With AP testing and state testing right around the corner—it is easy to feel overwhelmed.

Whether this is due to stress or the feeling of being unprepared, it can make the upcoming days daunting. Using the right studying method however, these feelings can change. Certain techniques like the Feynman Technique, SQ3R, or even simply using flashcards can be benefits to the internal memorization of course content. However, every person processes and learns information in different ways, so the best studying method is an individual experience. In a survey conducted with a group of students at Brunswick High School, 57.1% of people don’t have a certain studying technique. Furthermore, more than half of the students admitted to only studying sometimes. The main reason is tied to laziness and overall procrastination. With certain studying methods, the work can be learned easier in a less stressful environment.

Tips and Tricks

Before the studying actually begins, there are many different things to do beforehand that ensure a better understanding of the content. One of the bigger factors is a clean environment. If the place chosen to study is noisy, or unorganized, it has been proven that it’ll be much harder to stay motivated. Other strategies include using color coded or otherwise organized notes, listening to music without words while studying, studying after exercise or before bed, and finally, getting enough sleep. With all these factors in mind, it is easier to remain driven when studying, or it makes it simply easier to understand the subject matter.

The Pomodoro Technique

For the Pomodoro Technique, all that is needed is a timer. The technique was created in 1980, when entrepreneur Francesco Cirillo used a tomato shaped kitchen timer to study. The timer is set for 25 minute increments. The first 25 minutes is spent studying, and once the timer goes off, the next 2-5 minutes is spent on a break. After the break is over, the cycle repeats. The longer the studying goes on, the bigger the breaks can be. This technique brings a feeling of time management and reliable focus. 

SQ3R/SQRRR

There are no specific tools needed for the SQ3R method. It was proposed by Francis P. Robinson, a psychologist. SQ3R, or SQRRR stands for Survey, Question, Read, Recite, and Review. These five steps help push a sense of understanding, as thorough overlooking is used. 

• Survey = Look over the material to be reviewed. This is considered the first read-over, where the most important information is first seen and accounted for.
• Question = There could be pre-made questions about the material, but the main takeaway is for questions to be produced before reading. This could be “why is this important,” or “what should I be taking away from this?” 
• Read = This step involves actually diving into the text to pay attention to what is written down. Thinking of the questions that were prepared beforehand while reading can help the reader focus more and understand more. Notes can be taken while reading to refer back to later. 
• Recite = Also referred to as retrieve/recall, the recite step involves answering the questions that were previously thought up. Any notes that were written down can be used. The answers could be written down, or spoken out loud. They can be thought out, however the likeliness of remembering it is higher if it is actually discussed or written down. 
• Review = Repeating back the most important information or any other information that is remembered. Without reading any notes that may have been taken, review the questions that were created beforehand and answer them. 

The Feynman Technique

If an individual can teach someone else a subject, that means the person is knowledgeable in it. That is the idea of the Feynman Technique that was created by Nobel Prize-winning physicist Richard Feynman. The first step in this method is to try and learn a subject. Other methods can be used, like SQ3R in order to learn. Just simply reading or taking notes are other options. Once the initial information has been taken in, the Feynman Technique comes into play. Find someone and try to teach them the subject. Teaching to an imaginary audience works too—but finding another person works best as they can ask questions to be answered. If not all questions can be answered, or the topic cannot be explained clearly enough for the other person to understand, going back to the source material will help fill those holes. Having this ability to teach another person the subject shows understanding. Lastly, just simplify the overall knowledge and make any analogies. The goal should be that no matter how difficult the topic is, young children should be able to understand from the way it is explained and presented. Ainsley Fink, a sophomore at Brunswick High School uses a method that would be categorized as the Feynman Technique.  “I turn off my phone, open up my Chromebook and my personal laptop. Then I give myself an hour to write stuff down in my notes,” Fink says. “Lastly, once it’s all written I highlight, underline, and bold to organize my notes better. Then I teach it to my dogs or cats to make sure I know it enough to tell it to someone else.”

Flashcards

Using flashcards is one of the most common methods for high school students. Just simply using this might be enough, however using other methods in addition to the flashcards would help solidify the knowledge. The best route to flashcards is to write everything needed on them, and to solely use active recall. Instead of looking at the answer right away, try to memorize it before flipping it over.

Each method will work differently on various individuals. While Fink uses a method like the Feynman Technique, Yana Smith, a senior from Brunswick High school simply uses notes. “When I study for tests, I make sure that I go over the material that is going to be on the test,” Smith says. “I go over everything a few times.” The main components that truly make studying work are often the smaller things, like few distractions and enough sleep.