When compared to exams, one of those high-stakes marathons would seem more doable. Exams always come with this eerie atmosphere, almost like the climax of a horror film - keeps you guessing who’d survive and who’d not!

But what if we tell you a few techniques and you survive? Sounds good, right! Continue reading this blog post to learn the study tips that can help you not just survive, but thrive through exams.

Here’s Why You Need A Proper Study Plan To Conquer Exams

It is important for you to set the stage before you take down the enemy!

Exams aren’t the normal tests your teacher takes here and there; think of them as the ultimate showdown of time management, stress management, and knowledge.

Picture this; you’re out in the unknown, searching for some formulas, without a map or a flashlight, and a clock keeps ticking on your head - that's exactly what the exam room will seem like when you study without a plan!

It is true that without a study plan, you’d be wandering in the dark, but you could always turn to light for clarity in the chaos. Being prepared instead of panicking is way better. Breaking down the syllabus into smaller, manageable parts, prioritizing areas of improvement, learning the high-impact topics first, and taking study tips seriously from experts can turn the tables for you.

Ditching the usual plans of winging it for a thought-through learning plan of action works 10 times better. You map out a game plan for yourself, you see the road you need to walk for success, which gives you steady progress and peaceful nights.

A study plan isn’t a nice-to-have option, it's your way to slay the monster, figure the labyrinth out, own the win, and become your own hero!

10 Study Techniques To Take Down Exams

Facing the beast unprepared is stupidity - we all agree upon it, so a battle plan is a must! Appearing in an exam is the same feat, hence, a battle plan is still necessary. Here are 10 studying techniques you could use as your secret weapon to prepare for the battlefield.

The SQ3R Technique

Acronym for Survey, Question, Read, Recite, and Review, the SQ3R method is a studying technique to help students identify the key elements within their textbooks and retain the said information.

-Survey: you start by surveying the chapter, skimming through the important parts, and taking notes about the headings, subheadings, images, charts, etc.

-Question: the next step is to ask questions. Formulate questions regarding the content and intentions of the chapter.

-Read: this step is where you finally delve into reading the chapter and find answers to the questions you formulated earlier.

-Recite: this step requires you to summarize the section you read in your own words, recall the major points, and identify answers before moving to another section and repeating the step.

-Review: once you’re done with the recitation of the entire chapter, review the material you jotted down to understand it further. Try quizzing yourself on the questions you compiled earlier to ensure your understanding.

Spaced Practice

Instead of cramming the night before, the spaced practice helps students study over an extended period. This method is also known as distributed practice where you learn the material on the first day then come back to review it on the second and third day, followed up by revisiting a week and two weeks later.

This technique involves you learning and reviewing your learning material over spaced intervals. The concept here is when our brain almost forgets the information fed to it, it works twice as much to bring that information back. This allows your mind to make connections between the concepts and build up on that knowledge for it to be recalled easily.

Chunking

Chunking refers to breaking down the concepts and topics into smaller quests, making them manageable to understand. This reduces the cognitive load on you, helps you focus better, and makes learning less intimidating.

The step-by-step module of chunking makes it easier for you to determine weekly milestones without feeling overwhelmed, and after each review, progress will start to add up to mastering the learning.

The PQ4R Method

Acting similar to the SQ3R method, the PQ4R method introduces students to six steps of the studying process. Here, the student takes an active approach to learning as they improve memorization and understanding of the topics.

The six steps include:

-Preview: Before getting into the subject, preview the information presented to you. Skim through the headings, subheadings, and highlighted text to get an idea.

-Question: Again, ask yourself questions regarding what the topics could be about, what you expect to learn from them, etc.

-Read: Take each section one at a time and start reading and answering the questions you noted down earlier.

-Reflect: Reflect on whether you’ve answered all of your formed questions, if any are left go through the material again until you’ve answered them all.

-Recite: Explain in writing or speech about the information you’ve read. Summarize in your own words.

Review: Review your summarization, questions, and answers, and go over the material again for any query that seems unanswered or uncovered.

The Feynman Technique

Based on the idea of ‘to understand something well, try explaining it simply’, the Feynman technique is one of the most effective study techniques. The concept here is that when things are explained in plain and simple terms, they are easier to catch and quicker to understand.

1. You start by jotting the name of the topic or the subject you’re working on at the top of the paper and writing down everything you know regarding it.

1. The next part might seem crazy, but it works. You’ve got to explain everything you’ve written down as if you’re teaching someone with no knowledge of the topic.

1. The 3rd step is for you to review everything you’ve written, identify your errors, go back to your notes, and figure out the correct answers.

1. For the last step, you’ll review your writing, identify technical terms or complex language you’ve used, and rewrite those sections in simpler terms for someone who doesn’t share a similar educational background as you. Review the writing again to get a clearer understanding of the subject.

Leitner System

Based on flashcards, the Leitner System is considered to be one of the best study techniques. The system uses a spaced repetition technique where you make several boxes along with flashcards with the concept or topic on one side and the explanation for it on the other.

Every card starts in box 1. The card moves further as you manage to study, recall, and get the card right, but if you don't then the card moves down a box or remains in box 1 if it was already there.

• Every day: Box 1

• Every two days: Box 2

• Every four days: Box 3

• Every nine days: Box 4

• Every fourteen days: Box 5

You can follow a schedule of this sort to determine how much you will study every set of the card.

Colour-coded Notes and Mind Mapping

Learning with messy notes can make it hard to refer to them or recall the critical pointers, instead, writing in colour and with illustrations works magic in organizing the information. Use of colours and mind maps also seems to have positive and motivating effects on the student.

A study by NLM (National Library of Medicine) shows how colours can increase cognitive effort and bring better learning outcomes. The study also suggests that you could use warm colours to increase attention, excitement, and motivation.

Mind maps are a depiction of how our brain stores and retrieves information. This way of jotting down notes can improve reading comprehension and clear up the relationships between each concept and idea.

So you could:

• Start with sketching the main topic in the centre and use a specific colour for each topic.

• Jot down key points in red and assign yellow to highlight important information.

• Include sketching in small symbols or doodling to categorize each idea or concept.

Pro tip: don’t use colour for everything, reserve the theme just for key information.

Active Recall

Also known as the Retrieval Practice, Active Recall is a study technique based on forcing your brain to actively recall information fed to it. Here, you create questions about a certain topic you reviewed earlier and then attempt to answer the question from your memory instead of looking into a flashcard or your textbook.

You can use different tests and quizzes to practice this technique, or trade questions within your study group.

Exercise Before Studying

Exercise is a good source to increase energy levels, so if you need the right motivation to study effectively, then exercising might be your answer. A 20-minute workout added to your routine or a 10-minute jog around the neighborhood to get your heart pumping would suffice. This can help you:

• Kickstart brain functioning.

• Improve memory and cognitive performance.

• Improve mood.

• Reduce stress levels.

Study Before Bed

Scott Cairney, a researcher from the University of York in the United Kingdom, believes:

“When you are awake, you learn new things, but when you are asleep, you refine them, making it easier to retrieve them and apply them correctly when you need them most. This is important for how we learn, but also for how we might help retain healthy brain functions.”

For the brain to function properly, sleep is crucial. It is also crucial for memory formation and learning, hence studying before you sleep can help with the improvement of recalling the learned information.

Instead of pulling an all-nighter, you can study for a couple of hours before you sleep and review the information in the morning.

Practice Consistency In Strategies With Expert Guidance

Consistency is something you can keep working on. Even with the smallest steps, the key here will be to strategically repeat the right habits until they become second nature. You could be struggling to juggle the 10 studying techniques we just went over, but you miss a day and the whole routine comes tumbling down.

Here, expert guidance from a reliable source can give you the push you need to follow your routine without even stumbling. A source for such expert guidance could be online tutoring platforms with their expert educators and learning tools.

You could consider these experts as your co-pilots, helping you with not just consistency, but also with structuring the techniques that work best in your favor. The online tutoring platforms, such as Tuitional Education, offer study schedules that fit best into your routine, adjust their teaching methods to your learning style, and help you avoid losing motivation with engaging techniques.

The motto you should have at this point is to study effectively instead of studying constantly.

Hopefully, combining these methods with a little self-care and expert guidance for platforms like Tuitional Education can help you turn the ‘climax’ from jump-scare moment to a victory slay.