Varying Your Study Location

I recently revisited an older article from The New York Times titled, “Forget What You Know About Good Study Habits,” that originally appeared on Sept. 6, 2010.

In the article, the author discussed how cognitive scientists have shown that a few simple techniques can reliably improve how much a student learns from studying.

I want to highlight a couple of the strategies identified in the article that you might want to incorporate into your studying if you have not done so already.

First, the article notes that “instead of sticking to one study location, simply alternating the room where a person studies improves retention.” The article goes on to state that:

… many study skills courses insist that students find a specific place, a study room or a quiet corner of the library, to take their work. The research finds just the opposite. In one classic 1978 experiment, psychologists found that college students who studied a list of 40 vocabulary words in two different rooms — one windowless and cluttered, the other modern, with a view on a courtyard — did far better on a test than students who studied the words twice, in the same room. Later studies have confirmed the finding, for a variety of topics.

As you’re studying for the bar exam, consider varying your study location, too. If you’ve been regularly studying at home, consider coming to the law school campus or going to a nearby library or Starbucks every now and then to switch things up. If you’ve been regularly studying on the law school campus, take advantage of the LMU Tower a couple days a week. Remember that you have access to the first floor of the LMU Tower every Thursday and Friday until the bar exam. There’s ample space to study there, and parking is readily available. And, as a reminder, MEE 3 and MPT 2 will be administered at the LMU Tower on Friday for those of you who want a more realistic exam-day environment.

Second, the article also notes that “studying distinct but related skills or concepts in one sitting” is more effective “than focusing intensely on a single thing.” The article goes on to state:

Varying the type of material studied in a single sitting — alternating, for example, among vocabulary, reading and speaking in a new language — seems to leave a deeper impression on the brain than does concentrating on just one skill at a time. Musicians have known this for years, and their practice sessions often include a mix of scales, musical pieces and rhythmic work. Many athletes, too, routinely mix their workouts with strength, speed and skill drills.

How does this relate to studying for the bar exam? As you’re reviewing material, say, Constitutional Law, for example, don’t just limit your review to reading the outlines or looking at flashcards. Rather, supplement your review of Constitutional Law by completing some MBE questions or essay questions. This way, too, you’re using these MBE and essay questions as review tools rather than assessment measurements of what you know and what you don’t know at that point in time.