New year, new studying technique? Are you tired of cramming an entire semester of studying in one night? According to a University of Vermont study done in 2014, which sampled 1,500 students, 99% admitted to cramming for exams, with half admitting to cramming being their study plan for finals. However, cramming is not effective in long-term memory retention or recall. Cramming forces too much information into the short-term or working memory, filling up the limited capacity it contains. Ultimately, the brain becomes overworked, leading to stress, fatigue, and information loss. The brain needs time to fully process the information received and repetition.
Active recall helps strengthen memory by forcing the brain to retrieve information. Active recall helps recall information better through strengthening neural pathways. This helps alleviate those moments during the test when the answer is on the tip of your tongue or you’re unsure which of two answers is correct. This is because recall creates familiarity by seeing the information throughout the week of the test. Flashcards are a great way to practice active recall, along with practice questions, self-testing. and explaining to others. Studying with all these will force your brain to retrieve the information in order to find the answer. Next, spaced repetition helps to strengthen long-term memory. Studying at various intervals before the test day helps turn information from short-term to long-term. This also helps reduce the time of studying by spacing out the time throughout the week, versus the night before. Lastly, the Pomodoro technique provides an excellent way to help prevent burnout while studying. The Pomodoro method breaks down studying time into 25-minute intervals separated by 5-minute breaks. After completing four Pomodoros, allow for a longer break between 15-30 minutes. Studying time being broken up with short breaks helps improve focus, eliminate distractions, and boost motivation, ultimately leading to a more effective study session.
Overall, enforce good habits this new school year, don’t let yourself fall into the old bad habits of studying the night before your big AP Bio test. Instead, allow yourself to show up on test day stress-free, well-rested, and confident in your studying.
