How to Improve Your Study Skills

Last Updated: September 9, 2022 References Approved

Studying is a skill you can improve, just like any other. Set yourself up for success by taking notes, keeping a study schedule, and practicing growth mindset thinking. When you start studying, limit your distractions, avoid multitasking, and take breaks to keep focused. Experiment with different strategies of preparing for tests, like using mnemonics, and joining a study group, until you find a few that work great for you.

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Improving Your Focus

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Take steps to avoid distractions. If you have family members that distract you, politely ask them to leave so you can continue with your assignments. Make sure the TV and radio are off. Turn your phone on silent. If you don't need the internet for your studying, turn your WiFi off so you won't get distracted.^{[1]
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- If you like studying with music, make sure it is chill music, without words, that won't have you singing along and getting distracted.
- You can ask one of your family members to help you keep all the distractions away from you, such as mobile phones and laptops.
2
Study one subject at a time instead of multitasking.^{[2]
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Expert Source

Sean Alexander, MS
Academic Tutor
Expert Interview. 14 May 2020.} If you're feeling really stressed, it's often tempting to work on 3 assignments at the same time, because you're so worried about all of them. But that actually makes each task more unpleasant and difficult to accomplish, makes everything take longer, and means you do a worse job on each task. Instead, devote a chunk of time to studying for one class, take a break, and then start studying for the next class.^{[3]
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- Studies have shown that multitasking isn't only ineffective; it's also stressful. You can get much more enjoyment out of a task if you focus on it and do a good job, and then move on to the next thing.
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3
Stay organized with a study schedule. Keep a detailed planner listing all your tests and assignments. This can be in a paper planner or online. For each day, write down the homework or studying you have to do and when you plan to do it. It can be helpful to write down other time commitments you have, too. Mark out time slots to work on long-term projects and study for big tests, so that you don't push them to the last minute.^{[4]
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- It's also very satisfying to be able to check off each item as you complete it. You feel accomplished!
4
Take notes and ask yourself questions as you read. Reading to study isn't like reading a novel for fun: you have to make sure you are actively focusing on and remembering the information. As you read the material, ask yourself about what you've just read to check your comprehension. Take notes by writing down the chapter headings and then make a few bullet points for each one with key information. If you're not sure what is the most important information to write down, check out the textbook chapter summary, which will often include only the most important points.^{[5]
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- Some textbooks will also mark the most important information in bold, or have review sections going over key points.^{[6]
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- It will also help you remember the material, and point out areas that you don't understand, where you need to do more studying or ask for help.^{[7]
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  Sean Alexander, MS
  Academic Tutor
  Expert Interview. 14 May 2020.}
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Take an active break at least every hour. After an hour of sitting and studying, get up and take a little break. You can walk around, eat a snack, do a few push-ups, or go get some air outside. Try to make the break last about 10 minutes so that you can go back to studying. When you take frequent active breaks, you're able to learn much more in the long term than if you try to sit and study for 4 hours without stopping.^{[8]
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- Your brain and body need a little activity and fun so that you're able to focus again.
6
Practice a growth mindset. Success in school isn't all about innate talent. It's mostly about effort. Instead of telling yourself, “I'm no good at this subject,” tell yourself, “I can learn more if I ask questions and practice.” Instead of saying, “I'm bad at studying,” say, “I'm going to practice studying more efficiently.”^{[9]
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- Studies have shown that students who practice a growth mindset learn better than students with fixed mindsets, who tell themselves that every setback is a bad thing, instead of an opportunity to grow.
- Don't worry if you have a more negative mindset now. You can develop a growth mindset with lots of positive self-talk.
7
Make sure you get enough sleep every night. Sleep is the best ingredient to help you focus. Staying up late studying on school nights is not a good idea for long-term success. Lack of sleep prevents you from concentrating and reduces your ability to remember what you have learned.^{[10]
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- Aim to get 8-9 hours of sleep a night, or more if that's what you need.

Part 2

Part 2 of 2:

Memorizing Information Strategically

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Figure out your learning style so you can study more strategically. Different people have different forms of learning that work best for them. Some people are visual learners, which means they learn best from images and reading. Some people are auditory learners, which means they most clearly remember what they hear. Jingles and songs can help them remember information. And some people are tactile learners, also called kinesthetic learners. They learn best by physically handling the things they are learning about. Figure out your learning style and use techniques that best work for you to help study.^{[11]
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- For example, a tactile learner would best learn how a clock works by taking one apart and putting it back together.
- A visual learner would look at a diagram of how the clock worked.
- A reading/writing learner would read an essay about the clock's function and take notes.
- An auditory learner would listen to a lecture about it.
- If you're not sure what you're learning style is, you can take an online quiz about it here: http://www.educationplanner.org/students/self-assessments/learning-styles-quiz.shtml
2
Use acronyms and flashcards to help you remember things. Acronyms are made up of the first letter of each word you are trying to remember. One example is the acronym PEMDAS, for remembering that the order of operations in arithmetic is: Parenthesis, Exponents, Multiplication, Division, Addition, and Subtraction. Flashcards are another good tool for memorizing large amounts of information.^{[12]
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- Try building a visual memory of things you need to remember if you're a visual learner. For example, if you have to recite a long poem for your English class, try to picture each line or verse as a specific image.
3
Take detailed notes in class in the weeks leading up to the exam. Even if your teacher posts notes online, the physical act of taking notes will make the concepts stick better so that you don't have to frantically learn everything before the test.^{[13]
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Expert Source

Sean Alexander, MS
Academic Tutor
Expert Interview. 14 May 2020.} Studies have shown that you remember more if you take notes by hand instead of on the computer. Try not to just copy what the teacher has written on the board, but also write down important things your teacher says. Whenever your teacher starts a new topic, mark a new section in your notes and write down some key points.^{[14]
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- Taking notes in class also forces you to pay attention.
- Don't feel the need to write down every word your teacher says.
4
Practice test-taking strategies. Acing a test isn't just about studying the information, it's also about getting the hang of tests. Try practice tests to get the hang of multiple-choice, true-false, short answer, and essay questions. When you're taking the test, mark difficult questions to come back to later instead of spending a long time trying to figure them out. That way you'll have time to answer more questions that you know, and if you have time, you can come back to work on the ones you didn't know.^{[15]
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- If you're going to have to write an essay on your test, don't just memorize information that you might have to include. Actually practice writing an essay in a short amount of time, so that when the day comes, you won't feel nervous, because you've done it before.
5
Start studying for exams at least a week in advance. Instead of cramming at the last minute, you should study for about an hour or two every day for a week. This will give you time to gradually prepare and learn everything you need to know without stressing.^{[16]
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- Cramming the night before a test isn't just stressful and exhausting, it's also not very effective.
6
Join or form a study group. If you have a big test coming up, get together a group of friends from your class to quiz each other and ask each other questions. Be mindful of balancing group and individual study. Group study can be much more fun and you can ask questions, but groups of friends can get distracted really quickly.^{[17]
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- If your study group is having trouble focusing, try setting a timer for 45 minutes. Say: “Let's study until the timer rings, and then we'll have a snack break,” or something like that. Having a short, set amount of time to focus is more manageable.
7
Try teaching the concept to somebody else. Studies have shown that teaching a concept to somebody else helps you learn it and retain it far better than just studying it on your own. So if you've got a particularly tricky concept you're trying to learn, try teaching it to a friend.
- Depending on the concept, you can also try teaching it to a younger sibling or somebody else who has less knowledge than you. Trying to explain a tricky concept in simple language can clarify your understanding. Also, explain your study concept to someone. This will help you understand the concept better because you're talking out loud. If you can't talk to someone, talk to your pet, your TV, your pillow, your imaginary friend, etc. The point of this isn't to teach someone the concept, it is to read it out loud, but it might feel weird talking to yourself, which is why talking to someone or something can help.
8
Ask for help if you're having a hard time studying.^{[18]
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Expert Source

Sean Alexander, MS
Academic Tutor
Expert Interview. 14 May 2020.} When you're feeling stuck in your studying for an exam, don't be afraid to ask for help. You can ask for help from a friend who's taking the same class as you, or ask the teacher during class. You can also see if your school offers tutoring, and go ask a tutor for help.^{[19]
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- Try your best on a problem before you ask for help from your teacher. Then phrase your question like this, “I tried this, but I couldn't figure it out. Could you help?” or “I understand this part, but I'm confused about that part. What does it mean?” This will make it clear that you're not asking your teacher to do your work for you, you are just looking for clarification.

Expert Q&A
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Question

Which time is best for study?

Sean Alexander, MS
Academic Tutor
Sean Alexander is an Academic Tutor specializing in teaching mathematics and physics. Sean is the Owner of Alexander Tutoring, an academic tutoring business that provides personalized studying sessions focused on mathematics and physics. With over 15 years of experience, Sean has worked as a physics and math instructor and tutor for Stanford University, San Francisco State University, and Stanbridge Academy. He holds a BS in Physics from the University of California, Santa Barbara and an MS in Theoretical Physics from San Francisco State University.

Sean Alexander, MS

Academic Tutor

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Question

How can I love studying?

Sean Alexander, MS
Academic Tutor
Sean Alexander is an Academic Tutor specializing in teaching mathematics and physics. Sean is the Owner of Alexander Tutoring, an academic tutoring business that provides personalized studying sessions focused on mathematics and physics. With over 15 years of experience, Sean has worked as a physics and math instructor and tutor for Stanford University, San Francisco State University, and Stanbridge Academy. He holds a BS in Physics from the University of California, Santa Barbara and an MS in Theoretical Physics from San Francisco State University.

Sean Alexander, MS

Academic Tutor

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Think about what you are passionate about. Aside from your classes, what do you love? Take that answer and try to see how your classes are relevant to that. For example, let's say you love history but don't like math. In terms of history, where do you think humans would be if they never figured out math? Try to wrap what you like into all of your subjects like that.
Question

I'm pretty good about studying, but I forget the material at exam time. How can I change that?

Community Answer

If you have prepared well for your exam, just do a simple revision the night before the test. Don't study too much the night before as that can make you so nervous and blank your mind in the middle of the exam. When in the exam, relax and remind yourself that you've done the work, you know it, and that you'll be fine.