Study aids & strategies
Time-management techniques, like Pomodoro and study aids help create a balance between intense study and necessary relaxation, enhancing overall productivity, focus and energy.
How to Apply
Pomodoro Technique
Select Your Study Task: Choose what you'll concentrate on, such as NCLEX questions, crafting an essay, or reviewing a textbook.
Set Up a Timer: Use your smartphone's timer or any other timing device.
Focus Session: Adjust the timer to 25 minutes. During this time, ensure all distractions are eliminated—turn off email notifications, social media, and music. Dedicate this period solely to the task at hand.
Take a Structured Break: Once the timer signals the end of your focus session, take a 5-10 minute break. This is your time to check social media, grab a snack, or engage in a quick, relaxing activity—anything other than studying.
This method boosts concentration, enhances energy levels, and improves information retention.
Adhere to the Schedule: It’s crucial to respect the timing structure. Avoid the urge to skip breaks when you're just starting or to check messages during a focus session. Discipline is key.
Dedicated Study and Break Times: When it's time to study, fully immerse yourself in your work. When it's break time, genuinely step away to recharge.
Study Strategies
Spaced Repetition: This technique involves reviewing information at gradually increasing intervals to reinforce memory retention over time. It leverages the psychological spacing effect, whereby learning sessions spaced out over time are more effective than massed sessions conducted in a shorter duration. This method is particularly useful for long-term retention of complex information.
Practice Testing: Numerous studies have shown that taking practice tests improves long-term memory retention, primarily through the process of retrieval practice. This technique forces you to recall information, thereby strengthening memory and learning capacity. Practice tests also help in identifying weak areas that need more focus.
Mnemonic Devices: Mnemonics are memory aids that help in retaining and recalling information. Common types include acronyms, rhymes, and visual images, which are particularly useful for memorizing lists or complex terms. For example, using the acronym "HOMES" to remember the Great Lakes: Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, and Superior.
Interleaved Practice: This approach involves mixing different topics or forms of practice during study sessions. It contrasts with blocked practice, where one focuses on a single topic at a time. Interleaving helps develop better discrimination between types of problems and enhances problem-solving skills. It's particularly effective in subjects like math and science where different problems may require different strategies.
Elaborative Interrogation: This technique involves explaining why stated facts or concepts are true, thereby creating a more in-depth understanding of the material. By asking yourself explanatory questions like "why" and "how," you can integrate new knowledge with existing knowledge, facilitating deeper learning and better memory.