How to Use Your Whole Brain While Studying
Pay attention in class., Utilize all resources made available to you., Pick apart the textbook., Put information into your own words., Process, then summarize the information., Put the information into practice.
Step-by-Step Guide
-
Step 1: Pay attention in class.
Good study habits begin before you even leave the classroom.
Listen attentively to what the teacher has to say on the subject.
Ask questions, and answer the teacher’s questions.
Pay close attention for cues (or direct statements) from the teacher about what is most important to know, and take notes especially on these topics., Read the assigned chapter in the textbook, and read over any notes, handouts, or other materials given to you.
If there is a review or study session offered by the teacher, go to it.
Give yourself the best chance for success.
You'd be surprised by the number of people who do poorly on tests because they don't read the book. , Don’t just read the assignment mindlessly — actively engage with it.
Pick out the important words (sometimes they’re in bold), look them up if needed, and write your own definition for them.
Carefully examine introductions, conclusions, review sections, and recap questions you find in textbook chapters. , As with writing down your own definitions for key terms in the textbook chapter, it’s best to put all the critical information in your own words.
Keep a notebook and pen near you, and write out the key points you are studying.
If you have someone else’s notes, rewrite them yourself; it’s even best to rewrite your own classroom notes.
This is a proven trick to help your brain engage more in the material., Our brains engage the material we’re studying at multiple levels at once.
While we consciously take in and try to comprehend the material we’re studying, unconscious layers of our brain are working behind the scenes to organize and make sense of the material.
Stop every so often so that you can take advantage of this behind-the-scenes work you’re doing without realizing it.Concentrate intently on your study materials for a reasonable period of time (a half-hour, for instance), then take a step back, pull out a sheet of paper, and try to summarize what you’ve just learned in your own words.
You may be amazed at how much of the material you actually recall and understand.
You can also try summarizing the entire study session the day after. , Associate what you’re learning in theory with a more practical or tangible example.
If you are studying history, for instance, try to make a story related to the subject.
Or visit a museum, battlefield, etc. associated with it.
If you’re reading about how to do a simple science experiment, try doing the actual experiment.
Create games, songs, images, or other types of mnemonic devices to help you associate and recall the information. -
Step 2: Utilize all resources made available to you.
-
Step 3: Pick apart the textbook.
-
Step 4: Put information into your own words.
-
Step 5: Process
-
Step 6: then summarize the information.
-
Step 7: Put the information into practice.
Detailed Guide
Good study habits begin before you even leave the classroom.
Listen attentively to what the teacher has to say on the subject.
Ask questions, and answer the teacher’s questions.
Pay close attention for cues (or direct statements) from the teacher about what is most important to know, and take notes especially on these topics., Read the assigned chapter in the textbook, and read over any notes, handouts, or other materials given to you.
If there is a review or study session offered by the teacher, go to it.
Give yourself the best chance for success.
You'd be surprised by the number of people who do poorly on tests because they don't read the book. , Don’t just read the assignment mindlessly — actively engage with it.
Pick out the important words (sometimes they’re in bold), look them up if needed, and write your own definition for them.
Carefully examine introductions, conclusions, review sections, and recap questions you find in textbook chapters. , As with writing down your own definitions for key terms in the textbook chapter, it’s best to put all the critical information in your own words.
Keep a notebook and pen near you, and write out the key points you are studying.
If you have someone else’s notes, rewrite them yourself; it’s even best to rewrite your own classroom notes.
This is a proven trick to help your brain engage more in the material., Our brains engage the material we’re studying at multiple levels at once.
While we consciously take in and try to comprehend the material we’re studying, unconscious layers of our brain are working behind the scenes to organize and make sense of the material.
Stop every so often so that you can take advantage of this behind-the-scenes work you’re doing without realizing it.Concentrate intently on your study materials for a reasonable period of time (a half-hour, for instance), then take a step back, pull out a sheet of paper, and try to summarize what you’ve just learned in your own words.
You may be amazed at how much of the material you actually recall and understand.
You can also try summarizing the entire study session the day after. , Associate what you’re learning in theory with a more practical or tangible example.
If you are studying history, for instance, try to make a story related to the subject.
Or visit a museum, battlefield, etc. associated with it.
If you’re reading about how to do a simple science experiment, try doing the actual experiment.
Create games, songs, images, or other types of mnemonic devices to help you associate and recall the information.
About the Author
Jeffrey Collins
Enthusiastic about teaching cooking techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
Rate This Guide
How helpful was this guide? Click to rate: