As a student—whether an undergraduate or preparing for entrance examinations into the university—you are most likely faced with the challenge of covering a wide range of topics in your subjects, lesson notes, and other resources relevant to your course of study.
Practically, you don’t want to only read them but also be able to learn them faster and without forgetting. Of course, the essence of studying for an exam is for what you read to sink into your brain—to understand and remember it when you get to the examination hall. So, how do you learn faster without forgetting what you’ve learned?
Below are proven tips that have been used by cognitive learning authorities through their books and teachers around the world. These are practical, applied learning tips:
1) Understand Your Learning Time
Everyone has their best time for studying. Some need a quiet place, while others can easily adapt to any learning environment. For some, the best time to study is early morning when distractions are minimal; for others, it’s late at night.
Prof. Dennis Stemmle, author of “Time Management Secrets for College Students: The Underground Playbook for Managing School, Work, and Fun”, emphasizes the need for students to effectively schedule their time for learning, manage academic responsibilities, and prioritize learning time for academic success.
While Stemmle’s book doesn’t explicitly focus on learning time, the takeaways focus on setting goals, breaking down tasks, and scheduling study time efficiently to balance academics, work, and personal life—while minimizing procrastination and distractions.
This means you have to understand your learning time by recognizing how much time is needed for different tasks and prioritizing them effectively.
It is impossible to set academic goals without knowing the best time to study in a way that enables comprehension.
Practical tips: If you haven’t discovered your best learning time, try waking up early in the morning to study for a week and stick with the schedule. Then take a two-day break and try studying at night for another week. Measure the results based on your concentration and cognitive ability to remember what you read—and stick with what works best.
2) Understand Your Learning Style
One of the best ways to take control of your learning is to understand your learning style. Ask yourself:
- Do I learn faster through visuals like photos or videos?
- Does audio help me more than visuals?
- Will combining both improve my learning?
According to Barbara K. Given, who explains five learning systems within the “Interactive Observational Style” framework, self-awareness in your learning process enables you to select strategies that align with your strengths. Understanding your learning style is more effective than just studying harder.
Applied method: If you’re preparing for a Research Communication class and have memorized research methodologies, write them down on a sheet of paper. If you understand things better through visuals, search for related topics on YouTube—you’ll be amazed by how many videos have covered the topic.
3) Retrieval Method
This is what some authors refer to as the “Active Recall Method.” It involves testing yourself on what you’ve learned. The method suggests that instead of reading five books on five subjects in a row, you should pause between each to try and recall what you read.
This method not only strengthens your brain, it also expands your memory—feeding your brain with useful information and making it easier to recall later.
In “Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning”, Peter C. Brown, Henry L. Roediger III, and Mark A. McDaniel describe active recall as a cornerstone of effective learning. They argue that active recall is superior to passive methods like re-reading.
In another applied research by Henry L. Roediger III and Andrew C. Butler found that active recall can improve retention by up to 80% compared to passive review, as noted in their journal “The Critical Role of Retrieval Practice in Long-Term Retention”.
Applied method: Brown et al. recommend self-testing with questions derived from study materials to practice retrieval. After reading a book, close it and try to retrieve the key concepts. Retrieval reinforces learning and helps you retain what you read.
4) Spaced Repetition
Authors such as Barbara Oakley (Learn Like a Pro), Peter C. Brown et al. (Make It Stick), and John Medina’s “Brain Rules: 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home, and School” have all explored spaced repetition in the context of faster learning. They conclude that reviewing what you read at increasing intervals enhances retention and recall.
Benedict Carey, in his 2014 book “How We Learn: The Surprising Truth About When, Where, and Why It Happens”, recommends breaking study sessions into smaller, spaced intervals to exploit the “spacing effect.” He also suggests varying your study environment to boost retention.
Practical tips: Cramming might help you pass, but you’ll likely forget everything after the exam. Instead, cultivate the habit of studying a book or subject over time using spaced review.
5) Teach Someone
You’re more likely to learn faster when you act like a teacher trying to impart knowledge. Teaching forces you to organize your thoughts and identify gaps in your understanding, which strengthens your memory.
Barbara Oakley and Terrence Sejnowski mention in “Learning How to Learn: How to Succeed in School Without Spending All Your Time Studying; A Guide for Kids and Teens” that teaching others is a powerful learning tool. Explaining material to a peer—or even an imaginary audience—helps solidify long-term memory connections.
Practical tips: Form a study group before exams. Each member can be tasked with teaching or simplifying a topic from the day’s class.
6) Use Mnemonics
Mnemonics involve using acronyms, rhymes, or associations to make complex information easier to remember.
In our undergraduate days, we used the acronym TOFA for ethical principles in “Ethics of Mass Communication” by Babatunde Folarin, Femi Adeseye, and Rotimi Akindele (2002):
- T for Truth
- O for Objectivity
- F for Fairness
- A for Accuracy
I still remember TOFA in the exam hall—and even today. Mnemonics are great for speeding up learning and improving memory.
Another classic example: ROYGBIV (Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet) for the colors of the rainbow.
Kathy DeLashmutt, in her MA Project at the University of Nebraska titled, “A Study of the Role of Mnemonics in Learning Mathematics” explored how mnemonics improved math retention in a fifth-grade class. About 50% of students reported better understanding of concepts like division and fractions thanks to mnemonics.
Practical tips: Create your own acronyms or funny stories for lists or concepts. The sillier, the better—they’re easier to remember! Mnemonics are most powerful when used with spaced repetition.
7) Rest Your Brain
To perform optimally, your brain needs rest. Even if you have three subjects to prepare for, that’s not an excuse to over-stress your brain.
Take naps during the day. Sleep consolidates memories. Don’t neglect exercise—it boosts focus. And good nutrition fuels the brain.
French neuroscientist Stanislas Dehaene writes in “How We Learn : The New Science of Education and the brain” that sleep is fundamental to learning, reinforcing the neural pathways formed during study.
Practical tips: Sleep well, eat brain-boosting foods like yams, fish, nuts, and fruits. Exercise for 20–30 minutes a few times a week and take short walks to stay sharp.
8) Minimize Distractions
In today’s digital age, checking birthdays, responding to messages, or browsing trends can derail your focus. Multitasking fragments attention and weakens memory encoding. It’s better to focus on one task at a time.
In “The Distracted Mind: Ancient Brains in a High-Tech World”, Adam Gazzaley and Larry D. Rosen explain that our brains are wired for novelty, making us prone to distractions. Reducing multitasking helps the brain store information more effectively.
Other books like “Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World” by Cal Newport, “Indistractable: How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life” by Nir Eyal, and “Distracted: Why Students Can’t Focus and What You Can Do About It” by James M. Lang also emphasize the value of deep focus.
Practical tips: Create a distraction-free zone, turn off notifications, and set devices to “Do Not Disturb” while studying.
9) Relational Learning Technique
Learning becomes easier when you connect new knowledge with what you already know. For instance, studying positivism becomes easier if you relate it to quantitative research methods you’re already familiar with.
Charles Van Doren, Joshua Waitzkin, Kevin Horsley, and Brown et al. all support building on existing knowledge to master new concepts in their various published books. In “Unlimited Memory: How to Use Advanced Learning Strategies to Learn Faster, Remember More and be More Productive”, Kevin Horsley recommends using association techniques like the method of loci to link new information with vivid mental images or familiar ideas.
Practical tips: Before studying a new topic, ask yourself: “How does this relate to something I already know?” Create mental or written links to make learning stick.
10) Review and Reflect Regularly
Reviewing what you’ve learned acts as a self-assessment tool. It helps you track progress, identify gaps, and adjust your methods.
Applied tips: Set aside weekly time to review notes and reflect on your study approach. Ask: “What did I learn well? What needs more work?”
Conclusion
Learning faster without forgetting is about working smarter—not just harder. Understanding your learning style, using active recall, spacing out your study sessions, teaching others, using mnemonics, taking care of your brain, and minimizing distractions are all vital.
Which of these tips are already working for you? Or which learning strategies are you willing to try? Let’s hear from you.
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