22 Science-Backed Study Tips to Ace a Test
Tis
the season to start studying. All over the country, students in high
school, college, and grad school are going into panic mode, wondering
how they’ll manage to remember an entire semester’s worth of information
before the big final. Luckily, we’ve got some advice to make those
freak-outs a thing of the past. From talking out loud to taking gym
breaks, here are 22 ways to (gasp) get psyched about studying and ace
those exams.
Remember Your Stuff
1. Study when sleepy.
Bedtime stories are for wimps. Instead of reading The Berenstein Bears,
try studying for a few minutes right before hitting the hay. During
sleep, the brain
strengthens new memories, so there’s a good chance we’ll
remember whatever we review right before dozing off . (Just try not to
bring work into the actual bed,
since it can make it harder to get a good night’s sleep.) And though
bedtime is primo study time, it might also help to crack open the books
after cracking open those eyes in the A.M.—in the morning, the brain
still has
lots of room to absorb new information.
2. Space it out.
A relatively new learning technique called “
spaced repetition”
involves breaking up information into small chunks and reviewing them
consistently over a long period of time. So don’t try to memorize the
entire periodic table in one sitting—instead, learn a few rows every day
and review each lesson before starting anything new.
3. Tell a tale.
Turning the details you need to remember
into a crazy story helps make the information more meaningful. For example, remember the order of mathematic operations
PEMDAS this way: Philip (P) wanted to eat (E) his friend Mary (M) but he died (D) from arsenic (AS) poisoning.
4. Move your butt.
Research suggests studying the same stuff in a different place every day makes us
less likely to forget
that information. That’s because, every time we move around (from the
library to the coffee shop, or the coffee shop to the toilet seat), we
force the brain to form new associations with the same material so it
becomes a stronger memory.
5. Switch it up.
Don’t stick to one topic; instead, study a bunch of
different material
in one sitting. This technique helps prepare us to use the right
strategy for finding the solution to a problem. For example, doing a
bunch of division problems in a row means every time we approach a
problem, we know it’ll require some division. But doing a series of
problems that require multiplication, division, or addition means we
have to stop and think about which strategy is best.
6. Put yourself to the test.
Quizzing ourselves may be one of the best ways to
prepare for the real deal.
And don’t worry about breaking a sweat while trying to remember the
name of the 37th U.S. president (fyi, it’s Nixon): The harder it is to
remember a piece of information in practice mode, the more likely we are
to remember it in the future.
7. Write it out.
Put those third-grade penmanship lessons to good use.
Research suggests
we store information more securely when we write it out by hand than
when we type it. Start by recopying the most important notes from the
semester onto a new sheet of paper.
8. Make me wanna shout.
Reading information out loud means mentally storing it in two ways: seeing it and hearing it . We just can’t guarantee you won’t get thrown out of the library.
Stay Focused
9. Come together (right now).
Group work doesn’t fly with everyone, but for those who benefit from a little team effort, a
study group’s
the way to go. Pick a few studious pals and get together every few days
to review the material. Put one person in charge of delegating tasks
(snack duty, music selection) and keeping the group on target with its
goals.
10. Treat yo’ self! A
healthy holiday cookie,
a walk around the block, five minutes of tweet-time: whatever floats
your boat. Knowing there’s a little reward waiting for us at the end of
just a few pages makes it easier to
beat procrastination while slogging through a semester’s worth of notes.
11. Drink up.
Sorry, not
that kind of drink. Instead, hit the local coffee
shop for something caffeine-filled; there’s lots of research suggesting
coffee (and tea) keeps us alert, especially when nothing seems more
exciting than the shiny gum wrapper on the library floor .
12. Take a time out.
Taking time to plan is one of the most important skills a student can
have. Don’t just start the week with the vague goal of studying for a
history exam—instead, break up that goal into
smaller tasks.
Pencil it in on the calendar like a regular class: For example, allot
every day from 1 to 3 p.m. to review 50 years’ worth of info.
13. Gimme a break.
The KitKat guys said it, and so does science: Taking regular breaks can
boost productivity and improve our ability to focus on a single task . For a real productivity boost, step away from the screen and break a sweat during a
midday gym sesh.
14. Work it out.
Get stronger and brainier at the same time. Research has found just half an hour of aerobic exercise can
improve our brain-processing speed
and other important cognitive abilities. Jog a few laps around the
block and see if you don’t come back with a few more IQ points.
15. Daaaance to the music.
As anyone who’s ever relied on Rihanna to make it through an all-night study session knows,
music can help beat stress.
And while everyone’s got a different tune preference, classical music
in particular has been shown to reduce anxiety and tension. So give
those biology notes a soundtrack and feel at least some of the stress
slide away.
16. Nix the ’net.
We’ve all been there, facing the siren call of a friend’s Facebook wall
on the eve of a giant exam. If a computer’s necessary for studying, try
an app (such as
this one) that blocks the Internet for a short period of time and see how much more you get done.
17. Say om.
Just before staring at a piece of paper for three hours, stare at a wall for three minutes. Research suggests meditation can
reduce anxiety
and boost attention span. While those studies focus mostly on regular
meditation, there’s no harm in trying it out for a few minutes to calm
pre-test jitters .
18. Doze off.
When there’s a textbook full of equations to memorize, it can be
tempting to stay up all night committing them to memory (or trying to).
But all-nighters rarely lead to an automatic A—in fact, they’ve been
linked to impaired cognitive performance and
greater sensitivity to stress . In
the days leading up to a big exam, aim to get those seven to nine hours
a night so sleep deprivation doesn’t undo all the hard work you’ve put
in.
19. Own the Omegas.
Omega-3 fatty acids,
found in certain fish, nuts, and olive oil, are known for their
brain-boosting potential. One study found that eating a combination of
Omega-3-and Omega-6 fatty acids before an exam actually reduced test
anxiety .
20. Feel free to inhale.
Dusty old library again… or spa day? Research has found that catching a
whiff of essential oils (like rosemary or lavender) can help calm
students down before a big exam . Skip the frantic last-minute review and try a few minutes of
aromatherapy instead.
21. Practice your brain pose.
Hardcore yogis tend to have better cognitive abilities—especially attention span—than folks less familiar with Down Dog . A few daily sun salutations may be all it takes to keep centered during finals period.
22. Learn what works.
Some people are early birds; some are night owls; some prefer to study
with a pal; others need complete and total silence. Experiment to find
what’s most effective for you, and then stick with it!
This article originally posted December 2014. Updated January 2015.
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A Nigerian man, Godson Ekwenugo, actually begged American singer, Miley Cyrus for money.
Student of the federal university resume this year with high spirits as they await and prepare for the up coming tests and exams since this semester would be short-lived due to the upcoming presidential elections. so students of all levels and departments are advised to be very studious. 
