By: Liam Ireland
Is Learning How to Study the Key to Success in School?
By: Liam Ireland
Do you find yourself spending hours studying or doing homework everyday after school? Learning how to utilize time and study effectively before heading off to college is an important skill, that unfortunately many students do not possess.
Generally, there are several problems many students experience when it comes to studying. For example, some students spend too much time studying, but do not utilize the time effectively. On the other hand, some students are afraid to put in the work necessary to succeed. A study at UCLA showed that 40.2% of students studied for less than 3 hours per week. Approximately, this is only 30 minutes a day, which is a very small amount of time, and a somewhat concerning number, especially for a competitive college like UCLA.
One problem many students face when it comes to studying is multitasking. Students who study with their phone close by or while watching TV, for example, have a hard time retaining the information, as they are more focused on their surrounding distractions. Most frequently, students who spend lots of time multitasking, end up spending hours studying. Although it may seem as if lots of time is being put in, students are not retaining the information they are studying, which can result in bad scores. Like many things in life, it’s “quality over quantity.” Many may believe that spending lots of hours studying, in poor study conditions is a good study method, but in reality, spending a short amount of focused time, without any distractions is the way to go. Not only do these healthy study habits shorten the time spent studying, but it also helps the student better retain the given information.
Many students lack the knowledge of how to properly prepare for tests, etc. but there are many different ways in which students to gain an understanding of this. For example, many resources, including people and websites, provide methods of how to effectively study for a test. The University of St. Paul recommends a theory called “MURDER,” to best intake and learn information about test preparation. They state, “Successful students commit “MURDER” daily,” in order to be successful in school.” MURDER” stands for Mood, Understand, Recall, Digest, Expand, and Review. Students at the University of St. Paul use this acronym as a key too successful and productive studying.
Another way to successfully and efficiently prepare for a test is to learn the information bit by bit, rather than cramming it all into one night. In Walter Pauk’s book, How to Study in College, he encourages students to carry around “pocket work,” which can be studied and worked on in small amounts. Whether it’s waiting in a line or during lunch, by carrying around this “pocket work,” students are able to make small progress in the days leading up to the test. By using methods similar to Pauk’s, studying is broken down into pieces, which results in less stress and more effective studying method. Also, it makes studying the night prior to the test much easier. With all the research and ways to learn effectively students should be taught how to learn properly before highschool and especially college.
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By: Liam Ireland
Do you find yourself spending hours studying or doing homework everyday after school? Learning how to utilize time and study effectively before heading off to college is an important skill, that unfortunately many students do not possess.
Generally, there are several problems many students experience when it comes to studying. For example, some students spend too much time studying, but do not utilize the time effectively. On the other hand, some students are afraid to put in the work necessary to succeed. A study at UCLA showed that 40.2% of students studied for less than 3 hours per week. Approximately, this is only 30 minutes a day, which is a very small amount of time, and a somewhat concerning number, especially for a competitive college like UCLA.
One problem many students face when it comes to studying is multitasking. Students who study with their phone close by or while watching TV, for example, have a hard time retaining the information, as they are more focused on their surrounding distractions. Most frequently, students who spend lots of time multitasking, end up spending hours studying. Although it may seem as if lots of time is being put in, students are not retaining the information they are studying, which can result in bad scores. Like many things in life, it’s “quality over quantity.” Many may believe that spending lots of hours studying, in poor study conditions is a good study method, but in reality, spending a short amount of focused time, without any distractions is the way to go. Not only do these healthy study habits shorten the time spent studying, but it also helps the student better retain the given information.
Many students lack the knowledge of how to properly prepare for tests, etc. but there are many different ways in which students to gain an understanding of this. For example, many resources, including people and websites, provide methods of how to effectively study for a test. The University of St. Paul recommends a theory called “MURDER,” to best intake and learn information about test preparation. They state, “Successful students commit “MURDER” daily,” in order to be successful in school.” MURDER” stands for Mood, Understand, Recall, Digest, Expand, and Review. Students at the University of St. Paul use this acronym as a key too successful and productive studying.
Another way to successfully and efficiently prepare for a test is to learn the information bit by bit, rather than cramming it all into one night. In Walter Pauk’s book, How to Study in College, he encourages students to carry around “pocket work,” which can be studied and worked on in small amounts. Whether it’s waiting in a line or during lunch, by carrying around this “pocket work,” students are able to make small progress in the days leading up to the test. By using methods similar to Pauk’s, studying is broken down into pieces, which results in less stress and more effective studying method. Also, it makes studying the night prior to the test much easier. With all the research and ways to learn effectively students should be taught how to learn properly before highschool and especially college.
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