Learning is not only about doing well at the exams but being able to remember the knowledge in the long term. Long-term retention means that the material will not leave you after the test-day and you can put it to practice in real-life, additional learning or in your job. A well-planned study schedule that is aimed at retention would be necessary to receive this. This article will tell you how to plan your studies on permanency and comprehension.
Begin with Specific and Clear Goals
Setting up Smart Goals
- Be Specific: Rather than saying; What I want to learn during this study period; define your objective or meaning into (e.g. “Learn and remember the Krebs cycle”).
- Set Milestones: Divide bigger objectives into smaller obtainable milestones. This may be learning specific concept or chapter by a deadline.
- Track Success: Decide your success by the level of content in which you retained on and not the content that you overturned.
Detailed, specific objectives will assist in making sure that study covers goals are in line with long-term retention goals.
Learn to Think, not to Recollect
The Way to Pay Attention to Understanding
- Simplify complex notions: In case you find something complex, simplify the ideas by separating it into small bulbs to comprehend the concepts involved in them.
- Ask why and how: Every time you learn something ask yourself why and how it is done and connected to other things. This encourages more knowledge.
- Educate: Teach a friend, study group or even yourself. One of the finest ways in cementing your knowledge is teaching.
The more you understand the more you will have an option to memorize and exploit the essence of the knowledge long-term.
Active Recall as a Method of Strengthening Memory
Implementation Method of Active Recall
- Flashcards: This is creating flashcards on which can be written the questions and answers. Read them frequently to check your memory.
- Practice Problems: Solve some questions or problems of the material you need to study. It aids you in becoming an active listener.
- Summarize in Memory: Having read a chapter or a part, close the book, and then attempt to summarise the main points of it in your own words.
Active recall will help your brain to remember the information and after a long period of time remembering will be easier.
Make Use of Spaced Repetition in Your Studying Program
The Way to Use Spaced Repetition
- Review frequently: Review a new material within a day, then review it after 2 days, 1 week, 2 weeks and so on.
- Use Apps: Use such website as Anki or Quizlet, which is a form of automated spaced repetition.
- Monitor Progress: Monitor whatever you have learned and when to revise when in order to make sure that you are on track.
Spaced repetition is a learning method that helps you make sure the material stays in your long-term memory since it reinforces the material at the frequency that matches the way the memory is naturally decaying.
Break Your Study Time into Smaller Bits
How to Break Down Study Time into Bits
- Pomodoro Technique: 25-30 minutes of study and then 5 minutes off. After 4 Pomodoros, rest longer (15-30 min).
- Focused Study Blocks: Spend 60-90 minutes on a particular topic and then have a break.
- Mix Subjects: Switch between subjects to keep your mind fresh and help integrate ideas.
The regular breaks are great to keep your mind fresh and increase the level of focus and memorizing per each session.
Read and Review Regularly
Revision Schedule
- Weekly Reviews: Schedule weekly reviews to go through what you’ve already read.
- Make Use of Summary Sheets: Use simple notes or mind maps as quick reference guides.
- Active Review: Test yourself during reviews to activate memory.
Adding revision to your study schedule on a regular basis will help you to keep your knowledge up-to-date and make sure that you will remember it in the long-term perspective.
Make Use of Visual Aids to Improve Memory
The Use of Visual Aids
- Mind Maps: Create mind maps to show relationships between ideas.
- Diagrams: Draw diagrams to learn about processes or systems.
- Flowcharts: Use flowcharts for sequences or processes.
Visual learning tool helps internalize the abstract thoughts and memorize it in a manner that exercises other areas in the brain.
Sleep and De-stress
Tips on Sleep and Stress Relief
- Sleep Well: Get 7-9 hours of quality sleep per night.
- Stress-Relief Techniques: Use breathing, meditation, or yoga to reduce stress.
- Avoid Being Idle: Stay active through light physical activity like walking.
Health care will guarantee your mind to be in the best position to absorb and digest information.
Keep Patient and Regular
The Secret of Being Consistent
- Stick to Your Plan: Consistency pays off in the long run.
- Observe Progress: Regularly check your retention and areas needing improvement.
- Have Patience: Remember that learning is a long-term process.
The major elements in long-term information retention are consistency, patience and persistence.
Conclusion
To master any subject, studying as part of long-term recording is the necessary condition. Knowledge obtained can be retained to last many years by paying attention to learning, active recall, imparting spaced repetition and reviewing at constant intervals. Also, when paying attention to relaxing, sleeping, and revising on a regular basis, you will only improve the chances to remember and apply the material you have learned. An effective study schedule, coupled with intelligent methods makes sure that not only can one learn efficiently but also permanently.