Mildliners, Muji notebooks and a timer: the must needs preached by online study communities. They swear by mysterious techniques, claiming it was the game-changer for their study routines. While some of these techniques cycle out like trends, others should stay as classics due to their proven effectiveness. Before finals week, here are several fact-checked study techniques you can consider to address different weaknesses in your study routine.
Pomodoro Technique
The Pomodoro Technique manages study time by using study intervals. It involves working for 25 minutes, taking a five minute break and then repeating the process. After four consecutive pomodoro cycles, a longer 10 minute break is taken. It is a structured approach to study time that eliminates procrastination.
In a study published in the Globus Journal of Progressive Education, procrastination was assessed by giving tests to participants both before and after they used the Pomodoro Technique. In the group trying the Pomodoro Technique, people went from high procrastination to average or minimal procrastination. The Pomodoro Technique may not significantly impact academic motivation, but it effectively addresses procrastination and improves focus.
“It’s helped a lot with procrastination and it helps me tell myself to just start working because it’s just 25 minutes,” junior Jasmine Le said. “I work for 25 minutes, and a lot of the time I’ll get into the zone really quickly so even after 25 minutes is over, I’ll keep working and go to 50 minutes, then take a 10 minute break.”
Concept mapping
Concept maps are visual representations of information that help students see the big picture by organizing concepts and making connections by drawing arrows.
A study conducted by the Faculty of Psychology of Babes-Bolyai University and the University of Medicine found that using concept maps was effective for long-term memory because it helped students make associations.
“Concept mapping has definitely helped me not only perform way better on tests but also fully understand a subject because it’s pretty accurate in showing what I do and don’t understand,” freshman Amber Chih said. “If I don’t understand something, it shows on my paper and I can quickly go back to reading or hit Google.”
However, creating a complex concept map doesn’t necessarily indicate better understanding. In a study with 49 biology undergraduates, some made their maps more complex, while others simplified theirs, finding no supporting evidence to show the link between map features and student success.
Concept mapping works well for visual learners, making details easier to remember, and are effective when analyzing and comparing information.
Active recall
Active recall is where someone studies a topic by generating questions and quizzing themselves regularly, engaging the brain actively in remembering information. Unlike recognizing information when it’s presented, the goal of active recall is to recall information entirely from memory.
“When I had a history project on the Korean War last year, I did thorough research over a long period,” sophomore Emily Hill said. “I would have to retain and recall information continuously and this allowed me to think and explore the topic deeper each time.”
In a 2011 study by Andrew Butler, Associate Professor of Psychological & Brain Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis, students were divided into four groups, each tasked with learning the same material and later tested on their knowledge. The group using active recall outperformed significantly in both verbatim and inference tests.
“In some ways, yes, it has helped me remember information over a longer period of time, but it only works if I know a test or big exam is coming up in several weeks,” Hill said.When under a time crunch, cramming all that information at once can lead to cognitive overload, potentially hindering understanding and impacting long-term memory transfer. Active recall is a successful study strategy for long-term knowledge retention, but it requires that a person start studying early.