A good study method is not just about studying for a long time. It rests on a few simple habits: planning, organising, summarising, then checking what has really stuck. Here are four techniques whose effectiveness is well researched, and how your child can apply them when studying alone at home.
What is a good study method?
It is the way a pupil understands, memorises and revises the material, then checks what they know. It can be learned, like anything else. Yet many children have never been given the keys: they reread, copy out, highlight, and are surprised when the material does not stick on the day of the test.
In 2013, a team of psychology researchers led by John Dunlosky reviewed ten common study techniques. Two stand out as the most useful, for all ages and almost all subjects: testing yourself and spreading your study over time. Two others are rated as promising: asking “why” and mixing topics.
These findings are trends, not guaranteed recipes. Each pupil also learns in their own way (see our article on the 8 types of intelligence). The most useful approach is to try these techniques and keep the ones that work.
1. Test yourself instead of rereading
Testing yourself means closing the book and trying to recall the material: answering questions, reciting a definition, redoing an exercise without looking at the solution. This effort of recall anchors information in memory far better than one more reread.
A few simple ways to get started:
- make flashcards with a question on the front and the answer on the back;
- use the questions at the end of each chapter in the textbook;
- ask a parent, brother or sister to ask the questions;
- explain the material out loud, as if teaching a class.
Tip: Cornell note-taking. Keep a column free in the margin of your notes. After the lesson, write keywords and questions there. To revise, cover the notes and answer the questions in the margin.
2. Spread out your study time
Studying a chapter in one long session, the night before the test, tires the brain, and the material is quickly forgotten. Going over the same material several times, a few days apart, takes less effort overall and makes it last much longer.
This applies to foreign language vocabulary, maths formulas and a history lesson alike. It is also what is most often missing at exam time, when a pupil tries to cram a whole semester of material into a few days.
Tip. Use the table of contents of the textbook or course: it already splits the material into chapters. Your child can note when they review each part, and plan a second and third pass in the following weeks.
3. The “why” method
Researchers call it elaborative interrogation. While reading a text or a lesson, the pupil stops and asks: “Why does this make sense?”, “Why is this true?”. This links the new information to what they already know.
This method makes the pupil active: they tell facts from concepts, spot causes and effects, and better remember what they have understood. It works less well, however, when basic knowledge is lacking: the pupil then has little to draw on to answer their own questions.
If your child gets stuck on a “why”, it is a good question to ask the teacher, or to note down for the next lesson.
4. Mix subjects and types of exercises
At exam time, many secondary school pupils and higher education students spend a whole day on a single chapter, then move on to the next one the following day. This “blocked” study gives a feeling of mastery, but keeps knowledge in separate boxes.
Mixed practice (interleaved practice) means mixing topics or types of exercises within the same session. The brain then has to choose the right method each time, which trains it to recognise situations, just as on exam day.
It is especially effective for exercises in maths and science. Studies are less conclusive for learning vocabulary lists: there, flashcards and spaced repetition remain the better choice.
Underlining, rereading, summarising: use with care
These are the most widespread techniques, but research finds little effect when they are used on their own:
- Underlining and highlighting: useful as a first step, to pick out the essentials that will then be turned into flashcards or questions. Highlighting on “autopilot” loses the overall logic of the text.
- Rereading: every pupil’s reflex before an exam, but it adds little to memory. Testing yourself or asking “why” is more effective.
- Summarising: a summary helps structure a dense course, as long as it does not take more time than it saves.
- Linking an image or a mnemonic: useful to remember a list or a specific concept, less so to understand a line of reasoning.
Studying alone at home: keeping a rhythm
Homework, revision, online classes: a large part of schoolwork is done alone, away from the teacher and classmates. A few habits help your child stay effective:
- A quiet workspace, tidy, with only what is needed. The phone stays in another room: notifications break concentration (see our article on the impact of social media).
- Regular hours: starting at the same time, with a short routine, makes it easier to get down to work without negotiating every day.
- An up-to-date planner, with homework, tests and the school’s online platform (Smartschool, for example) checked every day.
- Your own course material: mind maps, colours, diagrams, tables. A clear, visual course is easier to revise.
- A small study group, in person or by video call, to quiz each other and compare notes. Answering other people’s questions is an excellent way to learn.
A method that is built from primary school onwards
At school, the emphasis is often on learning by heart, especially in the early years. Many young people then feel lost when they start higher education, where they have to manage a large amount of material on their own and look at it critically.
Our advice: let your child try these techniques early, subject by subject, so they build a personal method. They will gain in independence, calm and motivation. For exam preparation itself, our 5 tips for studying and passing your exams complement this article.
If your child needs a helping hand, a My Sherpa educational advisor looks at their situation with you and chooses a coach to help them build their study method, with private tutoring at home anywhere in Belgium or online.
