Study skills

Sometimes it feels like I’m in a tug of war. But I’m not a competitor tugging on one end of the rope; I am the rope! My children, boyfriend, family, and friends are on one end, and school is on the other, pulling me in two opposite directions. Finding the right balance has been a challenge, but I am slowly getting there. As they say, "slow and steady wins the race", but I've also heard that "if you’re not first, you’re last". It’s been a long time since I've been in school and getting back into the habit of studying and maintaining that necessary discipline is challenging and slightly stressful. However, I have found ways to help myself understand, retain and memorize the knowledge I need to be successful.

If I've learned anything in my adult life, it's that cramming before a test or waiting until the last minute is absolutely the wrong approach. I like to try to utilize every resource at my disposal and narrow it down to what works best for me. I find that self-testing seems to work best.   

    Previous studies, such as those by Kornell and Bjork (Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 14:219-224,          2007) and Karpicke, Butler, and Roediger (Memory, 17:471-479, 2009), have surveyed college                  students' use of various study strategies, including self-testing and rereading. These studies have            documented that some students do use self-testing (but largely for monitoring memory) and rereading,      but the researchers did not assess whether individual differences in strategy use were related to                student achievement. Thus, we surveyed 324 undergraduates about their study habits as well as their      college grade point average (GPA). Importantly, the survey included questions about self-testing,              scheduling one's study, and a checklist of strategies commonly used by students or recommended by      cognitive research. Use of self-testing and rereading were both positively associated with GPA.                  Scheduling of study time was also an important factor: Low performers were more likely to engage in        late-night studying than were high performers; massing (vs. spacing) of study was associated with the      use of fewer study strategies overall; and all students-but especially low performers-were driven by          impending deadlines. Thus, self-testing, rereading, and scheduling of study play important roles in            real-world student achievement. (Hartwig, Dunlosky, 2012, Feb, p126-34).

I have utilized a few apps and websites to use this method of studying to my full advantage. Quizlet is a resource that I have been using quite a lot. You can make study sets that contain flashcards, with questions and answers, or terms and meanings, etc. You can flip through the flashcards, and when you think you've retained enough on that particular subject, you can test yourself. Quizlet also provides games based on your study sets, which I find to be most effective. Another app I like to use is SoloLearn. SoloLearn walks you through tutorials, allows you to apply your knowledge practically (like programming), and tests you. You can also play games against other people in realtime, which I find to be very effective as I do have a competitive nature. Khan Academy and Coursera are other great resources that provide free, online courses. Coursera even provides certifications from accredited Colleges and Universities from around the world. You can obtain these certificates by paying for a course instead of utilizing their services for free, which can be applied practically in the real world, and used on a resume or LinkedIn account. 

I have had to take extra care in ensuring that I put time aside every day for specific tasks, like studying, assignments, sleeping, and homemaking. Scheduling enough time to stay relevant in my studies while remaining active as a mother has proven to be rather challenging, but that's what wine is for, right? 

Hartwig, Dunlosky. (2012, Feb). Psychonomic Bulletin & Review; New York Vol. 19, Iss. 1, 

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