Studying can be interesting with the right techniques. Photo courtesy of Creazilla.
ANA DOLLARD | STAFF REPORTER | adollard@butler.edu
Sweating profusely, hundreds of Butler students will soon be climbing their way up the Irwin Library stairs in search of a non-crowded place to study for finals. Iced coffees will be stirred, backpacks quietly unzipped and whiteboard markers squeakily uncapped and positioned in hand like weapons for battle. What will follow is sighing, combing through Canvas for materials and monotonously writing and rewriting practice problems. But the question remains — is there a more interesting way to study?
Deeper than doodling
Studying, especially when a test is fast approaching, can feel overwhelming, stressful and boring all at once.
However, first-year art and design major Felix Zheng shared a creative study strategy that works well for them — writing in the air.
“I grew up in a Chinese household, and when I was learning to write in Mandarin, [one way I learned] was to practice the strokes in the air, and that’s where writing with my finger [became a long-term study strategy], ” Zheng said. “[It is very convenient] because all it takes is my finger.”
Zheng also mentioned that this strategy should be used for some subjects but not for others.
“If I’m studying math or coding, I’m not going to [use the tracing-in-air method],” Zheng said. “But if it’s more like memorization of vocabulary, or trying to relate a piece of text to a subject, then I use it to connect the dots [of different concepts].”
There is limited research on studying via the tracing-in-air method but doodling on paper while learning new information has been shown to increase retention and memory. One study by University of Plymouth researcher Jackie Andrade found that when two groups of people were asked to recall information from an audio message, the group that doodled while listening to the audio was able to recall 29% more of the information. The relaxing psychological effects of doodling may be the reason why it helps the brain process and organize information at a better rate than just listening.
Prioritize well-being
While it may seem counterintuitive to most sleep-deprived college students, spending more time sleeping than studying can produce better results on a test.
Junior neuroscience major Grant Gilsenan, a student research assistant for a Butler study on effective study strategies, mentioned that for him, taking care of physical and mental health is more beneficial than just studying.
“I would rather study two hours and sleep eight than study four hours and sleep six,” Gilsenan said.
Gilsenan also explained how exercise habits have led to better studying sessions.
“I exercise every day and it helps me release stress and have a clear mind to effectively study later in the day,” Gilsenan said.
Gilsenan’s strategies are backed by science. A study by professors at the University of California, Berkeley found that students who napped in between study sessions learned at the same rate they did at noon, while the group that didn’t nap “experienced a significant decrease in learning ability.”
It can be difficult to squeeze in a full 8-12 hours of rest, but quality sleep can reset the brain and help it understand information at a much more efficient rate.
Don’t waste time reading and re-reading
While it would be nice to be able to read notes and memorize information instantaneously, without a photographic memory, the “highlighting notes” method is highly unlikely to have a positive effect on memorization. The most recommended methods of studying almost always involve active recall, which is a process that requires someone to retrieve information from their brain — engaging in active learning rather than passively learning through re-reading notes.
According to Dr. Tara Lineweaver, psychology professor and director of the interdisciplinary neuroscience program, there are a variety of ways to study, but the most effective methods are those that require a little more effort on the part of the learner.
“Testing yourself over and over on the material that you’re trying to learn is an excellent strategy for maximizing your learning and retention of information,” Lineweaver said. “Most students seem to be aware of that, and many of them do not do it. Instead, they reread their notes, they highlight things in their book. We know those are ineffective strategies, but students tend towards them because they take less effort.”
Even though it may feel helpful to read notes before a test or quiz, the unfortunate truth is that this method is wasted labor. Learners will be much more likely to ace an exam with active recall than by flipping through notebook pages, hoping the information will stick.
Learn to pivot
Deciding how to study can be a daunting task, but through trial and error, it is possible to figure out the methods that are most effective.
Psychology professor Dr. Stacy Wetmore found that students are often under the impression that they just need to work harder rather than change their study methods.
“One of the study tips we share with [students] is, ‘if at first you don’t succeed, try something else’ instead of ‘try, try again,’” Wetmore said. “Students often get into a class, they study for their first exam, [and] it goes poorly. Rather than pivoting, they’re like, ‘I’ll just do more of that for the second exam.’”
In many instances, failing is not the fault of the learner but the learning method. Students often fall prey to methods like re-reading notes or highlighting, especially under a time crunch, because it feels easier. The fact is, by switching up a study routine to involve more self-quizzing and spacing out of material, students can better process information and even make studying more enjoyable.
With the right combination of self-care, active recall and a little bit of effort, an A for that difficult class might not be too far away. The important thing to remember is that grades don’t define the worth of a person — they are simply a method of measuring academic performance.
