How I STUDY for EXAMS as a MATHS student at Oxford (Active Recall, Spaced Repetition, Past Papers) 📓

Summary

In this video, a fourth-year mathematics student at Oxford shares her study methods and exam strategies. She emphasizes the importance of finding a study method that suits individual learning styles and needs. Her preferred approach combines active recall, spaced repetition, and practicing past papers. She explains how to break down material into manageable sections, review them at increasing intervals, and prioritize topics based on difficulty and recency. The video offers practical tips for memorizing proofs and definitions, as well as problem-solving skills, aiming to help viewers adapt these strategies to their own studies.

Takeaways

• 📚 **No One-Size-Fits-All Study Method**: Every student has a unique learning style, and what works for one might not work for another.
• 🎓 **Active Recall**: Engage with material by actively trying to recall it without looking at the source, which strengthens memory and understanding.
• 🔄 **Spaced Repetition**: Review material at increasing intervals over time to prevent forgetting and promote long-term retention.
• 📈 **Adapt Your Study Plan**: Tailor your study schedule based on the number and difficulty of your exams.
• 📅 **Start Early**: Begin studying well in advance to allow for thorough coverage of material and multiple review sessions.
• 📝 **Break Down Material**: Divide large amounts of material into manageable chunks to make studying less overwhelming.
• 🗓️ **Revision Timetable**: Use a timetable to organize study sessions and track your progress and confidence in each section.
• 🧠 **Memorize Key Concepts**: Focus on memorizing important definitions, proofs, and theorems for exams that require bookwork.
• 📑 **Redo Problem Sheets**: Practice problem-solving by redoing all problem sheets to reinforce understanding and application of concepts.
• 📝 **Note Key Ideas**: Write down the key idea of each solution in problem sheets and past papers to simplify revision before exams.
• 📚 **Past Papers**: Practice with past papers to encounter new ideas and improve problem-solving skills, aiming for at least four per module.

Q & A

What is the main challenge students face when searching for the best study method?

The main challenge is finding a study method that resonates with their unique learning style and needs, as there are numerous methods circulating online and in universities, leading to overwhelming and contradicting advice.

What is Yuanna's educational background and the focus of her video?

Yuanna is a fourth-year mathematics student at the University of Oxford, and her video focuses on discussing her study methods and strategies for exams.

What does Yuanna suggest as the key to success in finding a study method?

Yuanna suggests that the key to success is finding a study method that resonates with one's unique learning style and needs, and it's important to explore and adapt strategies from others to one's own needs.

What are the components of university-level math exams according to Yuanna?

University-level math exams consist of bookwork, which includes memorized material such as proofs and definitions, and new material where students need to apply the concepts learned in lectures in a new context.

How does Yuanna approach the preparation for her exams?

Yuanna prepares for her exams by ensuring she has covered all her courses in detail, memorized all definitions, proofs, theorems, and counterexamples, and then moves on to problem sheets and past papers.

What is the timeline Yuanna follows for starting her exam preparation?

Yuanna starts her exam preparation in mid-March if her exams are at the beginning of June, but she emphasizes that the timeline can be adjusted based on individual needs and the number of exams.

What is active recall and how does Yuanna use it in her study strategy?

Active recall is a method that involves actively retrieving information from memory rather than passively reviewing it. Yuanna uses it by writing down important things from memory after reading through lecture notes or slides.

Can you explain the concept of space repetition as described by Yuanna?

Space repetition is a technique where information is reviewed at increasing intervals over time, based on the forgetting curve, to prevent forgetting and promote long-term retention of information.

How does Yuanna apply space repetition in her study routine?

Yuanna applies space repetition by reviewing material after 2 days, then 3 days, 4 days, 5 days, and so on, with each review session occurring at strategically chosen times based on her confidence level and the forgetting curve.

What is Yuanna's approach to problem sheets and past papers?

Yuanna's approach is to redo all of her problem sheets to ensure she knows how to solve all questions and to do as many past papers as possible to practice and learn new ideas and methods.

What is Yuanna's top tip for studying problem sheets and past papers?

Yuanna's top tip is to write down the key idea of the solution below every question in the homework and past papers, so that during exam time, one only needs to revise these key concepts.