5 Study Methods to Help Students Prepare for and Pass Finals

The end of the school year is right around the corner, but that exciting time comes with a stressful experience for many high school and college students — final exams. It often feels impossible to remember everything you’ve learned over the course of several months. And to do that when all you can think about is your summer plans? It’s daunting, we know.

Instead of simply re-reading your textbooks cover to cover, you might consider using one or a combination of study methods. There are several scientifically proven ways to improve how you retain information, and you can choose the methods that work best for your learning style. Try out these five study methods as you prepare for your finals this year!

SQ3R or PQ4R

It’s important to give your brain a chance to process the information you’re reading. Otherwise, you won’t remember anything when it’s exam time. Try approaching your reading with the SQ3R technique in mind — that stands for Survey, Question, Read, Recite, and Review.

First, you’ll survey the text by skimming over everything, paying particular attention to the headings, bold words, diagrams, and questions. As Khan Academy notes, the goal is to “identify the subject matter, the point of view, and the overall purpose of the passage.” Next, you’ll ask yourself questions about the topic before you dive into reading the text more carefully. You will likely find answers to some of your questions.

Finally, you should recite the answers to your questions and take notes about them. After that, review the text again, this time reading your notes aloud as you go.

A similar study method is PQ4R — Preview, Question, Read, Reflect, Recite, Review. This method includes reflecting on what you’ve read to determine if you still have unanswered questions.

Leitner System

If you prefer to use flashcards, this study method is for you! The Leitner System, created by a German science journalist named Sebastian Leitner, involves putting your flashcards into several different boxes.

They all begin in Box 1. As you review the cards, you place the ones you’ve answered correctly into Box 2. If you missed the answer, the card goes back into Box 1. Box 1 cards are reviewed daily.

Once you move cards to Box 2, you can start reviewing these cards every other day because they need less attention than the cards in Box 1. Again, if you miss a card in Box 2, send it back to Box 1 and go back to reviewing the card daily until you get it right.

Finally, move correctly answered cards from Box 2 to Box 3. Once in Box 3, these cards can be reviewed once a week. If you miss any cards, send them back to Box 2 (or Box 1 if you feel you need more review time).

Your goal is to have all the cards in Box 3. If you’d rather not create the cards and boxes by hand, Cram.com has their own online version of the Leitner System.

Retrieval Practice

You might think you know the material when it’s sitting right in front of you, but what about when it’s not? Put simply, retrieval practice involves remembering information at a later time after you’ve learned something. For example, if you read a passage in a textbook, will you remember what the passage said a few hours later when the book is not in front of you?

As stated in a post from the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences, you can practice retrieval by writing down the answers to flashcards, filling out practice tests, or making your own practice test.  

Mind Mapping

Mind mapping is a great study method for visual learners. It involves designing a visual diagram of all the information you need to study. You’ll start by writing a word in the center of a page — typically the general topic you’re studying, such as “mind mapping.” Then, surround the word with several main ideas and other keywords — such as the benefits of mind mapping and how it works — connecting them back to the topic. You can continue to branch out from there as needed.

Mind maps are a great way to organize your study material and see the relationships between concepts. It can also incorporate retrieval practice as you try to remember the information you’ve studied to map it out. If you’d rather create a virtual mind map, there are several online tools and templates, including options on Canva.

Feynman Technique

Some students learn best by teaching the material themselves. That’s where the Feynman Technique comes in handy. This four-step process involves studying the material and then explaining the topic and ideas in your own words. You can do this with an imaginary audience, but it usually works best if you teach another person. They’ll be able to ask questions about the material to test how well you know it.

Your ”student” might ask questions you don’t know how to answer, but that’s OK! This tells you exactly what you need to review. Once you feel confident in those areas, you can try again. During your second time teaching, you should aim to simplify the concepts as much as possible so that anyone, even a child, can understand them. This, in turn, will help you better understand the material.

From all of us at Westminster Academy — good luck with your exams!