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A Practical Guide to Study Skills
Amy Himsel
El Camino College
Learning How to Learn
Let Go of What You Think You Know
How Your Brain Really Works
Getting Things into Your Head: Brain-Change
Fundamentals

Like most of you, I had never been taught the best way to study
...
So, if you are ready for a change in your study habits, prepare to open
your mind to some of the surprising findings from the science of studying
...
You’ll discover that the brain has an incredible capacity to
change when given the proper exercise—an ability you can apply to any area of
your life
...


Let Go of What You Think You Know
My study plan as a college freshman was straightforward: to memorize as many
words as possible from my textbooks and professors’ lectures
...
I spent countless hours repeating the information in an effort to make it sink into my brain, and I
earned a reputation for being one of the most studious (okay, obsessive) students in
my dorm
...
Unfortunately, then as now, “commonsense” notions are frequently incorrect (Stanovich, 2010)
...
During my marathon sessions of rote learning, I certainly felt
like I was doing the right thing
...
Has this ever happened to you? If so,
you are not alone
...

Furthermore, the less we know about a topic, the less we realize we don’t really
know it (Kruger & Dunning, 1999)
...

No matter what your grades were in the past or what your current habits or attitudes are, you can change for the better
...
It is constantly changing due to experience, and you are capable
of creating new experiences while you study
...

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A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO STUDY SKILLS

How Your Brain Really Works
Studying is about making memories, but memories are not made in a straightforward manner
...
Instead, we make memories when our brain’s networks of connections are activated in patterns
...
The more you “work”
the information (for example, by explaining a concept in your own words), the
more neural connections are made or strengthened and the stronger your memory
becomes
...

But here’s a surprising fact: Memories—including those formed while you
study—are deeply personal, customized to fit your brain and nobody else’s in exactly the same way
...

Rather, you start with a backdrop of networks that represent your current knowledge, preferences, and habits
...
You make long-lasting memories by weaving the new information into your unique brain cell connections
...
Likewise, there is no magic formula for studying
well
...
But please don’t worry: You don’t
have to become an expert in neuroscience to learn how best to exercise your brain
cell networks
...

(a)

(a) Tom Barrick, Chris Clark, SGHMS/Photo Researchers

FIGURE 1 The Connectome These
images are models created to represent
the incredibly complex and unique networks of connections among brain cells
...
Shown in (a) is a model
of neuronal connections across different
regions of the brain as a whole
...


(b)
(b) Image courtesy of Dr
...
Jain, J
...
Turaga, and S
...
Briggman, M
...
Denk (MPG)

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A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO STUDY SKILLS

Getting Things into Your Head: Brain-Change Fundamentals
When you study, you start by bringing new information into your brain, a process
referred to as encoding
...
Reading, listening to lectures, taking notes, and reviewing notes are all
forms of encoding
...
Common
study strategies—like rereading the text or notes, or trying to memorize definitions
word for word—are rote methods that involve shallow processing, which results in
very limited brain change
...

To study better, move beyond shallow encoding to process information at a
deeper level
...
Let’s say you need to learn the definition
of the term homeostasis (“the maintenance of a steady internal state in the body”)
...
That’s your body trying
to cool itself off, and that’s a homeostatic experience
...
Thinking in this way, you will find
that homeostasis now seems far more familiar because you’ve connected it to
knowledge and experiences that are already represented in your networks of brain
cells
...
(See more about this in Table 1
...
As a student, when I tried to remember the
exact words of a definition, I was practicing retrieval—but only in a very shallow
form
...

TABLE 1 Rote Method Makeover
Common rote strategy

New and improved strategy

Reading

• Previewing each section before you read, and writing questions
• Using questions to think while you read, and to test yourself after reading

Copying definitions

• Writing definitions in your own words

Memorizing definitions

• Stating definitions in your own words, as though you were trying to explain the terms to
someone else

Copying notes

• Elaborating on your notes
• Noting connections between your notes and your past knowledge or experience
• Making connections between terms and concepts within the material

Rereading the text or your notes

• Processing your notes or the text in different ways
• Self-testing with questions you wrote or those provided in the text
• Testing yourself to see if you can repeat in your own words the material you have just
read

Taking notes focused on the
professor’s words

• Writing down not only what is on the slide, board, or outline, but also supplementing with
your own words
• Marking spots of confusion and asking the professor for clarification later

Comparing your notes with a classmate
to make sure you “got everything down”

• Discussing your notes with a classmate; explaining to each other the material in
your notes
• Filling in any gaps with your own words

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A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO STUDY SKILLS

The mental exercise involved in studying takes time to sink in and stabilize into lasting brain change
...
Memories
settle into the fabric of the brain gradually, aided by time, sleep, and further mental exercise
...

How do you apply these fundamentals to studying? What follows are some basic
study tips to keep in mind
...
To be more specific, creating strong, reliable memories—memories that are still there for you on the day of the exam—should not feel
easy
...
Ignoring this fact is like expecting to housetrain your
new puppy on day one
...
Who expects to develop impressive biceps
by doing curls with only 1-pound weights? Challenging study stimulates deeper
brain change, resulting in stronger memories that are more easily retrieved on demand
...

It all makes sense when you spell it out, but it’s fascinating how quickly we forget
and get tricked by our feelings in the moment
...
It
didn’t feel difficult, especially after three hours of memorizing
...
Sound familiar? If so, it’s time once again to let go of what you
think you know
...
In contrast, when you feel frustrated and unsure
while studying, smile and pat yourself on the back—you are engaging in a vigorous
mental workout
...


Space Out Your Study Sessions
I used to study for long stretches of time for each class
...
Wrong
...
Consider a weight-lifting analogy: If you wanted to tone up, would you expect
your muscles to respond better to one five-hour workout a week than to five onehour sessions a week? Of course not
...

Learning experts recommend you spend two to three hours studying for every
hour spent at lectures
...
You’ll see possible study schedules in the calendars
in Figure 2
...
Of course, it’s a great idea to
engage in traditional tasks like reading
...
At that
level, processing is shallow
...

For example, the definition of a term will be most memorable if you focus on the
meaning (semantic encoding), which is aided by putting the definition into your own
words
...
They space their studying out across the week in 1-hour blocks
per subject—this practice allows rest between subjects for the brain connections they have exercised
...
(From Craik & Tulving, 1975
...
For example, to remember that two variables
move in opposite directions in a negative correlation, try moving your arms in different directions as you rehearse the material
...

Each encoding experience will present an opportunity to make connections; with
more connections formed, more paths will lead to the memory
...
Self-testing is
one of the best ways to overcome the tendency to overestimate how much you know
by providing a reality check of your actual knowledge (Rohrer & Pashler, 2010)
...
Every time you test yourself, you engage
the brain in an attempt to retrieve a memory
...
Nevertheless, networks strengthened through
study weaken over time
...
So test yourself repeatedly to ensure that those memories stay strong
...
Spread your self-testing out to create the best opportunity for a strenuous
mental workout
...
You would think that’s bad, right? It’s not
...
Basically, a little forgetting
now provides you with a lot of desirable difficulties the next time you study the material
...


SECTION REVIEW

• Rote methods, like rereading the text or memorizing definitions, may feel like
they work, but they are not very effective for long-term learning
...

• You exercise your brain (and learn best) when you keep study sessions

challenging but brief, utilizing a variety of strategies and testing yourself often
...

What are rote methods, and why are they less effective than other
study methods?
Why is self-testing such a valuable study skill?

•
•

Try It

•
•
•

Set a timer to go off at regular intervals (perhaps every 15 minutes) while you
study
...

Give yourself an exam reality check
...
When
the assessment is returned, write your actual grade next to your prediction
...

Create your own study calendar for the week ahead
...


Crafting Your Mental Workout Plan
Let’s get practical and discuss how to translate brain-change knowledge into your
everyday life as a student before, during, and after classes
...
Think of how a warm-up prepares the body for a workout
...
If you first process this new information and get the neural networks primed, the result will be a much more productive time in class
...
What you hear in class will more easily connect with the networks in your brain because of the mental warm-up
...
It happens to the best of
us
...
Awareness is a step in the
right direction
...


Space It Out
If you have a 50-page chapter to read for Monday’s class, break it down into smaller
chunks (perhaps 15- to 20-page sections), and spread your reading out across a
couple of days
...
Course materials are often organized into sections with
headers
...
Remember,
your brain needs breaks in order for memories to consolidate
...


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A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO STUDY SKILLS

TABLE 2 Desirable Difficulties While You Read
Here are two specific methods to trigger challenges that help you get the most out of
your reading
...

Here are the steps:
• Before you read, survey the section to get a general idea of what information you
will encounter
...
Your text may already include learning
objectives or preview questions that help with this step
...
Take notes, putting things in your own words as much
as you can
...

• The last step is to review what you have learned, paying special attention to the notes in
your own words
...
You can use this technique repeatedly with your texts or your notes
...

• Close your book or cover the text, then recite in your own words anything you can remember
about what you have just read
...


Self-Test While You Read
As you read, think of questions you could ask yourself to test your learning
...
When you reach the end of the section, use these questions
as a self-test quiz
...


Work the Information in Different Ways
First and foremost, make sure you are focused on the meaning of the words, not memorizing the author’s words, which triggers only shallow encoding
...
Instead, put
things into your own words
...
How does it link to your experiences? Does an image come to
mind? If so, draw it
...
” It stuck
...
Remember, you are your
connections, so make what you read stick in a way that makes sense to you!

Go to Class and Train with an Expert
Go to your classes—each and every one of them
...
This is a chance to have a mental workout with an expert
on the topic
...

Your professor will present the material in at least a slightly different way than it
is presented in the readings, so that alone will provide some helpful cross-training to

A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO STUDY SKILLS

strengthen your neural networks
...
Just as simply moving your eyes across the page fails to result in much
learning, sitting there and simply writing down whatever is on the board or slides
only triggers the most shallow processing
...


Create a Set of Complete and Personally Meaningful Notes
Notice that I said “create” instead of “take
...
When
you “take” notes, you write down the exact words from the board or a slide, and
that’s it
...
In both cases, there is a misconception
that the professor’s words are magical: If you can just transfer them directly into
your brain, you will be in good shape
...
Research indicates that
students who “create” comprehensive and elaborated notes tend to earn better
grades (Peverly et al
...

How do you do this? Of course you should write down the outline, terms, or key
examples the professor has provided on the board or slides
...
What's most important is that you churn
the information through your brain so it makes sense to you
...
This strategy can range from simply putting things into your
own words to jotting down a related example or a personal experience
...

Try some of these strategies to “create” your own notes:
Remind yourself to focus on the meaning, not just the words
...
Make your notes personally meaningful
...
Keep
desirable difficulties in mind
...
For example, a
statement like “So we have just discussed X, and now I’d like to move to Y”
is a clear signal that the lecture is shifting to a new topic
...

Develop a set of abbreviations and symbols
...
Include those an individual professor uses and
invent some of your own (see examples in Table 3)
...

Draw a representation of how concepts relate to each other
...
Consider using arrows, for example
...

Check yourself by noting spots where you got lost or confused
...
After you mark
the spot, shake out the mental cobwebs and then move on to keep up with the
pace of the class
...
Do not wait
...
It’s important to do this while the information
is still fresh
...
You may be able to fill
in some blanks for each other
...
” But beware of shifting into rote mode! Don’t just read and
copy verbatim; actually discuss the notes, explain what they mean, and
focus on which parts of the meaning either of you may have missed or
misunderstood
...
Here are just a few ideas to
get you started, but the most important
thing is to use symbols that make sense
to your brain
...
It’s a great question, but the problem is that most ask it less than a week before the exam
...

A little goes a long way, especially when you revisit the material several times a week
...
Here are some suggestions for how to proceed
...
Rereading is
not enough, and neither is copying notes verbatim
...

Of course, there is nothing wrong with rereading your notes the first time you revisit
them
...
This ignores the
reality that each of us begins with a brain full of unique connections, where new information sticks best by being woven into the networks that already exist
...
Consider how the different pieces of information connect to one another (internal connections), and then think about how the information relates to
your prior knowledge and experiences (external connections) (Mayer, 1996)
...

Make internal links
...
Experiment with different ways to show internal links
...
Concept maps are another
option; these are diagrams or figures you draw to show relationships among the
various aspects of the material (see Figure 5)
...
You can relate the course material to information you
currently know by forming mental representations
...
The links
could be visual
...
With further processing (strands/connections), the
blanket (memory) becomes more and more resilient
...
Does a certain concept remind you of
something else? If so, write in your notes: “It’s like

...
” You could also imagine methods of linking
the material to movements or sounds
...
The bottom
line: You create stronger memories when you
process the new information in a variety of ways
...
This
is one specific way to weave the material into
your uniquely connected brain, as shown in
blue
...
Both
methods help you process the material deeply
...
This method of triggering self-explanation has been shown to
improve learning more than does simple summarizing or rereading of notes
(Kiewra, 2002)
...


(a)

(b)

FIGURE 5 Memory Matrixes (a) and
Concept Maps (b) (a) This memory
matrix shows the distinctions a student made
between two theories about learning
...


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A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO STUDY SKILLS

Check Your Learning Through Self-Testing—Repeatedly
How did you know that you could ride a bicycle? I remember the exhilarating feeling I had when the training wheels on my bike were removed and I rode down the
driveway all on my own
...

How do you know when you have really learned something? Most students rely
on how familiar the material seems as they reread it or on how well they do on multiple-choice quizzes or test questions
...
Your
notes, readings, and multiple-choice questions all contain the verbal equivalent of
training wheels: words and organizational features that act as cues for your performance
...
The wheels come off for the
exam—questions are in random order, unfamiliar wording is used, you’re required
to apply what you’ve learned—and suddenly your confidence is shaken
...
You discover that you really didn’t know the material well
...
Without looking back
on the chapter, answer this question: How are memories formed in the brain?
Now look back to page 2 to check your answer
...
This is especially true when you ask open-ended questions, like the one I used
above—to answer, you are required to pull all of the information you can from the
depths of your own brain
...
This strategy tests recall memory—a good countermeasure against that annoying human tendency to overestimate what you know
...
Remember, brain cell connections
are strengthened by both encoding and retrieval
...

In short, self-testing is a great workout that will show you what you really do and
don’t know
...
Be happy you found them and can remedy the problem! Also, remember that if
it’s difficult while you’re studying, it’s more likely to be easier while you’re being
tested later
...

Here are some self-testing options you can try:
Use the tools the professor or text author gave you
...
Just make sure
to move beyond multiple-choice questions because, to begin with, they are easier
...

Make your own tests
...
For example, go
back to the questions you wrote in your notes while reading
...

This will remind you not to try to rote-memorize “answers
...

Mix up the order of questions
...
If you
always study everything in the same order, the order itself becomes a context
cue that fools you into overestimating what you really know
...

Try out a variety of study locations
...
If we study in

•
•

•
•

A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO STUDY SKILLS

•
•

•

•

only one location, we create only one set of context cues to link to the material
...
In other words, trying out different study locations can actually
help you form more connections between brain cells relevant to the material
...

Sort items back into their categories
...
Now you are forced to think about how the items are
similar to or different from one another, which is excellent exercise for the mind
...
Remember, difficulties help you learn!
Pretend it is your job to teach someone else this material, someone who really needs the
information
...
Actors often use this method (Noice &
Noice, 2006)
...
Even just talking to someone about the material—a classmate,
friend, or family member—can serve as a self-test
...

It is never too early to self-test
...
Aren’t you likely to answer incorrectly? Yes,
but creating that initial challenge of retrieval for your brain cells prepares you
for longer-term retention of the material over time
...

Self-test to keep memories strong
...
Why? Because your brain has undoubtedly changed, at
least a little bit, since you first made that memory
...
But if brain cell pathways haven’t been exercised, even if
that material once felt “easy,” you may fail to retrieve the information when it
matters at a later date (like during an exam!)
...
Imagine that you have finally reached the point where your
biceps are perfectly toned
...
The same is true of memory
...
Don’t wait until it’s too late!

SECTION REVIEW

• Warm up your brain by taking a deep-processing approach to reading the
assigned material before class
...
Create notes
•
•

that go beyond the professor’s words, and compare your notes with those of
classmates afterwards
...


Test Yourself
Hint: Don’t look back at the text until you have pulled out of your memory as much
information as you can
...
Be patient and give yourself
enough time to truly drain the contents of your brain
...
Remember, you can use
this strategy anytime you read a text or process your notes
...
Discuss the content of your notes to see if either of you missed any
information
...
Instead,
explain the material to each other in your own words, focusing on the
meaning
...
“Re-create” these
notes, putting the material in your own words and making internal or external
linkages as much as possible
...


• Create a “cheat sheet” list of self-testing strategies to keep close at hand as a

reminder while you study
...


The Moment of Truth: Exam Day
I am a very anxious test-taker
...
I thought I was improving my chances of success
...
I was usually sleepdeprived as well, heaping another unnecessary burden on my maxed-out brain (see
the feature Help Your Brain Help You: The Importance of Sleep)
...
(What questions will be on the test? Will I
know the answers?) The stress is even greater with past experiences of disappointment related to testing
...
Unfortunately, those worries steal valuable brain energy and make it difficult for you to function at top capacity
...
Here are some ways to manage test-day
stress:

Breathe Deeply to Reduce Your Stress Response
This advice is simple but absolutely true
...
Your body is simply unable to sustain that intense fight-or-flight reaction
forever
...


A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO STUDY SKILLS

HELP YOUR BRAIN HELP YOU
The Importance of Sleep
Take care of yourself
...
Yet, like me, I bet many of you
have treated your brain poorly in pursuit
of better grades
...
Let go of what you think you
know, and let sleep improve your memory!
No, I’m not talking about sleeping with
your book beneath your pillow
...
How? A well-rested
brain is better at encoding (Walker,
2008)
...
You
make learning harder on yourself
...
While you sleep,
the brain reactivates the memories you
worked on during the day, a form of mental exercise that knits those memories
more deeply into your network of connections (Rasch & Born, 2008)
...

Why not just power through sleepiness
with caffeine? That was my “solution
...
Nope
...
One study found
that a 60- to 90-minute nap boosted
memory significantly more than a 200- to
300-mg dose of caffeine (Mednick et al
...
Are you a social
person who relaxes by talking to others? If so, engage in conversation with another
student
...
Try some of these suggestions,
and find out what works best for you
...
For example, if you are easily distracted by
noise, ask your professor if you can use earplugs (not earbuds) during the exam
...
If you think you
may have a disability that warrants more significant accommodations, make an appointment with the disabilities services department on campus well in advance of
any exams
...


Be Strategic in Completing the Exam
Try some of these tips to give your brain the best chance to perform
...
Why? On a
practical level, skimming lets you take stock of what is coming
...
It allows you to check whether the exam is

2008)
...

I’m sure it’s obvious why all-nighters
before an exam are an absolutely terrible
idea: You harm your brain’s natural ability to cement memories at the very time
it’s most critical that your brain be working at top capacity! But even skipping a
couple of hours of sleep is enough to
decrease your brain’s potential
...
I could have studied less and slept more? That’s right! And
I probably would have earned the same,
or even better, grades
...
But skimming is also an overlooked strategy for warming up your brain
...
This may not happen immediately, and you may not be fully aware of it happening
...
Circle important words (e
...
, not,
all, except for)
...
Jot down notes, charts,
figures—anything that comes to mind that could help you answer the question
...
When I was taking the statistics portion of my comprehensive exams in graduate school, I kept going back to the same
question again and again
...
But eventually, after working on other parts of the test, the answer just popped into my head like a gift from
the universe
...
Sometimes you have to give your brain time to
activate the proper networks
...


A Special Tip for Multiple-Choice Questions: Cover the Answer
Choices, and Read Only the Stem of the Question First
Basically, treat a multiple-choice question like an open-ended question first, and try
to recall the answer
...
Next, uncover the answer choices and make a decision
...

Answer choices often contain a variety of cues that can lead you down the wrong
neural pathways
...


Don’t Assume Your First Hunch Is Always Correct
Many of us have received the well-intentioned but misguided advice to trust our instincts and not change our initial answers
...
If
you really don’t know the answer, randomly making changes is not going to help
improve your score
...


A Special Tip for Essay Questions: Brainstorm and Outline First
You probably get more nervous about essay questions than multiple-choice ones,
but don’t let this fear freeze your brain
...
Try to organize these thoughts into some structure
...
If the answer
isn’t coming to you, move on to other questions and come back to it later
...
As that happens, write those ideas alongside the others
...
For example, compare/contrast questions require you not only to define
concepts but also to show how they are similar to and different from one another
...


Don’t Rush Through the Exam Just to “Get It Over With”
We all look forward to unpleasant experiences coming to an end
...
It’s only natural that you would feel the same way about
exams
...

The anticipation is enticing: You look forward to the feeling of relief
...
This desire for relief can lead you to work faster than you should, increasing
your odds of misreading questions or making other careless mistakes
...


SECTION REVIEW

• Manage your pre-exam stress so you can devote more of your brain’s
resources to demonstrating your mastery
...

Do not rush
...


• What impact does stress have on your brain?
• How can skimming the exam influence your memory?
• What should you do if you are having second thoughts about an answer
you chose?

Try It

• Reflect on your typical pre-exam experience
...

Evaluate the strategies you typically follow while taking exams, and plan out
the changes you could make to improve your performance on the next one
...
Try the S
...
O
...
method (Stahl & Goldstein, 2010):
Stop (simply take a brief moment to pause)
...
Without
passing judgment, Observe what’s going on in your mind and body (Is your
heart rate elevated? Are anxious thoughts interfering with your reasoning?)
...
Remind
yourself of this strategy by writing “STOP” at the top of your exam
...
That’s
the easy part
...
” But take heart: Any pattern of behavior or thinking you engage in that is detrimental to your learning is still just a habit
...
Habits are not eliminated overnight, but they can be
changed through awareness, persistence, and motivation (see the feature Help Your
Brain Help You: The Trouble with Multitasking to learn about a common habit that
makes learning more difficult)
...
If you’ve ever known what you needed to do but had trouble actually
doing it, you know what this is like
...
Luckily, we can build self-control over time; it’s
another mental muscle that responds to training (Muraven, 2010)
...


HELP YOUR BRAIN HELP YOU
The Trouble with Multitasking
Are you easily bored? I am
...
It
makes the time pass more quickly
...
But when you try to do
two cognitively complex tasks at once—
like studying while texting or IMing—the
brain protests
...
Instead, it
shifts back and forth between tasks
...
When you read and
answer a text message, you switch to a
completely different network
...
It’s like requiring one conductor to
switch back and forth between two different orchestras performing different
pieces
...
When

you try to multitask while studying, you
activate a less flexible and more basic
area of the brain capable of only the most
shallow processing (Foerde, Knowlton, &
Poldrack, 2006)
...
Maybe it seems like you’re able to
study longer while watching TV, using
Facebook, or talking to friends
...
Yes, time may seem to
pass more quickly, but you are making
things much harder on your brain by providing it with a very weak form of exercise
...
In
short, multitasking wastes time; performing one task at a time saves time
...
In fact, those who
multitask most often tend to show the
steepest declines in their cognitive performance while multitasking (Ophir, Nass,
& Wagner, 2009)!
If you are easily bored while studying,
evaluate your study habits
...
Instead of
pulling out your cell phone or turning on
the TV, use the strategies discussed in
this chapter
...
So try
something different
...
Make a concept
map
...
Pretend you are teaching the material to someone else
...


A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO STUDY SKILLS

Procrastination is one of the biggest self-control challenges we face
...
In regard to studying, students procrastinate for many reasons
...
Whatever the reason,
procrastination gives us an escape from an unpleasant feeling
...
One study found that students who procrastinated reported
more health problems near the end of the term, perhaps because of the stress of all
of that cramming
...
Here are some strategies you can use to strengthen your self-control
...
Work
on the dreaded task for only 10 minutes, and then take a 2-minute break to do
something more interesting
...
Repeat as necessary! I do this to kick-start my grading, which at first leaves me feeling overwhelmed
...
What usually happens
next is that the simple act of getting started breaks the spell of procrastination
...


Make Sure You Are Spacing Out Your Studying
Remember, it’s better for your brain if your study sessions are short and frequent
...


Capitalize on Your Strengths and Interests
Fuse something that provides immediate rewards with something that advances you
toward your long-term goal (Steel, 2007)
...
If you love nature, incorporate a short session of reading
into your next hike
...


Make Small Changes in Your Environment to Stay Focused on
Your Goals
People striving to meet health-related goals do this by eliminating unhealthy foods
from their pantry at home
...
Reduce distractions by turning off any indicators of new texts or e-mails
...
Is the Internet a constant temptation? Temporarily disable your online access
...
Why? The more we check the time, the more slowly
time seems to pass (Sackett, Meyvis, Nelson, Converse, & Sackett, 2010)
...

That way, you’re less likely to feel tempted to give into your urge to text, sleep, or
daydream
...
Do you think this is the most boring class in the world? Act “as if” you are interested: Get to class early, sit near the front, listen intently with an expression of interest, and create great notes
...
”
Do this to boost your studying outside class (if necessary) as well
...
This may not become your favorite
class, but acting “as if” is likely to help improve your attitude and motivation
...
As such, habits can be unlearned
through persistence and patience
...

• You should focus on making small changes first
...

How is practicing self-control like engaging a muscle?
Why can it be beneficial to your studying to act “as if” you are more interested and motivated than you sometimes really feel?

•
•

Try It

• Think back to a time when you successfully changed a habit
...

If you tend to put things off, choose one procrastination-reduction method to
apply in the week ahead
...


If At First You Don’t Succeed
...
Imagine your brain cells lifting weights, getting stronger and building
more connections every day
...
Remember, your brain is wired
uniquely; the strategies that work best for you may be different from those that work
best for others
...

Allow yourself to be human
...
What matters most is what you do next
...
Students
who forgave themselves for procrastinating before Exam 1 were much less likely to
procrastinate before Exam 2
...
The self-forgivers acknowledged their slip-up and took the next opportunity to get back on track again
...


A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO STUDY SKILLS

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