As a tutor, lifelong learner, and someone who is studying to for the GREs, I can tell you that there isn't one right or wrong way to study. Studying is a personalized thing that is specific to each individual student. Different people can optimize their studying by gearing their notes to the kind of learner they are (kinesthetic, visual, auditory, etc - but more on that another time).
What I can say is that instead of telling people how they should or shouldn't study, it's important to point out common misconceptions about studying to students who feel they are putting in the work and not seeing results. Not knowing these misconceptions may be the reason why you're not seeing the fruits of your labor.
So without further ado, here are some misconceptions to look out for:
1. Color Coding Is The Most Effective Way to Take Notes
Now, as a disclaimer, like most of the things that I will mention in these misconceptions, I'm not saying that color coding is a BAD method for studying or note taking. Instead, I'm saying that there a lot of ways that color coding can be misused to make your notes completely undecipherable. Here are some of my issues with color coding.
1. Color Coding Is The Most Effective Way to Take Notes
Now, as a disclaimer, like most of the things that I will mention in these misconceptions, I'm not saying that color coding is a BAD method for studying or note taking. Instead, I'm saying that there a lot of ways that color coding can be misused to make your notes completely undecipherable. Here are some of my issues with color coding.
- First, it takes so much time switching back and forth between different colored pens. Even when you use multicolored pens like a coleto pen, it takes a lot of time just switching back and forth between the different tabs to switch colors. This my not be an issue for someone who has a lot of time on their hands, but let's be honest, most students just don't.
- A lot of the time, if misused, color coding makes a page look too busy with color and the eyes have a hard time looking for specific kinds of information.
In order to combat this:
- Pick TWO CONTRASTING colors to color code with. Or, set up two specific colors for different functions in your notes. --> Make sure that these contrasting colors are from opposite ends of the color wheel - think purple and orange, green and pink, blue and yellow, etc. Colors like orange and red and too similar and won't contrast enough to be effective.
- I use a red, blue, and black system. I write down general notes in black, put definitions down in red, and important information in blue. I sometimes underline in purple or highlight (depending on what pen I'm using) with a blue Mildliner. Generally, I stick to three text colors and one accent color for underlining or highlighting.
2. Reading Through the Material is Enough For Studying
This one I decided to add not because it's not true. Sometimes it is. Some people are able to read something, learn the concept, and apply it without much review or repetition. What's important to note is that these people are the exception. You probably aren't one of these people. I know I'm not. My problem with this is that when pressed for time, or when feeling just plain lazy, a lot of students fall back on "oh, I'll just read my notes" or "oh, I'll just read my textbook" to review.
Please don't. I mean, do read assigned texts and do review your notes but know that just rereading something is not usually enough to prepare you for any sort of extensive exam or assignment. Need to know scientific terms and equations? Reading or rereading won't have you remembering these facts.
Instead, take notes on your reading and make them interactive. These may be Cornell notes, mind maps, flashcards, bullet point notes - whatever works for you and the subject you're studying (and I suggest mixing it up depending on the subject and topic). Then after taking these active study notes, quiz yourself on the material.
As an aside, you can skip the note taking if you're in a serious bind BUT read actively by quizzing yourself on bolded terms, saying the term's definitions before the textbook can. Also, answer questions that come up in at the end of chapter sections, in margins, or under pictures in your textbook.
The point is to be an active participant in your studying. Reading is a passive activity. Your brain can read through the words without registering what it's reading and without making larger connections. This can lessen focus and keep you from getting the "bigger picture" the material is trying to show you. Personally, I find notes are better than nothing. The physical act of writing something down can help with memory and with a question response study method (like Cornell notes and flashcards), you'll be much better prepared for exams.
3. Highlighting Is an Active Study Method
It can be. Usually though, it's not. I cannot begin to count the number of used books I've bought for school where more than half of the page was highlighted. I mean, half of the page? REALLY?
My issues with highlighting is not that highlighting isn't an effective way to parse information, but that this is a skill that needs cultivating. Most people highlight absentmindedly, highlighting WHILE they're reading which means that the highlighter isn't doing its job (of separating important information from the rest). Most likely, you'll have to reread the entire page with highlights AGAIN in order to pick out the important things at which point, what was the point of highlighting really?
Another of my issues with highlighting (especially in textbooks or handouts) is that most highlighters (with the exception of the Pilot Frixion highlighters) are not erasable. So if you make the above mistake of highlighting damn near everything, there's no fixing that problem. Now you're stuck with an incredibly busy page.
Some minor issues (that do not affect some people) is that while you can color code your highlighting, it makes the page too busy for me to process the information. When I turn to a brightly colored page, it just overwhelms me.
Finally, I hate that some people believe that highlighting is in and of itself an active studying technique just because you are physically completing a task. This is incorrect. If you are someone that is highlighting absentmindedly, then you are not interacting with your text. When done correctly - you should read your text through one page at a time, then go back and find the parts you thought were important, then highlight keywords or terms to trigger a bigger concept - highlighting can be slightly active. But you have to do the pre-work.
You have to read your text and think about what information is important. This is a great first step to good quality reading skills or taking precise notes. I would even go as far as to say that when reading out of a textbook, just highlighting is never enough, and that you should use highlighting to make precise notes. You should highlight your notes but sparingly.
I hope these exposing these misconceptions has been helpful to you. Some people study their butts off and don't understand why their grades aren't reflecting their hard work. Sometimes, it's not that you aren't studying but that you're not studying effectively. I have a few more misconceptions I want to touch on on a later blog post so stay tuned for that!
As an aside, please remember to go out and vote! It's Election Day!
Have a great Tuesday! See you guys next time!
Another of my issues with highlighting (especially in textbooks or handouts) is that most highlighters (with the exception of the Pilot Frixion highlighters) are not erasable. So if you make the above mistake of highlighting damn near everything, there's no fixing that problem. Now you're stuck with an incredibly busy page.
Some minor issues (that do not affect some people) is that while you can color code your highlighting, it makes the page too busy for me to process the information. When I turn to a brightly colored page, it just overwhelms me.
Finally, I hate that some people believe that highlighting is in and of itself an active studying technique just because you are physically completing a task. This is incorrect. If you are someone that is highlighting absentmindedly, then you are not interacting with your text. When done correctly - you should read your text through one page at a time, then go back and find the parts you thought were important, then highlight keywords or terms to trigger a bigger concept - highlighting can be slightly active. But you have to do the pre-work.
You have to read your text and think about what information is important. This is a great first step to good quality reading skills or taking precise notes. I would even go as far as to say that when reading out of a textbook, just highlighting is never enough, and that you should use highlighting to make precise notes. You should highlight your notes but sparingly.
I hope these exposing these misconceptions has been helpful to you. Some people study their butts off and don't understand why their grades aren't reflecting their hard work. Sometimes, it's not that you aren't studying but that you're not studying effectively. I have a few more misconceptions I want to touch on on a later blog post so stay tuned for that!
As an aside, please remember to go out and vote! It's Election Day!
Have a great Tuesday! See you guys next time!
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