How to Study Smarter, Not Harder Here are some of our favorite study tips that will help any student study smarter, not harder: Recite As You Study Reciting--saying things out loud should first take place as you read through each paragraph or section. Test yourself. This will help you to understand as well as learn faster because it is more active than reading or listening. It will also help you to notice your mistakes and the topics you have trouble understanding. Take Fuller Notes Notes should be in your own words, brief and clear. They should be tidy and easy to read. Writing notes will help you better than just underlining as you read, since it forces you to rewrite ideas in your own words. Study the Middle The best time to review is soon after you've learned something. You are more likely to remember the material at the beginning and the end of the lesson, so make sure you focus on the middle when you review. Sleep On It Study before going to bed, unless you are very tired. It's easier to remember material you've just learned after sleeping than after an equal period of daytime activity, because your brain continues to think even after you've fallen asleep. Combine Memory and Understanding There are two ways to remember: by memorizing and by understanding. Multiplication tables, telephone numbers, and math formulas are better learned by rote. Ideas are best learned by understanding. The more ways you have to think about an idea, the more meaning it will have; the more meaningful the learning, the better you can remember it. Pay attention to similarities in ideas and concepts, and then try to understand how they fit in with things you already know. Never be satisfied with anything less than a completely clear understanding of what you are reading. If you are not able to follow the thought, go back to the place where you first got confused and try again. Which of the following is NOT helpful for your understanding?
Thinking about an idea in different ways. Relating ideas and concepts with what you already know. Reading from the beginning to the end without stop. Going back to what first made you confused and start again.