If you want to know the best study strategies to study smarter, not harder, check out these 7 secret tips for studying that will help you improve your grades!
If you're looking for effective study strategies for students to improve your grades, then check out this article for 7 secret tips for studying that will help you save time studying and understand material better.

Do you ever feel like your study methods are ineffective in improving your grades? Sometimes, it may feel like no matter how much you study, you just can’t grasp the material. Or, if you’re taking a memorization-heavy class, you may feel frustrated by your inability to recall information under pressure.

girl frustrated that he can't remember what she studied

Luckily, there are scientifically-proven study strategies for students that can help you save time and learn the material better! In this article, you’ll find 7 secret tips for studying that will help you study smarter, not harder and become a better student. 

Let’s dive in!

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Study Tip #1: Set up a good study space

A good study space makes a big difference.

Why is this important?

Setting up a good study space is essential for making the most of your study sessions. It’s like the foundation of a house. If the foundation isn’t steady, the best materials could be used to build the house, and it would still collapse. 

Likewise, if your study space isn’t optimal, you can use the most effective study strategies and still see little progress. 

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How do I set up a good study space?

Firstly, you should designate one area at home to be your study space. It should be a place where the only thing you do is study—this means that, yes, it should not be your bedroom!

You should never study in bed.

That’s because your brain subconsciously associates your bedroom with sleep and relaxation. However, your study space should be associated with work and concentration!

Your study space should be quiet and clear of distractions. It should also contain all your desk essentials, so that you don’t have to get up to get things while studying.

Additionally, you may consider adding personal elements, like pictures of fond memories or motivational study quotes to make it a positive space.

Click here to access 36 free wallpapers of quotes to motivate you to study.

Study Tip #2: Use the Pomodoro technique

pomodoro timer and 5 tomatoes to represent 5 pomodoro sessions

Why is this important?

I’ve mentioned the Pomodoro technique several times on this blog, but that’s because it’s seriously one of the best study strategies for overcoming procrastination and enhancing productivity! If you find yourself zoning out while studying or accomplishing very little in a given amount of time, this study strategy can fix these issues.

How do I use the Pomodoro technique?

sample Pomodoro timer with tasks set up

The Pomodoro study technique is quite simple. Here’s how it works: 

  1. Study in 25-minute blocks. Before starting the timer for each study block, list out the tasks you want to accomplish during the block. 
  2. After each study block, take a 5-minute break. 
  3. After 4 study blocks, take a longer break of 15-20 minutes. 

By studying in 25-minute blocks, you’ll feel a greater sense of urgency, which will help you maintain focus. Additionally, having obligatory breaks in between will help refresh your brain.

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Study Tip #3: Use your breaks wisely

Use your study breaks wisely.

Why is this important?

If you don’t use your study breaks wisely, you won’t improve your mental clarity or productivity while studying. Therefore, it’s essential to be disciplined even while taking breaks. This means avoiding YouTube, social media, Netflix, or any other stimuli that can cause you to become very distracted.

How do I take an effective break?

To take an effective study break, you can go outside to get fresh air, eat an energizing snack, listen to calming music, meditate, or shower.

Particularly in the evening, I enjoy taking a shower during a longer study break. I find that it provides me with greater mental clarity. In fact, research shows that the shower is the perfect environment for creativity. Therefore, if you’re stuck on something, taking a shower could help you see connections you didn’t see before! 

Einstein coming up with the theory of relativity while taking a shower

There is no factual evidence of this having ever occurred, but then again, there is also a lack of evidence to the contrary.

Study Tip #4: Apply the 4 R’s

The 4 R's of studying: read, record, review, and retrieve

Why is this important?

When I took AP Psychology, the 4 R’s was an effective study strategy I learned. Oftentimes, we simply reread our notes or textbook when studying, but this is a terrible mistake. To avoid this mistake, you must apply the 4 R’s.

How do I apply the 4 R’s?

Here’s what the 4 R’s stand for:

  1. Read: When you’re first learning a topic, the first thing you should do is read about it.
  2. Record: While reading, you should take notes. It is scientifically-proven that handwritten notes help with retention, so you may want to consider handwriting your notes. Using stationery that you like can motivate you to do this!
  3. Review: Go back and review your notes. To review your notes the right way, make sure to read Study Tip #5!
  4. Retrieve: Once you’ve reviewed the information, actively recall it. This is the step that most students miss when studying, but it is the most important! Instead of just rereading your notes, you must independently recall information from your memory. Some ways to do this are to make flashcards or do practice questions.

Study Tip #5: Use deep processing strategies

Using deep processing strategies when studying will help you retain and understand information better.

Why is this important?

As I mentioned in Study Tip #4, it’s important to review your notes the right way. And according to psychology, there is a right way—deep processing—and a wrong way—shallow processing.

How do I use deep processing study strategies?

Firstly, it’s important to understand the distinction between shallow processing and deep processing.

Shallow Processing

In shallow processing, you memorize information based on how it looks (structural processing) and how it sounds (phonemic processing).

Example of structural vs. phonemic processing

When you repeat your notes in your head or out loud to memorize them, you’re doing shallow processing. Unfortunately, this only encodes the information into your short-term memory, which can escape you when you’re under pressure.

Deep Processing

In deep processing, you associate information with things that have meaning. There are a couple of ways you can do this while studying:

  1. Relate concepts to things you already know. For example, if you’re learning about historical political parties, identify similarities between historical and modern political parties. Comparing the two will help you remember and understand the former better.
  2. Apply the knowledge to real life. For example, if you’re learning about statistical tests, look up examples of how these tests are applied in real studies.
  3. Connect the information with diagrams and images. For example, if you’re studying a complex molecular pathway for biology, study your notes in conjunction with diagrams of the pathway.
  4. Make your own study videos (if you have more time, this is something I’d highly suggest). In preparation for my AP Biology exam, my teacher assigned us the project of making a video on a specific chapter of the curriculum. I was assigned the topic of cellular pathways—one of the more complex topics we’d studied throughout the year. Making the video required me to fully understand every detail of the chapter because I had to know how to present each detail in a visual way. Ultimately, doing the project helped me develop a deeper, more solid understanding of the topic that I hadn’t had before.

Study Tip #6: Use the Feynman Technique

A woman explaining a topic to a child.

Why is this important?

Oftentimes, we think we know a concept well enough, but we actually still have gaps in our understanding. The Feynman Technique is one of the best study strategies for students because it enables you to catch these gaps and fill them in.

How do I use the Feynman Technique?

Created by Richard Feynman, a Nobel Prize winner in physics, the Feynman Technique simply involves explaining a concept as though you were explaining it to a child.

Imagine that you’re explaining something to someone who has no prior knowledge. In such a scenario, you would only be able to use simple terms—no technical jargon or phrases.

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If you find that you cannot explain something in simpler terms, it means that you don’t understand it well enough. Therefore, you need to go back and review that topic until you can explain it.

Also, research shows that saying things out loud can help you remember them better. Consequently, the Feynman Technique can enhance understanding and memorization!

Study Tip #7: Do spaced learning

Why is this important?

German psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus discovered what’s referred to as the Forgetting Curve. According to the Forgetting Curve, we forget on average 90% of new concepts we learn after being exposed to them once.

As such, you’re bound to forget information if you only review it once. Therefore, you must do spaced learning to retain information.

How do I implement spaced learning?

Spaced learning is exactly what it sounds like. Instead of reviewing something only once, you should review it several times. Every time you go back and review a topic, you’re disrupting the Forgetting Curve.

calendar with marked dates for studying a topic

As such, you’ll find that as you review a topic, you’ll start forgetting less and less each time. Additionally, you’ll be able to leave longer gaps between each review session. 

For example, you may review your notes a day after first taking them. Then, you may review them a week later. After that, you may wait two weeks to review them again. And so on. 

Spaced learning is especially helpful for retaining information in your long-term memory when preparing for a heavy exam like a midterm or final.

Tying All 7 Secret Tips for Studying Together

Now that you’ve reached the end of the article, you may be thinking, “How am I supposed to incorporate all of these tips and tricks for studying into my study routine?” Here’s how: 

First, you need to set up a designated study space that’s free of distractions. When studying, you should implement the Pomodoro technique and make good use of your breaks to optimize productivity and creativity.

Using these 7 secret tips for studying will improve your retention and understanding.

Next, you should take notes when learning something for the first time. When reviewing your notes, you shouldn’t just reread—you should perform active recall and associate meaning with the information through deep processing strategies. Additionally, you may want to use Feynman’s Technique to uncover any gaps in your knowledge.

Finally, if you need to review a lot of information, you should do spaced learning to solidify it in your long-term memory.

Hold on… this is a bit overwhelming

If you find all this somewhat overwhelming and aren’t sure how to get started, check out this step-by-step guide on building better study habits. This guide is backed by scientifically-proven tips from James Clear’s Atomic Habits.

I hope the tips in this article inspired you to develop better study habits. Now, it’s time to start implementing these strategies to study smarter, not harder!

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Learning With Angie is a place to share honest, unfiltered advice to promote student success. So if you’re a student (high school, college, or beyond) looking for tips on productivity, studying, personal growth, and more to reach your potential, this is the place! To read more about Learning with Angie, click here.

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One Comment

  1. Tahsin July 1, 2023 at 7:22 am - Reply

    thanks a lot

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