A few years ago, I realized I didn’t have an effective study method, and so I began my journey through scientific articles, books, and videos to try to improve. I learned a lot and delved deeply into the field of mnemonics. Despite this, due to perfectionism and decision paralysis, I only rarely managed to study as well as I would have liked. I know it’s better to start imperfectly and correct along the way, but every time I try a method, I abandon it or replace it shortly afterward. Paradoxically, I would be much further along in my journey if I had never discovered this world; in fact, I often find myself reading books or watching videos on those topics instead of studying what I should. Based on my research, a good method should consist of the following phases:
PLAN: choose sources and organize your time.
ACQUIRE INFORMATION: engage with the information carefully, taking into account the cognitive load and therefore stopping before overloading your working memory (read, listen, watch a video).
UNDERSTAND AND REPROCESS: ask questions, analyze, organize mentally or on paper, try to explain in simpler terms, find examples, metaphors, apply to real-world cases, use mnemonics for more difficult data, connect to prior knowledge. All these steps should be done using active recall, without looking at the source while processing.
TEST AT SPACED INTERVALS: after reprocessing, it’s important to recall the information using the spacing effect. This practice can be done with flashcards, answering questions posed during reprocessing, freely recalling, or doing exercises in the case of practical subjects. The important thing is to actively extract the information from your brain, avoiding passive methods like rereading. The source can be revisited after attempting to recall the information to get feedback and exploit the overcorrection effect.
This, in short, should be the definitive method. What do you think? Based on my research, it should be a valid method based on scientific foundations (cognitive load theory, generative effect, testing effect, dual coding, overcorrection effect, spacing effect, etc.). With this message, I intend to stimulate a productive discussion about studying, help those who have doubts, and establish a sort of contract to commit to applying it more consistently.
I did do the same and you are here. You study about mnemonics but are not consistent on it. I am suspecting you have a degree of success in some artistic pursuit and know the mechanics of them like me. You have obsession to continue what you felt is easy. You feel research easier than practice.
Just answer this to yourself, not to me, just to yourself.You know those words (cognitive load, generative effect, testing effect, spaced repetition) but have not felt them working or cannot channel them to your study, isn’t it?
You have developed a great potential by all your research. These hard earned research knowledge will help with diagnosis, relatedness and autonomy boosting your confidence in days to come. You shall be able to condence these ideas to core so much so that transfering them to other person will be piece of cake.
The only thing that is stopping you is using this ideas in your work. You do not have cognitive constrains. YOu have behavioural ones. Search for ways how you could behaviourally regulate yourself. Your research is beyond mnemonics and Method Of Loci which I believe to be the most potent that I know of is just mimickery of natural episodic memory and nothing more. It is a simulated experience in controlled mental environment and nothing more. That is what my research and practice led me to and it is a lived experience not a theory or an idea. Your research is beyond that which will help you immensly in your life and others.
I am giving you fixed set of instructions to follow. Relax and just do it.
Take a topic of your choice.
Study for 5 minutes.
Encode some words or concepts which you felt like were hard through your choice of mnemonic.
Do this for 7 days 3 times a day.
I know you are very fast on analysis. You have a good analytical brain but you are not allowed to analyse my instructions. If it’s uncomfortable, so be it. Stay with that discomfort and do it for a week. We shall discuss further after that.
Hi. In my opinion your method is not bad. But a little bit mechanic. And I think you have to aggregate more phases. Maybe a whole page. And study it very well.
And the other thing is that is too scientific. Adapt it to what you really need. All persons are different.
Besides about what you say that you lose time with it, take it like a hobby. I do it. Don’t use it so much time. Give it a short time each day only. Hope it be useful.