Where to start: how to study

Quick placement check

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1. You have just read a chapter. What will help you remember it best next week?

   • Reading it again straight away
   • Closing the book and writing what you remember
   • Highlighting the main points
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   Closing the book and writing what you remember. Testing yourself makes memory do the work, which makes it last.

2. You have 3 hours to prepare for a test next Friday. What is the best way to use them?

   • 3 hours on Thursday night
   • 45 minutes on four different days
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   45 minutes on four different days. Spacing the same time over several days helps you keep it longer.

3. You are practising three kinds of maths problem. Which order teaches more?

   • All of type A, then all of B, then all of C
   • Mixed up, so you don't know which type comes next
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   Mixed up, so you don't know which type comes next. Mixing makes you choose the method each time, as you must in an exam.

4. What is the best use of a 5-minute study break?

   • Scrolling social media
   • Standing up, stretching and getting water
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   Standing up, stretching and getting water. A break away from the screen rests your attention; scrolling keeps it busy.

5. Which plan are you most likely to keep?

   • "I'll study harder this term."
   • "If it's 7 p.m. on a weekday, I do one lesson at my desk."
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   "If it's 7 p.m. on a weekday, I do one lesson at my desk.". A plan that says when, where and what is much easier to follow.