How I UPGRADE the Most Popular Study Techniques
Summary
TLDRDr. Justin Sun, a learning coach and former medical doctor, revisits popular study techniques in a video, offering insights on how to improve their effectiveness with adjustments. Techniques like practice papers can become highly effective by creating answer sheets, while the Pomodoro technique can be enhanced by tracking focus time and taking strategic breaks. Active recall can be maximized by varying the complexity of recall tasks. Pre-studying by understanding the big picture of a topic can significantly boost learning efficiency. Dr. Sun also discusses the appropriate use of mnemonics, Cornell note-taking, and mind mapping, emphasizing their potential when used correctly. He advises against passive study methods like re-reading and highlighting, and suggests that listening to music may be beneficial for low cognitive load tasks but not for intensive study sessions. The video concludes with an invitation for viewers to explore more in-depth videos on each technique.
Takeaways
- π Practice papers can be improved by creating your own answer sheets, which helps identify knowledge gaps and is more effective than other note-taking methods.
- β±οΈ The Pomodoro technique can be enhanced by tracking the time it takes to lose focus and adjusting break times accordingly, ensuring you maintain flow states for as long as possible.
- π§ Active recall can be made more effective by varying the complexity of the material you're recalling, ensuring you're not just repeating the same method over and over.
- π‘ Pre-studying by creating a big picture understanding of a topic can greatly improve learning efficiency, as it provides a scaffold for the new information.
- π« Avoid using mnemonics for complex, multi-relational knowledge that requires manipulation, as they can hinder the ability to apply knowledge flexibly.
- π Cornell note-taking is a reliable method, but its effectiveness is limited and does not significantly change with adjustments.
- π§ Brain dumps can be improved by creating a structure that is deliberately different from the original notes, forcing a new perspective on the information.
- π Summary pages and mind maps can be highly effective for learning if they are done in a way that aligns with relational, nonlinear thinking and deep processing.
- π Flashcards can be very effective if used strategically and for the right type of material, avoiding situations where they are not useful.
- π΅ Listening to music while studying can be counterproductive, as it may distract from the cognitive processes needed for effective learning.
- π Rereading and highlighting text is generally not an effective study technique and is considered almost useless compared to other methods.
Q & A
What is the main focus of Dr. Justin Sun's video?
-Dr. Justin Sun's video focuses on reranking various study techniques based on their potential effectiveness with certain adjustments and modifications.
Why does Dr. Sun suggest removing the answer sheet from practice papers?
-Dr. Sun suggests removing the answer sheet to encourage learners to create their own answer sheets, which is a more generative activity that helps identify knowledge gaps and increases confidence.
How can the Pomodoro technique be made more effective according to Dr. Sun?
-To make the Pomodoro technique more effective, Dr. Sun recommends tracking the amount of time before losing focus and flow, adjusting break times based on the length of the flow session, and engaging in intentional activities during breaks.
What is the key to making active recall more effective?
-The key to making active recall more effective is to be deliberate with the type of recall being practiced, covering a range of knowledge levels from simple facts to complex problem-solving.
What is the importance of pre-study according to the video?
-Pre-study is crucial as it primes the brain by providing a scaffold of relevance before learning a new topic. It helps in creating a big picture understanding of the main ideas and their connections.
How can mnemonics be improved for better learning?
-Mnemonics can be improved by understanding what they are good for and not using them in situations where they are not effective. They are best for checklist-like information that doesn't require manipulation.
Why does Dr. Sun rate Cornell note-taking as a B?
-Dr. Sun rates Cornell note-taking as a B because when done correctly, it provides a structured approach to note-taking that can't be easily done wrong, offering limited but consistent benefits.
What is Dr. Sun's recommendation for making brain dumps more effective?
-To make brain dumps more effective, Dr. Sun suggests creating a brain dump that is deliberately different from the initial note structure, forcing oneself to understand the information from a different perspective.
How does Dr. Sun view the effectiveness of mind maps for learning?
-Dr. Sun views mind maps as potentially S-tier for learning because they align with higher-order relational thinking and deep processing, contributing to better memory and understanding.
What is Dr. Sun's stance on using flashcards for studying?
-Dr. Sun believes flashcards can be very effective, especially if used strategically and in the right situations. They are excellent for certain types of information, as long as one knows their limitations.
Why does Dr. Sun consider listening to music while studying to be generally unhelpful?
-Dr. Sun considers listening to music while studying to be unhelpful because it can distract from the cognitive load required for deep learning. It may help with lower-level tasks but is not recommended for heavy thinking.
What does Dr. Sun think about rereading and highlighting as a study technique?
-Dr. Sun finds rereading and highlighting to be almost useless compared to other study techniques. He doesn't see a way to make it more effective than its current perceived low value.
Outlines
π Reranking Study Techniques for Optimal Learning
Dr. Justin Sun, a learning coach and former medical doctor, discusses the potential of various study techniques when adjusted for better efficacy. He emphasizes the importance of practice papers without answer sheets for identifying knowledge gaps and creating personal answer sheets as a generative activity. The Pomodoro technique is suggested to be made more effective by tracking focus time and adjusting breaks accordingly. Active recall is highlighted as a technique that can be elevated by varying the complexity of recall tasks.
π§ Enhancing Cognitive Techniques for Deeper Learning
The paragraph delves into techniques like active recall, pre-study, and the use of mnemonics, explaining how they can be improved for better learning outcomes. Active recall is advocated for nuanced applications and problem-solving, while pre-study is emphasized for creating a conceptual framework before delving into details. Mnemonics are advised for checklist-like memory tasks but cautioned against for complex, multi-relational learning. Cornell note-taking is presented as a consistently effective method, whereas brain dumps and blurting are suggested to improve by restructuring information in a novel way.
π Leveraging Relational and Nonlinear Note-Taking for Learning
This section discusses the effectiveness of relational and nonlinear note-taking methods, like mind maps, and their alignment with higher-order thinking and deep processing. It suggests that mind maps can be highly effective if used thoughtfully, with considerations given to placement, connections, and the visual representation of relationships between concepts. Flashcards are noted as useful study aids, provided they are used strategically. The paragraph also advises against passive content consumption, such as watching videos or listening to music, during active learning sessions due to the potential for distraction.
π΅ The Role of Music in Learning and the Ineffectiveness of Rereading
Dr. Sun addresses the use of music during study sessions, suggesting that while it might aid in lower cognitive load tasks, it can be counterproductive during activities requiring deep thinking. He recommends silence or white noise for more cognitively demanding study periods. The paragraph also criticizes the common practice of rereading and highlighting as largely ineffective, proposing that it is unlikely to offer a worthwhile return on investment compared to other study methods.
Mindmap
Keywords
π‘Active Recall
π‘Spaced Repetition
π‘Mind Maps
π‘Pomodoro Technique
π‘Practice Papers
π‘Pre-study
π‘Flow State
π‘Mnemonics
π‘Cornell Note-Taking
π‘Flashcards
π‘Music and Studying
Highlights
Dr. Justin Sun suggests that practice papers could be an S-tier study technique if used without an answer sheet and by creating answer sheets for oneself.
Active recall can be improved by being more deliberate with the type of recall practiced, including both low-level facts and high-level problem-solving.
The Pomodoro technique can be enhanced by tracking the time before losing focus and adjusting rest periods based on the length of the flow state.
Pre-studying by creating a big picture understanding of a topic can significantly improve learning efficiency.
Pneumonics are most effective when used for checklist-type information and not for knowledge that requires manipulation.
Cornell note-taking is a consistently effective method, but its benefits are limited and it caps at a B-tier.
Brain dumps can be upgraded to a B-tier technique by creating a different structure or narrative from the initial notes.
Mind maps can reach S-tier effectiveness when used to represent relationships and connections between information.
Flashcards can be highly effective when used strategically and for the right type of information.
Watching videos and re-consuming content mindlessly is considered a D-tier study technique.
Listening to music while studying may indicate that the study method used is not engaging enough and could be counterproductive.
Rereading and highlighting text is considered nearly useless compared to other study techniques.
Group study involving the creation of practice papers for each other can introduce an additional layer of learning.
Spaced repetition should cover the whole scope of knowledge needed rather than repeating the same method.
The effectiveness of studying in a flow state depends on the method used; an ineffective method will not improve with flow.
Pre-study should result in an understanding of the main ideas and their connections without needing to explain the processes or definitions.
Using pneumonics effectively involves understanding its limitations and applying it only to situations where it is beneficial.
Summary pages can be improved by summarizing information in a different way than initially learned, forcing a new perspective.
Mind maps are most effective when they are created without the aid of technology, requiring a higher standard for information placement and connection.
Transcripts
I mean this just plainly sucks so that's
a d if there was an e it would be an e
welcome to part two of The Ultimate
study TI list in the first video I
ranked some of the most popular
techniques everything from active recoil
and space repetition to mind maps
pomodora technique even sleep but that
was ranked on the way people normally
use them in this video what I'm going to
do is I'm going to rerank them based on
how good they could be with a few
adjustments and modifications because
the thing is because learning happens in
the brain the same technique can be
either really good or really bad
depending on how you execute it if
you're new to this Channel and you're
wondering who I am I'm Dr Justin Sun I'm
a learning coach and the head of
learning at I can study I'm also a
former medical doctor and for the last
decade I have helped train thousands of
Learners around the world how to learn
more efficiently before we get started
with this video I'd really appreciate if
you give this video a like as we all
know liking helps with the algorithm and
that is an S tier move also if you
haven't watched the first tier list
video already then I'd recommend that
you watch that one first so anyway let's
Jump Right In okay so let me just start
here at the uh a tier practice papers
practice papers could easily be an S
tier if people got rid of the answer
sheet and then started creating answer
sheets for themselves really big problem
with practice papers is that people
depend way too much on knowing whether
they got the answer right or wrong but
actually it doesn't matter if you got it
right or wrong because the point of
doing a practice paper is to find a
knowledge Gap and if you answer a
question and you're not confident on it
there's a knowledge Gap there and even
if you get it right it doesn't change
the fact that you weren't confident and
what that means is that if you were to
get asked a question that's very similar
to it but a little different you might
get it wrong because there was a gap
there and that question maybe didn't
quite hit it from that exact angle where
the Gap is so going by confidence as a
more accurate indicator of whether
you've got a knowledge Gap and then
looking through to create your own model
set of answers is a really great
generative activity which for the amount
of time spent is going to be better than
brain dumps or blurting or summary Pages
or Cornell note taking it's the same
advantages of summary Pages blurting all
of those things but it's much more
contextually relevant and it's more
targeted towards where there are
probably knowledge gaps and you can make
that even better by getting a group of
friends together if you don't have
practice papers you create for each
other which means that there's like
another layer of learning because you
have to create a question that actually
makes sense and then create your own
perfect set of answers and you can
compare that with the answer sheet that
your friend creates so uh like that's
that when you do it that way this
becomes like a double s tier um
technique Pomodoro Pomodoro um
probably like it could maybe go from an
A to like an
A+ tier um I I'll leave it an a one of
the things that we can do to really
easily make it more effective is instead
of just setting the random time just
start tracking the amount of time it
takes before you lose that focus and
flow and then just take your rest
depending on how long that flow session
was for after 25 minutes if you're fully
in flow there's really no point breaking
out of that flow to to take a break
because flow States tend to be quite
energy efficient and so if you're in
flow you want to maintain that flow for
as long long as possible so you could do
like an hour and a half of good flow
which is actually pretty impressive like
you know that's that's probably getting
to the limit of where I'm reaching like
Flow State hour and a half 2 hours Max
and then after that amount of time then
you take a break which I normally
recommend to be around a quarter to a
third of your flow session so if it was
an hour and a half you take a 30- minute
break and then after the 30- minute
break then you get back into it and then
during the break you should also be
intentional about the type of activity
that you do so don't just like start
playing some games because that's not
going to end in 30 minutes uh you know
go for a walk uh do some meditation
something that's actually going to help
you to properly rejuvenate and recover
so when you get back into it you're
actually able to enter into that flow
State very quickly I'm giving it an A
plus rather than an S though even with
those adaptations because the quality of
what you can do in a flow State still
depends on what you're actually doing
and your ability to do that so for
example you could be Flow State studying
but doesn't mean that your studying is
actually going to be effective if the
method of studying you're using is not
effective flow or not is not going to
change so the next one here findan
technique uh again you can't really do
it wrong so that stays at an a active
recall this this one could easily go up
to an S just make being much more
deliberate with the type of recall that
you're doing so understanding that you
can practice recall at a low level
discret um facts definitions uh
explanation like things that you need to
potentially just wrote memorize but also
testing your recall at the higher levels
more complex questions more complex
problem solving more nuanced
applications having discussions if it's
a procedural skill like coding or
languages having more execution and
practice working on many projects so a
lot of people usually when they're doing
active recall they have like the same
method and then they just do that same
method like multiple times as their
spaced active recoil and you're really
going to get a very diminishing level of
return after you do that the first time
it will be better to have a different
technique that you're using for each
space retrieval where you're covering
the whole scope of the type of knowledge
that you need to have rather than just
like the same thing again and again and
again pre-study easily hands down can
shoot up to s double s Triple S one of
the most important things that you can
do by priming your brain priming
basically means that you give your brain
a scaffold like a skeleton of relevance
before learning a new topic and this is
essentially like quite easy to do
because all you have to do is try to
create a big picture of understanding
about what the main ideas are and how
they relate together and maybe just like
the key Concepts and just don't worry
about memorizing any details or like
really being able to explain anything
you know too much the problem is that a
lot of people struggle to do that
because they have such like deeply
ingrained habits of trying to memorize
every single detail like usually out of
insecurity and that's the thing that
actually holds them back so if you do
correct pre-study and you know you've
done it correctly if by the end of it
you can say what a topic is about and
the main ideas and how they connect to
each other and why it's important but
you cannot explain the actual processes
or give the actual definitions if you
can do it to that level of detail after
pre-study you've probably done it
wrong and this is a little bit more
complicated than just what I've made it
out to be but I I would say that for
most of you watching this like 99% of
you watching this unless you're already
on my program I would say that that's
that's going to be like a rule that you
should follow like I really don't think
you're going to go wrong if you follow
that rule uh pneumonics probably can be
and a by ironically using it l there are
some things that you you just should not
have in pneumonics because that's not
how you need to use that knowledge
anyway pneumonics are good for when you
need to remember things almost like a
checklist um you don't need to use that
information in many other ways other
than just like a checklist when you
start using pneumonics to learn things
where you actually have to manipulate
that knowledge like in a more multi-
relational way pneumonics can actually
hold you back because it's almost like
putting a lot of tools that you use very
often but you keep it inside like a
single locked toolbox every time you
want to use that tool which could be
like very frequently you then have to
unlock the toolbox and open it up and
then take everything out and then like
put it back in so it it requires more
effort to like unpackage and go through
the pneumonic and then pull the
information out and then reconnect it
and then apply it to what you want to to
to use it for it would actually just be
better to learn it in a way that already
connects it to how you need to use it
and that's going to improve your memory
and your depth of understanding and it's
also just less effort and energy to use
the information at the end of the day so
the key to making your monics more
effective is understand what it's good
for and just don't use it for situation
where it's not effective for that
Cornell not taking probably caps out of
a b again you can't really do it wrong
um and even when you do it right it's
you know like there there's limited
benefits brain dumps and blurting I
think can stay at a c there's a chance
that brain dumps can get to a b uh and
the way that you're do this is that you
create a brain dump that is deliberately
different to the way that you have
initially written your notes and
understood it like you are deliberately
trying to create relationships
structures orders hierarchies headings
flows logic narratives that are
different to how you first learned it to
force yourself to understand the
information in a different perspective
and through a different structure the
reason is because a true expert on the
topic can probably explain that topic in
multiple different ways and from
multiple different angles emphasizing
different things depending on the
circumstance and situation whereas a
like a noob pretty much can't and they
have to just start at the beginning and
they just go through and it's it's very
fixed the way that they've understood
the topic that's problematic because you
often have to use your knowledge in a
way that's not just fixed so learning to
do a brain dump in a way that is
deliberately different to how you
previously thought about it is one way
of pretty much instantaneously upgrading
the usefulness of this technique summary
Pages uh I mean can probably be be if
you were to do the same thing like
basically the same thing as brains but
again you try to summarize it in a
different way mind maps can be S tier
because mind maps and really any
variation of relational nonlinear note
taking is kind of the only possible way
to write notes where it is directly
aligned with higher order relational
thinking and good deep processing which
is the processes that contribute to
having better memory and deeper
understanding of information and and
even like using apps like notion or or
whatever you're using that create these
relational D databases like REM node uh
obsidian Rome research even at the end
of the day the fact that you can
visually represent on a single page on
canvas the relationships and the fact
that you don't have the benefit of
Technology making it easier for you that
actually makes it more effective for
learning because now you have to hold
yourself to such a high standard for
where you put things on a page how you
connect it why you connected there how
thick you make the arrow all of these
things play a part in your judgment of
the importance and place that that
information sits relative to every other
piece of information and so for that
reason my maps can be really effective
however it's there's a lot that I can
talk about with this and there there are
many more conditions to make mind maps
really effective if you have previous
used it before and you found that it was
kind of a waste of time or if you're
just want to know how you can make it
even better I would really recommend
checking out my video on why mind maps
are useless for a lot of people okay
flash cards flash cards can be really
effective just like pneumonics can I'm
I'm going to put flash cards
in
uh B uh because again for what they're
good for they are excellent for as long
as you know what they are useful for and
you do not use it in situations that
it's not useful for now you might be
wondering okay so in what situations are
they or are they not useful that's going
to be another big one to explain I would
probably recommend checking out my video
on how you can make flash cards more
effective first as a starting point and
you'll see that there's a lot more
levels of flash card proficiency that we
can add to to bring the value out of it
in fact to be honest actually I would
say that if you use flash cards in the
way that I talk about in that video this
can possibly be even an A but you have
to be really strategic with it watching
videos and mixtures and essentially just
re-watching or just consuming content
mindlessly is by definition useless so
that's a d it's forever a d listening to
music is is a generally speaking I'm I
recommend people to just have silence or
white noise uh even lowii beats things
like that it's probably actually more
distracting than it is helpful the
reason that sometimes people find it
useful is that it helps them to
concentrate and enter into a flow but
this is the problem which is like it's
like funny and sad in a way if the music
is helping you enter into flow what that
means is that the process that you were
trying to use in the first place was
inherently not engaging and what's
happened is that you're able to enter
into flow because the music is the thing
that is keeping you like in inflow like
in a sense of Rhythm now that's
problematic because that usually only
happens if the level of thinking that
you're using while learning is low and
relatively passive if you're engaging in
the right types of thinking while you're
learning which you should be because
that's what gives you good memory and
understanding and that's what makes your
time worthwhile then it should be very
very engaging and your mind ends up
being very busy and you should naturally
find that any form of Music
whatsoever is actually distracting
because you now have to invest cognitive
resources in ignoring the music so that
you can think about what you're meant to
be thinking about and it doesn't matter
whether it's instrumental or it's your
classical music whatever it is
uh it's it's just the way that your
cognitive resources are distributed so
if you find that listening to music
helps you to
study I would I'm 90% confident that it
means that the way you're trying to
study in the first place is actually not
very
effective listening to music can be
helpful if you're doing tasks and
activities that have a lower level of
cognitive load investment in the first
place a great example of this would be
anything that is like te tedious like I
know a lot of like software engineers
and coders they like to listen to music
because what they need is attention to
detail but they don't need to be doing a
lot of like higher level cognitive
thinking and so the listening to music
can be effective for that if you're
doing like admin tasks or um for example
like if I'm doing some kind of art or
you know sort of creative type thing
then listening to music is going to be
effective but anything that requires me
to like properly sit down and think
music's a definite no so I don't know
what that means maybe a boost it up to a
c as long as you don't use it when you
need to do heavy thinking and you only
use it for the tedious stuff yeah it's
it's great it's good it makes things
more fun rereading and
highlighting like I said it's just kind
of useless um I I I don't think I'll
ever be in a situation where I would
find that it is worth doing that
compared to anything else so I I don't I
don't see a way that you can make that
more effective than almost useless so
I'd say that's a deep and there we have
it the uh ultimate study tier list for
some of the most common study techniques
and I know I didn't cover every study
technique and there are so many other
ways that you know we can talk about
this and for each of these things I I
have a whole series of videos talking
about it in more depth if any of them
particularly interested you I'd love to
know leave your comment down below
otherwise if you like this video make
sure to subscribe so you don't miss my
future uploads thank you so much for
watching I'll see you in the next one
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