by Sallie Baugh
Does that image of an exam answer sheet strike fear into your heart?
If so, you are not alone! Research suggests that up to 40% of test-takers experience some level of Test Anxiety, often due to poor concentration, difficulty understanding instructions, and inability to recall important information.
The folks at ASAP Science spent time ‘researching the research’ and came up with the:
9 BEST Scientifically Proven Study Tips.
1. Don’t try to study in huge chunks – cramming actually makes doing well on an exam much less likely. Instead, divide up study sessions in 30 minute chunks – you will retain more information.
2. To get the most out of your study time, try to study at the same time(s) of the day. This will help train your brain that it is ‘study time.’
3. Rather than rereading the same text over and over, or highlighting passage after passage, try using Flash Cards to help you retain more data.
4. When you sit down to study, have 1 (and only 1) goal in mind for that session, whether it is memorizing a math formula or conjugating verbs. Not only are you more likely to reach that goal, you will know whether you have or not – and if not you can seek more help.
5. Your brain organizes information in a different way when you are going to teach it compared to being tested on it. Try explaining the topic to a friend – you teach him/her and he/she can teach you and you will both remember more!
6. Try taking practice tests. You can see how well you do, and even when you miss some answers, that will help your brain to remember that item better the next time you see it.
These next 3 tips are more related to where/how you study.
7. It is important to have a well equipped and organized work space to get the most out of your study time.
8. Background noise and listening to your favorite playlist actually degrades your learning. [Editor: There are, though, some types of music that can actually HELP your retention – check out BrainSpeak’s “Environmental Learning” program!]
9. Eliminate distractions! It isn’t going to get you anywhere if you are spending your study time texting with your BFF.
Put these 9 BEST Scientifically proven study tips into practice and see how your test scores improve (and your test anxiety drops). Watch this great video below, and don’t forget to check out “Environmental Learning!”