Smart Study Strategies

Study Skills for 7 Intelligence Types

People are smart in different ways. Some people can create a catchy song at the drop of a hat. Others can memorize everything in a book, paint a masterpiece, or be the center of attention. When you realize what you’re good at, you can figure out the best way to study. Based on Howard Gardner’s theory of intelligence, these study tips can help you tailor your learning for your intelligence type.

Word Smart (Linguistic intelligence) – Word smart people are good with words, letters, and phrases. They enjoy activities such as reading, playing scrabble or other word games, and having discussions. If you’re word smart, these study strategies can help:

• make flashcards
• take extensive notes
• keep a journal of what you learn

Number Smart (logical-mathematical intelligence) - Number smart people are good with numbers, equations, and logic. They enjoy coming up with solutions to logical problems and figuring things out. If you’re number smart, give these strategies a try:

• make your notes into numeric charts and graphs
• use the roman numeral style of outlining
• put information you receive into categories and classifications that you create

Picture Smart (spatial intelligence) – Picture smart people are good with art and design. They enjoy being creative, watching movies, and visiting art museums. Picture smart people can benefit from these study tips:

• sketch pictures that go along with your notes or in the margins of your textbooks
• draw a picture on a flashcard for each concept or vocabulary word you study
• use charts and graphic organizers to keep track of what you learn

Body Smart (Kinesthetic intelligence) – Body smart people work well with their hands. They enjoy physical activity such as exercise, sports, and outdoor work. These study strategies can help body smart people be successful:

• act out or imagine the concepts you need to remember
• look for real-life examples that demonstrate what you’re learning about
• search for manipulatives, such as computer programs, that can help you master material

Music Smart (Musical intelligence) – Music smart people are good with rhythms and beats. They enjoy listening to cds, attending concerts, and creating songs. If you’re music smart, these activities can help you study:

• create a song or rhyme that will help you remember a concept
• listen to classical music while you study
• remember vocabulary words by linking them to similar-sounding words in your mind

People Smart (Interpersonal intelligence) – Those who are people smart are good with relating to people. They enjoy going to parties, visiting with friends, and sharing what they learn. People smart students should give these strategies a try:

• discuss what you learn with a friend or family member
• have someone quiz you before an exam
• create or join a study group

Self Smart (Intrapersonal intelligence) – Self smart people are comfortable with themselves. They enjoy being alone to think and reflect. If you’re self smart, try these tips:

• keep a personal journal about what you’re learning
• find a place to study where you won’t be interrupted
• keep yourself involved in assignments by individualizing each project

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10 Tips to Study Smart and Save Time

I recently got my marks back from University. My grade point average was a 4.2 out of a possible 4.5, resting between an A and a perfect A+. In itself, this isn’t an incredible achievement. But I managed to do this while spending only a fraction of the time studying than many of the people I knew.

Is it just natural talent? Perhaps. I’ve always had a knack for understanding concepts and learning new ideas. But I also believe the way I learned the information played a role. Instead of cramming last minute or memorizing details, I try to organize information in a way that makes it easier to recall.

This strategy of organization I label holistic learning. Holistic learning is simply the process of organizing information into webs, that interconnect ideas. Instead of forcing ideas into your skull, you focus on the relationships between information. Linking ideas together to see the whole, instead of just the parts.

Building an Understanding

Learning is a process similar to building a house. You aren’t fed the complete picture. Limitations on communication prevent the instantaneous transmission of knowledge. Instead you listen to lectures, read textbooks and take painstaking notes to try and comprehend a subject.

You are fed building supplies, bricks, mortar and glass. It is up to you to assemble the building. Unfortunately, most learning strategies fall into two basic types:

1.      Memorization – Instead of building anything you simply stare at each brick for several minutes trying to record its position.

2.      Formulas – This is the equivalent to being blind, fumbling around a new house. You can’t see the building itself but you learn to come up with simple rules to avoid walking into walls.

There is nothing particularly wrong with either of these strategies, assuming they aren’t your entire strategy. The human brain isn’t a computer so it can’t memorize infinite sums of knowledge without some form of structure. And formulas no longer work if the questions they are designed to solve change scope.

Learning Holistically

The alternative strategy is to focus on actually using the information you have to build something. This involves linking concepts together and compressing information so it fits in the bigger picture. Here are some ideas to get started:

1.      Metaphor – Metaphors can allow you to quickly organize information by comparing a complex idea to a simple one. When you find relationships between information, come up with analogies to increase your understanding. Compare neurons with waves on a string. Make metaphors comparing parts of a brain with sections of your computer.

2.      Use All Your Senses - Abstract ideas are difficult to memorize because they are far removed from our senses. Shift them closer by coming up with vivid pictures, feelings and images that relate information together. When I learned how to do a determinant of a matrix, I remembered the pattern by visualizing my hands moving through the numbers, one adding and one subtracting.

3.      Teach It - Find someone who doesn’t understand the topic and teach it to them. This exercise forces you to organize. Spending five minutes explaining a concept can save you an hour of combined studying for the same effect.

4.      Leave No Islands – When you read through a textbook, every piece of information should connect with something else you have learned. Fast learners do this automatically, but if you leave islands of information, you won’t be able to reach them during a test.

5.      Test Your Mobility - A good way to know you haven’t linked enough is that you can’t move between concepts. Open up a word document and start explaining the subject you are working with. If you can’t jump between sections, referencing one idea to help explain another, you won’t be able to think through the connections during a test.

6.      Find Patterns – Look for patterns in information. Information becomes easier to organize if you can identify broader patterns that are similar across different topics. The way a neuron fires has similarities to “if” statements in programming languages.

7.      Build a Large Foundation - Reading lots and having a general understanding of many topics gives you a lot more flexibility in finding patterns and metaphors in new topics. The more you already know, the easier it is to learn.

8.      Don’t Force - I don’t spend much time studying before exams. Forcing information during the last few days is incredibly inefficient. Instead try to slowly interlink ideas as they come to you so studying becomes a quick recap rather than a first attempt at learning.

9.      Build Models – Models are simple concepts that aren’t true by themselves, but are useful for describing abstract ideas. Crystallizing one particular mental image or experience can create a model you can reference when trying to understand. When I was trying to tackle the concept of subspaces, I visualized a blue background with a red plane going through it. This isn’t an entirely accurate representation of what a subspace is, but it created a workable image for future ideas.

10.  Learning is in Your Head – Having beautiful notes and a perfectly highlighted textbook doesn’t matter if you don’t understand the information in it. Your only goal is to understand the information so it will stick with you for assignments, tests and life. Don’t be afraid to get messy when scrawling out ideas on paper and connecting them in your head. Use notes and books as a medium for learning rather than an end result.

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Tips Pelajar Cemerlang

Berikut merupakan petua-petua dan ciri-ciri yang ada pada pelajar cemerlang, dari Dr Fadzilah Kamsah. Pelajar cemerlang akan:
1. Menggunakan kedua-dua belah otak kanan & kiri. Ini dapat dilakukan dengan membuat aktiviti merangsang kedua-dua belah otak tersebut.

2. Merangsang kesemua deria dalam pembelajaran. Kajian menunjukkan bahawa:

• kita ingat 10 % apayang dibaca
• kita ingat 20% apa yang didengar
• kita ingat 50 % apa yang didengar & dilihat
• kita ingat 70% apa yang dicakapkan
• kita ingat 90% setelah dipraktikkan

3. Belajar secara aktif dengan pen/pensil ditangan.

4. Belajar 3 jam sehari atau 20 jam seminggu (tidak termasuk kerja rumah).

5. Belajar dalam persekitaran kondusif.

• pastikan cahaya adalah terang
• kurangkan gangguan bunyi
• tampal poster yang mengandungi slogan yang menaikkan semangat belajar
• tampal gambar-gambar yang menenangkan fikiran
• kerusi dan meja menghadap kiblat
• jangan lupa untuk senyum

6. Tidak ponteng kelas. Kalau tertinggal kelas, salin nota dari rakan.

7. Mengulang kaji menggunakan kaedah ‘output learning’ iaitu belajar untuk melatih otak menggunakan maklumat yang terkumpul. Ini dapat dilakukan dengan membaca buku/nota, ingat kembali, lakar/tulis, sebut apa yang difahami, dan jawab soalan.

8. Tahu teknik merangsang memori:

• memasukkan maklumat dalam memori (registration)
• menyimpan maklumat dalam sel memori (retention)
• mengingat kembali (recall)
• menggunakan maklumat untuk menjawab soalan atau kegunaan lain (application)

9. Sentiasa awal dan mendahului:

• persediaan awal akan memberikan permulaan yang baik dan memberi tanggapan yang positif pada guru.
• pelajar yang mendapat A pada ujian lazimnya akan dapat mengekalkan kejayaannya.
• belajar awal ketika tiada tekanan adalah tidak membosankan.
• untuk sentiasa awal dan mendahului, bacalah dahulu sekali atau 2 kali sebelum guru mengajar.

10. Berbuat baik dengan guru. Setiasa hormati dan sayangi guru.

11. Mempunyai teknik membaca yang betul:

• duduk dengan tegak & bernafas dengan betul
• memberikan tumpuan sepanuhnya
• menggunakan jari telunjuk untuk membaca
• menyesuaikan kelajuan membaca dengan kesukaran bahan bacaan

12. Sentiasa mengawasi pencuri waktu belajar iaitu angan-angan kosong, bertangguh & malas.

13. Membaca doa penerang hati setiap kali selepas sembahyang, sebelum mengulangkaji, dan sebelum menghadapi peperiksaan.

14. Tidak membuang masa dengan belajar ketika letih.

15. Mengadakan rehat sebentar setiap 20 minit mengulangkaji.

16. Belajar mengikut waktu yang sesuai dengan diri (study according to your biological clock). Bagaimanapun, perlu tahu waktu-waktu yang sesuai untuk belajar iaitu sebelum tidur, selepas bangun tidur, selepas mandi air panas, selepas baca al-quran/zikir selepas riadah dan selepas berdoa.

17. Mengulang kaji secepat mungkin. Ulang kaji ringkas selepas belajar (kita akan lupa 80% selepas belajar).

18. Mengulang kaji secara bersendirian atau berkumpulan.

19. Tahu mengulang kaji adalah aktiviti pembelajaran terpenting sebelum peperiksaan.

20. Mengulang kaji pelajaran berulang-ulang kali.

21. Mengulang kaji apabila mulai terlupa.

22. Tahu petua mengulang kaji

• cari tempat yang tenang dan serasi dengan jiwa kita
• siapkan semua ‘bekalan’ dengan sempurna
• duduk tegak dikerusi yang selesa
• baca doa penerang hati
• baca buku atau nota mengikut teknik membaca yang betul
• fikir dan ingat kembali isi utama
• catat/lakar
• semak semula ketepatan maklumat
• ulang sebut atau ceritakan pada orang lain
• buat rumusan
• jawab soalan
• tampal maklumat yang rumit di dinding
• baca doa tanda kesyukuran selepas belajar

23. Tahu memberi ganjaran kepada diri sendiri selepas beajar seperti membaca surat khabar, melawat rakan dan sebagainya.

24. Tahu petua-petua agar tidak lupa:

• jangan makan kepala ikan
• jangan makan organ dalaman
• jangan minum semasa makan
• jangan minum atau makan makanan yang tercemar oleh semut
• jangan melihat kemaluan
• jangan melihat buih
• jangan membaca nama pada batu nisan
• banyakkan makan makanan yang mengandungi soya seperti tempe, tauhu dan lain-lain
• banyakkan makan kismis, kurma dan madu
• banyakkan makan kekacang
• pakai minyak wangi ketika belajar atau menghadapi peperiksaan
• jangan makan sehingga terlalu kenyang
• jangan kencing berdiri

25. Tahu kemahiran mengingat:

• tampal nota-nota penting di dinding
• tukar perkataan, ayat atau definisi dalam bentuk gambar atau rajah
• gunakan kaedah akronim
• reka cerita atau ayat mengenai konsep yang perlu diingat
• pecahkan maklumat kepada kumpulan kecil

26. Cekap mengatur jadual belajar:

• mempunyai jadual belajar
• patuh kepada jadual
• buat jadual yang boleh diikuti

27. Tidak menangguh belajar pada saat akhir dan tidak menumpukan peperiksaan sebagai dorongan untuk belajar.

28. Cari maklumat mengenai subjek yang tidak diketahui. Sediakan perkara-perkara yang tidak diketahui dan dapatkan penyelesaian dari orang yang lebih arif.

29. Membina kepelbagaian dalam pembelajaran. Sebagai contoh, satu hari dipelbagaikan cara dan topik untuk belajar.

30. Menggunakan masa terluang untuk mengulang kaji atau mencuri masa.

31. Membawa nota ke mana-mana sahaja (kecuali ke tandas).

32. Pelbagaikan tempat belajar.

33. Menyedari guru-guru adalah sumber ilmu yang baik. Tanya guru apabila tidak faham

34. Menjadikan nota-nota menarik seperti membuat corak, menggariskan isi penting dan sebagainya.

35. Ciri-ciri pelajar cemerlang:

• taat kepada Allah
• mendirikan sembahyang
• menghormati kedua ibu bapa dan sentiasa mendoakan mereka
• hormati & sayangi guru
• bersungguh-sungguh dalam melakukan kerja untuk mencapai kecemerlangan.
• suka pada setiap mata pelajaran yang dipelajari
• membantu rakan yang memerlukan
• berdoa dan bersyukur kepada Allah
• sentiasa bertawakal
• mahir dalam setiap mata pelajaran

Kita juga perlu ingat pelajar yang cemerlang, adalah juga cemerlang pada akhlak dan tingkah lakunya dan seimbang dalam kehidupannya. Kecemerlangan pelajar bukan semata-mata dilihat pada nilai akademiknya sahaja. Semoga bermanfaat.

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