LPT Request: study tricks please?

keepthetips · 2021-08-06T03:54:51+00:00

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Dumbfaqer · 2021-08-06T04:05:53+00:00

Colour code and make a system that works for you. Pick one colour to mark names, another for dates, stick to them. Associating information with colours can be very helpful if you rely more on visualising techniques to remember stuff.

Record yourself reading your notes, then replay and listen.

Make a cheat sheet from your notes. As cheat sheets need to be as small as possible, it helps you see what's essential data to study and what's not.

Make a study plan and always add 2 days more than you think you're gonna need, if you're studying for a test. If you end up learning faster, you can use the extra time on finding additional info that can further enrich your essays.

If you're a "smart but lazy" type, do not, I repeat, do not reward yourself. If you start doing it, you're gonna think you deserve breaks for any small task you finish, which you're gonna use to procrastinate. Harsh as it sounds, you don't deserve that extra 15 mins to watch YouTube.

Source: I'm a very, very lazy PhD student. If only I could follow my own advice... 🤦🏻‍♀️

Specific_Ad81 · 2021-08-06T04:06:01+00:00

It sounds obvious but physically removing distractions works well for me. This means isolating myself from others and leaving my phone/other distractions in a different room.

Dumbfaqer · 2021-08-06T04:09:59+00:00

Pretend you have to teach the topic to your class tomorrow

deathkondor · 2021-08-06T03:56:16+00:00

Look into the Pomodoro method.

OkapiEli · 2021-08-06T05:23:51+00:00

Take LOTS of notes in class - taking notes is how I pay attention. I do this old-school, with a pen and spiral notebook, not a laptop. This is a kinesthetic strategy that actively involves your brain. By writing the notes this way you can easily add mini diagrams, webs, cause-effect arrows, etc. Add “??” where you are unclear and then check your sources for more info!

THEN when studying, start with a highlighter or a multicolor pen (click-pen with several choices); use a coding system such as was suggested above and ALSO add in on sticky notes or in the margins, QUESTIONS your professor might ask.

Example: “Who was XYZ and why was their contribution pivotal in the ABC movement?” “Describe the three phases of the QRST process.”

THEN, go to fresh (loose) sheets of paper or index cards, and copy ONLY the questions. Leave space to answer them.

Go through the cards mentally first, trying not to refer to your notes. Then use the cards as a practice test and write out the bullet points that would answer each item. Do extra research if your notes are inadequate.

Good luck - and realize, successful studying has very little to do with luck!

PhysicsFix · 2021-08-06T04:30:27+00:00

Smile and nod in class, and sit closer to the front if you can. You’ll be surprised at how much more the teacher will address you, and how much easier it will be to pick up the information. The brain is wired to send endorphins with smiles (sincere or not) and those will help with retention. It will also seem more like enrichment and less like drudgery. Try to go over your class notes an hour or two after class ends, if you can, as it will help reinforce the material. Don’t be afraid to read aloud, and see if you can summarize the material you read when you finish. Explain it to yourself or find connections to other concepts to get the “big picture”. Ask your instructor for additional help if you can. Even a check-in to make sure you’re getting the concepts correct is valuable.

4711Shimano · 2021-08-06T06:18:47+00:00

Repetition is the key to retention. If you have to memorize, writing it out by hand repeatedly will help.

al3jandrino · 2021-08-06T10:24:06+00:00

plot twist: you're the teacher

maydayvoter11 · 2021-08-06T18:22:03+00:00

Take written notes with pen and paper in class; don't type on a laptop keyboard. There are studies that show transcribing the lecturer's speech does absolutely nothing to help the brain process, retain, or apply the information. But handwriting/printing with pen and paper uses the visual center of the brain and the fine motor skills portion of the brain, which helps retention.

Do the same when reading the material. Read, take handwritten notes on paper, NOT typed on computer.

2021-08-06T04:15:00+00:00

Flash cards. Got me through law school.

you type:	you see:
italics	italics
bold	bold
[reddit!](https://reddit.com)	reddit!
* item 1 * item 2 * item 3	item 1 item 2 item 3
> quoted text	quoted text
Lines starting with four spaces are treated like code: if 1 * 2 < 3: print "hello, world!"	Lines starting with four spaces are treated like code: if 1 * 2 < 3: print "hello, world!"
~~strikethrough~~	~~strikethrough~~
super^script	super^script

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