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At a GlanceUsing research-backed study strategies can help you deepen your understanding of psychology and succeed as a student.

At a Glance

Using research-backed study strategies can help you deepen your understanding of psychology and succeed as a student.

Even an introductorypsychologycourse includes discussions of psychology’s philosophical background,social statistics, biological influences,experimental methods, social behavior, personality,research methods, and therapeutic techniques.

Here’s why good study habits are key to mastering new theories and concepts as a psychology student.

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Research-Backed Study Methods for Psychology Students

Make a Study Plan

A study plan is key to staying on track with your learning, whether you’ve got a weekly assignment or a term paper due. At the start of every new class, sit down and come up with a study plan that will lead to success in the course. A little planning now can save you a lot of last-minute stress.

There are a few techniques that can help you plan out your study path.

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Throughout your education, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to learn what study methods work best for you as a psychology student. If you’re just starting, here are a few evidence-based pointers about studying to keep in mind.

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Make Class Time Count

At the start of every new semester, plan for how you’ll make the most of your in-class time. The time spent with your instructors and fellow students is just as important as the study time you have on your own—if not more so.

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Work With Others

To make sure you can fully focus on the material, study on your own at first. After you’ve gotten a bit more comfortable with the material, find others who you can study with.

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Examples of Good Study Strategies

Here are a few examples of how you can use research-backed study techniques as a psychology student:

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What to Do If You Have to Cram Before a Test

You have probably been told hundreds of times that cramming is not an effective way to study. That said, even students with a plan and good study habits may eventually be in the position of needing to cram the night before a test.

Expert TipTara Kuther, PhD, a graduate school expert, has a handy reference guide with tips for how to cram for an exam. Kuther suggests prioritizing the topics you are going to study, reviewing class notes and required readings, and answering questions about the material in your own words.

Expert Tip

Tara Kuther, PhD, a graduate school expert, has a handy reference guide with tips for how to cram for an exam. Kuther suggests prioritizing the topics you are going to study, reviewing class notes and required readings, and answering questions about the material in your own words.

You don’t want to make a habit of cramming, but you can use a last-minute study session effectively to review notes and organize your thoughts.

Here are a few tips for cramming:

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8 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Stanford Undergrad Academic Advising.What is a unit?.UC San Diego Department of Psychology.Other learning techniques.UC San Diego Department of Psychology.How to effectively study.American Psychological Association.Six research-tested ways to study better.UC San Diego Department of Psychology.Spaced practice.Bay Atlantic University.Eight types of learning styles.Cen L, Ruta D, Powell L, Ng J.Learning alone or in a group - an empirical case study of the collaborative learning patterns and their impact on student grades.Proc Int Conf Interact Collab Learn(Dubai, UAE).2014. doi:10.1109/ICL.2014.7017845Huang S, Deshpande A, Yeo S-C, Lo JC, Chee MWL, Gooley JJ.Sleep restriction impairs vocabulary learning when adolescents cram for exams: the Need for Sleep Study.Sleep. 2016;39(9):1681-1690. doi:10.5665/sleep.6092

8 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Stanford Undergrad Academic Advising.What is a unit?.UC San Diego Department of Psychology.Other learning techniques.UC San Diego Department of Psychology.How to effectively study.American Psychological Association.Six research-tested ways to study better.UC San Diego Department of Psychology.Spaced practice.Bay Atlantic University.Eight types of learning styles.Cen L, Ruta D, Powell L, Ng J.Learning alone or in a group - an empirical case study of the collaborative learning patterns and their impact on student grades.Proc Int Conf Interact Collab Learn(Dubai, UAE).2014. doi:10.1109/ICL.2014.7017845Huang S, Deshpande A, Yeo S-C, Lo JC, Chee MWL, Gooley JJ.Sleep restriction impairs vocabulary learning when adolescents cram for exams: the Need for Sleep Study.Sleep. 2016;39(9):1681-1690. doi:10.5665/sleep.6092

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Stanford Undergrad Academic Advising.What is a unit?.UC San Diego Department of Psychology.Other learning techniques.UC San Diego Department of Psychology.How to effectively study.American Psychological Association.Six research-tested ways to study better.UC San Diego Department of Psychology.Spaced practice.Bay Atlantic University.Eight types of learning styles.Cen L, Ruta D, Powell L, Ng J.Learning alone or in a group - an empirical case study of the collaborative learning patterns and their impact on student grades.Proc Int Conf Interact Collab Learn(Dubai, UAE).2014. doi:10.1109/ICL.2014.7017845Huang S, Deshpande A, Yeo S-C, Lo JC, Chee MWL, Gooley JJ.Sleep restriction impairs vocabulary learning when adolescents cram for exams: the Need for Sleep Study.Sleep. 2016;39(9):1681-1690. doi:10.5665/sleep.6092

Stanford Undergrad Academic Advising.What is a unit?.

UC San Diego Department of Psychology.Other learning techniques.

UC San Diego Department of Psychology.How to effectively study.

American Psychological Association.Six research-tested ways to study better.

UC San Diego Department of Psychology.Spaced practice.

Bay Atlantic University.Eight types of learning styles.

Cen L, Ruta D, Powell L, Ng J.Learning alone or in a group - an empirical case study of the collaborative learning patterns and their impact on student grades.Proc Int Conf Interact Collab Learn(Dubai, UAE).2014. doi:10.1109/ICL.2014.7017845

Huang S, Deshpande A, Yeo S-C, Lo JC, Chee MWL, Gooley JJ.Sleep restriction impairs vocabulary learning when adolescents cram for exams: the Need for Sleep Study.Sleep. 2016;39(9):1681-1690. doi:10.5665/sleep.6092

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