A year ago, I scored straight Cs for my mock exams. I was burying my head in my pillow crying. I got so demotivated! I had been struggling with my studies for months.
Then, I discovered this method. I was researching furiously on the internet ways to improve my grades, then I stumbled on some unusual study tactics, and decided to give them a try. I'm not sugarcoating it, it took me a few months to master these techniques but, they changed my life!
I've used these methods for all my exams so far, across different subjects. GSCEs. A-levels. Degree exams.
Method 1: The SQ3R technique
What's the most effective way to study and memorise a textbook? Here we'll introduce you to the SQ3Rs method with will help you actively read and memorise any complex textbook.
⚠️Pitfall alert⚠️
Remember that, no matter which subjects you study, trying to memorise every word of your textbook is not the most effective approach.
✅Solution✅
You must understand what you are reading and be able to apply it in order to pass the exam and build effective study habits. Here's a good strategy you can apply to your studies: The SQ3R.
SQ3Rs
1# Survey
2# Question
3# Read
4# Recall
5# Review
1. Survey the chapter.
Examine the titles and read the introduction, synopsis, and objectives to gain a sense of what the chapter is about.
2. Question.
While completing the survey, consider the questions you hope the chapter will address for you.
3. Read
Read the chapter thoroughly, answering all of the questions and ensuring that you can satisfy the objectives. Experiment with the tasks and activities in the text, and go through all of the examples
4. Recall
Try to recollect the major ideas of each segment and chapter without returning to the text at the end of each section and chapter.
This is best done after a brief interval of a few minutes following the reading phase.
5. Review.
Make sure your recall notes are correct.
You may also find it beneficial to re-read the chapter to better understand the topic(s) it addresses as a whole.
Method 2: Memorisation techniques
Hey, are you cramming and re reading lectures right now? Small disclaimer: It's ineffective. Science says so. These methods don't actually help students to retain information longer!
1. Break the information down into memorisable facts
Take this sentence from accounting textbooks for example Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) are bodies which are not directly linked with national government. The description 'NGO' generally applies to groups whose primary aim is not a commercial one, but within this the term is applied to a diverse range of activities, aimed at promoting social, political or environmental change. However, NGOs are not necessarily charities and, although they may have political aims, they are not political parties. NGOs need to engage in fund raising and mobilisation of resources in order to ensure that they are operating effectively and efficiently (for example in terms of donations received, volunteer labour or materials). This process may require quite complex levels of organisation. That’s at least eight different facts. You need to break them up and study each one. How do you do this? One word: FLASHCARDS. Here are the different ways you can make flashcards: 1# Put a word on one side of the card, its definition on the other. Or 2# Put half a sentence on one side, the other half on the other. Or 3# Put a sentence with a blank on one side, and the missing key word on the other. Or 4# Put a picture on one side, and identify it on the other.
2. Flashcards
A good flashcard should include pictures, sounds, or personal details. To learn words in another language, match them to pictures. Make those pictures personal.
3. Spaced repetition
Would you like to know when is the best time to study something: the moment that you’re just about to forget it. This will help you remember for a longer time! Here's a good pattern
Make a card (or mind map)
Study it the next day
Study it two days later
Then four days later
Then eight days later
and so on.
If you get the card right Do this seven times, and if you got the card right every time, you can throw it away. You’re probably going to remember that fact forever. If you get the card wrong Any time you get the card wrong, you have to start over: study it again tomorrow, then two days after that, and so on. Eventually you’ll get it right all seven times, and you’re done with the card.
Method 3: The "Hard Start-Jump to Easy" technique
Exams can drain your focus and mental energy fast, so it’s best to get the tough stuff out of the way first. This super simple approach to test-taking can help reduce your stress and improve your test scores.
Start on a really hard question—like an essay question, or the stuff you tend to find at the end of the test—and work on it for a few minutes.
As soon as you hit a mental roadblock, shift gears and get to work on easier questions, such as multiple choice questions or true or false questions.
Whenever you get a spark of motivation or come up with a good thought, go back to the tough questions.
Now continue that process until your test is complete. This technique keeps you from wasting time when you get stuck, and it plays nice with your brain—which can only focus on complex tasks for a certain amount of time before it needs a break. When you shift back and forth, you let your brain recharge while it continues to solve the problem in the background.
Conclusion
That's pretty much it! I've shared all of my most effective study tips with you. The question is: will you apply them?