Effective study habits for grad students

With all of the hustle and bustle of graduate student life, effective study habits can be crucial to student success. Every student is truly an individual when it comes to what works best for them, but there are some tried and true methods that can enhance everyone's studying. I like to call them the 3 C's of studying: concentration, comprehension, and collaboration.
 

Concentration
A focused mind will retain information much more effectively than a wandering and cluttered mind. Scheduling study time in a specific, quiet location and taking small breaks, no longer than 15 minutes, will help focus your mind and help keep your concentration longer. If you schedule regular study times every day, they will eventually become part of your daily routine. Warding off distractions is key! That means silencing your cell phone, turning off the TV, and ignoring Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, Pinterest, and Reddit. With so many things vying for your attention, you need to make the conscious decision that your studies are more important to your lifelong success than the temporary distraction of social media.

Comprehension
One of the biggest differences between undergraduate and graduate work is the expectation to move beyond pure memorization
and into true integration of material and concepts. Professors want to see how students synthesize information from class and critically analyze and apply it to coursework. A great way to improve comprehension is through the "SQ3R" method for reading which stands for survey, question, read, recite, and review. For survey, quickly scan for bold print terms, section headings, and summary paragraphs to learn the main concepts and key points. For question, use the headings and bold print terms to formulate questions that focus on what you do not understand or are unfamiliar with. Be sure to write them down to answer and review later. These are always a good bet for potential test and essay questions.
Next, read the text or slides to actively find the answers to your questions. In your own words, write down answers to each question. After each section, recite the questions and answers without looking at your book or course material. Once these steps are completed for every section or topic, go back to review the questions and try to answer them without looking at the answers. This method can be applied to reading textbooks, handouts, and PowerPoint slides and is a vital component to good study habits corresponding with higher grades.

Collaboration
Studying in groups can help to identify your areas of strength and weakness. Choosing the right people to study with and keeping the group size small is another key to success. Too many group members can distract the group and sidetrack your goal. It is best to study with people who are good listeners, note takers, and communicators. Taking turns teaching various concepts to the group and quizzing each other will help to review the material you already know and point you towards what you need to focus on further.
Effective and efficient study skills can be the difference between success and failure in graduate school. They will help you build
valuable integration skills and comprehensive arguments. While these skills take time to develop and polish, they can glean great reward in terms of grades and more importantly proficiency in your field.