Students can spend hours studying and still fail. Why?

Students sometimes have trouble studying

1. Firstly they might be procrastinating and not actually be studying. They might be sharpening pencils or re-arranging books. Time Management
2. Secondly, they might not be concentrating. Tips to Improve Concentration
3. Thirdly, they might not have an idea of ways to read. Reading Techniques

However,

1. Students might think they are studying, and spend hours going through books.
   1. They go to a huge effort and spend hours writing down notes or highlighting most of the text.
   2. But they often do very poorly on tests which require a genuine understanding of the material.

Instead

1. Read the material slowly and carefully, trying to understand the underlying ideas.
   1. Close the book.
   2. Self-test. Answer a question or explain what you’ve read aloud, or tell someone else. (Mum, Dad, brother, fellow student…help each other) If you can’t explain adequately what you’ve learnt. Try these:
      1. Go back, re-read, try to understand
      2. Ask your teacher to explain what you don’t understand.
      3. Write out in another graphic form. (not just notes) Notemaking and Notetaking
      4. Read something else related.
   3. Self-test again. Answer aloud or explain to someone what you’ve learnt.
   4. Explain it aloud again the next day.
   5. Teach someone the next week.
2. Success comes from comprehension, not memorisation. You have to understand ideas. This means building something new in your brain. The way to find out if you can "construct" an idea is to require yourself to produce it, by explaining it aloud.

Rosemary Horton Teacher Librarian

• The Six Hour D ...and How to Avoid It for the student who studies six hours for a test and still fails. R. Dewey
• Learning Strategies: Maximizing Your Academic Experience Academic Skills Center Dartmouth College
• Brain Dance Patrick Magee
• 24 Tips on How to Study Smart Strategies for Success

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