Best Learning Tips for Psychology Students
Studying psychology can be challenging, especially for students with no background knowledge of the subject. It is therefore important to adopt good study habits to become successful in the course.
Also, psychology entails a lot, and just the amount of materials on it alone can sometimes intimidate some students. It is so because a student will have to deal with topics like psychology’s philosophical background, biological influences, social statistics, and experimental method, among others at the introductory level alone. You may also have to study topics social behavior, research methods, personality, and therapeutic techniques. These and more are the reasons why psychology students must develop a consistent study pattern and open-minded to master new concepts and theories.
Three Study Strategies for Psychology Students
Although there isn’t a fit for all strategy for learning, as a psychology student you can follow these tips to make the best out of your studies. No matter how challenging things may seem, a good and well-structured study habit will help you achieve success in your psychology course. Follow these steps:
- Regular study
Plan a study schedule: Have a plan for your studies. How many days in a week can you commit to reviewing your study materials? At what time of the day are you comfortable studying on your own? How many hours can you commit each day? Taking all this into consideration can create consistency in your psychology learning.
Have a Study schedule: After the planning stage, make things formal by creating a study schedule. Having a study schedule and following it religiously can do the magic in your psychology study. Depending on your capacity choose the time that suits you. That said, don’t study for long hours without having a break. Doing so will create study stress and anxiety.
Follow the two-hour rule: There is a general rule which stipulates that you multiply by two the number of hours you spend in class when studying on your own.
- Engage in active studies
There is a difference between reading and reading to understand. Be actively involved with your materials as you study. You achieve this by
- Thinking critically about what you read: You won’t achieve the needed results if you just skim through your material or read it without trying to understand the concept. Analyze whatever you read to the best of your understanding.
- Note-taking: Take notes as you read, especially with new words and terms you come across. Also, write down concepts you find difficult to understand and seek clarifications from your lecturer or classmates.
- Test yourself: after completing every chapter, attempt to solve the problems mostly found at the end of a chapter. If your material has no such content, try to set yourself some questions. When down with them, assess your performance to know your strength and weakness.
- During class
Taking notes during lectures is critical for your psychology study. If possible, you can contribute to the lesson based on what you’ve read on the topic. Your note-taking should be of important points and not verbatim.
During lectures, you may have taken notes of the important points written on the board or mentioned by the lecturer. Such points are likely to appear in exams. It is best to pay some level of attention to such topics.
Other tips to consider
- Prioritize the topics you find difficult to understand before moving to easier ones.
- Take it easy on yourself. You cannot study the entire semester material in one night. It is therefore important to start your studies early so that you wouldn’t have to rush through things. Also, not spend long hours on the same topic without taking a rest.
- Sleep well. Having a good sleep after a busy day is required for a healthy body and mind. Trying to learn throughout the night will only wear you out.
Conclusion
By now you have chosen which strategies to adopt wholly and the ones that need a few changes to suit you. The main ingredient here is having a consistent study plan. Studying to understand is all you need to be successful in your psychology course. This among others can save you from having to rush through your books when exams are close.