These resources will help you take an intentional approach to studying through building your studying techniques toolkit, as well as helping you maintain motivation and focus in a variety of learning contexts.
Six study strategies
What are the best ways to study material outside of class? The strategies listed here can enhance your learning of any material. Different strategies work well in different contexts, so be sure to align your strategy with the way your learning will be assessed.
Strategy: Flashcards
What is it? Cards with information written on each side to help you associate words with definitions and/or examples. Learn more about flashcards from our resource.
When do I use it? Flashcards are especially helpful to memorize a lot of information; it works on the principal of retrieval practice, where you practice pulling information out of your brain. If you do this regularly enough, it will move the information from your short term memory storage into long term memory storage.
Strategy: Mnemonic device
What is it? This is a memory aid that consists of using an image or keyword, acronym, song, or groupings to help connect with text or information.
When do I use it? You can use this tactic to improve your memory of facts, concepts and vocabulary. It can be helpful when learning a new language, a large list, or a large amount of information at once.
Strategy: Practice testing
What is it? Quizzing yourself on the material you are expected to know or demonstrate, using the format that the assessment will be.
When do I use it? You can use this tactic to help you learn a variety of topics and subject matter. It can be used for long (essay), or short (one-word answer) questions. This tactic is effective when your goal is to remember, understand or apply key concepts and facts.
Strategy: Concept mapping
What is it? Creating a diagram to depict the relationship between terms, concepts or ideas.
When do I use it? You can a create concept map to understand new material, or when you want to create a mental representation of an idea or selection of ideas. Concept maps can help you organize complex information and develop a deeper understanding of the material, which can help you analyze and evaluate the course material.
Strategy: Summarization
What is it? Writing summaries of content that you read, listen to, or cover in your readings or course lecture by condensing information into a shorter, more concise version while maintaining key points.
When do I use it? This tactic is beneficial when you are trying connect ideas to each other or when trying to comprehend a text. It can help you practice identifying the main important points in a section of content. You can summarize via writing or talking aloud to yourself or someone else.
Strategy: Elaboration
What is it? Explaining how new information relates to known information, or explain in detail the steps taken to solve a problem or to complete a process.
When do I use it? This tactic can be applied to almost any subject is effective when you are able to create connections between new information and information you already know. You can examine a piece of information in detail and connect it to prior learning, or discuss a subject as a whole with peers and gain new perspectives. Creating these connections about the information can enhance retrieval and lead to better understanding of a topic.
How to create a study plan
The four stages of studying
Download: The four stages of studying | En français : Les quatre étapes de l’étude
Use the four stages of studying to guide your learning
Preparation
- Gather and assess your resources like course lectures, notes, readings, space.
- Use your course outline to identify learning outcomes, assignments, and deadlines to help you break down your tasks.
- Make sure to attend class – it’s part of your preparation for studying!
Goal setting and planning
- Set SMART study goals and create a plan to achieve them.
- SMART goals are Specific, Measurable, Accountable, Realistic, Timely
- Turn a regular goal:
- I will get an A in my class.
- Into a SMART goal:
- I will use flashcards and self-testing to study for my course 4 days a week for 90 minutes each day for the month leading up to the final exam so that I can get above an 85%.
- Create a study plan with a goal for each day of studying to turn your goals into reality.
Study
- Study according to your plan!
- Use active learning study strategies like teaching others, quizzing yourself, or creating concept maps.
- Divide materials into workable chunks and include breaks!
Reflect and adapt
- Based on your overall experience of studying, make changes to improve future learning.
- Check in with yourself regularly. This could be each week, after a midterm, and/or at the end of each semester to reevaluate what worked for your learning.
- Ask yourself: What went well? Did you get distracted? Did you get stuck at certain parts? What could you have done better? What will you do again? What new things will you try?
Motivation and habit building
Tiny habits for big changes
Learning from lecture recordings
Download: Learning from lecture recordings
Lecture recordings, which contain audio of the lecturer as well as either video or PowerPoint, are uploaded as a digital file to myCourses. They can be a powerful tool to enhance both your performance in the course and your overall learning.
Benefits of lecture recordings
- You can access course content in your own time, whether because you missed a class, were disrupted while in class, or have different needs
- Lecture recordings can help you answer questions independently, especially in classes where part of the lecture time is devoted to solving sample problems.
- You can revisit material as many times as you need to in reviewing for exams and writing assignments
- While in class, you can focus on asking questions and engaging with the lecturer (by connecting material from previous lectures or from readings, for example, or by being part of class discussions), and use the lecture recordings to take notes on the content.
Pro tip: Watching lecture recordings can be draining. Check out this resource on Managing Zoom Fatigue
Getting the most of lecture recordings
- Using lecture recordings to supplement your learning can be very advantageous. There are a few tricks that can be used to further maximize the benefits of lecture recordings.
- Access to lecture recordings will be on the MyCourses page associated with your class.
- If you are unsure or are having access issues, first consult the IT Knowledge Base.
- Recordings are usually uploaded within 24 hours of the lecture, and can be streamed from myCourses or downloaded to your computer (if instructors allow them to be downloadable).
- Research indicates that students who use lecture recordings to supplement class attendance instead of to replace it get the most out of the recordings, often improving their class grades and retaining information better.
Try...
- Watching recordings within a few days of the original lecture to take notes or add to the notes you’ve already taken
- Watching sections you had trouble understanding again, or sections you couldn’t catch in class
- Walking through problem sets or other assignments along with the examples and instructions given in lectures
- Watching recordings with a classmate and then discussing the material
- Using recordings as part of your study strategy before exams
Learning in your second language
Download: Learning in your second language | En français : Apprentissage en langue seconde
Connect with your community
- Connect with others who are also learning in a second language. You can share your strategies for success and learn from each other!
- The ISS Buddy Program can help with linguistic support, cultural guidance, and information about life at McGill.
- The McGill International Student Network plans events and trips with a community and offers opportunities for language sharing.
Use cooperative learning
- Cooperative learning is when you work with others in a collaborative, supportive environment to practice language or other learning activities, give and receive feedback, and problem-solve together.
- Peer tutoring: learn with the intent to teach others the material; you will help others with the material and understand it better yourself.
- Jigsaw technique: split up into small groups or pairs where each member assumes responsibility for a task, then come back together to share what you have learned.
Practice effective learning strategies
- When you study individually, use active learning strategies to engage yourself in your learning process.
- Questioning: ask yourself what/how/why questions about the material and answer them to confirm your understanding. Doing this supports your comprehension of the material.
- Elaboration: Connect new knowledge to prior knowledge on the subject by talking through the material aloud or through writing; this supports longer-term retention of the material.
Reference:
Chamot, A. U., & Kupper, L. (1989). Learning Strategies in Foreign Language Instruction. Foreign Language Annals, 22(1), 13–22.