Do This to Study Efficiently and Effectively

Many students equate studying with sitting for hours and rereading notes. Research on learning techniques, including a widely cited 2013 review by Dunlosky and colleagues, found that rereading and highlighting are low-utility strategies. They feel familiar and comfortable, which tricks you into thinking you’ve learned.

1. Start with a clear target

Before each session, write one specific goal. “Explain how the Krebs cycle works from memory” beats “Study biology.” A clear target tells you when you’re done.

2. Use active recall

Close the book and try to retrieve what you just learned. Use flashcards, practice questions, or a blank page where you write everything you remember. The effort of retrieving strengthens memory more than passive review does.

3. Space out your reviews

Revisit material at growing intervals, such as one day, three days, one week, then two weeks. Cramming can get you through tomorrow’s quiz, but the knowledge fades within days. Apps like Anki can schedule reviews for you.

4. Protect your focus

Put your phone in another room and work in focused blocks of 25 to 50 minutes, followed by a short break. Do the hardest material when your energy is highest.

5. Explain it simply

Try the Feynman technique: explain a concept as if teaching a beginner. Wherever you stumble or reach for jargon, you’ve found a gap to fix.

6. Mix your practice and sleep well

Interleave related problem types instead of finishing one topic at a time. It feels harder, but it trains you to choose the right method. And don’t sacrifice sleep, since it helps consolidate what you learned that day.

Efficient studying is a skill. Review what worked each week, adjust, and you will learn more in fewer hours.