Unlike STEM, subjects of liberal arts mostly encompass wide theoretical discussions, critical and comparative analysis, concept-based understanding, evaluation of statements, and expository writing. For such content not being mathematical or calculative, a lot of it requires you to thoroughly understand the topic and make an analysis out of it. Thus in this process chances of you failing to recall theories memorized is high.
Some of the most effective ways to make the most out of your next study session on liberal arts subjects are listed below:
Create a study area
Set up a place solely for the purpose of studying with enough light, noise cancellations, and some personal touches to keep you motivated throughout the session. Keep one or two elements that you use only during the study hours. Let’s say, a lamp that you light up just while beginning and switch off right when you are finished, be it after 15-20 minutes. Following this step will create a condition in your brain that will allow your attention to be consistent during the sessions. Again after a break, light up the lamp and get back to where you finished off.
Studying through layers
Instead of cramming up all the information the night before the exam, begin from day one of the classes. Divide a topic into three parts-
- First, the foundational layer: Before the classes, go through the topic, watch some basic videos of it, make sense of what elements this topic is going to have, write down the keywords, and finally create a mind map or a diagram. This will make you familiar with the topic to be taught in the class, making sense of how each big concept relates to each other and assist you in having a better understanding of it during the lectures.
- Second layer (Concept + Recall questions): In this step, you will broadly understand each of the keywords and important concepts we found at the first step. And in the process of that, alongside reading and understanding, we must create some questions relevant to important aspects of the topic in groups. This process will accelerate our revision later on and help our brain exercise the repetition topic.
- Complex details: Now link up the difficult information with earlier understood topics and thoroughly go through the entire note.
Emphasize understanding the concept rather than just memorizing
Deep conceptual learning is more effective than surface-level learning, which helps one to develop proper knowledge, question more, and initiate discussion surrounding the topic. Retaining only facts to the memory might create a possibility to erase that in no time, it is important to understand the function and comprehension of a particular topic. As a concept once understood stays with you for a lifetime. Helps to have a better grasp of your topic.
Learning-by-teaching
After the procedure of taking notes effectively, now to retain the significant portions of the topic use the method of teaching others what you are studying. This technique increases memory retention, which is termed as “the Feynman technique”. For this, first choose the topic you want to go with, teach it to someone or yourself (by recording a video), review the material if stuck on the way, simplify the explanations, and create analogies to better articulate the topic.
Such a process helps in active recall that is, freely pulling information out of your memory, creates scopes for critical thinking, improves communication skills that make it easier for you to communicate your work in a simplified form, and finally assists in identifying your knowledge gaps.
Blurting method
Take the topic you are about to study, read the materials or watch lectures about it then put that aside. Now grab a paper and write whatever you can recall about the topic. The next step will be to analyze what you might have written wrong and correct that. Take a break in between and come back, write down again. Continue this process until the recall is at an acceptable level. This process challenges your brain to retain the information, effectively storing the concepts in your brain.
Remember to take a break
Rewarding yourself with a break in between every session reduces your stress building, improves memory retention, and boosts your performance to a greater level. In taking breaks, follow the Pomodoro technique, which suggests taking a 5-minute break after every 25-minute study session, and finally, after 4 rounds of study sessions, take a longer break. Such a technique will save you from cognitive exhaustion and store effectively the new information you have just learned.
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Writer
Alima Zaim
Intern, Content Writing Department
YSSE