Forget What You Know About Good Study Habits (Published 2010) (2023)

Advertisement

Continue reading the main story

Supported by

Continue reading the main story

Mind

  • Send any friend a story

    As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Anyone can read what you share.

(Video) Forget What You Know About “Good” Study Habits for the Bar Exam

The findings can help anyone, from a fourth grader doing long division to a retiree taking on a new language. But they directly contradict much of the common wisdom about good study habits, and they have not caught on.

For instance, instead of sticking to one study location, simply alternating the room where a person studies improves retention. So does studying distinct but related skills or concepts in one sitting, rather than focusing intensely on a single thing.

“We have known these principles for some time, and it’s intriguing that schools don’t pick them up, or that people don’t learn them by trial and error,” said Robert A. Bjork, a psychologist at the University of California, Los Angeles. “Instead, we walk around with all sorts of unexamined beliefs about what works that are mistaken.”

(Video) How I Memorized EVERYTHING in MEDICAL SCHOOL – (3 Easy TIPS)

Take the notion that children have specific learning styles, that some are “visual learners” and others are auditory; some are “left-brain” students, others “right-brain.” In a recent review of the relevant research, published in the journal Psychological Science in the Public Interest, a team of psychologists found almost zero support for such ideas. “The contrast between the enormous popularity of the learning-styles approach within education and the lack of credible evidence for its utility is, in our opinion, striking and disturbing,” the researchers concluded.

Ditto for teaching styles, researchers say. Some excellent instructors caper in front of the blackboard like summer-theater Falstaffs; others are reserved to the point of shyness. “We have yet to identify the common threads between teachers who create a constructive learning atmosphere,” said Daniel T. Willingham, a psychologist at the University of Virginia and author of the book “Why Don’t Students Like School?”

But individual learning is another matter, and psychologists have discovered that some of the most hallowed advice on study habits is flat wrong. For instance, many study skills courses insist that students find a specific place, a study room or a quiet corner of the library, to take their work. The research finds just the opposite. In one classic 1978 experiment, psychologists found that college students who studied a list of 40 vocabulary words in two different rooms — one windowless and cluttered, the other modern, with a view on a courtyard — did far better on a test than students who studied the words twice, in the same room. Later studies have confirmed the finding, for a variety of topics.

The brain makes subtle associations between what it is studying and the background sensations it has at the time, the authors say, regardless of whether those perceptions are conscious. It colors the terms of the Versailles Treaty with the wasted fluorescent glow of the dorm study room, say; or the elements of the Marshall Plan with the jade-curtain shade of the willow tree in the backyard. Forcing the brain to make multiple associations with the same material may, in effect, give that information more neural scaffolding.

“What we think is happening here is that, when the outside context is varied, the information is enriched, and this slows down forgetting,” said Dr. Bjork, the senior author of the two-room experiment.

Varying the type of material studied in a single sitting — alternating, for example, among vocabulary, reading and speaking in a new language — seems to leave a deeper impression on the brain than does concentrating on just one skill at a time. Musicians have known this for years, and their practice sessions often include a mix of scales, musical pieces and rhythmic work. Many athletes, too, routinely mix their workouts with strength, speed and skill drills.

The advantages of this approach to studying can be striking, in some topic areas. In a study recently posted online by the journal Applied Cognitive Psychology, Doug Rohrer and Kelli Taylor of the University of South Florida taught a group of fourth graders four equations, each to calculate a different dimension of a prism. Half of the children learned by studying repeated examples of one equation, say, calculating the number of prism faces when given the number of sides at the base, then moving on to the next type of calculation, studying repeated examples of that. The other half studied mixed problem sets, which included examples of all four types of calculations grouped together. Both groups solved sample problems along the way, as they studied.

A day later, the researchers gave all of the students a test on the material, presenting new problems of the same type. The children who had studied mixed sets did twice as well as the others, outscoring them 77 percent to 38 percent. The researchers have found the same in experiments involving adults and younger children.

Image

(Video) Implementation of Exercise in Oncology Medicine – Kathryn Schmitz, PhD, MPH

“When students see a list of problems, all of the same kind, they know the strategy to use before they even read the problem,” said Dr. Rohrer. “That’s like riding a bike with training wheels.” With mixed practice, he added, “each problem is different from the last one, which means kids must learn how to choose the appropriate procedure — just like they had to do on the test.”

These findings extend well beyond math, even to aesthetic intuitive learning. In an experiment published last month in the journal Psychology and Aging, researchers found that college students and adults of retirement age were better able to distinguish the painting styles of 12 unfamiliar artists after viewing mixed collections (assortments, including works from all 12) than after viewing a dozen works from one artist, all together, then moving on to the next painter.

The finding undermines the common assumption that intensive immersion is the best way to really master a particular genre, or type of creative work, said Nate Kornell, a psychologist at Williams College and the lead author of the study. “What seems to be happening in this case is that the brain is picking up deeper patterns when seeing assortments of paintings; it’s picking up what’s similar and what’s different about them,” often subconsciously.

Cognitive scientists do not deny that honest-to-goodness cramming can lead to a better grade on a given exam. But hurriedly jam-packing a brain is akin to speed-packing a cheap suitcase, as most students quickly learn — it holds its new load for a while, then most everything falls out.

“With many students, it’s not like they can’t remember the material” when they move to a more advanced class, said Henry L. Roediger III, a psychologist at Washington University in St. Louis. “It’s like they’ve never seen it before.”

When the neural suitcase is packed carefully and gradually, it holds its contents for far, far longer. An hour of study tonight, an hour on the weekend, another session a week from now: such so-called spacing improves later recall, without requiring students to put in more overall study effort or pay more attention, dozens of studies have found.

No one knows for sure why. It may be that the brain, when it revisits material at a later time, has to relearn some of what it has absorbed before adding new stuff — and that that process is itself self-reinforcing.

“The idea is that forgetting is the friend of learning,” said Dr. Kornell. “When you forget something, it allows you to relearn, and do so effectively, the next time you see it.”

That’s one reason cognitive scientists see testing itself — or practice tests and quizzes — as a powerful tool of learning, rather than merely assessment. The process of retrieving an idea is not like pulling a book from a shelf; it seems to fundamentally alter the way the information is subsequently stored, making it far more accessible in the future.

(Video) Lorrie Morgan – Good as I Was to You (Official Video)

Dr. Roediger uses the analogy of the Heisenberg uncertainty principle in physics, which holds that the act of measuring a property of a particle (position, for example) reduces the accuracy with which you can know another property (momentum, for example): “Testing not only measures knowledge but changes it,” he says — and, happily, in the direction of more certainty, not less.

In one of his own experiments, Dr. Roediger and Jeffrey Karpicke, who is now at Purdue University, had college students study science passages from a reading comprehension test, in short study periods. When students studied the same material twice, in back-to-back sessions, they did very well on a test given immediately afterward, then began to forget the material.

But if they studied the passage just once and did a practice test in the second session, they did very well on one test two days later, and another given a week later.

“Testing has such bad connotation; people think of standardized testing or teaching to the test,” Dr. Roediger said. “Maybe we need to call it something else, but this is one of the most powerful learning tools we have.”

Of course, one reason the thought of testing tightens people’s stomachs is that tests are so often hard. Paradoxically, it is just this difficulty that makes them such effective study tools, research suggests. The harder it is to remember something, the harder it is to later forget. This effect, which researchers call “desirable difficulty,” is evident in daily life. The name of the actor who played Linc in “The Mod Squad”? Francie’s brother in “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn”? The name of the co-discoverer, with Newton, of calculus?

The more mental sweat it takes to dig it out, the more securely it will be subsequently anchored.

None of which is to suggest that these techniques — alternating study environments, mixing content, spacing study sessions, self-testing or all the above — will turn a grade-A slacker into a grade-A student. Motivation matters. So do impressing friends, making the hockey team and finding the nerve to text the cute student in social studies.

“In lab experiments, you’re able to control for all factors except the one you’re studying,” said Dr. Willingham. “Not true in the classroom, in real life. All of these things are interacting at the same time.”

But at the very least, the cognitive techniques give parents and students, young and old, something many did not have before: a study plan based on evidence, not schoolyard folk wisdom, or empty theorizing.

/

Advertisement

(Video) JHU MS in Geographic Information Systems Student Spotlight Event

Continue reading the main story

Good study habits to develop

  • Find a good place to study.
  • Minimize distractions.
  • Take breaks.
  • Space out your studying.
  • Set study goals for each session.
  • Reward yourself.
  • Study with a group.
  • Take practice tests.

What are the 5 good study habits? ›

  • Make a schedule. Number one on any list of study habits has to be making a schedule. …
  • Create your environment. This one is so important while we’re on lockdown. …
  • Study in bursts. Treat your brain like a muscle. …
  • Sleep. Of all the tips on this list, this could be the most important. …
  • Find a study group.

What are the 7 types of effective study habits? › Here are 7 study habits that are essential for students of all ages.

  • Establish a study area at home. …
  • Communicate with the teacher. …
  • Keep assignments organized. …
  • Avoid procrastination. …
  • Take notes in class. …
  • Highlight key concepts in the reading materials. …
  • Prepare your book-bag before going to bed.

Why good study habit is important to every student? ›

Good study skills can increase your confidence, competence, and self-esteem. They can also reduce anxiety about tests and deadlines. By developing effective study skills, you may be able to cut down on the numbers of hours spend studying, leaving more time for other things in your life.

How can students improve study habits? › 10 Steps to Improve Your Study Skills

  1. Behavior modification can work for you. …
  2. Do not study more than an hour at a time without taking a break. …
  3. Separate the study of subjects that are alike. …
  4. Do not study when you are tired. …
  5. Prepare for your class at the best time. …
  6. Use the best note-taking system for you.

What good study habits you can develop for virtual classes? › Ten successful online study habits

  • Take up bedtime studying. Rather than catching up Netflix, take time to review your study notes about an upcoming test. …
  • Break up marathon study sessions. …
  • Create a study schedule. …
  • Connect with other focused students. …
  • Clear your space. …
  • Shut off technology. …
  • Take your own notes. …
  • Ask for help.

How can you maintain or improve your study routine Brainly answer? ›

  • Make a plan. ‘
  • Keep everything organized in one place.
  • Study according to your personal learning style.
  • After studying, practice explaining what you’ve learned.
  • Tap into the power of music.

How do you intend to improve your effective study habits and overcome the effective ones Brainly? › ​ – Brainly.in….

Explanation:

  1. Changing your behavior may be effective for you. Utilize the idea of association learning. …
  2. Limit your study sessions to no more than 1 hour without a break- Actually, don’t spend more than 20 to 30 minutes at a time memorizing something. …
  3. Separate the study of related topics.

What is the most important habit that helps a student to be successful in college? ›

Study at the same time.

Not only is it important that you plan when you’re going to study, it’s important you create a consistent, daily study routine. When you study at the same time each day and each week, you’re studying will become a regular part of your life.

How do you apply the 7 Habits of Effective People as a student? ›

  1. Habit One: Be Proactive.
  2. Habit Two: Begin with the End in Mind.
  3. Habit Three: Put First Things First.
  4. Habit Four: Think Win – Win.
  5. Habit Five: Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood.
  6. Habit Six: Synergize.
  7. Habit Seven: Sharpen the Saw.

What are the example of study habits? ›

Keep Track of Deadlines and Important Dates

You can get ahead of upcoming assignments by checking your calendar on a weekly (and daily) basis, outlining each deadline in advance, and blocking off time to study. And don’t forget the best part of keeping a list of tasks—crossing them off once they are completed!

What are the benefits of good study habits Brainly? ›

improved academic performance reduced stress better performance in extra-curricular activities remembering information an effective use of time.

Why study is important in our life? ›

Studying is not just important for educational development, but also builds personal skills. Having good study skills can improve your confidence, competence, and self-esteem. As well as helps reduce stress and anxiety around deadlines and exams.

How will you improve your study habits during this pandemic? ›

When you need to study something important, consider The Magic of Monotasking. Focus on one thing at a time. Take breaks between tasks. Consider the “pomodoro method” to help you focus for 25- or 50-minute periods and then reward yourself with 5- or 10-minute breaks.

Why is it important to have study habits which suit one’s personality? ›

Why? Answer: Yes, bacause Students usually become aware of study skills when their learning habits are limiting their potential, don’t suit their personality, or are causing significant levels of anxiety before exams.

How can I improve my memory and study skills? › Simple memory tips and tricks

  1. Try to understand the information first. Information that is organized and makes sense to you is easier to memorize. …
  2. Link it. …
  3. Sleep on it. …
  4. Self-test. …
  5. Use distributed practice. …
  6. Write it out. …
  7. Create meaningful groups. …
  8. Use mnemonics.

What are the action to do still have a good study habit Brainly? ›

This is Expert Verified Answer

Try not to do too much studying at one time. … Try to study at the same times each day. … Work on the assignment they find most difficult first. … Review their notes before beginning an assignment.

What are the benefits we get from having an improve learning style? ›

The benefits of learning styles are that you feel more self-assured, leading to more productive learning and improved working relationships, now and in the future. This is because understanding your learning style means you know what works best for you and can adapt your education experience accordingly.

How do online classes affect the students study habits? ›

Online school also made it a lot easier for students to cheat during tests. This makes students unprepared for in-person school, where they cannot cheat and look at notes while taking tests.

What are the things you learned about yourself after answering the study skills questionnaire? ›

Answer: The things I have learned about myself are that I always try to understand things that confuse me, I always organize things and I always like to be organized, I always try to study at places where it is quiet and where I feel very calm and relaxed.

How do you overcome and deal with positively? ›

10 Ways to Overcome Challenges in Life

  1. Make A Plan. While you don’t know what is going to happen in the future, you can always plan ahead. …
  2. Know You’re Not Alone. Every person in this world has their low points. …
  3. Ask For Help. …
  4. Feel Your Feelings. …
  5. Accept Support. …
  6. Help Others. …
  7. Think Big. …
  8. Positive Mindset.

Why is there a need to assess your study practices How can you maintain or improve your study routine? ›

This is Expert Verified Answer

Assessment is a key component of learning because it helps students learn. When students are able to see how they are doing in a class, they are able to determine whether or not they understand course material. Assessment can also help motivate students.

How do you intend to improve your practices of respect? › Here are 7 simple ways you can teach your girl to be more respectful today:

  1. Listen and be present. …
  2. Be thoughtful of others’ feelings. …
  3. Acknowledge others and say thank you. …
  4. Address mistakes with kindness. …
  5. Make decisions based on what’s right, not who you like. …
  6. Respect physical boundaries. …
  7. Live and let live.

What personal habits and attitudes help you in school activities? › Here are 10 good habits for any student to be their best selves.

  • Try to eat a healthy breakfast in the morning no matter what. …
  • Have a positive attitude. …
  • Give yourself a break. …
  • Give yourself a reward whenever you achieve a tough goal. …
  • Stay physically active. …
  • Do your best to have proper time management.

What resources and skills do you believe every high school student needs to be successful academically? › Top 10 Skills for High-School Students

  • Time Management. You know the deal: There are just 24 hours in each day. …
  • Good Study Habits. If you’ve got them, great. …
  • The Ability to Set Attainable Goals. …
  • Concentration. …
  • Good Note-Taking. …
  • Completion of Assignments. …
  • Review of Daily Notes. …
  • Organizational Skills.

Why is it important to practice 7 Habits of Highly effect? ›

The purpose of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People is to help you lead your life in a truly effective way. They represent a proven process of personal and interpersonal growth that can have an immediate and lasting impact.

What are the 5 good study habits? ›

  • Make a schedule. Number one on any list of study habits has to be making a schedule. …
  • Create your environment. This one is so important while we’re on lockdown. …
  • Study in bursts. Treat your brain like a muscle. …
  • Sleep. Of all the tips on this list, this could be the most important. …
  • Find a study group.

Why is it important to be highly effective? ›

No matter how competent a person is, they will not have sustained and lasting success unless they can effectively lead themselves, influence, engage and collaborate with others and continuously improve and renew their capabilities. These elements are at the heart of personal, team, and organizational effectiveness.

What are the 10 good study habits? › Good study habits to develop

  • Find a good place to study.
  • Minimize distractions.
  • Take breaks.
  • Space out your studying.
  • Set study goals for each session.
  • Reward yourself.
  • Study with a group.
  • Take practice tests.

What are the 7 types of effective study habits? › Here are 7 study habits that are essential for students of all ages.

  • Establish a study area at home. …
  • Communicate with the teacher. …
  • Keep assignments organized. …
  • Avoid procrastination. …
  • Take notes in class. …
  • Highlight key concepts in the reading materials. …
  • Prepare your book-bag before going to bed.

How can I study on my own? ›

Here are some tips for practicing successful self-studying:

  1. Set realistic goals. …
  2. Find what works for you. …
  3. Review material the same day you learn it. …
  4. Study in short, frequent sessions. …
  5. Prepare and maintain your study environment.

What can you do to improve your study interest and habit in online distance learning? › Ten successful online study habits

  1. Take up bedtime studying. Rather than catching up Netflix, take time to review your study notes about an upcoming test. …
  2. Break up marathon study sessions. …
  3. Create a study schedule. …
  4. Connect with other focused students. …
  5. Clear your space. …
  6. Shut off technology. …
  7. Take your own notes. …
  8. Ask for help.

Which would most help a student improve school performance use time effectively and decrease stress? ›

Which would most help a student improve school performance, use time effectively, and decrease stress? a study schedule.

Why is education important and how does it affect one’s future? ›

Studies have shown that those who are more educated are more likely to live longer, live healthier lives, and are even more likely to help strangers. Investing in various types of education from the time children are young ensures that they have a strong foundation and that the whole person is being educated.

Is study important for success? ›

As you gain your education, you’ll be gaining a deeper understanding of what’s right, wrong, fair and unfair. As you develop your reasoning and critical thinking skills, you’ll be able to apply these skills to situations in your life.

What is the importance of studying essay? ›

Essay writing is an important part of studying for a degree for three reasons: (1) It increases understanding and helps the process of learning because it pushes you, amongst other things, to clarify and sort out ideas and information, to analyse source material and to exercise critical judgement.

How can you maintain or improve your study routine Brainly? ›

  1. Make a plan. ‘
  2. Keep everything organized in one place.
  3. Study according to your personal learning style.
  4. After studying, practice explaining what you’ve learned.
  5. Tap into the power of music.

How do you become a successful student in the new normal? › Learning in the New Normal: How Students Can Cope

  1. Set a Goal. One of the important things you should do when learning in the new normal is to create a personal goal. …
  2. Practice Time Management. …
  3. Eliminate Distractions. …
  4. Figure Out Your Learning Style. …
  5. Join Online Study Groups. …
  6. Be Accountable. …
  7. Reward Yourself. …
  8. Forest.

What is study habits of students? ›

Being organized and having homework routines are the most important things in helping a child/student develop good study habits for life. Developing good study habits help spell success and a student will find himself working more efficiently and experiencing lesser stress in the process.

What are the poor study habits? ›

Distractions have a negative influence on study time and quality of learning. It is important to eliminate all forms of distraction, including mobile devices, television and computers, when trying to focus on studying. Students should make every effort to study in a quiet environment that minimizes distractions.

What are some bad study habits? ›

Bad Study Habits: Drop Them Now!

  • Cramming. Cramming goes hand-in-hand with procrastination. …
  • Multitasking. …
  • Missing Class. …
  • Allowing Distractions. …
  • Inefficient Note Taking. …
  • Poor Time Management. …
  • Eating Unhealthily. …
  • Pulling All-Nighters.

How can I make myself study everyday? › 10 ways to motivate yourself to study

  1. Acknowledge your resistance and difficult feelings with motivation. …
  2. Do not run away. …
  3. Do not blame yourself for procrastinating now and then. …
  4. Try to understand your studying style better. …
  5. Don’t question your abilities. …
  6. Visualise yourself starting. …
  7. Focus on the task at hand.

Why study is important in our life? ›

Studying is not just important for educational development, but also builds personal skills. Having good study skills can improve your confidence, competence, and self-esteem. As well as helps reduce stress and anxiety around deadlines and exams.

How can you maintain or improve your study routine Brainly answer? ›

  • Make a plan. ‘
  • Keep everything organized in one place.
  • Study according to your personal learning style.
  • After studying, practice explaining what you’ve learned.
  • Tap into the power of music.

How will you improve your study habits during this pandemic? ›

When you need to study something important, consider The Magic of Monotasking. Focus on one thing at a time. Take breaks between tasks. Consider the “pomodoro method” to help you focus for 25- or 50-minute periods and then reward yourself with 5- or 10-minute breaks.

How do you intend to improve your effective study habits and overcome the effective ones Brainly? › ​ – Brainly.in….

Explanation:

  1. Changing your behavior may be effective for you. Utilize the idea of association learning. …
  2. Limit your study sessions to no more than 1 hour without a break- Actually, don’t spend more than 20 to 30 minutes at a time memorizing something. …
  3. Separate the study of related topics.

Is it important to have study habits which suit one’s personality Why? ›

Why? Answer: Yes, bacause Students usually become aware of study skills when their learning habits are limiting their potential, don’t suit their personality, or are causing significant levels of anxiety before exams.

What are the 10 bad habits for students? › According to psychology faculty and other experts, here are the top 10 habits that hold grad students back:

  • Highlighting. …
  • Cramming for exams. …
  • Unhealthy eating. …
  • Multitasking. …
  • Assuming you remember what you’ve read. …
  • Not exercising. …
  • Perfectionism. …
  • Not getting enough sleep.

How can I study effectively? › Studying 101: Study Smarter Not Harder

  1. Reading is not studying. Simply reading and re-reading texts or notes is not actively engaging in the material. …
  2. Understand the Study Cycle. …
  3. Spacing out is good. …
  4. It’s good to be intense. …
  5. Silence isn’t golden. …
  6. Problems are your friend. …
  7. Reconsider multitasking. …
  8. Switch up your setting.

How do you motivate yourself to achieve your goals? ›

  1. Regularly review your goals and progress. …
  2. Continue to set new goals. …
  3. Keep the momentum up. …
  4. Find mentors – a mentor is someone who is experienced in the habit you want to change. …
  5. Surround yourself with positive people. …
  6. Use exercise as one of your daily goals to improve your mental health.

Videos

1. The Force Awakens… 7 Years Later 2. What Can We Know About The Historical Jesus? | Paula Fredriksen PhD 3. The Biggest Myth In Education 4. Lilly Wood & The Prick and Robin Schulz – Prayer In C (Robin Schulz Remix) (Official) 6. Starset – It Has Begun (audio)

Author: Trent Wehner

Last Updated: 03/28/2023

Views: 6172

Rating: 4.6 / 5 (56 voted)

Reviews: 95% of readers found this page helpful

Name: Trent Wehner

Birthday: 1993-03-14

Address: 872 Kevin Squares, New Codyville, AK 01785-0416

Phone: +18698800304764

Job: Senior Farming Developer

Hobby: Paintball, Calligraphy, Hunting, Flying disc, Lapidary, Rafting, Inline skating

Introduction: My name is Trent Wehner, I am a talented, brainy, zealous, light, funny, gleaming, attractive person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.

© 2023 Surozo. All Rights Reserved.