HOW TO STUDY FOR TESTS: Getting 90% On Every Test Using Active Recall; Pro Study Tips!!

Summary

In this video, Marcus shares his efficient study method, aimed at achieving top grades. He emphasizes the importance of a consistent study structure to avoid gaps in knowledge. His technique, known as 'UMPR' (Understand, Memorize, Practice, Reflect), involves understanding concepts deeply, using active recall and flashcards for memorization, practicing with past exam papers, and reflecting on weak areas to ensure complete confidence before a test. Marcus encourages viewers to adapt this evidence-based approach to suit their own learning style for optimal results.

Takeaways

• 📚 **Structure Matters**: Marcus emphasizes the importance of having a consistent study structure before each test to ensure efficiency and effectiveness.
• 🧠 **Understand Before Memorizing**: The 'Understand' phase is crucial as it lays the foundation for memorization, stressing the need to comprehend key concepts before attempting to memorize them.
• 📈 **Active Learning Over Passive**: Active learning techniques, such as active recall, are advocated over passive methods like rereading or highlighting for better memorization.
• 🔍 **Use Diverse Resources**: Employing a mix of resources like textbooks and note forms can cater to different learning paces and familiarity with the material.
• 🗣️ **Test Yourself**: Active recall involves self-testing, which Marcus practices by creating flashcards and quizzing himself to reinforce memory.
• 📝 **Read with Intention**: Reading should be active and purposeful, with an aim to visualize and explain concepts to ensure deep understanding.
• 📑 **Flashcards for Recall**: Flashcards, particularly using apps like Anki, are an effective tool for active recall and memorization.
• 📝 **Practice with Past Papers**: The 'Practice' phase involves working through past papers to apply knowledge and understand marking schemes.
• ⏱️ **Time Management**: Marcus suggests aiming for 30 seconds per question during practice to enhance speed and efficiency for the actual test.
• 🤔 **Reflection to Identify Gaps**: The 'Reflect' phase is about identifying areas of uncertainty or weakness to focus on before the test.
• 💡 **Confidence Through Consistency**: Using the same study structure for every test can boost confidence by ensuring no knowledge gaps are left unaddressed.

Q & A

What is the main focus of Marcus' video?

The main focus of Marcus' video is to share his study techniques for achieving top grades on tests, emphasizing efficient and effective study methods.

Why does Marcus believe in having a specific study structure?

Marcus believes in having a specific study structure because it provides a tried and tested approach, which increases confidence and ensures there are no gaps in knowledge.

What does the acronym UMP R stand for in Marcus' study method?

The acronym UMP R stands for Understand, Memorize, Practice, and Reflect, which are the four parts of Marcus' study method.

How does Marcus approach the 'Understand' section of his study method?

In the 'Understand' section, Marcus uses two different resources, one in long form like a textbook and another in note form, to actively engage with the material and ensure deep understanding.

What is the importance of reading with intention according to Marcus?

Reading with intention is important because it involves actively visualizing and explaining concepts to oneself, leading to better retention and deeper understanding.

How does Marcus ensure he has covered everything in a chapter?

Marcus ensures he has covered everything in a chapter by having a syllabus by his side and marking off parts as he goes through them.

What is active recall and why does Marcus use it for memorization?

Active recall is the process of testing oneself with questions to actively engage with the material, which strengthens neural connections and aids memorization. Marcus uses it because it's scientifically proven to be more effective than passive reading.

Which app does Marcus recommend for creating flashcards?

Marcus recommends the app Anki for creating flashcards as it allows for different types of questions and has useful features for active recall.

How does Marcus use past paper questions in his study routine?

Marcus uses past paper questions topic-specifically in the 'Practice' phase to apply his knowledge and understand the rationale behind the mark schemes.

What is the purpose of the 'Reflect' section in Marcus' study method?

The 'Reflect' section is for identifying and addressing any gaps in knowledge or understanding that were discovered during the practice phase.

How does Marcus ensure he is fully prepared on test day?

On test day, Marcus reviews a sheet of bullet points of areas he is not completely sure about to ensure he has no knowledge gaps.

What advice does Marcus give for creating a personalized study technique?

Marcus advises taking the evidence-based learning tips he provided and adapting them to create a personalized study structure that suits one's own needs.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Study Techniques for Top Grades

Marcus introduces his study method aimed at achieving top grades on tests. He emphasizes the importance of having a structured approach to studying, which includes understanding key concepts deeply rather than just memorizing. He advocates for a consistent study structure to fill any knowledge gaps and build confidence. Marcus outlines his four-part study strategy: Understand, Memorize, Practice, and Reflect (UMPR). The 'Understand' phase involves using different resources to grasp the material thoroughly, focusing on active reading and visualization to ensure deep understanding. He suggests using a textbook for in-depth study and supplementary notes for familiar parts, actively engaging with the material to ensure comprehension.

05:01

🔍 Active Recall and Flashcards for Memorization

Marcus discusses the 'Memorize' phase of his study strategy, advocating for active recall over passive rereading or highlighting. He explains that active recall involves testing oneself with short questions to strengthen neural connections and improve memorization. He recommends using flashcards, specifically the Anki app, which allows for various question types and self-testing. Marcus details his process of creating flashcard decks and using the app for effective recall. He also mentions other alternatives like physical flashcards or online platforms like Quizlet if Anki isn't preferred. The 'Practice' phase involves working through past exam papers, focusing on topic-specific questions and understanding the marking scheme to emulate exam conditions and improve time management.

10:02

🤔 Reflecting on Knowledge Gaps and Final Confidence Boost

In the final paragraph, Marcus describes the 'Reflect' phase of his study method. This involves reviewing and identifying any knowledge gaps after practicing with past papers. He uses a sheet of paper to note down any uncertainties or areas where he is not completely confident. By revisiting these points and actively recalling the information, he ensures comprehensive understanding. Marcus stresses the importance of this reflection for pinpointing areas needing attention and for building exam confidence. He suggests reviewing these notes before the test to reinforce memory and confidence. Marcus concludes by encouraging viewers to adapt his evidence-based techniques to their own study habits, emphasizing the personalization of study strategies. He shares his success with this method, achieving top marks in his IB chemistry and biology tests.

Keywords

💡Efficiency

Efficiency refers to the ability to achieve a desired result without wasting materials, time, or energy. In the context of the video, Marcus emphasizes studying efficiently as a means to maximize learning outcomes with minimal effort. He suggests that many people study in ways that could be more efficient, implying that there is room for improvement in their study techniques.

💡Structure

Structure in this video script refers to a systematic organization or arrangement of study materials and methods. Marcus stresses the importance of having a specific structure before studying for each test to ensure a tried and tested approach, which can lead to better confidence and results. The structure he outlines is crucial for filling any gaps in knowledge.

💡Acronym UMP R

The acronym UMP R stands for Understand, Memorize, Practice, and Reflect, which is Marcus's main study structure. Each letter represents a phase in his study process. The video explains how this acronym guides his study sessions, ensuring comprehensive coverage of the material and aiding in achieving top grades.

💡Understand

To 'Understand' in the video means to grasp the key concepts behind a topic at a deep level. Marcus explains that he can't remember things he doesn't understand, making this the first step in his UMP R method. Understanding is vital for remembering information and explaining processes or concepts, which is often required in exams.

💡Active Recall

Active Recall is a learning technique where one tests themselves to reinforce memory. Marcus contrasts it with passive reading, which he considers less effective. Active Recall strengthens neural connections, helping in long-term retention. He uses flashcards for active recall, which is a critical part of his memorization strategy.

💡Flashcards

Flashcards are small cards used to test one's memory, typically with a question on one side and the answer on the other. Marcus uses flashcards as a tool for active recall, suggesting that they can be customized in various ways, not just question-and-answer. He mentions using an app called Anki for digital flashcards to enhance memorization.

💡Practice

In the context of the video, 'Practice' refers to the phase where Marcus works through past paper questions specific to the topic at hand. This phase is distinct from memorization as it involves applying knowledge to solve problems, often using the mark scheme to understand how to answer questions effectively.

💡Mark Scheme

A mark scheme is a document that outlines the criteria for scoring answers on an exam. Marcus uses the mark scheme while practicing to self-assess and understand the rationale behind grading. This helps him to tailor his answers to what examiners are looking for, which is crucial for success in tests.

💡Reflection

Reflection, as used in the video, is the final phase of Marcus's study method where he reviews what he knows and, more importantly, what he doesn't. It's a process of identifying gaps in understanding and addressing them before the test. Reflection ensures that there are no knowledge gaps and boosts confidence.

💡Homogeneity

Homogeneity in this context means uniformity or consistency. Marcus argues for the importance of using the same study structure each time to ensure confidence in one's study methods. If different structures are used, it's hard to determine their effectiveness, whereas homogeneity provides a reliable benchmark.

💡Evidence-Based Techniques

Evidence-Based Techniques refer to learning methods that are supported by scientific research. Marcus suggests using such techniques like active recall and structured studying, which are proven to be effective. He implies that these techniques have worked for him and could work for others, aligning with the scientific evidence.

Highlights

Marcus shares his study technique for achieving top grades.

Observation that people often study inefficiently.

Importance of having a specific study structure before each test.

Homogeneity in study structure provides confidence in knowledge gaps.

Study structure divided into four parts: Understand, Memorize, Practice, and Reflect (UMPR).

Understanding is key to remembering information.

Using two different resources for studying: long-form and note-form.

Reading with intention to enhance understanding.

Actively visualizing and explaining concepts to oneself.

Using a syllabus to ensure coverage of all topics.

Memorization is not effective through highlighting or rereading.

Active recall-based learning boosts memorization.

Flashcards are an effective tool for active recall.

Using Anki for creating and reviewing flashcards.

Practice involves doing past paper questions to reinforce learning.

Understanding mark schemes is crucial for effective practice.

Reflection helps identify and focus on areas of uncertainty.

Reviewing flashcards and practicing questions to solidify memory.

Confidence in knowledge is built through the reflection process.

Marcus' personal success using the UMPR technique.

Encouragement to adapt the technique to one's own study habits.

Transcripts

hi it's Marcus here this video is about

how I study for tests to get the top

grade and giving you the guidance and

insights so that you can do the same I

made this video because I often observe

people studying in ways that could be

far more efficient and far more

effective and they're getting far fewer

results and they should be getting since

they don't have the proper techniques of

study I also think that it's extremely

important for someone to have a specific

structure and outline that they use

before studying for each test so that

they can use the structure that is tried

and tested and really works for them

so that when they come to do the test

that they are really confident and have

hundred-percent assurance that the way

they studied was the most effective and

the best way they could use to get those

top grade I also feel that using the

same structure will help you be

confident that there are no gaps in your

knowledge because if you use different

structures every time and different ways

of studying every time then you won't

know if a new one is better or worse

than the last one that you use but and

that's why homogeneity is so important

to give you confidence that you will do

well in that test for that reason I came

up with my main structure of how I

studied for tests which is divided into

four parts understand memorize practice

and reflect this gives the acronym UMP R

so the per second is understand and my

main philosophy behind the understand

section is that I can't remember things

that I don't understand in the first

place and so really coming to grips with

the key concept behind a topic that I am

studying is vital to make sure that I

really remember everything that I need

to for the test additionally when doing

longer questions where you have to

explain a process or explain how

something works then you really need to

understand that and get those full marks

so the way I try to understand things is

firstly by using two different resources

open one of them with long form such as

a textbook and another with a sort of

note form such as bio ninja which is

shown here or with the class notes or

teacher slides or any other resource

that you may hear I have the textbook

open to the chapter which I'm studying

so the long form resource is used for

studying chunks of text which I really

need to go in

done and that I not many and I'm not

totally familiar with this will help me

really get coming to grips with exactly

what these concepts and ideas are all

about then the shorter note style

resource will allow me to go faster over

the parts that I really am familiar with

so I don't need to spend a lot of time

taking in large chunks of text which I'm

ready completely know so the key things

I focus on when going over the

understand section is that I read with

intention what this means is that I

don't just passively read the chapter

and absent-mindedly go through it

flicking pages and sort of going yeah I

know there's blah blah blah it doesn't

work like that

I actively tried to visualize and

explain to myself how things work so

that I really understand them at a deep

level it's like when you're doing a

physical exercise you really need to

focus on the muscle that you are working

so that you get the maximum benefit out

of it here it's the same you need to

focus on exactly what you're studying so

that you get a most retention and the

deepest understanding of it then after I

go through a piece of text I ask myself

could I explain this to one of my

friends and often times I actually do

turn to the wall close my belt and try

to explain it as if I was talking

someone what this does is it makes sure

that I can put my understanding into

words because that's basically what

you're doing into the exam and if you

can't turn what you've learned in the

book into words and you haven't really

understood it fully and I have to go

back and reread and revisit when going

through a chapter I also like to have a

syllabus by my side and take off the

parts that I have gone through just so

that I make sure that I've all through

everything I really need to go through

and I'm not missing out any large chunks

of information so this section will

typically take about an hour for a

normal science topic however this can

vary depending on the topic as well as

depending on your familiarity with the

public so the third section is memorized

so when I see people trying to memorize

things I often see them highlighting or

rereading and that is definitely not the

best way to get the most out of your

time the evidence really shows this is

not at all the most effective way of

trying to memorize something and the

passively reading things really doesn't

allow it to stick in your head instead I

prefer to use active repol based

learning which massively boosts

memorization capabilities so what is

active recall and how does it work well

active recall is basically the process

of testing yourself and doing short

questions which cover a whole topic so

that you are actively thinking about

what you are studying rather than

passively taking it in from a book what

this does is it strengthens and neural

connections in your brain and make sure

that the maximum number of neurons are

involved in forming a memory this means

that when it comes the time to actually

remember that memory you will have the

most success when using the recoil so

this has been tested extensively in the

scientific community where active recall

has far better performance both in long

term and short term and in general is a

far more effective tool of memorization

so the best way to do active recall I

believe is to use flashcards now many

people don't like flashcards and

sometimes think that they don't really

work but flashcards can be made in many

different ways it doesn't just have to

be question-and-answer so one app that I

like to use for flashcards is bang key

because it allows you to many different

types of questions such as image

deletions or closed deletions where you

have a sentence and then you can cut out

a section of a sentence

Anke is also incredibly useful because

if the buttons it has where if you don't

know the answer to a question you can

press hard and this will give you the

question again in the next minute if you

do know the answer to a question then

you can press ok or good and this will

give you the question again in 10

minutes normally I don't use the easy

button since it sort of just throws the

question away for three days and I don't

really like using it that way so after I

do the understanding phase of my

studying

and go onto Anki and I make it pack of

questions which normally takes me only

about half an hour then I go through all

of these questions and for any I don't

know I press one minute for any I dunno

I press 10 minutes this way I go through

all of the questions at least twice and

all of the questions which I'm unsure

about elsewhere I don't know and I get

them more times three four even five

times because I will keep pressing the

one and it will keep coming back this

way I can guarantee that I'm

lately familiar and I know all of the

questions for sure

I will be making a more in-depth guide

to using Anki later on since this isn't

the ideal way to use it

and Anki is more of a spaced repetition

platform however this is the way I use

it for just studying for tests and I

feel it is effective to use it this way

in this scenario if you don't want to

use Anke then you can also use other

types of flashcards or other types of

active recall where you can just write

questions for yourself and answer them

or you can use Quizlet where it's

flashcards online or you can even make

physical flashcards I actually did use

this for organic chemistry since it was

much more visual and I had to do a lot

of stuff so that really helped if these

appealed to you then you can do the same

so the third section is practice now you

might be thinking well isn't this just

the same as a section before one level

the science of the two sections are the

same and they both use active recall to

really boost your memory and make sure

that you have memorized everything by

the time the test comes however with the

practice phase I use passed paper

questions which are topic specific where

I do as many questions as I can find on

that topic in the time that I have I

will leave a link in the description

below to where I get most of my past

papers however other teachers do provide

me with past favorite questions before

tests and sometimes I just use those

instead so when doing these questions I

make sure to always have the mark scheme

by my side and this isn't so that I can

cheat and do questions looking at the

mark scheme but rather as I do questions

I am marking myself and I'm looking at

what the mark scheme says about the

questions and I will look specifically

at the keywords that the mark scheme

uses and try to understand the rationale

behind what the mark scheme is saying so

marks looms can be very tricky and

there's no way of getting around it you

just have to learn the mark scheme and

how it works and if you understand it

and you apply that rationale of how the

mark scheme works to other questions and

to the tests that you do in concert then

you're gonna have so much success

because teachers do use pass favorite

questions and the mark speeds are the

same so understanding how the mark team

works I feel is a really important part

to the practice section when doing these

questions just for the sake of time I

to write out my answers in bullet points

just to speed things up and also to get

the main points out there and not have

too much blah blah also when there are

repeated questions I tend to just skip

over them and any questions which I am a

hundred percent certain of and I really

don't need to look at I can also just

skip over them I tried to aim for around

thirty seconds on average per question

now this is ambitious and in tests they

typically give around one minute per

mark however I feel that by doing it 30

seconds per question

built-in multiple choice and and long

answer questions you can really get

things going and get your brain going

really quickly so that when you do get

to the test you have absolutely no

problems with time management bringing

it down to 30 seconds from our will

really allow you to get through the

maximum number of questions

in the time that you have so the next

stage is offer a reflection so the

reflection comes off to the practice

where I reflect all the things I do know

but mostly all the things that I don't

know or I am NOT hundred as insurance so

by this stage I'm already pretty

comfortable with basically everything in

the topic this being said there are

parts which aren't at 100% and those are

the parts which now I really need to

focus on so when doing the practice

questions I have a sheet of lined paper

next to me where I put it in bullet

points to anything that I don't know in

a question or anything that I come

across which I'm not 100% sure about

then after riding a bullet point I open

up my book and remind myself of the

answer to that bullet point whether it

be the fourth stage of meiosis I don't

remember what the fourth stage is so I

go to my book and I remind myself of the

stages of meiosis then I close my book

and I actively try to think about

different steps of meiosis and make sure

that I make sure that it is back in my

memory and I move on with the questions

after going through all of the questions

and typically have pretty much a full

page of just bullet points filled in

with stuff that I'm not 100% sure then I

will build through this sheet and

actively try to think about or describe

or answer the different queries I had

put on the sheet then if I'm able to do

so with a bullet point confidently then

I skip over it and put it take next to

it

if not then I put a star next to it and

I again look in the book and try to

understand and actively think about what

I am unsure about and I move on and I

build through the whole list and I go

back to the bullet point to have a star

next to them and again I try to actively

think about what these encompass so the

reflection process is normally pretty

short about 15 to 20 minutes however I

believe that it is the most important

part of the um PR strategy this is

because it really signals out the parts

which need attention and make sure that

there are absolutely no gaps in my

understanding or in my knowledge or in

my memory of the topic then come test

day then come to stay and take the

little sheet with me while I'm having

breakfast or in a lunch break or

something and make sure that I know

everything really really well and that

there are absolutely no gaps in my

knowledge what this does is a couple of

things firstly it obviously allows me to

remind myself of the subject material

before going into the test that's not

the main thing there are two more

important things in that it allows me to

make sure that I know everything before

the test and if I don't know anything

then I can quickly go back and look at

it so that when comes the test I will

remember it it's ensures that I'm not

left hanging in a test and I just don't

know the answer to a question secondly

and maybe even more importantly it gives

me the confidence that I know everything

there is to know about the topic so that

when I go into the test I'm absolutely

confident that I know everything and I

can get the top rates now I believe that

you can do the same thing too if you use

the same evidence based techniques such

as understanding before you memorize as

well as using active recall to really

boost your memorization skills and make

sure that you know everything before a

test I do believe that this framework

for studying for tests is absolutely

incredible however I did come up with it

so I am biased however it probably isn't

for everyone and as many people say the

best revision technique is the one the

best suits you so this is the one that

best suits me but it might not suit you

it's my advice for that - that would be

take these evidence-based learning tips

that I have given you and

and pack them to make them your own and

create your own structured way of

providing for every test so that it is

completely homogeneous across all tests

and that you really have an established

framework that you can use and ensure

that you get the top marks that you

possibly can in every text so this is

the Marcus patented um PR technique and

I came up with it organically I sort of

just started doing it one day and then

while reading about and I realized that

had automatically already been using

these scientifically proven techniques

to really further my learning and this

technique has really given me the best

results I could ask for to the extent

that I've gotten seven in every single

chemistry and biology higher level test

in the past two years of the IB so I

hope that this video has helped you and

that you have been able to take

something from it that will help you

with your own studies technique and

strategy if you've gained any value from

this video then please consider dropping

a like or subscribing since it really

does help me out so that's it for me

[Music]