An evidence-based approach to better
grades in less time.
by Mike & Matty
The most important
thing to understand:
Learning and Studying are not the same thing.
Learning is the cognitive process that happens
in our brains:
understanding ideas
remembering information
applying knowledge
Studying is the physical action that we
do, in order to produce that learning:
reading a textbook
writing notes
doing practice problems
1 hour of studying does not equate to 1 hour
of learning.
If you’re unfocused or using ineffective study
techniques, then you’re learning nothing.
Same as how lying in bed for 1 hour does not
equate to 1 hour of restful sleep.
But if you master the skill of studying,
that changes everything. You’ll
learn faster
retain more knowledge
score higher on exams
and spend less time studying
Learning how to learn can completely
change your life.
What is Learning?
Learning is acquiring knowledge and
storing it in our long-term memory in a
way that we can retrieve and use later.
The Learning Cycle
Connect
Construct
to the big picture or
prior knowledge
conceptual chunks
of information
Material
Working
Memory
Long Term
Memory
Challenge
my understanding
Construct
We gather new information, group
them together, and construct chunks.
This helps us:
identify core concepts
create a scaffold
see the big picture
Chunk similar
ideas together
Connect
We connect new information to our
prior knowledge. This is called
encoding.
It improves comprehension and
retention of knowledge in our long
term memory.
(br
ain
)
unknown
information
known
information
(aka knowledge)
Challenge
We challenge our knowledge by
retrieving and applying it:
answering questions
solving problems
taking exams
building things
being creative
etc
(br
ain
)
use
information
What is Studying?
Studying is performing techniques and
strategies that facilitate the 3 C’s of the
Learning Cycle.
The Learning Cycle
Connect
Construct
to the big picture or
prior knowledge
conceptual chunks
of information
Material
Working
Memory
Long Term
Memory
Challenge
my understanding
The 3 core study
strategies
Mixing: "Interleaving"
practicing a topic from different
perspectives to acquire a wellrounded understanding.
Quizzing: "Active recall"
attempting to recall prior
knowledge without context
clues or help from your notes.
Spacing: "Spaced repetition"
spreading out your review of
information over time, rather
than cramming all at once.
01
Interleaving is like practicing under
different situations.
fast
slow
curved
Question: Who would be better at hitting curve balls?
Player A who practices only curve balls, or
Player B who practices every type of ball?
Answer: Player B. Why?
Player A developed the muscle memory to curve balls and knew
exactly what was coming. Player A's brain only had curve balls on
mind.
Player B had to be ready for any type of ball. He had to understand
the similarities and differences between all three. Therefore, his
brain had to make connections between all the types.
Interleave and randomize your practice to be ready for curveball
questions on the day of the exam.
02
Interleaving is like cooking multiple dishes
with the same ingredient.
Cooking the same fish dish over and over is not going
to make you an expert in fish cuisine. It will only help
you improve that single dish. To master fish cuisine,
mix it up and practice different techniques to find
connections between different styles.
bake
steam
fry
roll
To become a master chef, you must understand how
different ingredients work in different situations.
To make more connections, don't just study with one
technique. Use multiple techniques under different
situations: do past papers, teach the info, use
flashcards, study in groups, etc.
03
Recall forces us to practice in the same
way that we will be tested.
You will never get better at tennis if you just keep
collecting new tennis rackets. You need to take the
racket out of the closet and practice on the court.
You will never change your life if you just read books.
You will only change if you apply the lessons that you
learned from those books.
You can’t do well on your exams if you just listen to
lectures or read your notes. You have to practice in the
same way that you will be tested. Exams test you on
recalling information straight from memory, not from
your notes. Practice recalling with practice problems,
past papers, and practice tests.
04
Recall forces us to challenge ourselves and
test our knowledge.
If you want to be a bodybuilder, then lifting light
weights won't grow your muscles. You need to
challenge yourself with heavier weights.
When your study methods are too easy, you'll get
bored and lose interest. When your study methods are
too difficult, you'll get frustrated and give up. We want
the right amount of challenge to keep us motivated.
You can’t do well on your exams if you just listen to
lectures or read your notes. This is too easy to do. You
must challenge your understanding by using more
difficult study techniques. Close your notes and recite
from memory. Or teach someone using only simple
language.
05
Multiple repetitions are better than one
single cramming session.
Design your study system to allow for multiple
viewings of the material. We aim to gain confidence in
our knowledge with each viewing if we identify and
improve on our weaknesses.
Preview
Before class, take some time to preview the
material and familiarize yourself with the key
terms. Don't let the first day of class be the first
time you see the material. Look up definitions
you don't know. Watch summary videos to
expose yourself to the main ideas. All of this
helps to construct a foundation.
View
The first full view of the material typically occurs
during lectures and is guided by your professor.
The goal is to understand all the main concepts
and how they connect to each other. Ask
clarifying questions. Don't commit to memorizing
details until you have grasped the big picture.
Review
It's a good idea to review your notes immediately
after class or later the same day when the info is
still fresh in your head. After that, space out your
reviews into multiple passes. This helps you
challenge yourself and fill the gaps in your
knowledge.
06
Space out your energy and attention
wisely to adequately cover all the
different topics.
Some topics are more difficult for us than others. But
we only have a limited number of days until the exam.
If every topic were a different plant, then we only have
a limited amount of water for our plants. We must
allocate our resources wisely and focus on building
confidence.
math
science economics
writing history
art
Space out your review sessions so that you have more
time to spend on topics you are less confident about.
You do not need to waste much time studying topics
you already feel confident about.
In summary:
Learning and Studying are not the same thing.
Learning is the cognitive process that happens
in our brains:
understanding ideas
remembering information
applying knowledge
Studying is the physical action that we
do, in order to produce that learning:
reading a textbook
writing notes
doing practice problems
Let’s get creative!
If the brain is like a forest...
then learning is like a growing tree,
and studying is the character playing the game.
Construct
Connect
to your prior
knowledge
Plant your seeds of
knowledge
Challenge
the fruits of your knowledge
to grow more trees
If you want to really take the game of
learning to the next level, then check
out our ultimate program Study Quest.
You’ll discover roadmaps and systems
on how to maximize the amount that
you learn, while minimizing the amount
of time spent.
Visit the academy for more details:
www.cajunkoi.com/landings/study-quest