what research says is most effective way to study

next up on the psych tip series — on STUDYING 📚✍️

these are some tips i’ve learned from my cognitive psychology class and from everyday life that helped me get a PERFECT SCORE 😫 on my college entrance exams, and got me into NUS and ivy league schools 🫡

1️⃣ take notes by hand

i think it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that TYPING notes will be faster and more efficient, but research shows that simply the action of writing down your notes can promote better recall and longer-term retention 📝

🙆 sheena’s corner: if you need to draw diagrams or take notes on lecture slides, i would recommend printing out the lecture slides before each class or using a tablet if you have the access to one. i find that even having the thought of printing out the slides before the class helps me to be more prepared for the class overall.

‼️ NOTE: lmk in the comments if you guys want to see any tips on how i take my notes! 👀 annotating? outlines? harvard notetaking style?

2️⃣ test yourself

by quizzing yourself on the material, your brain practices retrieving it in different manners, which facilitates retrieval on the day of the exam or whenever you need to use it next. whether it be trying to rephrase everything in your own words in your notes, writing short summaries in the margins of your textbook passages, or reviewing material for an exam, practicing recall is one of the most effective and efficient methods to study.

🙆 sheena’s corner: my favorite way to put this tip into practice is when i’m reviewing for an exam. i watch the lectures again or look over my notes and turn each set of facts into a question on a HANDWRITTEN (tip number 1!) flash card.

for example, if your professor says: “@sheenainlove currently has a psych tip series and outfit inspo series on lemon8 🍋”, i’d write “describe the two series on lemon8 discussed in class. which user posts them?” and use the flashcard to test myself later.

3️⃣ sleep productivity 😴

this tip is the most important out of all of these. it’s easy to get caught up in grind culture and to lose track of your sleep or even start to believe that it’s okay to sacrifice your sleep. but sleep is one of the most well-documented recovery functions and it’s absolutely crucial to being able to study effectively.

plan ahead.

don’t get caught up in the urge to procrastinate and end up wasting your sleep. the amount you are capable of learning will be less, and you’re only hurting yourself in the long run.

check out the SLEEP CYCLE app for an easier wake up and to track your sleep. make your bed in the morning to start with accomplishment. and plan what you need to get done in the early morning before you go to bed.

if this post caught your eye, go ahead and like, save or leave a comment below! <3 take care of yourself y’all 🤍

#Lemon8SG #study #lifehacks #Tips #LoveMyself