12 Effective Steps to Study Any Subject to Achieve Excellent Grades

Accomplishment of excellent grades seems to be a herculean task. However, if you follow certain effective steps, then you easily achieve your mission.

Before we start, let us analyse and decide the following aspects:

• You need to be aware of the list of subjects and corresponding curriculum designed for the final exam.
• The purpose as to why you want to achieve excellent grades must be clear to you. Perhaps, you need to secure in a good university or get a well-paid job.
• Always remember that the competition is with yourself and not with others. Success is a personalized term and depends entirely on your goals, capabilities and skills.
• Commitment and dedication are important qualities needed for effective study. In order to achieve both, you need to be consistent with your study habits.

Moving forward, let us discuss a complete guide of 12 effective steps for studying to achieve excellent grades.

1. Where to study?

• The place of study needs to be finalized before studying.
• You can have a wide range of options. If you have your own room, then it is cherry on the cake. Or if you have been studying in the favourite corner of your house, then no issues.
• If you have lot of distractions in your house, then you can move to a good local library. Some libraries even provide free reading room services to students. Library is a place where you can find study buddies to keep track of your progress.

2. What to study?

• We have assumed that you are already aware of the subjects you want to study.
• This step entails collection of necessary study books, references, journals, assignments, online resources, etc.
• You need to be clear with what you really need for the exam. This can be clarified by consulting your teacher or mentor.

3. Understand the subject:

• Which subject do you want to study well? Is the subject comprised of theory or practical problems? What is your inclination towards theoretical and practical subjects?
• For example, if I am good in theory, I will definitely like studying English or Social Sciences. However it would not be wise idea to ignore the subjects that I dislike such as Mathematics and Science.
• Thus, you must understand your strengths and flaws and allocate essential time for both.

4. Planning:

• This is an important step for effective study. You must prepare plans by following the SMART approach. It means your plans must be specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and timely.
• Example of plan as per SMART approach: I will study all 1 chapter daily of my favourite subjects. I will allot 1 and half hours every day for practical subjects as I am weak in it.
• Example of plan not as per SMART approach: I will study 15 chapters of my favourite subjects. I will study practical subjects when I finish studying the subjects that I like.
• Similarly, you should prepare daily, weekly and monthly study schedules. You need to be meticulous and practical while developing schedules.

5. Shift away from distractions:

• It is not advisable to study any subject by checking WhatsApp, Facebook or any other social media messages. It will just extend your allocated time. Also, your mind will be distracted by unwanted thoughts and ideas
• You should assign a time slot for social activities. For example, when you will feel like checking messages, you should tell yourself, “No. I will check only in the night as per my study plan.”

6. Study with buddies or partners in a group:

• This is not a mandatory step.
• A study buddy shares common study goals along with you. You can both study together and evaluate your progress without any bias.
• However, your study buddy must be cheerful, encouraging and not jealous of you.

7. Implementation – Intensive Study:

• In this step, you will be involved in rigorous studying of all the subjects by reading carefully, comprehending the concepts and getting your doubts resolved from the teacher or mentor.
• You are not supposed to cram the subject matter.
• Rather you should try to understand it in detail for answering in the examination.

8. Implementation – Notes making:

• Notes are written with the primary goal of easy reference in the future. By writing, you will grasp better.
• You can even store notes in your electronic gadgets. In case you are commuting from home to school or college, you can read notes easily.
• Self-prepared notes can also be helpful for last day study prior to examination.

9. Implementation – Revision:

• Revision follows after sufficient study. In this step, one can understand whether he or she is thorough with the subjects.
• If you notice that you don’t remember particular stuff while revising, then try to work on it more.
• For instance, if you don’t remember a particular formula, then write it on a whiteboard in your room or make a chart out of it. You can glance it whenever you are present in your room.
• You can also prepare certain acronyms for answers or definitions.

10. Last Day Study:

• The exam is just a step away from you! What will you study?
• Well, if you have followed the above mentioned steps properly, then you do not have to worry on the last day before exam.
• Go through your notes confidently and compose your mind.
• Do not try to experiment with any new study technique at the last moment.
• For perfection, you need not be well-versed with every single word of all the books. You must believe in yourself to deliver best performance in the exam.

11. Sorting out:

• This step not only comprises of sorting out exam-related stationery, hall ticket, etc.
• You also need to be sorted out mentally.
• You need to adopt a focused approach.
• Don’t get overwhelmed or nervous before the exam.
• Relaxation of mind is necessary during this stage.

12. Before the exam:

• Always reach the examination hall well before actual time.
• Carry all the materials needed for appearing the exam.
• If you meet your friends or acquaintances, it is better not to compare their study levels with yours. Try not to boast or explain them how you studied for the exam.

Wish you all the best for your exams. Enjoy studying effectively using the above steps. It is also suggested to you to concentrate on your study rather than dreaming or worrying about the results. There, you are on the right track!