How do you Learn? (Performing a Study)

[Mylinkay Asdara]

I take notes during class and color code them - not to any specific system just what I fancy using different colors when the point changes or highlighting certain note phrases among a block of others with different colored ink. Then I hardly ever look at them again. I do all of the assigned reading IF it is not in a text book format - I skim headings and bold / italics etc. if it is a text book format instead. Most of my classes focus on writing papers rather than taking tests - or the tests are essay format etc. so this serves me quite well. For Sciences and Math it's a bit more study but I haven't taken one of those in awhile.

 

[Creator002]

I just listen. I write notes if it's something I may have to refer to months later, but information generally sticks with me for weeks after I learn it. As long as I use that information a few times a week, I'll never lose it.
For actual study, I listen to music and have some food/drink next to me. I usually have my computer on too which I use as a break every 30 minutes or so.

 

[The_Echo]

I never studied in school. Why? My mom forced me to study for a spelling test once in third grade. I got a C, even though every other spelling test I'd ever done was 100% A+. So I consider it to be not in my best interest to study.

I would just pay attention in class; usually that was enough. (I happen to be godawful at math, so I consistently got horrible grades/failed those classes from sixth grade until my postponed graduation.)

 

[Jfswift]

When I've taken classes before I would jot down notes while listening. I find that a bit stressful sometimes though, especially if they talk to the board or go too fast. I prefer to read really, while listening to songs I've heard a lot. The music helps me block out any background disturbances although if its an unfamiliar song it'll be extremely distracting. Also, especially with subjects like math, repetition and lots of written examples help me out quite a bit.

 

[Camaranth]

I learn best by doing I can't just recite crap. So questions and past exams (when I was in school) were a gold mine for me. Didn't do as well as I could have but hey I passed!

To learn lines in Drama; acting the whole piece out. For anatomy I made a game with the diagrams and blu-tack. I shake it up as much as possible because I get so damn bored! Riding to the lake with some snacks and reading the text-book out there instead of the library or my room seems to help (not in winter obviously). Doodling bad jokes in the margins of my notes.

The only method that worked no matter the subject was talking with my class-mates. We'd go to the local coffee house with our work and bounce ideas, questions and explanations off each other and collectively got more done than any of us would have alone.

 

[Lynx]

Visually and, uh... Literally? What I mean is I learn from words. I'm excellent at word games and word associations, I remember the name of almost everyone I ever meet (and how they're spelled) as well as their faces.

I'm studying human anatomy right now, and I learn best by writing descriptions and lists of facts, drawing mind maps and pictures as well as learning fun trivia about the subject at hand.

 

[mitchell271]

Hey, another psych major! *waves frantically*

I learn best in study groups. Every time I've done that, I've done well on an exam. Just rereading notes very rarely works well for me. Rewriting them works alright for me but study groups is still the best.

 

[Candidus]

I failed primary and secondary education, then, quizically, coasted to easy A/B's at college A level. Then I up and quit university for the same reason that I failed primary and secondary education.

The study-into-exams academic method basically teaches you to remember things under intense pressure, for a length of time that has a definite end date (after which time retention collapses). I got an A in politics, sociology and philosophy at A level-- and I got those grades easily-- but if you asked me to tell you everything I could remember about those three subjects combined... Well, we could move onto a new topic right now, because I'd have almost nothing to say.

I learn best when I learn something for its own sake. When I study something at my own pace, in my free time, because I want to. I basically don't retain information under other circumstances.

 

[Nokturos]

I usually just have to read about something once or twice before I've got a good grasp on it.

 

[Snotnarok]

I learn by doing the task, trial and error etc.
Learning HTML ages ago was just boring in class, the teacher wouldn't even teach things well, just one tag at a time vs learning the meaning of a tag and how to use them.

So I went home after 2 days of torture in class and buckled down on a site (w3schools) and played around and in 1 day after school I had learned more than the teacher, and by the end of the week had a better site for a project than his one he used to advertize his profession.

I'm not sure this was because he was probably teaching out of a book or I have a genuine interest in technology but it was certainly irritating to him I can say that. He literally told me to not read ahead and just follow the lessons vs learning anything on my own.

 

[SaetonChapelle]

I mostly learn through a combination of interpretive dance, improvised ragtime harp and precisely coordinated flashes from differently coloured lamps in the shape of flying squirrels.
... this is going down as "other", isn't it?

Also, they do bloody brain butchery in psychology now?

And a little OT:
In my last semester I had two big exams. The first one I listened to lecture recordings, carefully taking notes to the point that it took me over two hours for every 1,2 hours of lecture; a lot of extra time for 30 individual ones. The second one in the same range I just couldn't be bothered with taking notes for everything so I just listened to all the lectures once.
Exam 1 I barely made it through with 50-something percent, exam 2 I almost got a B. Go figure.

Sadly, no BLOODY brain butchery. Oh if only. xD Of course for psych we are taught what parts of the brain does what, and where. What happens if you remove/destroy the neurons for one area and its effects on the rest of the brain and body. What happens if you electrocute another part.

 

[Redingold]

I study theoretical physics, and I make notes while the lecturer is talking, and occasionally do the work that's set, but I rarely refer back to the notes I've made. I never do very much revision at all, and so far it's working, seeing as how I've yet to get below a first on any exam.

 

[Quaxar]

I mostly learn through a combination of interpretive dance, improvised ragtime harp and precisely coordinated flashes from differently coloured lamps in the shape of flying squirrels.
... this is going down as "other", isn't it?

Also, they do bloody brain butchery in psychology now?

And a little OT:
In my last semester I had two big exams. The first one I listened to lecture recordings, carefully taking notes to the point that it took me over two hours for every 1,2 hours of lecture; a lot of extra time for 30 individual ones. The second one in the same range I just couldn't be bothered with taking notes for everything so I just listened to all the lectures once.
Exam 1 I barely made it through with 50-something percent, exam 2 I almost got a B. Go figure.

Sadly, no BLOODY brain butchery. Oh if only. xD Of course for psych we are taught what parts of the brain does what, and where. What happens if you remove/destroy the neurons for one area and its effects on the rest of the brain and body. What happens if you electrocute another part.

Well, that part was mostly for the alliteration anyway. But yeah, so I take it this isn't the real deal with scalpel and bonesaw but rather some gummy brain or virtual dissection thing?

 

[SaetonChapelle]

I mostly learn through a combination of interpretive dance, improvised ragtime harp and precisely coordinated flashes from differently coloured lamps in the shape of flying squirrels.
... this is going down as "other", isn't it?

Also, they do bloody brain butchery in psychology now?

And a little OT:
In my last semester I had two big exams. The first one I listened to lecture recordings, carefully taking notes to the point that it took me over two hours for every 1,2 hours of lecture; a lot of extra time for 30 individual ones. The second one in the same range I just couldn't be bothered with taking notes for everything so I just listened to all the lectures once.
Exam 1 I barely made it through with 50-something percent, exam 2 I almost got a B. Go figure.

Sadly, no BLOODY brain butchery. Oh if only. xD Of course for psych we are taught what parts of the brain does what, and where. What happens if you remove/destroy the neurons for one area and its effects on the rest of the brain and body. What happens if you electrocute another part.

Well, that part was mostly for the alliteration anyway. But yeah, so I take it this isn't the real deal with scalpel and bonesaw but rather some gummy brain or virtual dissection thing?

Nope, it was real. Pig brain however. Smaller frontal lobe but pretty close. We had a paper sheet which featured the human brain. The dissecting was more for the anatomical views

 

[Quaxar]

I mostly learn through a combination of interpretive dance, improvised ragtime harp and precisely coordinated flashes from differently coloured lamps in the shape of flying squirrels.
... this is going down as "other", isn't it?

Also, they do bloody brain butchery in psychology now?

And a little OT:
In my last semester I had two big exams. The first one I listened to lecture recordings, carefully taking notes to the point that it took me over two hours for every 1,2 hours of lecture; a lot of extra time for 30 individual ones. The second one in the same range I just couldn't be bothered with taking notes for everything so I just listened to all the lectures once.
Exam 1 I barely made it through with 50-something percent, exam 2 I almost got a B. Go figure.

Sadly, no BLOODY brain butchery. Oh if only. xD Of course for psych we are taught what parts of the brain does what, and where. What happens if you remove/destroy the neurons for one area and its effects on the rest of the brain and body. What happens if you electrocute another part.

Well, that part was mostly for the alliteration anyway. But yeah, so I take it this isn't the real deal with scalpel and bonesaw but rather some gummy brain or virtual dissection thing?

Nope, it was real. Pig brain however. Smaller frontal lobe but pretty close. We had a paper sheet which featured the human brain. The dissecting was more for the anatomical views

Ah, I see. Didn't take you lot for doing this messy stuff too but then again what do I know about studying psychology. And pig brains are cheap anyway.

 

[Monster_user]

I prefer to try and get the big picture. This is generally done by reading, and re-reading paragraphs, or sections, until I can figure out what the heck they are talking about. To do that, I need a logical paragraph that flows.

I also like to learn through making mistakes, or just randomly mixing chemicals, or pushing buttons, etc. I like to explore, to satisfy my curiosity. By having something I can break, that can easily be fixed, I can better understand the how and why, and what.

Edit:I forgot to mention that I prefer to have an audible book playing while reading the book, or use an on-screen reader when reading online. It seems to help me focus better.

1. Well written paragraphs.
2. Trial and Error.
3. Audible books

Memorization is something to be used to pass the test, or otherwise only when needed. Memorizing is not understanding. A memorized piece of info is a tool, I may have it, but that doesn't mean I know how to use it.



Captcha: Have you purchased Tylenol cold and flu in the past month?
Called in sick from class? Lol. No.

 

[redknightalex]

Now my friend learns best by not writing any notes at all. All he does is read the book then listen in class. No notes, no writing, just paying attention. (Pisses me right off)

Yeah, that's always been me. I've always had the continual luck (when I was taking classes that required them; now I have labs) of being able to take two hours out of my day to churn out a paper and getting an B/A average on it 90% of the time. In my classical history studies, I wouldn't even read the material as I'd be so engrossed with what the professor was saying that I'd sit there, my notebook closed and my pen in my pocket, just soaking up the information like a sponge.

It still holds true for me today, five years after finishing my BA, taking classes at my local community college in Network Administration. I read the material online and, much as it has been, I'm able to comprehend the information much better if I sit and read. Taking notes only distracts me from the portion my brain is working on and I lose focus. I'm currently "forced" to do a study guide, where I will admit writing down the information after the reading helps, but reading the material and paying attention are all I've had to do. Studying before an exam meant taking an hour to go over the highlights.

I do learn by doing though, particularly with computers. Built my own by trial and error, same with Linux, and now when I try and figure out the technical workings of Internet traffic, I sit and stare at my monitor and watch the processes go by. That's when I get the "aha!" moments.

But, most of all, it helps that I love the subject. Without that, I'd be doing a lot more work.

 

[AngloDoom]

I have to write, and not just write notes. I have to make an essay about the subject matter before it settles in my brain as anything other than abstract information. When I was learning about the various parts that make up the immune system, it was all just a jumble of new terms I'd never heard of before: when I decided to basically write a step-by-step story of what happens when you cut yourself and an antibody enters the wound, I then found it easier to piece together. I have to write it down, though.

That or make a song about it. I'm the type of person who doesn't remember his own birthday but remembers the entire Llama Song after hearing it only twice...and then can't sleep for a week because of it.

 

[Superlative]

I learn best from visual sources (written above all). I'm terrible with sources (my memory retention for sound is way lower than for visual) so when it comes to lectures I mostly just write down key words and phrases, usually in a flowchart/web style to remind me how they all related, so I can look them up later.

As for studying habits... I prefer to study by myself, with some background music playing (usually post-rock, sludge, drone, shoegaze or noise - anything I don't have to pay attention to), and plenty of caffine and nicotine. Preferably at night.

Good luck getting the Masters. I'm going for an M.A in English and that mess is quite arduous.

when it comes to typical school stuff, I do best when I can listen to the teacher and take notes and then review those notes before tests or when writing a paper. when i review the notes i typically will start to recall my prof's lectures or a thought I was having at the time.

In Spanish I found I did better on the tests if I thought of Spanish as cryptic runes and meaningless codes instead of an actual language. I ended up getting a B in the class but I can't recall much of what I learned now.

The hardest things for me to learn are intricate physical movements like martial arts or dances based purely on observation. I get the gist of it easily but getting the finer motions and footwork down takes a lot of mental energy.

 

[lacktheknack]

I reread notes and solve review questions on the bus.

Don't roll your eyes, either. I spend about three hours on public transit every day.