How Not to Study??

Starting a study session without a plan

Some students think that starting with the easiest tasks—or the ones they're best at—will "ease them into" the material. Trouble is, when you get to the harder tasks, you still have the leap to make—and you're more tired, too. Suggestion? Start with the hardest or most challenging task.

Spending hours studying, but not getting anything done

Some students think the best studying is slow studying. Reading every word, one by one, writing every sentence of the paper, one by one, preparing one's presentation, one word at a time. But like any cognitive activity, studying is a process that takes place over time and gains strength by building up speed. If you focus too narrowly on the individual elements of what you're doing, you suck the life out of the learning and disrupt the intellectual growth that's possible, even in studying.

Being distracted by social media and cell phones

Some students keep three windows open as they read their E-textbook: one for the book, another for Facebook, and the third for Twitter. And then they flit back and forth from screen to screen, counting all the time as study time. When you're counting up your study time, count only the time you actually engaged with the material (not just the time you sat at your study place). If you can't do this honestly in your head, write it down. The pencil never lies.

Trying to cram for tests the night before

Many students think they can study really well the night before the exam ("I'll remember it best if it's freshly studied"). Few can.

Not asking the teacher for help when you don’t understand

Many professors give study questions or at least say in class what will be most important in the reading. Be sure to consider these all-important (and time-saving) suggestions before you start your reading. If yours is a class with math problems or proofs, be sure to consult the problems done in lecture or section before taking off on the new ones. Often the homework problems are variants of or extensions of, the work already is done.

Studying to remember, instead of studying to understand

It's useless to just shovel stuff into your mind that you don't understand. If you really are understanding what you're studying, you ought to able to explain the main ideas, in your own words, to someone who hadn't done the studying. Take the time to think about what you're studying—don't just prepare to parrot it on some upcoming exam.

Never using an agenda

Many students set elaborate study schedules—nothing wrong with that—and then beat themselves up when things don't go according to plan. Maybe some tasks took longer than anticipated, maybe some additional materials are needed to complete the task, or maybe you were just tired or distracted that day. Don't be too hard on yourself when you haven't kept 100 percent to your plan. Keep in mind that you'll have many study sessions and that remaining in a positive mood about your schoolwork is more important than how anyone study session—or indeed series of sessions—go.

Not learning from your mistakes

Some students do a lot of preparing to study or getting organized for studying. But they never get down to doing the studying. Don't give yourself credit for studying when you're actually just cleaning your desk or reorganizing your files on your laptop.

Don't count a "study group" as a study group.

Many classes have required or optional study groups in which you get together with a group of students from the same course to study the material. If you're participating in one of these, make sure you and your cohorts are actually studying the material, not just each other. If, for whatever reason, you're not studying the material, have a nice time—just don't count the time as study time.

Don't misidentify yourself as an owl. 

Many students think they can study really well late at night. Very few can.