As an IB student, you are probably balancing a demanding workload with a range of classes, extracurricular activities, and perhaps even a part-time job. Finding the time to study successfully might be challenging when you have so much on your plate. Because they can help you make the most of the time you do have for studying, effective study techniques are CRUCIAL. We'll go over some ideas and tactics for enhancing your study habits and increasing your effectiveness as an IB student in this blog post.
1. Refer to the syllabus
Although this may sound obvious, continually referring to the syllabus is the MOST effective way to study for the IB. The most reliable source of information about what you need to study is the syllabus, which outlines all of the topics and skills that will be covered in the class. When planning your study schedule, you should follow the syllabus's guidelines and ensure that you thoroughly cover all of the content.
Additionally, keep in mind that you will only be tested on the syllabus-listed topics. This indicates that rather than attempting to study additional material that is not included, you should concentrate your studying efforts on the skills and topics listed on the syllabus. You can ensure that you are well-prepared for the exams and that you have a solid understanding of the subject by staying focused on the syllabus.
This may seem fundamental, but if you do not have the syllabus open during every study session you are not maximizing your study efficiency!
2. Create a distraction cheat sheet
Distractions are everywhere nowadays. One way to avoid them is through a distraction cheat sheet! We will go into more detail in future blogs, however, to explain it, it is simply a document where you record all the distractions you come across during your studying and their potential solutions. A distraction-cheat-sheet important to have as it allows you to create an environment that is fully distraction free so you have full control over your studying efficiency.
Below will be an example of a potential distraction cheat sheet along with some common distractions that students come across on a day-to-day basis.
Distractions | Potential Solutions |
Becoming distracted easily by social media messages |
|
Procrastination by scrolling through TikTok/Instagram real/ YouTube reels |
|
Getting distracted on YouTube by irrelevant videos when looking for video tutorials |
|
As you can see this CHEAT SHEET can become a very useful tool when used properly. However, these solutions mean nothing when they're not implemented. Therefore, it is better to have a realistic and practical list of solutions, than an extremely strict and impractical list.
3. Memorize and learn properly!
For every subject, especially sciences such as biology and psychology, the skill of memorization is extremely important. Most students tend to struggle with memorizing as they tried to rely primarily on rote learning. This is where people just repeatedly exposed themselves to a concept until it becomes cemented in their head however this is not the most effective and time-efficient way of memorizing content.
When it comes to memorizing, inquiry-based learning, or active recall, is far superior. We will go into more detail regarding inquiry-based learning in the future however for now let's just introduce you to the basics. Inquiry-based learning relies on you generating curiosity for the subject and then satisfying this curiosity through your own research. Research shows that inquiry-based learning increases the retention of information by up to almost 500%.
With that said, how do you actually implement inquiry-based learning? Here are a few step-by-step tips that should help you get started.
When starting a new topic, create a list of concepts that you don’t know.
From there formulate questions based on these concepts, such as “What is a dipole?” or “What is a coordinate bond and how is it created?”
Use Google or your textbook to find the answer to these questions
Inquiry-based learning is not something you can pick up just in one day. Like all other skills, it requires practice. Be patient; give it some practice and you will be a pro in no time.
Conclusion
That's it! These are 3 tips to help improve your studying. Feel free to ask questions in the comments below. In the future, we will be posting more detailed guides on how to fully eliminate distraction and memorization techniques. Subscribe to our email listing to stay up to date with all our resources!
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