In the search for a perfect “A,” students try every study technique they hear of, from studying upside down to listening to Mozart’s sym-phonies in the background. Some go with the supposedly tried-and-true advice of choosing one area to study, studying one subject at a time, and studying in blocks of time. Others alternate study environments, mix subjects while they study, space their study sessions apart and use self-testing.
Lisa Walther-Austin, director of Academic Services in the Farquhar College of Arts and Sciences, suggested trying different methods.
“It’s always good to know what’s emerging out of research,” Walther-Austin said, “The fact is that we’re human, and we’re all individuals — that’s what we impart in terms of what we try to teach our students: ‘You’re an individual, and you have to find what works for you.’”
For example Gail Levine, assistant director of Academic Services, said students often tell her they have more than one place to study.
“Each student finds different places [to study], so I don’t believe that there is just one place where students should study,” Levine said.
Anthony Allen, sophomore biology major, said he cannot study at home.
“I have to be in a school atmosphere, or I’ll be tempted to do other things,” he said.
Walther-Austin said small segments of time should be dedicated to each subject.
“Sometimes students have the misconception that if they study for two hours straight on one topic, they’re going to retain more,” she said. “In reality, they’re only retaining maybe the first 20 or 30 minutes of what they’ve studied. So the next hour and a half becomes a little bit more of a blank.”
Wallace Jean, junior theatre major, said he writes the answers over and over until they are stuck in his mind. However, he said he knows this habit is not the most effective.
“[My study habits will] change in the future,” Jean said. “It’s not the most effective, but it works for me now, so I’ll change it in the future.”
Levine said reading notes or simply reading for an hour is a passive study method and studying should be more interactive. A better way to study is to incorporate different study methods in one subject. For example, studying biology for an hour and a half can be comprised of reading the textbook, reading while taking notes, making note cards and self-testing.
Melanie Campbell, sophomore biology major, said she often studies in groups.
“I study based off practice tests and problems from the textbook and practice exams,” she said. “I find teaching to be the best way of studying.”
Walther-Austin said every student has different study habits, but students should be open to other study habits and new research on studying.
“You can’t throw everything out the window,” she said. “You have to consider the big picture of what’s available to you and what fits.”
