Cognitive Techniques to Study Better

[Sforza]

The NY Times has an article today on scientifically-tested practices that seem to make big differences in studying. Among these are alternating study environments, mixing content, spacing study sessions and self-testing. Alternating study environments and mixing content particularly seem not to make any sense at first, but it seems that they do work.

To quote;

In one classic 1978 experiment, psychologists found that college students who studied a list of 40 vocabulary words in two different rooms — one windowless and cluttered, the other modern, with a view on a courtyard — did far better on a test than students who studied the words twice, in the same room. Later studies have confirmed the finding, for a variety of topics.

The brain makes subtle associations between what it is studying and the background sensations it has at the time, the authors say, regardless of whether those perceptions are conscious.

Researchers found that college students and adults of retirement age were better able to distinguish the painting styles of 12 unfamiliar artists after viewing mixed collections (assortments, including works from all 12) than after viewing a dozen works from one artist, all together, then moving on to the next painter.

Here's the source article, since a lot of us are still in school (again, in some cases)
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/07/health...7mind.html

It might also be worth noting that in my self-study of Japanese, I've unconsciously (meaning separate from this article) spaced study sessions, do self-testing and mix content. I've found it to be helpful, one way or another.

[Grim]

Mixing content... definitely interesting. I've always thought that concentrating on one type of topic before moving on to another would yield the best results. When I was in grade school I used to do all my studying in one room, but never really though about whether it was better to move places. Hmm.

On a side note, I cannot study while listening to music. I end up listening to the music instead of paying attention to what I'm doing. I've heard/read tons of anecdotes on people who can, however.

[Sforza]

On a side note, I cannot study while listening to music. I end up listening to the music instead of paying attention to what I'm doing. I've heard/read tons of anecdotes on people who can, however.

I study with music on all the time. Usually classical, progressive rock or ambient. No lyrics. However, I can listen to Japanese or Mandarin too without getting too distracted. I find English and Filipino to be distracting though.

[J.E_Magog]

Back then I used to read then write everything down before the exams, para bang double penetration.
But that's more like memorization than actual learning so it wasn't applicable to anything that involves math.