Study Companion

The SQ3R method The first technique and my favourite method, is the SQ3R method. It has been around for a long time, is easy to use and really works! Its primary strength lies in the fact that it focuses on reading comprehension. Therefore, it helps you remember the facts and the way they fit together. Its name comes from the first letters of its 5 stages.
S stands for Survey: Start by skimming through what you are going to learn. Take note of any headings, subheadings, pictures, or other features, for example maps. You do this to give yourself a "feel" for what you are about to study. The information you gather from skimming, also provides a "skeleton" onto which you can attach additional information as you learn. Q is for Question: As you are skimming you are also going to ask questions about the work that you are studying. learning needs to be active in order to be effective. Ask yourself questions like "why did x happen?" "What is the point of this picture?" ect. Very importantly, you also need to ask yourself "what do I already know about this topic?" You can use what you already know as a framework to hang new information on.
Then follow the 3 R's.
The first of which stands for Read: Now you need to read all you need to study. while you are reading, you are going to make Sure that you understand what you are reading. Start by making sure that you understand all the vocabulary. Where there are words whose meanings you are unsure of look up the word and write down the meaning in a booklet you keep for this purpose. Check that you understand the meanings of all the sentences and paragraphs. If you don't, reread for clarity. If you still don't understand, then you might need to ask for help. Perhaps a friend can help or you teacher/ lecturer. But don't just leave it and hope its not important! You also need to look for answers to the questions you asked, while you are reading. We tend to remember the work related to the questions we ask and answer ourselves.
Recite After you have read with comprehension, a section of the study material, you need to check how much you actually remember. Go through the work. Say it out loud if you need to or teach the bedroom walls, if it helps. If you remember everything - GREAT! move on to the next section of work. If not - go back over the work. There is no point in moving on, if you have not learnt what went before. You move on to a new section once you have mastered the section you are on.
Review Once you have gone through all the work you need to learn and you are sure you know the work, you can stop studying for now. But you will need to go over the work again and again in the near future to improve memory and make sure that the information you have learnt, is easy to retrieve when you need it.

That is all there is to the SQ3R. With practice, it becomes second nature.
For more information, please watch the adjacent video on this method.

The PQ4R Method
This method is a lot like the SQ3R method. It has two notable differences.
1 The first phase is called Preview. It is much the same as the Survey phase in the previous method.

The main difference between these two methods is the additional R in the PQ3R method.
2 This methods R's stand for Read, Reflect, Recite and Review This method adds Reflect into the mix. What does Reflect mean in this context?
The reFlect phase of this method focuses on answering the questions you asked in the questioning phase. By doing so, this method really encourages active learning. Please watch the video on this method.

The Feynman Technique
In this technique the emphasis is on putting what you want to learn into your own words. To start with, you might read the section you have to learn or you might simply start with what you learnt in class. Write a title for the material at the top of a page and then discuss the material in your own words. Go back to your notes/textbook and check how much you got right and what you left out. Then again explaining the subject in your own words. Keep checking and repeating untill you relay all the information in your own words. The idea behind this, is if you can explain something simply and fully, you must know and understand the material well enough to write a test on it.