Study is an effort to learn about any subject. Studying is an important part of learning because your achievement in school depends greatly on how much you study. You cannot expect to learn everything you need to know about a subject from a teacher in a classroom. You must also study the subject outside of class. The combination of classroom learning and regular study outside of class determines how well you do in school. Study becomes more important as you move from elementary school to high school and on to college.
This article offers suggestions on how to develop good study habits. You can use these suggestions to improve your grades in school. Good study habits can also help you learn new job skills or simply investigate a subject that interests you.
Where to study.
Every student needs a special place to study with a desk or table and a chair. There should also be enough daylight or artificial light so that you can read for long periods of time without straining your eyes. In addition, a study area should have enough space for your textbooks and such reference books as a dictionary, a general encyclopedia, and an atlas. You should also have a place to store paper, pencils, pens, notebooks, and other study materials.
Most people can study almost anywhere—if the subject fascinates them. But they have difficulty concentrating on something they consider uninteresting. Therefore, your study area should be as free as possible of noise and visual distractions. On the other hand, what distracts one person may not affect another. Some students feel they can study better with soft music in the background. However, others cannot study effectively with music playing. Find out what distracts you and remove it from your study area.
Many students have a problem finding a quiet place to study. You must adapt your study habits to your own situation. For example, if you have your own room, you could make one corner into a good study area. If you share a room with a brother or a sister, both of you could agree to study at the same time in opposite corners. Or you could get up early and study when your brother or sister is asleep. If your home is crowded or noisy, you could ask permission to study at the home of a friend or relative who has more space.
When to study.
Students should study regularly throughout the school year. You will remember more about a subject if you study it soon after it has been presented in class. Never wait until just before an exam to start reviewing the work for the entire period to be covered by the test. Anything you learn by such cramming is usually soon forgotten.
You may find it helpful to plan a weekly study schedule. Many students write down the times they are in school or are involved with other activities. They then set aside a certain time each day for study. It is easier to keep up with your schoolwork if you have the habit of studying at the same time daily. Two points to consider in developing a study schedule are (1) the best time of the day for studying and (2) the length of each session.
The best time of day for study depends on your personal preferences, the kind of life you lead, and your family situation. Many students prefer to study immediately after arriving home from school. Others have a job or participate in sports and other activities after school, and so they study in the early evening. Some students study later at night, or in the morning before school, because their home is too noisy early in the evening.
The length of your study sessions depends on your age, your ability as a student, and whether you already have good study habits. If you are still in elementary school or have just begun to develop good study habits, you should probably allow about an hour a day for study. As your schoolwork becomes more difficult, you should plan longer study sessions to keep your homework assignments up to date.
How to study.
Ask yourself two questions before you start to study: “Why am I studying this topic?” “What do I want to learn about it?” You cannot study effectively unless you understand what you are supposed to accomplish. Simply memorizing dates, mathematical formulas, or passages in literature does not make you a good student.
Many good students sometimes have trouble concentrating on their work. There are several study methods that can help keep your mind from wandering. For example, you should study the most difficult subjects first, when you are the most mentally alert. You should also take breaks between subjects. A short walk or some pushups, stretches, or other simple exercises can help freshen your mind. If you still have trouble concentrating, work on such tasks as writing out next week’s study schedule or reviewing the previous day’s work.
There are a number of ways to study more effectively. Some students try to link a fact they want to remember with something they already know. Others use rhymes, mental pictures, and other memory aids called mnemonic devices to help recall certain information (see Memory (Improving memory) ). You may find it useful to repeat out loud something you have just learned. Some students like to study in pairs so that they can test each other orally on a subject.
At the end of each study session, test yourself to make sure you understand the major points of the topic. If you are still confused by the topic, study it again later. Do not hesitate to ask your teacher or school counselor for help with a study problem or for general advice about improving your study habits.
