8 - Studying

Studying in College: Making Choices and Concentrating

• Maximize your ability to concentrate
• Invest more time in reading and reviewing
• Consider studying in groups
• Change behaviors that disrupt your ability to get the most out of college

How Memory Works

Short-term memory:

• Retains information for about 15 to 30 seconds
• Can handle from five to nine chunks of information at one time
• Information is either forgotten or moved to long-term memory

Long-term memory:

• Has capacity to retain and recall information over the long term
• Procedural memory - remembering how to do something
• Semantic memory - remembering facts and meanings
• Episodic memory - remembering events, including their time and place

Connecting Memory to Deep Learning

• Multitasking while studying can make it harder to remember the material
• Concentration is a key element of learning
• College is a time to develop deep learning

Ebbinghaus Forgetting Curve

• This figure shows that after nine hours, we remember less than 40 percent of the information

Tech Tip: Use the Cloud

• Save files on a cloud storage site to access them from any internet-connected computer or tablet
• Dropbox
• Google Drive
• MediaFire
• Microsoft OneDrive

Myths about Memory

• Some people have bad memories
• Some people have photographic memories
• Memory benefits from long hours of practice
• People use only 10 percent of their brain power

Improving Your Memory

• Possible to improve ability to retain information
• Good investment for academic success

Strategies for Remembering

As you review, ask yourself:

• What is the basic idea?
• Why does the idea make sense? What is the logic behind it?
• How does this idea connect to other ideas?
• What are some arguments against the idea?

To prepare for an exam:

• Reduce your notes into manageable study units
• Use study tools

Review your materials with these questions in mind:

• Is this a key idea in the chapter or unit?
• Will I see this on the test?

Review Sheets

• Lists of key terms and ideas
• Can make these lists in the recall column when using the Cornell format
• Can use your lecture notes to test yourself

Mind Maps

• Visual review sheets that show relationships between ideas
• Especially useful for English language learners

Flashcards

• Feature question, term, or piece of information on one side and answer, definition, or explanation on the other
• Excellent tool for improving vocabulary
• Help you to study during time that might otherwise be wasted (such as riding the bus)

Summaries

• Help you answer short-answer and essay questions (summaries of class topics)
• Allow you to see connections between ideas
• Help you identify major and minor points
• Help you remember information (summaries of main ideas in your own words)

Mnemonics

• Methods or tricks to help you remember information

Basic categories:

• Acronyms
• Acrostics
• Rhymes or songs
• Visualization
• Useful for recalling information that doesn’t have a pattern

Studying to Understand and Remember

• Pay attention and avoid distractions
• Be confident about improving your memory
• Overlearn the material
• Explain the material to another person
• Make studying part of your daily routine
• Check the internet
• Focus on understanding and remembering big concepts and ideas
• Look for connections between your life and the content of your courses
• Get organized
• Reduce stress
• Collaborate
• Get a tutor