Study Tip: Learn How You 

Learn
From Christine O'Leary-Rockey & Tara Kuther, Ph.D.

We all lead busy lives with some combination of jobs, children to care for,
family and friends who need attention, and household responsibilities that
make finding time to study challenging to say the least. However, many
students don't realize that graduate school success is not necessarily a
matter of how much they study but how well. One of the best ways to study
more efficiently (and thereby succeed in graduate school) is to learn how
you learn. What learning style do you have? Tailor your studying to fit your
style.

Learn How You Learn

No two students are alike; however, there are a few consistent styles of
learning. Once you've identified your style, you can then begin to adjust
your study habits to suit your needs.

Audial Learners
Audial learners often don't take notes in class because they remember
everything that the prof says. They can carry on an intelligent conversation
and learn a great deal from a good conversation. But books? Here's where
their attention may wane. Reading may be difficult and they find themselves
reading and rereading the same material.

Audial Learner Strategies:

 Tape your classes. Few professors mind having their lectures tape
recorded, and a taped copy of a lecture often helps you keep track of
details you may otherwise not have had a chance to pen.
 Study with a partner, a friend, a spouse, or another classmate. Don't
just spit facts back and forth. Discuss the issues that you see, take it
apart, challenge each other to understand what's important.

Visual Learners
Visual learners thrive on books and often take meticulous notes, but don't
retain spoken information unless they jot it down.They can often discuss the
subject matter fluidly, but may prefer not to think about more difficult
concepts or ideas before they've worked through it on paper. A visual
learner will generally remember what they've learned, but may get bored or
have trouble following a conversation if it gets too involved or too long.
Strategies for Visual Learners:

 Read. Read. Read. Take precise notes.

 If it's rote information, recopy your material by hand to assist you in
retaining it. If it's a tough concept that your working on, write a brief
paragraph for yourself and think through it with a pen in hand.
 Don't limit yourself to writing only the specific information, but explore
what questions you have, even writing down if you disagree with some
part of the topic and why.

Manual Learners
Face it, some of us don't get it if we don't DO it. Hands-on is the only way to
retain some things for you, and studying pure theory can seem impractical.
But this is graduate school! How can you survive if you don't read?

Strategies for Manual Learners

 Before you panic and think that you're relegated to the field of
welding, think about what it is about your particular field that you plan on
working with, and look at how to actually do it. This can be done in any
field- from Humanities to Business.
 Spend time in agencies that operate within your field of interest.
 Internships are excellent places to start and can lead to wonderful
opportunities. Interview with potential employers or functionaries in the
field.
 Don't limit yourself to what you do in classes, but step outside of the
class room environment and bring your studies to life through volunteer
jobs, and experiencing the world.

Rarely will a student that will fit neatly into one category. Most individuals
use a combination of two or more learning styles. They key is to try them on
and see which ones fit the best. Don't be afraid to be a little unconventional
in your approach to studying.