Massachusetts Institute of Technology, commonly known as MIT.
Just hearing the name gives the image of a place where the brightest minds gather.
People from all over the world come together, take difficult classes, handle assignments as if they were nothing, and produce results on tests.
Looking at such a group of geniuses, one might wonder:
How do these people usually study?
Of course, some may have natural intelligence. Their concentration, comprehension, and amount of effort might be different from ordinary people.
But is that really all there is to it?
People who are good at studying don't just sit at their desks for long hours. Rather, they are quite strict about choosing what to do and what not to do within a limited time.
What I'm introducing this time are seven study methods shared by Gohar Khan, an education creator and MIT graduate.
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FeBKAzEmTB0
However, the point of this article isn't just that "MIT graduates are amazing."
The important thing is that people who are good at studying don't just compete on the amount of effort; they design the way they study itself.
"I study for a long time but don't improve."
"When it's before a test, I don't know where to start."
"I think I'm reviewing, but it doesn't lead to better scores."
If you've felt this way, what you need might not be more grit, but a review of how you proceed with your studies.
In this article, I will introduce seven methods to try before increasing your study time.
1. Don't be obsessed with study time
Many people judge their study effort by "how many hours they did."
I did 5 hours today.
I sat at my desk longer than yesterday.
I worked hard late into the night because it's before the exam.
Of course, study time is one guideline. However, it is dangerous to measure results by that alone.
Even with the same 5 hours, there is a complete difference between spending 5 hours aimlessly reading a textbook and spending 5 hours solving problems to check for gaps in understanding.
What you should really look at is not "how long you were sitting." It's what you became able to do in that time.
People who don't improve despite studying for a long time might not be lacking effort, but rather their way of measuring effort might be off.
When asked "What did you become able to do today?" instead of "How many hours did you do today?", can you answer immediately?
Point
Look at results by "what you became able to do," not study time.
To do today
Decide on one thing you want to be able to do before starting your study.
2. Read textbooks from the back
We tend to think that textbooks should be read in order from the first page.
However, when time is limited or before an exam, trying to read perfectly from the beginning often leads to failure.
You spend too much time on the early stages.
You get stuck on detailed explanations.
You can't reach the important points at the end.
Many people must have had this experience.
That's where the method of reading the textbook "from the back" is effective.
First, check the summary or key points at the end of the chapter. Next, scan the headings, diagrams, bold text, and boxed sections. Then, read the main text.
The aim of this reading style is to know the goal first.
If you read details without knowing the big picture, it's hard to judge what is important. Conversely, if you grasp the main points first, it becomes easier to organize information as "this seems important" when you read the text.
A textbook is not something to read in order from the beginning, but something to conquer in order to understand.
Until now, were you reading to understand the content? Or were you reading to get the peace of mind that you read from page one?
Point
Look at the goal first before entering the main text.
To do today
Look at the chapter summary, headings, and diagrams before reading the textbook.
3. Batch your tasks
When you study, do you switch subjects frequently?
Memorize a few English words.
Next, solve some math.
After that, do some Japanese reading comprehension.
When you get bored, move on to memorizing history.
At first glance, it looks like you are progressing through various subjects in a balanced way.
However, this is a heavy burden on the brain.
The way you use your head is different when memorizing English words, doing math calculations, reading text, and writing answers.
Every time you switch tasks, the brain has to re-enter a new mode. Each time, concentration is interrupted, and it takes time to get deep into it again.
Therefore, it is recommended to group tasks not by subject, but by
thinking process.
For example, group calculation problems together. Group reading comprehension together. Consolidate memorization tasks. Process essay writing or descriptive problems together as writing work.
This reduces brain switching and makes it easier to get into the flow of concentration.
The reason study doesn't progress isn't just because the content is difficult. It's also because you switch too frequently, making your concentration fragmented.
Is your study plan just listing subjects? Or is it built considering how the brain is used?
Point
Group tasks by how you use your head, not by subject.
To do today
Reorder today's study into "memorization," "calculation," "reading," and "writing."
4. Set a time limit
When you have plenty of time, it feels like you'll get good results.
But in reality, the more time you have, the more the work tends to drag on.
An assignment that has a week takes a week. A 3-hour study session uses up the full 3 hours. Even though there should be plenty of time, it ends up being last minute.
What you can use there is
the method of intentionally setting a shorter time limit.
For example, if an assignment seems like it would take 3 hours, set a timer with the intention of finishing it in 2.5 hours. For a 60-minute problem set, try to solve it in 50 minutes.
The point is not to make it an impossible time. Make it just a little bit tight.
Then, the brain judges that "I have to concentrate right now or it won't end." Time spent thinking about unnecessary things decreases, and the speed of moving your hands increases.
A deadline is not a punishment to drive yourself. It is a device to draw out concentration.
Do you decide on an end time before starting to study? Or are you in a state where time just passes before you know it?
Point
A slightly shorter time limit increases the density of concentration.
To do today
Set a timer and decide on an end time before starting to study.
5. Discard problems you can't solve
In both studying and testing, we sometimes obsess over a single problem.
I've thought this far, so I want to stick with it a bit longer. I've solved it halfway, so I don't want to skip it now. Giving up on this problem feels like losing.
I understand that feeling well.
However, obsessing too much over one question can lower your overall score.
What's important in a test is not using the same amount of time for all questions. It's about reliably getting the questions you can get within the limited time.
If you keep stopping for a long time on a problem you don't understand, you won't be able to get to the problems you should have been able to solve. As a result, the loss in points becomes larger than the effort spent challenging the difficult question.
Skipping problems you can't solve is not running away. It is a judgment to maximize your score.
If you feel it's impossible after thinking for a bit, mark it and move on. If you have time left at the end, come back to it.
People who can make this switch find it easier to get stable scores.
Are you losing sight of "getting points" by obsessing too much over "solving problems you don't understand"?
Point
Prioritize maximizing your score over sticking it out.
To do today
Mark problems you can't solve and move on for now.
6. Do simple tasks first
In studying, there are tasks where the time is easy to predict and tasks where the time tends to expand.
For example, checking 30 English words. Organizing handouts. Solving calculation problems in a fixed range.
You can predict how much time these tasks will take to some extent.
On the other hand, tasks like writing a report, thinking about free-response questions, searching for solutions to difficult problems, or planning a structure tend to have no clear end.
The more you think, the more time passes. You intend to look something up briefly, but realize a lot of time has passed. You try to increase the quality and end up using all the scheduled time.
That's why it's recommended to finish simple tasks first.
Finish the tasks where time is easy to predict first. After that, tackle the heavy tasks with the remaining time.
This way, a natural deadline is created for the heavy tasks as well.
The order of study is not something to decide by motivation alone. It's something to decide by considering how easily time expands.
Are you always having your time sucked away by heavy tasks and putting off assignments that should end easily?
Point
Finishing simple tasks first creates a deadline for heavy tasks.
To do today
Separate "tasks that end quickly" and "tasks where time expands" before studying.
7. Review only the parts you don't understand
When people hear "review," some imagine redoing everything from the beginning.
Rewriting notes beautifully. Reading the textbook again. Checking the range covered in class from the start.
Of course, there are situations where that is necessary.
However, looking back many times at what you already understand won't change your grades significantly.
This is because it's not increasing what you can newly do, but just confirming what you already know.
Reading parts you understand is easy. It gives peace of mind. It feels like you are studying.
But what really makes you grow is when you face the parts you don't understand.
So, during class or problem practice, mark the parts where you feel "I don't understand this." When reviewing, start from those marked places.
You don't need to rewrite all your notes beautifully. The important thing is to find your gaps and fill them.
Reviewing is not a task for peace of mind. It is a task to change what you couldn't do into what you can do.
Is your review time becoming a time to deepen understanding? Or is it becoming a time to feel relieved by tracing only the parts you understand?
Point
Reviewing is not a time to confirm what you know, but a time to fill gaps.
To do today
Mark the parts you didn't understand and start your review from there.
Summary: People who grow are better at cutting waste than at the amount of study
The study methods introduced this time are not things that can't be done without special talent.
The important thing is not to increase difficult techniques, but to reduce waste from your current study.
If you're going to try it from today, first try using this To-Do list.
- Decide "what you will be able to do" instead of "how many hours you will do" in today's study
- Look at the chapter summary, headings, and diagrams before reading the textbook
- Group similar tasks like calculation, reading, memorization, and writing together
- Set a slightly shorter time limit before starting to study
- Mark problems you can't solve and move on for now
- Finish simple tasks first to create a deadline for heavy assignments
- In review, crush the parts you don't understand instead of the parts you do
What these lists have in common is not about taking it easy.
It's about letting go of "study that makes you feel like you did it" and using time for parts that actually lead to results.
Sitting at a desk for a long time gives a sense of security that you are making an effort. Organizing notes beautifully makes you feel like you studied. Looking back at parts you understand many times brings back confidence.
But that sense of security can sometimes be an obstacle to improving your grades.
What's important in studying is not just increasing time. It's about what to cut and where to concentrate within the limited time.
I myself am not the genius type who is good at studying, but rather the type who has led to results while devising methods.
Through that, I was able to get a TOEIC score of 930 and pass the Information Security Registered Safety Support Specialist exam.
That's why I believe that study is not decided by "talent alone," and results can change considerably just by changing the method.
If you found this article helpful, I also post about study methods, qualification learning, and English learning on X, so I'd be happy if you followed me.
Also,
"I want to know more about this study method"
"I'm curious how I should proceed in my case"
"I want to consult about how to proceed with qualification or English learning"
If you have anything like that, please feel free to let me know via DM.
Where you are stuck now might not be a lack of effort, but just that you haven't met a study method that suits you yet.
-----> @edward_toeic
