Daniel MacDougall
"Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever."
— Mahatma Gandhi
You find yourself repeatedly reading the same chapter, only to draw a blank on test day or barely scratch the surface for the proper answer. A frustrating experience that many students suffer through. Don't let those feelings of inadequacy overwhelm you.
Why do some students grasp the material without effort while you struggle? You're not lazy - you study, you cram, yet you barely pass. Here is a structured order to absorb textbooks like a sponge and supercharge your learning. First things first, avoid reading textbooks as if they are novels.
I.
Open your textbook to the chapter you intend to learn. You are only going to focus on one chapter at a time. The first step in supercharging your study habits is to flip through each page, beginning to end. Do not read the content. Let your eyes scan the text and images, taking in visual cues. Only focus on elements of the chapter that stand out, such as graphs, images, side text containers, and anything that grabs your attention. This is just a visual aid at this point. This step helps prepare your mind for the content, and it's the first step in mapping out a learning strategy.
II.
Navigate to the end of the chapter. Most textbooks include some form of recap at the end. A summary or quiz that highlights the most critical material of the chapter. Read and remember each question or summary line. This will aid in recall later on. Familiarizing yourself with the foundational pieces of each chapter beforehand makes those parts shine when you begin reading. You cannot memorize every detail in a chapter, and students often inadvertently absorb unnecessary material. If you want to memorize your textbooks like a scholar, do not skip this step. Understanding the quiz questions or the chapter summary ensures an increased awareness, programming your mind to recall the more crucial aspects.
III.
In this next step, return to the beginning of the chapter. This step helps you begin to connect your learning dots. Go through the chapter and only read the bold text. This will include paragraph titles and anything within the paragraph in bold. How many times have you read a paragraph without forming a concept of the main point? Memorizing the bold text allows your mind to match paragraph content with keywords and phrases. This will greatly increase your recall recovery rate later on. Authors strategically communicate pivotal information to you, and this text is intended to stand out. The bold print emphasizes key points, allowing you to join the information in the paragraph with key terms and ideas. Once you have a solid grip on the bold text, continue.
IV.
Go back to the start of the chapter and only read the first and last sentences of each paragraph. The first sentence of a paragraph introduces the paragraph, thus offering a general overview. The last sentence usually summarizes the content of that section. In this step, do not read for comprehension but gain exposure to the content. These steps help create a mental map of the material connecting the learning dots once you begin studying. The main area of focus is to improve recall later on. Reading the bold print and the first and last lines of each paragraph enhances recollection. It's all about memorizing the right information.
VI.
Now you have completed the necessary framework to learn, you can begin to read the chapter. After the initial read-through, finish the quiz at the end of the chapter without looking back. Assess how your ability to recall the information has improved. Studying new content is hard work. Take time to enjoy the fruits of your labor.
You may think this method is slow and adding to your workload but focus on the positives of your improved recall habits. You no longer have to read a chapter several times over and barely scratch the surface of each question come test day.
Just remember one thing, repetition is the bedrock of learning.
Weekly Side Quest:
In your spare time grab any textbook and incorporate this method. Do the quiz at the end and see how well you do. You may love the results.
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Author's note: none of the writing was generated or made by AI. Our mission is provide a human touch to our journeys together. Thankyou always, Daniel MacDougall…