Daniel Willingham’s Outsmart Your Brain gave a detailed explanation and tips on studying efficiently. I agree with the many strategies that he has given. I learnt different tricks to help me memorize content, for example, drawing a picture for materials that I can’t remember, making material into a meaning-based question by asking “why?” or “How?” and, most importantly, preparing a study guide. There are some strategies that I have already been using in years of studying and tests. For example, posing questions to yourself, speaking aloud when answering, and imagining that you’re teaching someone else. I feel these two strategies work exceptionally well for me, and I will keep using them. Another quote that I found interesting is, “whether or not you want to learn is irrelevant.” I agree with him. I will lose interest and motivation in studying because I find it meaningless, but I should look at the bigger picture, that these tests are just dust on the road. Therefore I should just start and do it and stop making excuses for myself.
To conclude, I enjoyed how he wrote the strategies step-by-step, which was straightforward to understand and follow. I will surely use his valuable tips in my upcoming IB exam!