Vary the type of material studied in a single session

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Musicians often times perform a variety of tasks in one sitting such as performing scales, sight-reading, and performing pieces. Athletes also execute a variety of tasks in order to master a sport such as performing drills for speed, strength, and agility. Why shouldn't students do the same? Studies have demonstrated that by studying a variety of material in a single session (such as completing mixed problem sets, or alternating between reading passages and completing short answer questions) improves information retention.

Suggestion: Be sure to alternate between different assignments while studying. For economics, repeatedly draw graphs for a period of time, then read the text, and finally complete a problem set.


Sources

Carey, Benedict. "Research Upends Traditional Thinking on Study Habits - NYTimes.com." The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia. 06 Sept. 2010. Web. 20 June 2011. <http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/07/health/views/07mind.html>. Click here to read the article.