We all want to make our studying as efficient as possible. After all, who wants to waste hours using useless study techniques if they don’t get you high marks? Check out some of these study myths to see if you’ve accidentally done some of them!
- Re-reading the content is helpful
- More time spent studying leads to better grades
- Cramming before an exam is a good way to study
- Too much studying doesn’t exist
- Note taking is useless
Re-reading the content is helpful
While this myth isn’t as widely believed as it used to be, a lot of people still believe that re-reading is useful for learning a topic. While reading the textbook once may help give you an overview of the subject, this shouldn’t be your primary revision method! Passive recall is incredibly futile – try out some of these active recall study methods instead!
More time spent studying leads to better grades
While it is true that studying a lot can lead to better results, there’s no need to study for hours in order to guarantee a 9. As long as you use high-return study methods such as doing past papers or using flashcards to revise, you’ll ensure that even the most difficult concepts will stick in your mind for the exam.
Cramming before an exam is a good way to study
If you have no choice but to cram before an exam, then it’s fine – at least you’re actually studying. However, you need to make a study schedule to avoid these situations! Cramming is incredibly ineffective. Not only does it mean that you don’t remember concepts properly, but it means that you forget the information after the exam.
Too much studying doesn’t exist
Burnout and exam stress are both incredibly real issues which can affect a lot of students. It’s very important to take breaks and limit the amount of time you spend studying. As I’ve already said, more hours spent studying doesn’t directly correlate to better grades. Remember to take care of yourself above all – grades are temporary, mental health is forever.
Note taking is useless
This is sort of true, but only to an extent. Passively copying the textbook down doesn’t help you learn, since it’s just passive recall. However, summarizing the content, covering the textbook and writing what you remember, or using these note taking tips can really help you implement active recall in your note taking and make note taking useful.
