Guide to Effective Studying

By: Karol WielechowskiAP Psychology Period 1B

Go to a quiet space: go to a place where it is nice and quiet, with minimal distractions

Get yourself motivated: commit yourself to stay in an environment for two hours. Avoid distractions, such as cell phones.

Before Studying – Use your time wisely and choose a suitable studying environment

If you can’t get yourself motivated, try to make your studying enjoyable. Study with a friend.

Studying with a friend can make concepts much more meaningful because you’re relating it to your partner.

Before studying: Form study groups

Consider the material you need to cover and estimate how much time you need to study.

Schedule a specific amount of time to devote to studying◦ Depending on the material, how long do you need

to get the information into memory?

Manage your time

Take a 15 minute break and eat something (maybe a nice brownie. Mmm… brownies.)

Reinforce yourself

When reviewing materials in the book, get the big picture.

Once that is established, you have more of an understanding of what the material is about.

If you don’t have a big picture of what the material is about, do you honestly know what you’re reading about?

During studying: Get the big picture

Then, go back and outline all of the important concepts and vocabulary you need to know for the up and coming test.

Going back and outlining strengthens connections in your synapses by making the information more meaningful.

During studying: Read over all of the material one time

Mnemonics are techniques for improving memory, by making connections between new material and information already in LTM.◦ For example, take the word procedural memory.

Since most people know the word procedure, it means how to do something. Procedural memory is simply how you do something; such as, riding a bicycle.

During studying: Use mnemonic strategies to make material more meaningful

If you’re using them for vocabulary terms, write the word on the front and write the definition on the back.

Try memorize the definition and make up a question.◦ For example, take the word engram. The

definition of an engram is: the physical changes in the brain associated with a memory.

◦ Come up with a question. What are physical changes in the brain associated with a memory called?

During studying: Make flashcards