Active Study Strategies

What is Active Studying?

Practices that are student-led and reinforce content piece-by-piece to seek and synthesize understanding. These practices help “train the brain” to process information into long-term memory by intentional repetition, engaging with material, self-testing and making connections.

Active study strategies by class materials you use
Class material	Active strategies to try	Why is this effective?
PowerPoint slides	Print out and read before class Take additional notes in your own words during class Condense each slide into a flashcard to repeatedly quiz yourself	More prepared for class Using our own words seeks to understand the topics Condensing information works piece-by-piece to incorporate material into your long-term memory
Lecture notes	Summarize key points in your own words during class Write questions you have in the margins Go to office hours to clarify unclear ideas asap Re-write the same concepts in different words/ideas or through a concept map when reviewing	Summarizing is a useful way to review big ideas Questions can be used to review later; self-testing helps you confirm if you know something Concept maps are great for visual of information – helps stick in mind
Textbook or homework problems	Try to solve problems without looking at examples Take notes of where you get stuck or make a mistake Rework homework by yourself after asking TA for help Try to “teach” a similar problem to the TA so they can understand and correct your thought process	Self-testing helps you confirm knowledge Identifying where you went wrong lets you move toward correcting/understanding Getting help from an expert will more efficiently learn Being able to teach = full understanding
Readings and articles	Change chapter headings and topic sentences into questions and look for key points throughout the paragraph that address those questions Summarize each paragraph in 1-2 sentences in your own words Discuss the reading with a classmate and ask each other questions	Questions developed can be used later for review; helps with efficient overview of reading sections Summarizing is a useful way to review big ideas Using peers confirms correct ideas and helps to modify incorrect ones
Lab reports	Read through the lab manual and write down the procedure to understand the goal and expected results of the experiment before class Ask the TA about the reasoning behind certain steps/reagents as you complete the experiment	Having foreknowledge of the lab procedure will help you conduct things easier/less mistakes made Seeking understanding about procedures provides basis for making connections about lab protocol

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Active Study Strategies

What is Active Studying?