Simple & Effective Study Tricks: A Guide for Students of All Ages

Studying can be a daunting and overwhelming task for many students. Whether you are in school, college or pursuing lifelong learning, you might struggle with finding the best ways to study smarter, not harder. How can you make the most of your study time and achieve your academic goals?

In this blog post, we will share 50 simple and effective study tricks that can help you improve your study habits, skills and outcomes. These study tricks are based on scientific research and expert advice, and cover various aspects of studying, such as planning, organizing, focusing, memorizing and testing.

Planning and Organizing

Planning and organizing are essential steps for effective studying. They can help you set your priorities, manage your time and keep track of your progress.

Some of the study tricks for planning and organizing are:

• 1. Set a schedule: Create a realistic and flexible study schedule that suits your needs and preferences. Allocate enough time for each subject, task and break. Stick to your schedule as much as possible, but be ready to adjust it if needed.
• 2. Use a planner: Use a planner or a calendar to record your classes, assignments, tests and other important dates. Review your planner regularly and update it as necessary. Check off the tasks that you have completed and highlight the ones that are due soon.
• 3. Break down large tasks: Divide large or complex tasks into smaller and manageable steps. For example, if you have to write an essay, you can break it down into brainstorming, researching, outlining, writing and editing. Assign a deadline for each step and follow it.
• 4. Set SMART goals: Set specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound goals for each study session. For example, instead of saying “I will study math today”, say “I will solve 10 algebra problems in 30 minutes today”. SMART goals can help you stay focused, motivated and accountable.
• 5. Prioritize: Prioritize your tasks according to their importance and urgency. Use the Eisenhower matrix to categorize your tasks into four quadrants: do first (important and urgent), schedule (important but not urgent), delegate (not important but urgent) and eliminate (not important and not urgent). Focus on the tasks that are in the do first quadrant first.

Focusing and Concentrating

Focusing and concentrating are crucial skills for effective studying. They can help you avoid distractions, absorb information better and retain it longer.

Some of the study tricks for focusing and concentrating are:

• 6. Find a good study environment: Choose a study environment that is comfortable, quiet, well-lit and free of distractions. Avoid places that are noisy, crowded or have too many temptations, such as your bedroom, the TV or your phone. Experiment with different locations and times of the day to see what works best for you.
• 7. Silence your phone: Your phone can be a major source of distraction when you are studying. Turn off your phone’s sounds or put it into do not disturb mode before you start studying. You can also use apps or extensions that block your access to social media or other websites during your study time. If you still feel tempted to check your phone, turn it off completely or leave it in another room.
• 8. Listen to music: Music can have different effects on your mood, concentration and memory. Some studies suggest that listening to music can enhance your cognitive performance, while others suggest that it can impair it. The type of music, the volume of music and your personal preference may also play a role. Try listening to different genres of music at different volumes to see what helps you focus better. Some people prefer instrumental music or ambient sounds, while others prefer silence.
• 9. Use the Pomodoro technique: The Pomodoro technique is a time management method that involves working in short bursts of focused time followed by short breaks. The basic steps are: choose a task to work on; set a timer for 25 minutes; work on the task until the timer rings; take a 5-minute break; repeat this cycle four times; take a longer break (15 to 30 minutes). The Pomodoro technique can help you overcome procrastination, increase productivity and reduce mental fatigue.
• 10. Meditate: Meditation is a practice that involves focusing your attention on a single object, thought or sensation, such as your breath, a mantra or a sound. Meditation can help you improve your concentration, memory, mood and stress management. You can meditate before or after your study session, or even during your breaks. You can use apps or videos that guide you through different types of meditation techniques.

Memorizing and Reviewing

Memorizing and reviewing are important steps for effective studying. They can help you consolidate your memory, recall information faster and perform better on tests.

Some of the study tricks for memorizing and reviewing are:

• 11. Use mnemonics: Mnemonics are memory aids that help you remember information by associating it with something else that is easier to remember. There are different types of mnemonics, such as acronyms (using the first letters of words), acrostics (using sentences where the first letters of words form a word), rhymes (using words that sound alike), images (using visual representations) and stories (using narratives). For example, to remember the order of planets in the solar system, you can use the acronym “My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Noodles” (Mercury Venus Earth Mars Jupiter Saturn Uranus Neptune).
• 12. Use flashcards: Flashcards are cards that have a question on one side and an answer on the other side. You can use flashcards to test yourself on facts, definitions, formulas or concepts that you need to memorize. You can make your own flashcards using paper or online tools or apps. You can also use spaced repetition software (SRS) that automatically schedules your flashcard reviews based on how well you remember them.
• 13. Use mind maps: Mind maps are diagrams that show the relationships between different pieces of information using keywords, images and colors. You can use mind maps to organize your notes, summarize your readings or brainstorm ideas for essays or projects. You can make your own mind maps using paper or online tools or apps.
• 14. Use active recall: Active recall is a technique that involves retrieving information from memory without looking at the answers or notes. Active recall helps you strengthen your memory traces and identify your gaps in knowledge. You can use active recall by testing yourself with flashcards, quizzes or practice questions; explaining what you learned to someone else; teaching what you learned to someone else; or writing summaries or outlines from memory.
• 15. Use spaced repetition: Spaced repetition is a technique that involves reviewing information at increasing intervals over time rather than cramming it all at once before a test. Spaced repetition helps you consolidate your long-term memory and avoid forgetting what you learned. You can use spaced repetition by scheduling regular review sessions using a calendar or an app; using flashcards with SRS; varying the order of topics or questions when reviewing; or interleaving different subjects or types of problems when reviewing.

Testing and Applying

Testing and applying are essential steps for effective studying They can help you assess your understanding, improve your performance and transfer your knowledge to new situations.

Some of the study tricks for testing and applying are:

• 16 Do practice tests: Practice tests are tests that simulate the actual test conditions and format. They can help you familiarize yourself with the test structure, content, and difficulty; identify your strengths and weaknesses; and reduce your test anxiety. You can do practice tests by using past papers, sample questions, or online resources; timing yourself and following the test instructions; grading yourself and checking the answers; or asking someone else to grade you and give you feedback.

• 17 Use self-explanation: Self-explanation is a technique that involves explaining how or why you solved a problem, answered a question, or reached a conclusion. Self-explanation can help you deepen your understanding, clarify your reasoning, and correct your errors. You can use self-explanation by verbalizing or writing down your thought process; asking yourself questions such as “why?”, “how?”, or “what if?”; or comparing your explanation with someone else’s.

• 18 Use elaboration: Elaboration is a technique that involves adding details, examples, or connections to what you learned. Elaboration can help you enhance your comprehension, make associations, and enrich your memory. You can use elaboration by expanding on what you learned using your own words; giving examples that illustrate what you learned; relating what you learned to what you already know; or making analogies that compare what you learned to something else.

• 19 Use feedback: Feedback is information that tells you how well you performed on a task, what mistakes you made, and how you can improve. Feedback can help you monitor your progress, correct your errors, and refine your skills.