Study smart, not hard: Essential Techniques for Academic Weaponing
- Anugrah Bhatnagar
- Mar 9
- 5 min read
Grinding for hours but still getting mid results? Time to level up your study game! Writer Anugrah breaks down tried-and-tested techniques to help you retain more, stress less, and make the most of this lock-in season.
Have you ever wondered why some students can ace their examinations without pulling all-nighters and clocking in absurd study hours like the rest of us?
Sure, some of them may possess intellectual talents beyond our imaginable reach. Most of them, however, are simply employing techniques that boost conceptual understanding, information retention, organisation of ideas, and others!
The good news is that anyone can tap into such study techniques. In fact, many of you may be doing so without even realising it (I know I did!)
Though it will not guarantee a high GPA, if you are already tirelessly studying but aren’t seeing the desired results, this guide will be for you!
The image above depicts the “forgetting curve”, which is the foundation of the memory model created by the German psychologist, Hermann Ebbinghaus, who tested his own memory with arbitrary words over time to see how well he could recount them.
He found that 90% of all new information is forgotten within a week, and that spaced repetition is the perfect weapon to combat this!
This technique is often misunderstood as simply re-reading the same material. What it really is would be to review or reacknowledge the main concepts or ideas of your modules over successive sessions to retain and possibly better your initial understanding of them.
You can implement this creatively through flashcards, summarised notes, mind maps, self-quizzes, or any form of practice that incorporates the concepts.
(Here’s a tip: the first 3 are mainly for qualitative mods, while the latter is pretty much necessary for quantitative mods.)
You’re essentially massaging the information into your brain rather than pounding it in all at once. The effective time spent on studying can be reduced significantly when you should retain most of what was taught rather than having to cram knowledge in an all-nighter.
Here’s a few online tools you can use to apply this technique:
Quizlet – flashcards, quizzes, collaborative decks
Knowt – easy flashcard maker, can use images
AnkiWeb – spaced repetition algorithm, highly customisable
Mnemosyne – very similar to Anki, open-source, simpler interface
StudySmarter – comprehensive platform, note-taking, spaced repetition
Another technique that should be in your arsenal is ‘Active Recall’.
If you seem to be struggling with content heavy, qualitative modules that require a lot of memorizing (especially for closed book tests and quizzes) then this is what you need!
Active recall is essentially prompting yourself to constantly regurgitate what you have learnt from memory. This need not be word for word of what your professor has said, but rather everything you know in your own words (but of course include keywords necessary for the mark!)
It should be done multiple times over the course, adding to what you may have missed, correcting what you have misunderstood, and removing what is not necessary.
In a way, this goes hand-in-hand with ‘Spaced Repetition’ - you must cross check with the actual content to confirm if your recollection is correct and crosses all the checkboxes for a mark.
An easy and quick way of implementing it is by asking yourself open-ended questions regarding a specific concept you have just learned (You can even say your answers out loud to yourself to process it faster!)
You can use the same tools suggested for spaced repetition: Flashcards and quizzes are excellent concept checkers, which build up your long-term memory.
Moving on, this is a simple but highly effective technique that deepens and really tests your level of understanding.
This would be something we naturally do if we are friendly with our peers (I hope you are). In a nutshell, we learn a complex concept better through teaching it in simple words.
Teaching others not only tests your own understanding of the concepts but also associates them to personal experiences, improving your comprehension.
The main merit is in quickly figuring out your gaps in understanding when you aren’t able to fluently relay what you have learnt to a peer. And if you’re able to succinctly teach, you gain confidence - imperative in knowing what to glance over and what to focus on during revision sessions.
In the words of the renowned American physicist, Richard Feynman himself, “If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.”
This man pioneered the field of quantum computing and introduced the idea of nanotechnology, pretty much the Tony Stark of our universe.
The easiest ways to apply this technique:
Teaching your peers (requires friendship level 1 at least)
Loom – video recording tool, video-to-text generation (or just use Camera)
NotebookLM – upload your notes/lecture slides, type out your explanations, check gaps with this AI tool that is an expert in your studies
This next technique is more of a habit. Goal setting is taught and practised in relation to our future aspirations, grade targets, and life accomplishments; but it isn’t emphasised enough on how it can help us in our routine lives.
Short-term goals can be set for your study sessions using the same framework used for long-term goal setting. The goal, or in this case, agenda for your study sessions should be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-bound (S.M.A.R.T).
An example of such a goal would be:
“I plan to study all about Persuasive Message Writing in the span of 2 hours. At the end of it, I should have a clear understanding of the communication planning, writing framework, and structure, as well as have read at least 3 different sample questions and answers.”
Without a SMART goal, most students face distractions and are less efficient in studying as they have not defined their study session well.
This is also an important skill when it comes to time management and should be used for every study session you hold, changing the defined objectives as and when you need to.
Also, try not to be distracted during the duration you have set for yourself so you can do ‘deep work’. Concentration improves your brain performance!!
Some tools at your disposal:
My Bonus Hidden Technique!
Since you’ve read ‘til here, here’s a BONUS technique that not many will know:
A great habit to adopt is studying or reading key concepts that you would like to remember right before sleeping.
Dr. Matthew Walker, a sleep scientist at the University of California, Berkeley observed, “...Sleep after learning is essential to help save and cement that new information into the architecture of the brain, meaning that you’re less likely to forget it.” If you find it difficult to digest loads of information, take a nap or sleep (don’t use this as an excuse to sleep 24/7!!).
Concluding Remarks:
These essential techniques can help you manage your time effectively and achieve greater results with fewer hours spent studying.
Note that most modules require a mixture of techniques, so do not make the mistake of sticking to just one technique and hoping that it will be sufficient. There is no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ technique either; it’s all dependent on the subject at hand, your learning style, personal preferences, and other factors.
You can assess your personal learning style at the Vark Questionnaire, a short test to see what kind of learner you are. Knowing this will help you choose the right study techniques for yourself.
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