How to study a difficult subject intelligently and effortlessly in a short time | Al-Madrasa.com

Many students feel that they do not have enough time to study, even though the number of hours per week is 168 hours.

This feeling results from the student’s many tasks, research and projects that he is required to implement, and periodic and final exams, in addition to daily activities and other obligations.

Isn't it good if a student can study smartly and effortlessly in record time and thus get the highest grades and enjoy a balanced life?

Of course it would be good to study smartly with less effort. In this article I will explain how to learn remotely .

Knowing that the main goal of the educational process that we are going through is not to obtain an excellent grade at all, but rather the goal is to learn the method that should be used in learning.

Here are 16 scientific ways to learn difficult subjects in a short time

Learn the same information in more than one way.

Different media used stimulate different parts of the brain, the more brain areas are activated, the more likely you are to understand and retain information.

To learn a specific topic you can do the following:

• Read the class notes you took.
• Take care to read the textbook.
• Watch a video that covers the same information you are studying.
• Find other online resources such as articles, audio files, etc.
• Create a mind map.
• Teach someone what you have learned, it has a powerful effect on fixing the information in memory.

Of course, you won’t be able to do all of these things at once. But each time you review the material, use a different source or method – this way you’ll learn faster.

Studying multiple subjects each day is more effective than taking on one or two subjects.

For example, if you are preparing for exams in mathematics, history, physics, and chemistry, it is best to study a little bit of each subject every day.

This approach will help you learn faster than focusing on just math on Monday, history on Tuesday, physics on Wednesday, chemistry on Thursday, etc.

Why?

Because you're likely to mix up similar information if you study too much of the same subject in one day.

To study smart, distribute your study time for each subject. This will give your brain more time to analyze the information it has and thus enhance your learning process.

Regular review is essential if you want to move information from your short-term memory to your long-term memory. This will help you get better grades in exams.

The best way to review information and retain it for the longest period is:

• First review: One day after learning the new information.
• Second review: 3 days after the first review.
• Third review: 7 days after second review.
• Fourth review: 21 days after third review.
• 5th Review: 30 days after 4th Review.
• 6th Review: 45 days after 5th Review.
• 7th Review: 60 days after 6th Review.

Sit in the front of the class

If you can choose where you sit during class, try to sit in the front seat. Studies show that students who sit in the front tend to get higher grades on exams (Rennels & Chaudhari, 1988). The average grades of students, based on where they sit in the class, are as follows (Giles, 1982):

• Front rows: 80%.
• Intermediate grades: 71.6%.
• Back rows: 68.1%.

These results were obtained when the teacher was left to decide where students would sit, meaning it was not simply a case of more motivated students choosing to sit at the front and less motivated students choosing to sit at the back.

By sitting in the front, you will be able to see the board and hear the teacher more clearly, and your concentration will improve as well.

Multitasking makes you less productive and more distracted. Studies even show that people who claim to be good at multitasking aren’t actually any better than the average person.

Effective students focus on only one thing at a time, so don't try to study while intermittently responding to text messages, watching TV, and checking the latest tweets.

Here are some suggestions to improve your focus:

• Turn off notifications on your phone.
• Put your phone away, or put it on airplane mode.
• Log out of all messaging programs such as messenger and WhatsApp.
• Turn off internet access on your computer.
• Use an app like Freedom.
• If you need to turn on the Internet, close all Internet browser windows that are not related to the task you are working on.
• Study in an organized and clean environment.

Take notes by hand, instead of using a laptop.

Using a laptop makes you more susceptible to online distractions.

Also, using laptops only for taking notes makes learning less effective .

Why?

Because students who take notes by hand tend to process and reformulate information.

In contrast, laptop writers tend to write down what the teacher says word for word, without processing the information first.

As such, students who take notes by hand perform better on tests and exams.

Write down what's bothering you.

Students have many questions that worry them and hinder their thinking while studying.

For example: Will I do well on the exam? What if I forget key concepts and equations? What if the test is harder than expected?

These types of thoughts may run through your head before a test. But if these thoughts are wild, the anxiety that accompanies them can have a significant impact on your grades.

Here is the solution...

Researchers at the University of Chicago found that students who wrote and expressed their feelings about an upcoming test for just 10 minutes performed better than students who didn't. The technique is particularly effective for common anxiety, the researchers say.

Psychologist Katie Klein has also shown that expressive writing in the form of a journal improves memory and learning. Klein explains that this writing allows students to express their negative feelings, which helps them not be distracted by these feelings.

To be less anxious, take 10 minutes and write down all the things about the upcoming exam that you are worried about. As a result of this simple exercise, you will get better grades.

Test yourself frequently.

Research and experience have shown that self-testing is crucial if you want to improve your academic performance.

In one experiment, University of Louisville psychologist Keith Lyle taught the same statistics course to two groups of undergraduate students.

For the first group, Lyle had students complete a four- to six-question quiz at the end of each lecture. The quiz was based on the material he had just covered.

For the second group, Lyle did not give the students any tests.

At the end of the course, Lyle discovered that the first group significantly outperformed the second group on all four midterm tests.

So, don't just passively read your textbook or class notes without focusing.

Instead, study smart by questioning yourself about key concepts and equations. As you prepare for the test, do as many questions and exercises as you can from different sources.

The more strongly you connect new concepts to concepts you already understand, the faster you will learn the new information.

For example, if you're learning about electricity, you might relate it to the flow of water. Voltage is like water pressure, current is like the rate of water flow, a battery is like a pump, and so on.

Another example: You can think of white blood cells as soldiers defending our bodies against diseases that are enemies.

It takes time and effort to think about how to connect new information to what you already know, but the investment is worth it.

Reading information out loud helps students learn faster than reading silently.

What is the reason for this?

When you read information out loud, you see it and hear it. But when you read information silently, you only see it.

It is not practical to read every word of every set of notes aloud. That would take too much time.

All you have to do is follow these steps:

Step 1: As you read your notes, focus on the key concepts/equations. Don't stop to memorize these concepts/equations; just underline them and move on to the next step.

Step 2: After completing Step 1, go back to the underlined sections and read each key concept/equation out loud as many times as you feel necessary. But read them slowly.

Step 3: After doing this for each of the key concepts/equations underlined, take a three-minute break.

Step 4: When your three-minute break is over, go over each underlined concept/equation one by one, and cover them (either with your hand or a piece of paper). Test yourself to see if you have truly memorized it.

Step 5: For concepts/equations that you did not successfully memorize, repeat steps 2, 3, and 4.

Take regular breaks.

Taking regular study breaks improves overall productivity and enhances focus.

So it's not a good idea to sit in your room for 6 hours straight studying for the exam, it doesn't make sense at all.

You may feel like you're getting a lot done this way, but research shows otherwise. So take a 5-10 minute break for every 40 minutes of work.

Use an alarm to remind you when to take a break and when to come back to study.

During your break, refrain from using your phone or computer as these devices prevent your mind from fully relaxing.

Before you start your study session, set a specific reward for completing the session. By doing this, you will encourage strong memory formation and improve your learning.

The reward could be something as simple as:

• Go for a short walk.
• Eat a healthy snack.
• Listen to your favorite music.
• Stretching.
• Do two sets of exercises.
• Playing a musical instrument.
• Bathing.

Reward yourself at the end of each session - you'll study smarter and learn faster.

Successful students focus on learning the information covered in the lesson, not on trying to get a certain grade.

Research by Stanford psychologist Carol Dweck shows that these students

• Focus on the effort, not the end result.
• Focus on the study itself, not on the achievement.
• They believe that they can improve their level, as long as they put in the time and effort.
• Accepting and facing challenges.
• They define success as learning something new, not getting immediate feedback.

Unsuccessful students tend to set performance goals, while successful students tend to set learning goals.

What is the difference between these two types of goals?

Performance goals (e.g., getting a 90% on your next math test, getting into a top-ranked school) are about overall appearance and proving yourself to others.

In contrast, learning goals (e.g., solve three algebra problems each day, learn five new French words each day) are about mastery and growth.

Drink at least eight glasses of water a day.

You may think you're drinking enough water, but studies show that up to 75% of people are chronically dehydrated.

Dehydration is bad for your brain — and your test scores, too.

Researchers from the University of East London found that your brain’s ability to process the data it receives decreases when you’re dehydrated. Further research has shown that dehydration causes the grey matter in your brain to shrink.

The simple solution?

Drink at least eight glasses of water a day. Bring a water bottle with you wherever you go, and drink water before you feel thirsty.

If you are taking a test, bring a bottle of water with you. Drink some water every 40 minutes or so. This will help you stay hydrated and improve your test performance. Plus, it serves as a short break to refresh your mind.

Exercise at least three times a week.

Exercise is good for your body. It's also very good for your mind.

Various studies have shown that exercise:

• Improves your memory.
• Improves your brain function.
• Reduces the occurrence of depression.
• It helps prevent diseases such as diabetes, cancer and osteoporosis.
• Improves your sleep quality.
• Reduces stress.
• Improves your mood.

Exercise is the miracle drug!

So, to study smart, you should exercise at least three times a week for 30 to 45 minutes each time. You will become healthier and more active, and you will remember information better too.

Sleep for at least eight hours a night.

Research shows that if you get enough sleep, you'll be more focused, learn faster, and have better memory. You'll also deal with stress more effectively.

So sleep at least eight hours a night. This way, your study sessions will be more productive and you won’t have to spend a lot of time understanding and absorbing information.

Additionally, Taylor says that learning the most difficult material right before bed makes it easier to remember it the next day. So, whenever possible, schedule your time so that you study the most difficult subject right before bed.

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How to Study Smart: 20 Scientific Ways to Learn Faster