Chapter 2: Five Effective Studying Habits

One of the integral features of academics, especially in college, is tests. Tests can make or break not only your grade in the course but also your overall grade point average (GPA). To ensure that you maintain a good GPA and do well on tests, you will need to develop effective studying habits.

Although studying can be a boring and dreadful task, it is a vital part of having a successful academic life. By studying course material, you are effectively preparing yourself for the test. The following are five effective studying habits:

1. Read course material multiple times.
2. Highlight key words and phrases.
3. Make flashcards.
4. Start studying for test early.
5. Take a study break.

Read course material multiple times.

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Repetition is key for studying. When I study, I read every definition and concept about three times to ensure that I have stored the course material in my memory. If you read important course concepts multiple times, you are more likely to recall course concepts when you take the test.

Highlight key words and phrases.

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During my times of studying, I have noticed that highlighting key words and phrases from my notes helps me to retain information better because it makes information stand out in my memory. By highlighting content, you are making a mental note that the information is important, making it more likely that you will remember the information when you take the test. You can even color code different types of information, using a different colored highlighter. 

Make flashcards.

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Making flashcards is a great way to test yourself on course material. Flashcards give you a chance to get answers wrong and learn from them, so that you do not make the same mistakes when you take the test. After turning flashcards over so many times to see the correct answer, you will have the correct answers and its associated definitions memorized.

Start studying for test early.

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Many professors suggest studying for a test a week or two in advance of the test date. By studying a few course concepts each day for the next two weeks prior to the test, you are giving yourself plenty of time to retain the course material. Some students, who wait until the night before the test to begin studying, do not fare well, so avoid cramming. 

Take a study break.

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After you have invested an appropriate amount of time towards studying, you should take a study break. Taking a break from studying will give your mind time to rest from storing new information. After your study break, your mind will be recharged and the information that you have studied will be readily available when you take the test.

If you incorporate these studying habits into your academic life, you will definitely see improvement in the score for your next test. I encourage you to try each studying habit and determine which one works best for you. Happy test taking!