# 1 Prevent the “forgetfulness curve”
Scientists began to explore the psychological phenomenon “forgetfulness curve” in 1885. Even today, it remains an important factor to be considered when studying. Essentially, he says that the first time you hear a class or study something new, you have a better chance of retaining , up to 80%, than what you learned just by reviewing the content again within 24 hours.
And – bonus – this has a cumulative effect. After a week, you will be able to retain 100% of the same information after just five minutes of analysis. Psychologists generally agree that this type of break from studying – rather than studying – is the best. To optimize your study time , bring it closer to the day you had contact with the material than to the day of the exam.
# 2 Use printed material
Tablets and other electronic media are great for convenience and portability. However, research suggests that when it comes to studying in college, traditional printed materials still have an advantage.
Even though some researchers argue that adopting new habits when using a digital interface improves the academic experience, more than 90% of students interviewed in a comprehensive study said they prefer a hard copy to a digital device when it comes to study and schoolwork.
In addition, a professor of psychology at the University of Leicester in England found that students need more repetition to learn when they read on a computer screen compared to when they consult only printed material.
How to organize your tasks and achieve your goals
# 3 Make connections
Nails with interconnecting lines
Many experts believe that the difference between learning fast and slow is the way they study: instead of memorizing, faster learners make connections between ideas.
Known as contextual learning , the process is crucial and requires each student to customize their own learning methods, making connections that relate information to start to fit and make sense.
# 4 Study when you’re tired – and rest afterwards
The fourth of the tips for studying better may seem counterintuitive at first, according to science, it makes sense.
Studying when you are most tired just before bed can actually help your brain retain higher concentrations of new skills, such as speaking a foreign language or playing an instrument. There is even a term for this: “ sleep-learning ” (in Portuguese, “sleep-learning”).
This is because the memory consolidation process is at its best during “slow wave” sleep. Which means that reviewing the material before bed can actually help the brain retain information.
Know more: Computer engineer
# 5 Don’t reread, reread
This method of studying was a topic in 2009, when a professor of psychology at the University of Washington in St. Louis published an article in Psychological Science advising students against reading and rereading.
According to him, reading and rereading the materials can lead students to think that they know the content well, even when it is not true.
Instead, he suggests that students use “ active recall ,” closing the book and reciting everything they can remember to practice long-term memorization .