An evidence-based study regimen
How to study effectively.
An overview of my personal study regimen, a top-of-the-class graduate of the internationally renowned Technical University of Berlin.
I. Groundwork
Eat and sleep well enough. Have 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep on a consistent schedule.
II. Overview
Scope the subject with a mind map. Break larger subjects down into core concepts and find the connections between them.
Keep the Pareto principle in mind (i.e., focus on the 20% of content that likely produces 80% of the results).
III. Planning
Organise your study periods around a retrospective revision timetable. Base your selection of topics to learn next not on arbitrary sequential orderings. Instead, prioritize topics according to areas where your understanding is weakest.
IV. Studying
Apply Parkinson’s law (i.e., that your tasks will use the time available to them) by setting deadlines for yourself and studying with the Pomodoro technique (i.e., alternate focused intervals with short breaks).
Interleave your practice by studying several related concepts together.
Start by understanding core concepts, making use of the Feynman technique (i.e., break complex topics down to their simplest form, explaining them as if to a child).
Prioritize active recall (i.e., actively try to retrieve information from memory) and spaced repetition (i.e., adjust revision frequency based on understanding).
References
Dunlosky, J., Rawson, K. A., Marsh, E. J., Nathan, M. J., & Willingham, D. T. (2013). Improving Students’ Learning With Effective Learning Techniques: Promising Directions From Cognitive and Educational Psychology. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 14(1), 4–58. https://doi.org/10.1177/1529100612453266
Brown, P. C., Roediger III, H. L., McDaniel, M. A. (2014). Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning. United Kingdom: Harvard University Press.
Abdaal, A. (2021, February 22). The Ultimate Guide To Studying For Exams. Ali Abdaal. https://aliabdaal.com/studying/the-ultimate-guide-to-studying-for-exams/