Students are devoting more time to academic preparation than they did over a decade ago, according to one report of the 2019 results from the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE). For those who want to excel in their science courses, however, taking the time to learn how to study effectively is sure to make a noticeable difference in exam outcomes. From creating a good study environment to trying out a variety of study techniques, here are just three tips that can help you set the foundation for acing your next science exam.
Setting the stage
When looking to effectively prepare for an upcoming science exam, understanding how your study environment can affect your learning will allow you to make impactful changes. For example, studying in a quiet place with a clean desk will eliminate any noise and clutter, while setting up the space with everything you need while studying will further prevent unwelcome distractions. Good lighting is another important aspect of any good study environment — according to one German study that looked at the effects of color temperature and brightness at the Cologne University of Applied Sciences, researchers discovered that students were more creative under warm light and concentrated better under cold light. While placing your desk near a window will help maximize the amount of natural lighting that you get, experimenting with different lighting will help find what works for you when studying at night. It’s worth mentioning that proper lighting will also help prevent eye strain when reading, too, thus making it a great adjustment for comfort.
Finding what works for you
In addition to an effective study environment, how you choose to study for your science exam can make a major difference in how you retain the information that you learn. Because what works for one person might not work for another, experimenting with a variety of different study techniques can help you find what works best for you in terms of learning and retaining science material. For instance, while teaching the material to a peer may help some, redrawing diagrams from memory or translating the information into a memorable song or acronym are additional techniques worth trying out.
As for the time that you spend studying, staying focused can be a major challenge — trying the Pomodoro Technique may be just one effective solution to consider. While the general idea is to work for a certain amount of time completely uninterrupted (typically 25 minutes), then following it with a short break (five minutes), then repeating until the task is completed, the technique can be adapted to what works best for you. While each student is different in regard to the time spent studying, one Jackson College post suggests never studying in blocks longer than one hour.
Repetition can also heavily play into achieving favorable exam results, with the Jackson College post stating “After you initially memorize information and do nothing to reinforce it, within 24 hours after you have been exposed to the information you will have only about 35% of the memorized information. Only about 10% remains after an additional 24 hours.” With that in mind, repetitive study techniques — like using flash cards or testing yourself — can become valuable study tools in understanding what you’ve retained from your study sessions.
Supplementing your study sessions
If studying on your own doesn’t yield the exam results you’re looking for, supplementing your study routine with additional resources can make a big difference. One Azusa Pacific University article, for instance, highlights how tutoring can help improve academic access, citing benefits that include improved performance, enhanced organization, and comfort/confidence. For example, while it’s noted that working with a tutor works to offer “additional individualized learning to support the classroom experience” (as well as helping to improve grades), a tutor can also aid in keeping students on track and more organized — not to mention help in boosting a students confidence by getting them to ask questions and in a more comfortable one-on-one setting.
Using online resources in the form of virtual study guides can further make a major difference by supplementing your exam prep. With access to features such as video tutorials and practice problems, studying for subjects like organic chemistry can be made much easier. Customizable resources can be particularly beneficial — with the ability to pick and choose what topics to learn about, preparing for an exam can be made simpler. Whether you need an overview of organic molecules or to better understand reaction kinetics, supplementing your study routine with online resources can streamline how you spend your time studying while offering a convenient way to meet your goals for each session.
For those who find science classes to be particularly challenging, improving where and how you study outside of class can help in getting the exam results you’re after. From taking the time to create a space that helps you stay focused to strengthening your study sessions with a variety of techniques, you’re sure to improve your exam scores in no time.