How to Study for Exams - An Evidence-Based Masterclass

Make 2025 your best year ever by joining me for Productivity Spark, a free live, online masterclass on the first weekend of January! https://go.aliabdaal.com/sparkbc/yt 📑 Get My Ultimate Studying Bundle here! https://play.aliabdaal.com/studying-bundle?utm_campaign=The%20Ultimate%20Studying%20Bundle&utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_term=Long&utm_content=How%20to%20Study%20for%20Exams%20%283%20Hour%20Video%29 Check out my Flashcard Masterclass with Anki here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zaKVFC9Eu4 📖Get a copy of my Bestselling book Feel-Good Productivity here: https://go.feelgoodproductivity.com/studyingcoursevid 💌 Free Weekly Productivity Insights: https://www.aliabdaal.com/sunday Hey friends. So this is a 3 hour evidence-based studying course that I filmed a few years ago and put on Skillshare, but now I want to make it available to everyone for free. In this class, I'll take you through the well-kept secrets of how to study effectively and organise your workflow to be ready for exams when they come around. We'll also discuss why studying effectively and efficiently is one of the best ways to maintain a work-life balance. We'll break down (1) how to understand our content using techniques like the Feynman Method, Active Recall and various note-taking strategies, (2) how to remember our material with Spaced Repetition, Interleaving and various memory techniques, and (3) how to maintain focus while studying, from developing the motivation and discipline to do the work, to taking appropriate breaks and maintaining a healthy work-life balance. 📑 STUDIES CITED: Improving Students’ Learning With Effective Learning Techniques: https://www.skillshare.com/en/classes/How-to-Study-for-Exams-An-Evidence-Based-Masterclass/728748026/projects Effectiveness of highlighting for retention of text material (Fowler & Barker 1974): https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1974-33185-001 Type of Highlighted Material and Examination Performance (Leicht & Cashen 2014): https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00220671.1972.10884329?needAccess=true&instName=University+of+Cambridge&journalCode=vjer20& Better Mood and Better Performance: Learning Rule-Described Categories Is Enhanced by Positive Mood (Nadler et al 2010): https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0956797610387441 MY FAVOURITE TOOLS & GEAR 📩 Superhuman - The BEST Email Experience - https://go.aliabdaal.com/superhuman ✍️ Shortform - The BEST Summaries of Books - https://go.aliabdaal.com/shortform 📚 Readwise - How I remember What I Read - https://go.aliabdaal.com/readwise 🎵 Epidemic Sound - Where I Get My Music - https://go.aliabdaal.com/epidemicsound ⚙️ Notion - How I Manage My Team - https://go.aliabdaal.com/notion ⏰ Rize - How I Track Time and Stay Productive - https://rize.io/aliabdaal MY OTHER SOCIALS: 🎙 My podcast Deep Dive where I interview entrepreneurs, creators and other inspiring people - https://www.youtube.com/c/DeepDivewithAliAbdaal/ 🌍 My website / blog - https://www.aliabdaal.com/ 🐦 Twitter - https://twitter.com/aliabdaal 📸 Instagram - https://instagram.com/aliabdaal 📱 TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@aliabdaal 👨💻 Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ali-abdaal/ 🎥 Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/aliabdaal/ WHO AM I? If we haven’t yet before - Hey 👋 I’m Ali, a doctor-turned-entrepreneur and I’ve somehow become the world’s most followed productivity expert. Through my videos here on this channel, my podcast Deep Dive and writing, I share evidence-based strategies and tools to help you be more productive and build a life you love. ⌚️Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction 01:53 - 3 Steps to Effective Studying 04:46 - Understand Anything with The Feynman Technique 06:40 - The Science of Active Recall 08:44 - How to Learn New Content with Active Recall 10:25 - Taking Notes During Class 12:45 - Taking Notes After Class 17:40 - Scoping The Subject 20:16 - The Importance of Understanding 26:11 - Finding a Syllabus For Yourself 31:06 - The Magic of Spaced Repetition 35:11 - The Retrospective Revision Timetable 37:07 - The Spaced Repetition Journal 40:53 - The Power of Interleaved Practice 43:10 - Should You Reread Your Notes 45:10 - How to Highlight Effectively 46:50 - How to Use Flashcards Properly 56:15 - Flashcard Alternative - Google Sheets vs Anki 01:08:42 - Mind Maps 01:13:18 - Memory Techniques - Mnemonics 01:18:18 - Memory Techniques - The Peg System 01:23:50 - Memory Techniques - The Mind Palace 01:26:07 - The Essay Memorisation Framework 01:41:10 - The Active Recall Framework 01:58:10 - How to Use Anki Flashcards Properly 02:24:30 - Motivation is a Myth 02:31:44 - How to Reduce Distractions 02:35:32 - The Pomodoro technique - Pros and Cons 02:40:37 - The Best Music to Study With 02:42:54 - Maintaining Work Life Balance while Studying 02:46:28 - How to Study Effectively with Friends 02:48:35 - Conclusion PS: Some of the links in this description are affiliate links that I get a kickback from 😜