How to Study for Exams - An Evidence-Based Masterclass

📖Check out my new book Feel-Good Productivity here! www.feelgoodproductivity.com/?How+to+Study+for+Exams+-+An+Evidence-Based+Masterclass

As a broke student I want to say THANK YOU Ali! from the bottom of my heart

1 - can you explain it to a collegue? Can you explain it to a 5 year old?
2 - active recall: your brain is a muscle - train it by testing!
3- notes - summaryzing is controvercial.
Alli's theory:
*in class*
- handwritting is better than typing
- Helps you keep awake
*out of class*
- consolidate different sources ( he uses notion)
- you don't need to take notes for every class
- Cornell notetaking sistem is useful for active recall (with the help of notion for it)
- you can turn thise notes into flashcards
4 - scooping the subject
- understand where the subjects fits into the bigger picture
- subcategorize the topics
**** 🎓 importance of understanding
Coherence withing your mind
5 - finding a syllabus for yourself
- you have to create a limit to your knowledge ( you can't know everything babe)
- master the syllabus rather than gather more information
6 - remembering and spaced repetition
- the more you repeat the topic, the longer it takes to forget it (but remember, it's a SPACED repetition)
- the more effort you put, you memorize better
7 - retrospective timetable on notion for revision
- you decide on the day what you are going to do
- you can do it on notion
8 - spaced repetition journal
- alternate to revision timetable
- predetermined subject
- try it like: 1 week, one month
9 - Interleaved repetition
- mix topics to make it harder
- brain is a muscle, making it harder to make it stronger!!
10 - rereading
- there are better ways to study, bc rereading is very passive
11 - how to highlight effectively
- low utility
- helps you concentrate
- it's better to highlight than to reread something already highlighted
12 - flashcards
- use anki ❤❤ or google sheets
- usually it's better to make your own
- do it consistently
- isolated facts
- essay exam: you can memorize chunks of essays
DO NOT:
- don't make flashcards of everything: only a about what you really have to know, or what you didn't get it right
- don't make it after you only studied the subject once
- use cornell method for more information (aka easier stuff, or what u don't really need to know)
Google sheets for flashcards:
- free
- fast to create
- color code
- hide the answer putting the letters in white
** my personal opinion: doesn't look as fun as flashcards, probably woudn't do it
- is good to do questions in order (good for clinical study of diseases)
- better to visualize the lacks of knowledge
- low commitment
- flshcards: isolated facts
Google sheets: general understanding (like whats the deal with...)
13 - mind maps
- broad understanding
- where it rit

A 3 hour video? I'm sure Ali put more than 3 hours for the preparations, editing,etc and we see it.
Thanks a lot Ali because not many students can afford such classes🥺❤

I just sent this to my dad and my son. Both are getting ready to take huge exams for their careers. I am so grateful for all the knowledge you share.

👋 My summary:
- 00:00 📚 Introduction to the Importance of Effective Exam Study
- The significance of learning effective study techniques.
- Ali's personal experience in improving study methods.
- 01:11 🎓 Overview of the Evidence-Based Masterclass Structure
- The three main steps of effective studying: Understanding, Remembering, and Focusing.
- A brief outline of what each step entails.
- 02:08 🧠 Step 1: Understanding - The Feynman Technique
- Explanation of the Feynman Technique for understanding complex topics.
- The importance of being able to explain a subject simply.
- Using this technique to enhance understanding.
- 05:11 🧠 Step 2: Understanding - Active Recall
- Active Recall as a powerful learning tool.
- Testing oneself as an essential part of the learning process.
- The effectiveness of active recall in strengthening memory.
- 07:05 📝 Note-Taking During Class
- The benefits of handwriting notes versus typing.
- How taking notes during class can help with understanding.
- Using notes as an aid to staying engaged during lectures.
- 09:08 📝 Note-Taking After Class
- The value of taking notes after class for consolidating understanding.
- Utilizing multiple sources to enhance comprehension.
- Creating questions for self-assessment using the Cornell note-taking system.
- 16:28 📚 Effective Note-Taking
- Effective note-taking involves active recall and the Feynman technique.
- Write notes based on specific questions or prompts to engage active recall.
- 17:55 🌳 Scoping the Subject
- Understanding the bigger picture is crucial for effective learning.
- Scoping the subject involves categorizing topics, starting with the broad view and then narrowing down.
- 20:31 📚 Developing a Syllabus
- Create a syllabus for yourself to limit what you need to learn.
- Focus on mastering a select set of resources rather than overwhelming yourself with many.
- 26:26 🧠 Remembering and Space Repetition
- Combat the forgetting curve by spacing repetitions over time.
- Space repetition maximizes memory retention and reinforces learning.
- 34:19 📖 Active Learning and Effort
- Active learning and effortful study lead to better retention.
- Learning becomes more effective when it involves challenge and difficulty.
- 35:16 📚 Using Retrospective Revision Timetable for Space Repetition
- Create a retrospective revision timetable to optimize space repetition.
- Rate your understanding of topics to decide what to study.
- Example of using Google Sheets or Notion for tracking study progress.
- 37:22 📆 Simon Clark's Spaced Repetition Journal Method
- Simon Clark's spaced repetition diary as an alternative to traditional revision timetables.
- How to create a spaced repetition diary and its benefits.
- Combining the benefits of a revision timetable with spaced repetition.
- 41:20 🔄 Interleaving Study Techniques
- The concept of interleaving: Mixing different topics within a single study session.
- Benefits of interleaving for improved retention.
- Avoiding the downsides of blocking similar problems or subjects.
- 43:27 📖 Re-reading vs. Active Recall
- The ineffectiveness of re-reading notes as a study technique.
- The benefits of active recall for better retention.
- How to use active recall for efficient studying.
- 45:47 🧠 Flashcards and Anki for Effective Learning
- The concept of flashcards as a combination of active recall and spaced repetition.
- Using Anki, a flashcard app, to enhance learning.
- Creating flashcards for spaced repetition and efficient studying.
- 52:16 📚 Using flashcards for essay exams,
- Flashcards can be used to memorize chunks of content for essay exams.
- Writing references and explanations on flashcards helps recall.
- Be cautious not to make too many flashcards to avoid overload.
- 56:30 📊 Google Sheets as a flashcard alternative,
- Google Sheets can be used as a structured flashcard alternative.
- Questions in one column and answers in another facilitate active recall.
- The method allows for systematic review and easy identification of knowledge gaps.
- It provides a low-commitment, flexible study approach.

Ali is the reason why got a 3.83 GPA in undergraduate. I would’ve been so academically unsuccessful if I didn’t discover him. Thank you! 🙏

As a broke college student who's been following for like three years now, thank you so much for all you do Ali. It's helped me immensely through high school and uni, and I'm so, so, so grateful. Plus, a three hour video for free? That's incredible. So please don't stop, but at the same time enjoy life too! We'll always be here for you as your loving audience!

The only video you'll ever need about studying. Wish I would've had this when I started uni. The ones that helped me the most by far are spaced repetition and active recall. It got a uni degree while attending barely any lectures. This is because you're literally practicing what you do on an exam with exam recall and spaced repetition makes sure it gets solidified into your memory. Can't recommend those two techniques enough.

3 STEPS:
1. understand
- (feyneman: does it make sense? could i explain it to a 5yo?)
- active recall (test yourself)☆
- take notes
- understand the broad picture first and then narrow down
2. remember (forgetting curve)
- develop a syllabus/ outline to limit urself
-
3. focus (discipline, eliminate distractions)

this is the only guys with the huge heart to make his paid course available for people for free hats off man ur just amzing

may Allah reward you generously for this and put barakah in your trip! ameen

Nice timing...cauz my exam ended today only😢😢😂😂😂

This was so great Ali - thank you! So comprehensive and detailed, and I could skip to the sections I needed advice on! :)

The value you're providing in every single video is incredible. Thank you for doing such a job.

I'm studying a masters in education at the moment (18 years after finishing my first degree), and one thing that stands out is how much better the education department are than any other at presenting the information and giving you proper active-learning tasks. I suppose you'd expect them to be though. But I genuinely haven't had to try to memorize anything and I've still remembered it, getting good scores on everything so far.

man really decided to drop a 3hr cheatsheet right in the middle of midterms season. god level move

Ali! Thanks for sharing this course ! My exams are less than a fortnight away and I am so glad to have this. Couldn't have been a better time.

Most important topics
Spaced repetition schedule 38:06
Interleaving 41:06

Thank you so much for putting this series on KRplus! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

If you're reading this ali ... THANKYOU from the bottom of my heart ❤️

Hey Ali, Thank you so much for making this anazing skillshare course free! Ive been watching your videos for over 1+ years and you are my favourite creator. You have taught me so much. Thank you!

Ali, the value you provided me with this video (and your other ones as well) is immeasurable. Now I need to do my best to actually implement the things I learnt

Just finished the entire class! Thanks so much Ali; every single video was an absolute banger 💯

My 'study' techniques are 40+ years old. I had to begin college again in IT which wasn't even around back in the day, so this is priceless material. Thank you, thank you.

I think this is the best content in KRplus so far. It took me ages to find something like this and I finally found you! Thank you so much Ali! You are helping a lot of students right now

Genuinely this is the best video on KRplus, by far!
Thank you alot for your effort in educating us, so we can educate ourself! ❤

Just started medical school and after seeing everyone start making notes from lecture slides, started panicking. Thank God there's Ali Abdaal to the rescue, always!!

This is what i was looking forward Ali! Thank you so much!

21:04 Thanks Ali for the section. Understanding complex subjects is bane for all of us and there are quite a few gems there. Re-understading on basis of core understanding is such a huge mindshift .

thank you so much ali!! i’ve been watching your channel for so long and now i’m finally a first year medical student!! and these tips will help so much

Thank you so much for making this available to us. I found your "active recall" video very helpful. I look forward to learning from this video!

Remember watching this on skillshare like a year ago, but didn’t really engage so much with it and take notes. Will not make that mistake again! Thank you for uploading this for free

يا علي يجب عليك ترجمة الفيديو لكل اللغات لأن فيديو مثل هذا بكمية الثروة المعرفية حرام ألا يصل لكل شعوب العالم❤

I waited for this masterclass to be free for so long. Now it's worth the wait :3 Thank you Ali!

thank you, thank you, thank you Ali! With the current cost of living crisis going on it’s not possible for me to buy expensive classes/sessions etc. This video is extremely beneficial and I truly cannot thank you enough for this 3 hour long video :)

last week i literally spent going thorough your channel to find your study videos and watch them and take notes

Respect for making a nearly 3 hour video 👍🏿

This is so supremely valuable, Ali. Thank you sooo much.

This is perfect timing as I am a freshman college student and have been trying to formulate a plan for a while now. Thank you Ali.

This is ridiculously generous of you!! thank you so much.

So much condensed information abd research about each technique and this much explanation which is quite easy to understand. It's so nice of you, that you provided this content for free ❤❤❤

Just started Uni. Feel like you've given me a huge head start! Thanks a million!

The Masterclass we all badly needed! I've been wanting to attend this class for a long time, and couldn't make it happen due to financial restrictions. I'm very grateful to you for making it free!
You're the man!❤

The fact that this is published for free is simply amazing, thank you Ali

This was an amazing power-packed one stop session for us to know about how to actually start studying. Most of us cram before exam and all these techniques are really useful. No need to go anywhere on the internet, this video has everything that requires for a beginner to start studying effectively and ace the grades. Loved it !

this is insane, i really appreciate the work you're doing

Thanks for posting this, Ali! It's really helpful!

Thank you so much Ali. The insight you shard in this video are very amazing.☺

Perfect timing on this, thank you so much Ali!

Thank you so much, Ali! I think this is the best 2 hours and 49 minutes of my life! Which will save thousands of hours!!

Thank you so much, I watched your individual videos multiple on this topic. This is more comprehensive and all in one video. I have a big difficult exam coming up and this came just in time

🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation:
00:00 🎯 Effective and productive studying is key to transforming your school or college experience.
00:29 💡 Personal experience with applying evidence-based study techniques significantly improved grades and free time.
01:25 📜 The advice in the masterclass is fully evidence-based and timeless, with useful resources in the video description.
02:08 🔑 Effective studying is divided into three key steps: understanding, remembering, and focusing.
02:23 💡 Understanding is the most critical step in effective studying; memorization should come after comprehension.
03:19 🧠 Active recall, or testing yourself, is a fundamental aspect of effective learning and understanding.
03:33 📖 Taking notes during class can aid understanding and act as a reference for later.
04:44 🗂 Organize notes to create questions for active recall and deeper understanding.
05:11 🤓 Richard Feynman's technique of explaining to a friend or a five-year-old is a great way to test your understanding.
05:38 🧠 Active recall or testing is essential for retaining information and reinforcing neural connections.
08:00 📚 Summarizing content through note-taking may not be as effective as active recall.
09:10 🤖 Testing yourself throughout the learning process, not just after learning, is highly beneficial.
11:16 📔 Taking notes outside of class helps build a coherent narrative and consolidate understanding.
12:12 💤 Taking notes during class can help you stay awake and engaged.
12:53 🔍 Actively recalling information is more effective than passive note-taking.
13:45 ✍️ Cornell note-taking system can help you formulate questions for active recall.
17:11 📚 To improve understanding, use multiple sources when studying a topic.
17:26 📝 Create active recall questions for yourself to consolidate information effectively.
17:40 🗂 When taking notes after class, expand your sources and aim to understand the broader picture of the subject.
17:55 🌳 "Scoping the subject" involves understanding where a topic fits into the wider context, avoiding focusing only on details and missing the bigger picture.
19:05 🍃 Start with the big picture, understand the tree, branches, and leaves of a subject for effective learning.
19:34 🌳 Scoping the subject helps you appreciate the bird's eye view and the frog's eye view, important for practical application in fields like medicine.
20:31 🧠 Understanding a subject means achieving internal coherence, being able to answer unexplained questions within the topic.
21:10 💡 Understand a topic when you can achieve internal coherence within your mind, connecting concepts.
22:07 🧠 Understanding means deriving concepts from basic principles and achieving mental coherence.
27:19 📚 Choose a few key resources and make them your main sources for understanding to avoid overwhelming yourself.
31:29 📚 Create a retrospective revision timetable, revising topics based on the effectiveness of previous recalls.
36:55 📚 Use spaced repetition to enhance your study efficiency. Repeatedly review and revise the material at increasing intervals to reinforce your memory.
37:22 💡 Consider creating a spaced repetition journal or diary, as explained by Simon Clark, to schedule your study topics based on spaced repetition principles.
38:20 🗂️ The retrospective revision timetable method allows you to organize your study based on past performance and prioritize areas of improvement.
39:27 🔁 Simon Clark's method for spaced repetition using a diary involves revisiting topics at varying intervals to optimize long-term retention.
41:34 📖 Interleaving involves mixing different subjects or topics within a study session to enhance learning and retention.
47:10 🗂️ Flashcards, especially digital ones like Anki, can combine active recall and spaced repetition for efficient learning and memorization.
54:08 📚 When creating flashcards, focus on concepts that are challenging or resistant to memory, rather than obvious or straightforward information.
57:28 💻 Google Sheets can be a practical alternative to flashcards for more condensed and time-limited study periods, offering a structured way to review material.
58:38 🔍 Google Sheets are preferred over Microsoft Excel for their accessibility across various devices and quick loading times.
01:00:04 🚦 Color-coding questions based on your confidence level (green for sure, yellow for unsure, red for don't know) aids efficient self-assessment.
01:05:52 📚 When to use flashcards or Google Sheets depends on the type of content: flashcards for isolated facts, Google Sheets for more general concepts.
01:05:52 📄 For Google Sheets, you don't need to write out full answers; instead, trust in your ability to look up the answers as needed.
01:08:12 🗺️ Mind maps or spider diagrams are helpful for gaining a broad understanding of complex concepts by visually organizing information.
01:10:58 🧠 Understanding the bigger picture and scoping the subject is crucial when learning. Mind maps help visualize how topics fit together.
01:11:27 🗺️ Mind maps can be used to condense an entire syllabus onto a single page, making it easy to track your knowledge and focus on areas that need improvement.
01:13:02 📝 Redrawing mind maps from memory is an effective method for active recall and can help in memorization.
01:13:29 🔍 Mnemonics are valuable memory aids, particularly for complex lists or concepts. They create memorable associations to enhance recall.
01:13:44 🧩 The Peg System helps memorize numbers by converting them into words with specific sounds and creating vivid mental images for better recall.
01:27:12 📚 Combining active recall, spaced repetition, spider diagrams, and flashcards can help memorize a multitude of essay plans effectively for exams.
01:27:39 🧠 The essay memorization framework involves two stages: creation and memorization.
01:28:07 📚 To decide which essay titles to prepare, examine past papers, and cover a broad range of subjects.
01:29:04 💡 When planning essays, start with a question, use Google for initial research, and create a research document.
01:34:12 🗂 Use Anki flashcards to memorize content blocks from your essay plans, incorporating keywords and content.
01:36:53 🗓 Implement a retrospective revision timetable to track your revision progress.
01:42:21 📝 Instead of traditional note-taking, generate a list of questions for each subject or topic and rely on active recall for studying.
01:45 🧠 Active recall, testing yourself, is a highly efficient study technique as it leverages the brain's retrieval process for effective learning.
01:46 🖋️ When using active recall, convert your study material into questions without immediately providing the answers. Trust that you can find the answers in your course materials when needed.
01:46 🌈 Color-coding questions you struggle with during successive passes can make your study more efficient, allowing you to focus on areas where you need improvement.
01:48 🔄 Implementing spaced repetition, revisiting material at spaced intervals, is essential for long-term knowledge retention.
01:58 🧠 Anki flashcards can serve as an extension of your brain. Information worth remembering should be uploaded to Anki, promoting long-term retention.
02:02:15 🧠 When using Anki or flashcards for learning, information might not come together conceptually during the first pass, but the second or even third pass allows you to link cards and form a more coherent understanding.
02:04:08 📚 Anki can help you memorize in order to understand. Start with a broad understanding of a subject and then use Anki to reinforce specific details and connections.
02:05:32 💡 Understanding is an iterative process, and it comes before memorization. Make sure you grasp the concepts before committing them to memory.
02:10:17 ⏰ Adjust Anki settings to fit your learning style. Modifying intervals between reviews can help facilitate deeper learning and retention.
02:16:46 🗃️ Organize your flashcards into decks and sub-decks based on subjects or topics. This method allows you to focus on specific areas of study and avoid distractions.
02:19:23 📊 Create decks for specific subjects, allowing you to focus your learning efforts on one subject at a time, making the learning process more efficient.
02:21:28 🤖 Anki can be used as a second brain for information retention, especially in fields like medicine, where a structured approach can simplify complex topics.
02:25 📚 Focus is crucial for effective studying. This video discusses methods to maintain focus.
02:26 🚀 The concept of motivation is a myth. Discipline is more reliable than waiting for motivation to strike.
02:30 📱 Minimize phone distractions while studying by using the "Do Not Disturb" mode and adding friction to accessing social media apps.
02:39:28 📱 Apps like TomatoTimer, Forest, and simple Google searches for "Pomodoro Timer" can help you implement the Pomodoro Technique.
02:40:54 🎵 When studying, it's best to avoid music with lyrics as they can interfere with your working memory. Instrumental music or silence is more optimal for focused study.
02:43:31 💼 Prioritize your physical and mental health over exams; don't burn out due to excessive study.
02:44:43 🏋️ Maintain a work-life balance, ensuring you continue to exercise and eat well, even during busy study periods.
02:46:10 🤝 Finding the right study group of motivated friends can make studying more enjoyable and productive. Set a structure for your study sessions when studying with friends.
Made with HARPA AI

Amazing video! I’m just only a freshman but I’m dedicated to work hard and make use of the opportunities I have. I will definitely start implementing these techniques in my studying as I’m guilty of passively reading 😅 I’ve recently faced the obstacle of tinnitus and it’s quite annoying but I’m doing my best to get over it and move on.

Thank you so much for this 3 hours video, Ali!

I love how this video is literally applicable to every uni student, no matter what course, like mine being Mechanical Engineering. The transparency and structure, the conciseness of EVERYTHING you need to know about studying effectively and the evidence-backed opinions and information (so it’s not just some flimsy “this worked for me” type of vid) are what make this masterclass spectacular. I appreciate you making it free a lot Ali as in the education system during school you aren’t really ever taught how to actually study, except for the typical, take notes, re-read them and do past papers and make colourful flashcards if you like. Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart from an 18 yo first year student ❤❤❤

Thank you for this milestone! ❤️

Truly appreciate this knowledge sharing, thank you!

Ali, THANK YOU! This is invaluable as a GCSE student. This was completely eye-opening. Thank you for all your amazing resources!

This is literally like Christmas come true, Ali. Thanks so much for your generosity!

Oh my god, thank you so much for posting this video. I liked your other two evidence based videos on active recall and spaced repetition very much and I am sure this video will also benefit a lot of people, me included.

Wow! Ali thank you so much 😭❤❤❤❤❤
I have been following your journey since 2018 and this is so concise.
Thank youuu

Ali you've done it again. This is just what I needed.

Brilliant. A way of thinking about thinking, that questions the way we’ve been conditioned to study and asks why.

Thank you so much! The generosity is seriously appreciated.

Thank you so much! I really need this.

Watched the entire video and made notes out of it. I was working really hard but was not getting the output that I should have. I made it a point to improve the way I was studying. This video was really helpful in this regard. Cannot thank you enough.

Thank you so much for this!!! Sharing this (for free) will help so many students!! Grateful i found your channel years ago!!

I am so beyond grateful for the sincere value you share. Every time i'm running into a challenge I can find guidance in your videos. Listening to all the life-altering advice you have to share is what i've always imagined it's like to have a big brother. Thank you thank you thank you!

Literally life-changing. Thank you, Ali!

Thank you so much Ali for this master piece 😊

Bro you just read my mind my exams just finished and I was damped about my result and was just searching about a study system thank you so much for always being on time!

Putting this video for free needs a great heart, appreciate it.

Watched and made notes out of it. Thank you so much. This was much needed

This is amazing stuff Ali, so insightful and practical thank you so much ❤😊

the most honest, helpful, worth it, no bs channel 😍😍😍 i love you

I dont have words to thank you man... ily ... keep all the good work up ... allot of ppl need and love it

Hey All you are so kind to share this course to us.... Thankyou! ❤😊 .... Loving your channel

thank you so much, starting medical vet school and it helped so much !

Thank you ali. Some of your videos really taught me how to study. Before I found you, I was working hard but still getting called lazy because of the grades

THANKS MAN FOR THIS VID YOU ARE A REAL ONE!!!!

THANK YOU so much for this, Ali!!

So many NEET students here! This is my 2nd drop and I will be sitting for it for the final time next year. Best of luck to you guys and thank you Ali for this video :)

Hi Ali , I have taken skill share subscription all because of you. Loved your final cut pro , stoicism and currently on productivity class. I was so upset to not find your study class there. Now I know you took it and made free. I'm so glad I found it I was happily paying for it but I know there are many who can't. Helping students is one of them most kind deeds. Thanks a lot. Just started this class here.

Thank you for this priceless information!

Can't thank you enough Ali! Life changing advice! Have a great day :))

Ive been studying for my math test, I was listening to this video while studying for it. Im kind of sad that ive finished the video, but im also glad I was able to study for 3 hours. :))

It's for your heart and for video like this that I'm so proud to be here in your channel and be one of your subscribers ❤ you are always AMAZING ❤ thanks Ali, lot of love ❤

This is the best video ever!! Thank you!!

I think learning from corrections is also a great way of learning. Linking all the screenshots of corrections for a topic (this is based on your needs and situation) to one page and understanding where you went wrong

I'm about to start my masters prep and this was much needed !

thank you so so SO much Ali. Curretl watching this , have an exam tomorrow , and im gonna be using these techniques :)

so helpful as always Ali!

I truly appreciate how your generous with your precious informations ❤❤ thank you

You are always amazing Ali, thanks for all of your videos. All of them make me feel motivated. Thanks again Ali

It really means a lot Thanks From the Bottom Of My Heart You Are Really Doing Great Work and It needs to be appreciated 🎉❤

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤ love watching ur videos man... thank you for making this workshop free

Thank you so much for this! Literally only had Skillshare to go back to this course❤

I'm preparing for one of the toughest competitive exams in India and was perplexed how to consolidate and revise and OMFG this dropped off right in time. Ali you're literal gem, love from India. I'll implement them right away and enjoy learning again!❤❤❤

Perfect timing!