How to Become a Straight-A student

What was my secret? Efficiency. The simple truth is that the brute force techniques used by most students are incredibly inefficient

“Jason, a straight-A student from the University of Pennsylvania, uses the term “pseudo-working” to describe this common approach to studying. The pseudo-worker looks and feels like someone who is working hard—he or she spends a long time in the library and is not afraid to push on late into the night—but, because of a lack of focus and concentration, doesn’t actually accomplish much. ”

“So how do these students achieve this goal? A big part of the solution is timing—they gain efficiency by compressing work into focused bursts. To understand the power of this approach, consider the following simple formula: work accomplished = time spent x intensity of focus”

“However, once you figure out what work needs to be done and when, it’s like a weight being lifted from your shoulders. The uncertainty vanishes: When you work, you can fully concentrate on the assignment in front of you, and when you relax, you can do so without any anxiety. ”

Part 1 Study Basics

Step1 Manage your time

Use to-do list, inbox and calendar to do time management. (What I have known about)

“ Jot down to-dos and deadlines on a list whenever they arise.”

“ Transfer these to-dos and deadlines to your calendar every morning.”

Step2 Declare War on Procrastination

“#1: Keep a work progress journal”

record what you are going to do in the morining and see what you have done at night

“#2: Feed the Machine”

being energetic

“#3: Make an event out of the worst tasks”

“Some tasks are so horrible that even just the thought of beginning them can send chills down your spine. ”

“As Laura, a straight-A Dartmouth student, explains: “When studying for something I don’t especially enjoy, I try to make an event out of it.” Find an out-of-the-way restaurant, coffee shop, or bookstore café. ”

Step 3

Choose When, Where, and How Long”

“Before we get caught up in the details of exactly how to review and synthesize material, there are some basic questions that we must address first: When during the day should you study? Where should you go to study? How long should you study before taking a break? The right answers ”

“When is the best time to study? ANSWER: Early.”

“Where should you study? ANSWER: In isolation.”

“The isolation of these spots is important for the obvious reason: It shields you from distraction.”

“How long should you study? ANSWER: No more than one hour at a time without a break.”

“As Laura from Dartmouth recounts: “I swear I get more done taking regular breaks than I would if I just worked straight through.”

“Why does this timing work the best? I don’t know exactly. Some cognitive science research concludes that about fifty minutes is the optimal learning period to maximize the material synthesized per time unit. ”

Part 2 Quizzes and Exams

As Greta, a straight-A student from Dartmouth, explains, for technical courses you should focus on “capturing lots of detailed explanations of problems…the more notes the better.” In other words, you can forget about big ideas. The key to taking notes in a technical course is to record as many sample problems as possible. When you study, these sample problems will prove to be your most important resource.”

How to take a note

“To refresh your memory, the core of this strategy is that all big ideas can be reduced to a question, evidence, and conclusion. This approach can work wonderfully for reading assignments as well. ”

Demote Your Assignments

“Work a little bit each day on your assignments; avoid suffering from day-before syndrome.”

Part3 Essays and Papers

偏向学术研究，暂不记录