Many students don't realize that there are 5 Types Of Studying necessary for academic success. As a result, students do not use their full potential to learn and earn higher grades. Using the 5 types has the advantage of keeping studying time to a minimum. The 5 Types Of Studying are most effective when used regularly from the first day of class and throughout the semester.
1. Study to Gather Information
The purpose is to formulate a complete and accurate set of textbook and lecture notes. This requires a means to determine if notes are complete and accurate. Some ways to do this are:
a. Identify the information to be learned
b. Organize, condense, and record information
c. Verify the completeness and accuracy of your notes.
2. Studying to Learn Information
The purpose is to move information from short-term memory into long-term memory. This requires repetition of material to be learned. Some ways to do this are:
a. Make time in your schedule to do repeated recitations of your notes
b. Look at the main ideas with the details hidden from view
c. Recite aloud, all the details you can remember, without looking at your notes.
d. Check your notes to see if you remembered the information. If not, re-read the details and repeat steps a-c until you can recite details correctly from memory.
3. Studying to Check for Learning
The purpose is to identify what has and has not been learned yet and requires self-testing. Go over material you Believe has been learned using the following format:
a. Look only at the main points and cover details.
b. Recite aloud the relevant details without looking .
c. Look at the details and check for accuracy and completeness.
d. If all details are recited correctly on the first try, you know immediately that the material has been learned.
4. Studying to Refresh
The purpose is to prevent forgetting material previously learned. This requires regular recitation of material. Make a regular time to review material already learned. This prevents “fading” of memory and cuts down on test preparation time later.
5. Studying to Improve Learning Skills
This is the most neglected and over looked type of studying. The purpose is to identify learning skills that worked so that they can be repeated and to identify learning skills that didn’t work well so that they can be modified. This requires analysis of returned tests.
a. Use each quiz and test as feedback on your learning skills.
b. Modify or replace learning skills that didn’t work.
CREDIT
University of Central Florida
Student Academic Resource Center
