By Marisa Young | Staff Writer
Creating successful studying habits feels like an uphill battle, especially in the midst of finals season. Information overload makes it tempting to procrastinate or give into distractions instead of focusing. Finding the perfect study method looks different for every student, so here are three well-researched methods that are shown to promote learning and memory recall.
The Pomodoro Technique
This technique is a method that involves studying in brief cycles and scheduling short breaks in between in order to boost productivity. Typically when using the Pomodoro Technique, students should set a timer to study for 25 minutes, then take a five minute break.
After four of these cycles, students should take a longer, 20-30 minute break, then repeat the process as necessary. This technique is largely successful because the self-regulated breaks allow students to sustain their focus, according to scholars from the British Journal of Educational Psychology.
Additionally, the same research study shows that the systematic breaks used in the Pomodoro Technique help students avert distractions and stay concentrated. This studying technique may be best fitted for students who struggle with procrastination or have difficulty concentrating on their material for long periods of time.
SQ3R Method
Another research-proven technique is the SQ3R method, which stands for survey, question, read, recite and review. The SQ3R method is beneficial in helping students create notes from their lesson content, which allows for deeper reflection and retention, according to the Stanford Center for Teaching and Learning.
Each step serves a purpose in aiding the learning process. Surveying occurs before in-depth reading, and involves looking at titles, summaries and graphics for a big-picture idea of the content. In the question stage, students should formulate questions for themselves to answer before diving into the reading. As they read, they should answer these questions and take note of any significant information and large themes.
Reciting these notes back to oneself out loud helps students solidify and internalize the information. Finally, reviewing the notes aids in longer-term retention. This method is best for students who need to create study guide-style notes or synthesize large amounts of written content.
Leitner System
This method makes studying a tactile process, using notecards and a series of boxes. In this technique, all the flashcards of content that must be learned starts in Box 1. If the student knows the information, the flashcard gets moved to Box 2, then Box 3 and so on. If the student does not know the information, they keep the flashcard in the box it is currently in.
Each box has a specific frequency that students should review it. For example: Box 1 every day, Box 2 every three days, Box 3 every week, and so on. Scholars note that this system is successful in aiding learning due to its usage of spaced repetition. The Leitner System is best for students who need to memorize a vast amount of terms or concepts.
Spring freshman Maggie Thompson said her ideal style of learning involves the physical action of writing information down.
“I am really tactile,” Thompson said. “I do really well when I write things down.”
Additionally, she noted that organizing information visually helps her to retain it best.
“When it’s in colors, I’m flying,” Thompson said. “If I can write something down or type it out and just get it in my head, that’s what works best for me.”
Orono, Minn., freshman Jocelyn Glenna said she likes to utilize memory recall strategies.
“I like to get my study guides and make them into quizzes, and then I quiz myself on it,” Glenna said.
In order to stay focused on her studying, Glenna avoids taking breaks entirely.
“If I take a break, it’s going to turn into three hours of doom-scrolling,” Glenna said. “So I just have to go with no breaks.”
Thompson, on the other hand, said she benefits from integrated study breaks.
“I’ll do like an hour on and then 15 minutes off,” Thompson said. “And then I’ll incentivize myself; I’ll be like, ‘If I get this assignment done, then I’ll go get a coffee.’”
