Three Ingredients for Learning

Often students are surprised that they get a low grade on an exam even after they have “gone over their notes” several times and read the textbook.   BUT - learning requires varied and repeated exposure over time.   Let’s look at those three ingredients:

Varied – You have to do different strategies in order to truly learn.  For example, read the textbook,  read your lecture notes, quiz yourself on what you read, put the information into a study guide, make a practice test, have someone quiz you and give the answers out loud.  (This is six different forms of study!)

Repeated – In order to really know something you have to study it many times, not just once.  It takes a lot of repetition to get the information firmly in your memory.  And this repetition must be done over time (the next ingredient)!

Over time – Knowledge takes time to be set permanently in your memory – the night before the exam just won’t work!  So as you are going over and over the material, spread it out over a week or weeks.   Reviewing difficult material 20 minutes a day, every day, during the semester works wonders!  You will be amazed at how much you know!  (Of course this is above and beyond your regular studying!)

These three things put together will lead you to successful learning and a better grade on the next exam!  It might seem like a lot, but you can do it!  (And it is worth it!)