Best Ways to Study

From Scientific American

Rating the Best Ways to Study

• Some study methods work in many different situations and across topics, boosting test performance and long-term retention. Learning how to learn can have lifelong benefits.
• Self-testing and spreading out study sessions—so-called distributed practice—are excellent ways to improve learning. They are efficient, easy to use and effective.
• Underlining and rereading, two methods that many students use, are ineffective and can be time-consuming.
• Other learning techniques need further testing and evaluation. In the meantime, students and teachers can put proved study methods to use in classrooms and at home.