Eight of the Best Methods for Studying so You Actually Retain the Information

Whether it's the start of a new semester, midway through one you don't feel you're doing great in, finals season, or just an era of your life where you want to learn something new, studying is the only way to really retain information. There are all kinds of ways to study, but cramming won't cut it if you're really trying to press something in to your long-term memory. Here are the best methods and techniques to help you really learn.

Heads up, though: Most of these work best when you're writing things down. Don't try to do these in your head or even digitally on your computer if you can help it; writing with a pen and paper gives your memory and retention a little extra boost.

The best study methods for reading comprehension

The first step to studying is taking in new information. You can’t interrogate or grasp something you’ve never even read or heard before. Even on your first read-through (or your first time reviewing the material outside of class), you should be strategic. Try these methods. 

The SQ3R method

Use the SQ3R method when you’re taking in unfamiliar information or reviewing information you didn’t quite get enough context for in class. "SQ3R" stands for survey, question, read, recite, and review.

You first survey your text (ideally a single chapter in your book, but if that's not possible, any relatively short bit instead of a bigger volume) and come up with questions based on the headings, captions, titles, or other notable elements. These questions should be about what you’d like to know and what the titles appear to promise you’ll learn.

Then, you read closely, looking for the answers to your questions, and recite by rewriting what you’ve learned in your own words, taking care to answer your own questions.

Finally, review your own notes and the material itself. It's best to write this all down as you go, not try to keep in your head. You can use a regular notebook, but I do recommend a specialty notebook designed for use with this technique, just to make a difficult task a little easier.

The KWL method

KWL is similar to SQ3R, but a little simpler: You make a chart with three labeled columns: Know, Want to Know, and Learn. It’s better to make a separate chart for each chapter or chunk of information you’re tackling.

In the "Know" column, write what you already know about the topic. In the "Want to Know" column, write down what you’d like to learn (based on a survey of the material, including titles, heading, captions, charts, and summary paragraphs, just like SQ3R). As you take a second, more thorough read, write down what you’re learning in the "Learn" column, taking care to mark down any answers to questions you posed in "Want to Know." 

The THIEVES method

The THIEVES method helps you figure out what a chapter is about before you even start reading it. "THIEVES" stands for title, headings, introduction, every first sentence in a paragraph, visuals/vocabulary, end-of-chapter questions, and summary.

Create a chart or write down each of those categories on a piece of paper, then look at each one in order, starting with the title. What can you guess the chapter is about, based on the title? Write that down, along with anything else you glean from the title. What do the headings suggest the subsections are about and why might the author have separated them that way? Make your way through the list before and while you read, taking note of the elements outlined by the acronym. It will help you feel more engaged with the material when you eventually read it in full.

The best ways to memorize what you study

Memorization is pretty key to doing well on a test, but it's also how you retain information long-term. The below methods are more about straight memorization and test prep, but they will help you lodge nuggets of info in your brain, too, which is the starting point for longer retention.

The Method of Loci

The Method of Loci is a solid option if you’re going to be taking your test in the same location where you learned what’s on it, whether that’s in a specific classroom or in your own bedroom for an online class. You can think of the location you’ll be in for the test or just a place you know really well, but there have to be some defining features present, like a room with a lot of items or a street you visit frequently.

When studying a bunch of things you have to remember, imagine yourself placing them, one by one, in one of those little loci. One topic can go in the tray that holds whiteboard markers, another on the professor’s desk, and another in the windowsill, for instance. When you want to retrieve or recall the information, imagine yourself walking through the area again, picking up what you need to remember from its proper place.

Association

Use association to help you remember big chunks of information, too. Whether you prefer mnemonic devices like acronyms or painting a “mental picture” of something silly to represent the information you need to know, these associations can stick a fact or idea in your brain well enough for you to recall it at test time. This is the technique I used in high school, college, and grad school and it always worked perfectly for me.

My personal trick is to create sentences that feature words that start with the same letter as the words I need to recall for a test. If you learned the order of the planets, pre-Pluto ousting, with the phrase, "My very educated mother just sat upon nine pizzas," or something similar, you already know how this works. It worked when we were six and it works now.

The Leitner system

The Leitner system is the best way to incorporate active recall into your studying, but it does take some time. You create flashcards, then drill them on a schedule, sorting them into one of five categories every time you get them right or wrong. Every time you get a card from Stack 1 right, move it to Stack 2, which you won’t study as often as your Stack 1 cards. Click through to the link above for a full explanation, but know that this is the best way to really, really memorize anything you need to know. Like with SQ3R, you can do this on your own with flashcards you have, but I recommend getting ones that come ready to group, like these that have holes for a binder ring, just to make your life simpler.

The best study methods for grasping concepts

If you have the time, it’s always worth really understanding your material rather than just memorizing it. That’s where these techniques come in: They enable you to dig in on subjects, making real-world connections and cementing the information in your brain. 

The Feynman method

Use the Feynman method when you’ve finished reading, reviewing, and memorizing. It calls on you to explain the topic at hand to someone who knows nothing about it, like your mom or your roommate. Explain it as basically as possible and give them the opportunity to ask follow-up questions when you’re done. If you can explain it simply and answer their questions, you really know your stuff. If you can’t, it’s back to studying until you get it down.

Blurting

Blurting is similar to the Feynman method, except you can do it on your own. After reading and reviewing, hide your notes and texts, then write down everything you can remember on a blank piece of paper. Explain the topic as best as you can, then use your materials to check for anything you missed. This helps with memory retrieval, but also gives you an easy way to see exactly what you’re missing, so you can double down on studying the specific elements that are tripping you up.