paper. Plus, once you understand what you’re learning studying will feel like a breeze.

Find study techniques that work for you.

There are no one-size-fits-all approaches when it comes to a study technique that works, and “Learning Styles” is a concept that is slowly but surely being taken off the table. For those who don’t know, “Learning Styles” is a theory that indicates whether or not people are Visual, Auditory, Read & Write or Kinaesthetic learners. New research published by the American Psychological Association stated that there is no scientific evidence to support this concept.

In an article published by the Atlantic in 2018, Daniel Willingham, a psychologist at the University of Virginia made a compelling case whereby he stated: “People have different abilities, not styles. Some people read better than others; some people hear worse than others. You can’t visualize a perfect French accent, for example.” He went on to say that people should not think of themselves as visual, verbal or some kind of learner, “Everyone is able to think in words; everyone is able to think in mental images. It’s much better to think of everyone having a toolbox of ways to think, and think to yourself, which tool is best?”

So, how do you know what study technique works?

With no clear recipe to success amid all the mind maps, rhymes, notes and re-reading, and if not for a “learning style” how can we tell what works and what doesn’t?  Luckily there is science and proven research that tells us what techniques should do and how they should affect learners.

Ask yourself:

Scientifically backed Study Techniques

Remembering or retaining information is a challenge that can be traced back to when German Psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus first identified the “the forgetting curve” in 1885. It was and still is, a hypothesis that highlights how information or knowledge that gets stored in the brain is lost over time if the individual does not attempt to retain it.

Now, to us in the 21st Century, it might not sound so ground-breaking, people forget things. But back then, Ebbinghaus identified a problem and gave it a name and scientists love nothing more than to solve a good problem. That’s why they dedicated their careers to finding ways that can help humans study better and retain information successfully and here are a few of our favourites.

Tips on getting the most out of your study time

While science certainly can help with a good outline on study techniques, good study habitscan also go a long way.

Here’s how you can get the most out of your time behind the books, no matter what technique you decide to go with:

Exercise before studying it will increase your energy levels, fight fatigue and release a bank of hormones like serotonin (the mood booster), dopamine (for learning and attention) and norepinephrine (for awareness, attention and concentration).

Study before bed, it sounds like madness, but it’s crucial for brain function, memory formation, learning and helps improve recall. “When you are awake you learn new things, but when you are asleep you refine them, making it easier to retrieve them”, says Scott Cairney, a researcher from the University of York, UK.

Eat brain food, the stuff you put into your body affects your mind. Choose things like berries, fattynuts and soybeans. Try to avoid sugars, but if the cravings get the better of you choose dark chocolate which has been proven to help with long-term memory.

Listen to music is also one of the study-topics on the debate table. Experts argue that concentrating during silence or listening to music while studying is a matter of personal preference. Certain types of music, however, have different effects and many agree that “obscure 18^th-century composers,” help students engage parts of their brain that help them pay attention and make predictions.

Ineffective Study Techniques

There seems to be a recipe for success, but your recipe can easily flop when you add the wrong ingredients. Ineffective study techniques not only stunt the progress you make, but it makes learners despise getting behind the books altogether. Here’s what to watch out for and avoid.

Cramming

If anything, science has not only proven that spacing out sessions are effective, but that sleep is golden. A study published in the Scientific Reports in 2017 found that students who did not sleep or wake up at consistent times every day were more likely to get lower grades. At some point in our lives, we might have also had to pull an all-nighter, but did you know that it can cut your capacity to learn new things by 40%. Research also shows that it can take up to four days for your brain to recover after it’s had to work through the night.

Reading and re-reading

It’s probably been classified as the most ineffective way to try and learn work, it’s time-consuming and let’s face it, a little boring. Effective studying requires learners to engage with the material for their brains to store the information and retrieve it from their long-term memory. According to Professor Emeritus Marty Lobdell, testing or quizzing yourself works well since you have to get information from your memory – something that you don’t do when simply reading and re-reading textbooks.

Multi-tasking

Thinking we can take on more things than we should is a universal challenge we all need to overcome, but when it comes to studying there’s no room for anything other than your learning material. Research conducted at Stanford University revealed that you are less productive when you multitask compared to when you focus on finishing one task at a time.

Your brain is not capable of performing multiple tasks all at once. That same study found that those who are constantly exposed to different streams of electronic information cannot focus, recall information, or move from one task to another. So, while we all love a good multi-task story, when it comes to recalling information it’s like thinking you’re taking one step forward while your brain’s taking two steps back.

Disorganised and unprepared

We’ve said it before, even if you as an individual can handle a bit of “organised chaos” our brains can’t, especially when it comes to studying for exams. Keeping your notes, summaries and even your workspace all jumbled up can cause frustration and it creates extra, unnecessary work of having to filter through everything first. Having an outline can help learners keep track of what’s needed and clear, conscience notes can even help cut study time in half. We’re not saying things needs to be methodically organised, but a little less chaos can create some clarity.

Studying is combination of different things

Truth be told, there isn’t just one formula that can help learners ace that exam, although science has proven helpful. Techniques should be seen as a mechanism in a larger machine – it’s not the only thing that keeps it going. It’s a combination of things, consider study environments, minimising distractions and the practices or habits learners have in place. Asking for help and support can also make tedious tasks a bit more manageable – we can’t learn what we don’t understand. Looking to online tutoring platforms like Paper Video can help learners bridge gaps with educational resourcesand lessons that unpack complex subjects before they have to try and figure out the content for themselves.

Get started with Paper Video and download our FREE study plan guide.

Visit www.papervideo.co.za or contact Paper Video on 061 357 2304 for more information.

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