The human brain is far better than the best computer ever created. It can handle a lot of information and process it all faster than a computer. And that means A LOT of information—the average adult human brain has the ability to store the equivalent of 2.5 million gigabytes of digital memory.

Yet why is it that we still find ourselves forgetting the crucial concepts and algorithms in the examination hall that we have already studied. Is our brain just not capable of efficient learning?

A human brain is a complex organ. Unlike computers, you cannot just ask the brain to read some information, then store it perfectly and recall it anytime in the future on a whim. It requires a proper regimen and method that helps it to internalise new information.

Researchers have been studying study methods for a long time now, and many have come up with really fine methods that make studying efficient and effective. In this article, We’re going to have a look at the various top study methods that you can incorporate into your study regimen and get the most out of your study sessions.

1. Approaches to reading

a) SQ3R Method

SQRRR or SQ3R is a reading comprehension method named for its five steps: survey, question, read, recite, and review. The method was introduced by Francis P. Robinson, an American education philosopher in his 1946 book called ‘Effective Study’

Survey - Whatever type of text material you need to go through, the first step of the survey dictates you to just skim through the texts. While you skim over them, you glance over the headings and topics and make notes of these headings.
Question - Start asking questions about the headings that you have just noted down. The question be about formulating a better understanding of those headings or recalling what you already know about those topics
Read - Begin reading the main text. As you go through with the reading, try to answer the questions about those headings that we created in the previous step.
Recite - After reading a section, summarize in your own words what you just read. Try recalling and identifying major points. You can even make notes as you try to figure out the answers to any question that got left out.
Review - Once you finish a few sections or a chapter, review your notes and what you have learned in the chapter. Reread your notes and material aloud repeatedly to develop a greater understanding.

b) PQ4R Method

PQ4R is another method for comprehending reading material which was developed by Robinson in 1927. This method is very similar to the SQ3R method. The six different steps under this method are as follows

Preview: Preview the information before you start reading to get an idea of what the subject matter will be. Skim the material and read only the headers, subheadings, and highlighted text.
Question: Ask yourself questions related to the topic, such as, What do I expect to learn? What do I already know about this topic?
Read: Read the information one section at a time and try to identify answers to your questions.
Reflect: Did you answer all of your questions? If not, go back and see if you can find the answer.
Recite: In your own words, either recite in your own head, speak or write down a summary of the information you just read.
Review: Review your notes created to this point. Also look over the material one more time and answer any questions that have not yet been answered.

c) THIEVES Method

The THIEVES method dictates 7 pre-reading steps that the reader should complete before he goes on to read the full text.Therefore, the reader establishes a context of reading before he/she goes on to ‘steal’ information from the text.

The things to read step by step are as follows -

Title
Headings
Introduction
Everything you know about the section
Visuals
End of Chapter material - End of chapter summaries and questions
So What? - Discuss the purpose of the text and it’s meaning to you

2. Tips to making notes

Notes are the mainstream traditional method of learning across the world in all schools and colleges. It seems like a no-brainer to create notes whenever you are studying heavy materials to condense the information into neat and tidy tidbits of digestible information. With notes you can recall the important points of the material in no time. This also helps when reviewing material just before the exams.

In order to implement this method, the note-making process needs to begin well in advance before the test. This is because the mote-making process is time intensive. If you expend all your preparation time creating notes, then you will not be left with any time to utilise those notes later.

Color-Coded Notes

Even though note making is very popular, very few put the time in to make dynamic colour coded notes. The main thing that separates notes from textbooks is how they stand out with brilliant colours and formatting. Color coding the notes, underlining and highlighting helps organise the notes in a manner that makes reading easier. You can mark priority topics and key concepts and the most important ideas like this.

Colours can dramatically impact learning and retention prowesses if used correctly. It also reported that warmer colors “increase attention and elicit excitement and information. Here’s what you need to remember -

Write down key points with one colour
Mark super important information in another colour
Organize topics by colored slips
Don’t color everything—just the most important information

3. Mind mapping

Are you a visual learner? Humans are visual creatures. Most of us process information based on what we see. 65 percent of us are visual learners, according to the Social Science Research Network. If you are among these 65%, then chances are that mind mapping will help you out a ton. This technique allows you to visually organise information in the form of charts, diagrams, graphs, etc.

Experts argue that the difference between “slow learners” and “quick studiers” is the way they study; for example, instead of memorizing, “quick learners” make connections between ideas. Mind mapping enables you to see the big picture by communicating the hierarchy and relationships between concepts and ideas.

Here’s how you do it -

Start with a blank page.
Write the core idea of the topic at the center of the page.
Follow up with the secondary ideas of the topic and connect them to the central idea.
Keep branching out newer ideas from the previous layer of branches until you have the complete picture.
Use different colors for each branch to help your understanding.

If you find yourself unsure about how to draw the mind map, try to take notes on what concepts to include, and then draw out the mind map.

4. Retrieval Practice - Active Recall

Reading and rereading textbooks merely leads students to thinking they know the material better than they do since it is right in front of them. In order to actually retain the material for longer periods of time and properly, retrieval practice or active recall is the most recommended methods by research and practice

Active recall is based on the concept of remembering at a later time. When you try to recall an answer to a question in your mind, it creates a strong impression of the question in your mind and improves learning more than looking for the answer in your textbook. Here’s how you can do it.

For example, consider these questions. Which is the longest river in the world? What was the name of the first emperor of the Mughal Dynasty? How many bones make up the rib cage? By thinking for a moment and trying to recall the answer to these trivia facts, you just engaged in retrieval practice and boosted your learning!

a) Practice tests

It may be surprising but testing is actually a form of active retrieval practice. Research has shown that frequent testing helps retain memory for longer periods of time. If you repeatedly attempt tests about the same topics, your memory of the material will be absorbed by your brain for longer terms.

b) Make your own questions

An even better exercise is making test questions for yourself as you learn a new concept, thinking about the types of questions you might be asked on a quiz or test. Incorporate these quizzes into your study sessions, answering every question, even those that you believe that you know well.

c) Use flashcards

The great thing about flashcards is that they’re easily portable. Slip them in your bag, so you can pull them out whenever you have a spare minute. This is a fantastic way to squeeze in extra practice time outside of your regularly scheduled study sessions.

Writing out the cards will help you learn the information. Quizzing yourself on the cards will continue that reinforcement.

As an alternative to paper flashcards, you can also use a computer program or a smartphone app to make digital flashcards that you can click through again and again.

Here are three important tips to make flashcard learning powerful and effective.

Retrieve - Make sure that you are retrieving the answer. Write down the answer or say it out loud before flipping the card over. This will help prevent you from falling for the illusion of confidence – thinking “of course I know it” and flipping the card over prematurely.
Re-order - Students should shuffle their deck each time they go through it to challenge themselves with spacing and interleaving, instead of going through their flashcard deck in the same order again and again.
Repeat - Students should keep cards in their deck until they’ve correctly retrieved it three times. Just because a student has retrieved an item once doesn’t mean they “get it.” Avoid removing the cards from your deck too early.

5. Spaced practice

Spaced practice or distributed practice is a method that is just about what it sounds like. It simply involves you space your practice and learning. Instead of heavy intensive study and practice crammed in small periods of time or just before exams, spacing this study helps retain information over longer periods of time. When our brains almost forget something, they work harder to recall that information. This recalling of information forces the brain to make connections between ideas and build upon the knowledge that can be easily recalled later.

Spaced practice can feel difficult due to an initial forgetting of knowledge—reacquiring that knowledge takes effort.

To try this technique, review your material in spaced intervals similar to the schedule below:

Day 1 - Study Material
Day 2 - Revisit and Review
Day 4 - Revisit and Review
Day 8 - Revisit and Review
Day 16 - Revisit and Review
Day 32 - Revisit and Review

It’s important to start planning early. Schedule some time each day just for studying and reviewing the material. Even if your exam(s) is/are months away, this will help you hold yourself accountable.

Leitner System

The Leitner System is a learning technique based on flashcards. You write down questions on flashcards and create 5-6 piles/boxes to keep these flashcards in. Ideally, you keep your cards in several different boxes to track when you need to study each set but every card starts in the first Box. Here are the rules -

If you get a card right, you move it to the next box.
If you get a card wrong, you either move it down a box or keep it in Box 1 (if it’s already there).
Each box determines how much you will study each set of cards, similar to the following schedule:
3.1. Every day - Box 1
3.2. Every 2 days - Box 2
3.3. Every 4 days - Box 3
3.4. Every 8 days - Box 4
3.5. Every 16 days - Box 5
3.6. Every 32 days - Box 6

Remember that this is not a rigid system. The number of boxes/piles of cards and the time interval between reviewing cards from each box can obviously be adjusted according to the time for preparation and the amount of material to be studied/reviewed. Any card that passes the end box can be discarded as a concept that has been well absorbed by the mind.

6. Feynman method

The Feynman method, given by the famous physicist Robert Feyman is a technique of learning concepts quickly by breaking it down into its simplest parts. It works by explaining a concept quickly in plain and simple terms. It’s based on the idea that the toughest of the concepts can be understood easily if they are deconstructed and reconstructed appropriately.

How it works -

Grab a blank sheet of paper
Write the subject/concept you are studying at the top of the sheet of paper.
Now, try to explain it in your own language as if you were teaching a five year old.
If you have used technical terms or complex language anywhere, go back and rewrite those sections in simpler terms for someone who doesn’t have the educational background that you have.
Review what you wrote and identify any areas where you were wrong.
Once you have identified them, go back to your notes or reading material and figure out the correct answer.

7. Pomodoro Study Sessions

The Pomodoro study method is now vastly popular across the globe and used by many students to manage their time and get the most out of their study sessions. This study method was created by Francesco Cirillo in 1999. Its 20 years of usage is evidence of how effective it is. If you have no idea about what it is or how to apply it to your study schedule, here’s how you do it.

Creating Pomodoros - Pomodoros are intervals of time. It was named by Cirillo after the shape of the timer that he used (Pomodoro is Italian for tomato). Choose a short duration of time for which you can maintain high concentration throughout without getting distracted. If you are a beginner, start from 25 minutes. If you are really confident in your ability to sit for long sessions, set your pomodoros to be 50 minutes long.
Setting up the environment - Before you sit down to study, make sure that everything is in order. This can include that you have all your books, stationary and other resources that you will need at hand. Use the restroom so that you won’t have to use it for the next pomodoro duration. Make sure that you have water with you and that your study space is neat and comfortable. These practices ensure that your focus levels during this session will not dip due to external factors.
Applying pomodoros - Pomodoros are all about deep and intense study sessions rather than long ones. If you set your pomodoro duration to 25 minutes, make sure that you do not get distracted for those next 25 minutes. If you get distracted, discount that pomodoro, take a break and restart.
Taking breaks - Each pomodoro is followed by a short break from studying during which you can walk around, do push ups, talk to family, look at your phone etc.The duration of your breaks should be 1/5th of your assigned pomodoro time. So if you are studying for 25 minutes at a time, follow it up with a 5 minute break. If you are studying for 50 minutes at a time, follow it up with a 10 minute break. Every 4 pomodoros, take a longer 15-30 minute break.
How many pomodoros - How many such pomodoro study sessions each person can pull off varies according to the person. Some can do 2, while experienced learners can go around 25 pomodoros a day. However, a general rule of thumb to decide your own capacity is to stop when your focus levels start to dip and you are unable to complete a pomodoro with complete focus.

Conclusion

I can vouch from my personal experience that all of these methods are helpful if you can include them into your study regimen. You can also use these techniques in conjunction with each other such as using active recall with the leitner system.

There are many other study methods/techniques out in the world that have been researched and tried and tested as well, however this list only covers the cream of the crop.

Did I miss out your preferred study method? Post it below in the thread!
All the best for your preparations!

References

MacKay DG, Ahmetzanov MV. Emotion, memory, and attention in the taboo Stroop paradigm. Psychol Sci. 2005 Jan;16(1):25-32. doi: 10.1111/j.0956-7976.2005.00776.x. PMID: 15660848.
Pan, Y. (2010). Attentional capture by working memory contents. Canadian Journal of Experimental Psychology/Revue canadienne de psychologie expérimentale, 64(2), 124–128.
Miyatsu, T., Nguyen, K., & McDaniel, M. A. (2018). Five popular study strategies: Their pitfalls and optimal implementations. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 13(3), 390-407.
Roediger III, H. L., & Karpicke, J. D. (2006). Test-enhanced learning: Taking memory tests improves long-term retention. Psychological science, 17(3), 249-255.
www.retrievalpractice.org