Studying Tips for People with ADHD
Your emotional state dictates how motivated you are to study
Positive emotional state .. hyper focused, easy to retain material
Negative emotional state .. easily distracted and hard to retain, let alone connect information together.
Read ahead
Write your own notes
Create a book with from your own notes
Create questions to ask the instructor
Update your notes during the lecture
Externalize examples, where possible.
Create visual examples
Use a 3 ring binder to build your book
Use loose leaf paper to update book pages as needed.
If you are savy enough, transcribe your notes into a computer and print them.
Use an electronic tablet to write your notes into.
... I use a MobiScribe ... It has the longest battery life available, and uses a paper white screen, that is also back lit.
Using pen and paper involves more brain cells in the memorization process than does recording and listening.
Send your notes to the instructor or a TA or Tutor for review
Print QR codes for important websites so that you can link to them via phone quickly.
Locate websites that explain various topics you need.
Do the home work assignments.
Many sites are now providing the steps to complete the assignments so that you don't have to rely on the instructors notes.
Math .. check slader dot com
Relate the material to existing knowledge you have as best as possible.
Reorganize the material so that it makes sense to you.
... As I'm a computer programmer first, I try to reorient math into programs, and build graphs using HTML and JavaScript ...
Identify the holes in your knowledge by doing the homework before the lecture.
Work through problems pre and post lecture.
Create a quiz for yourself to test your knowledge of the material just before a test.
Teach the topic to others, if you can, even if it's through a youTube channel.
Instructors show ... Technique, Strategy, Theory and Process ... but only test on 1 of these 4. Identify which of these and study for those types of tests.
Technique .. is a method by which to solve a specific problem
Strategy .. is a method by which you figure out which technique you should use to solve a problem.
Theory ... used a lot in math based subjects ... requires the student to derive technique or processes by invoking logic to move through a series of steps to get from one technique to another.
Process ... is the steps needed to complete a task.
... ex of process .. bake a cake
.. ex of technique .. how to sift the flower to insure a light and fluffy cake
... ex of strategy ... different types of flower you can use to bake a cake, or other ingredients
... ex of theory .. what makes cakes light and fluffy
What ever time the instructor thinks you need to complete the home work assignments, triple it. Esp, if it's a topic you can't readily relate to existing knowledge.
Play the right music while you're studying
Play the same music while taking a test
If your instructor allows for notes during tests, curate you notes specifically to solve the problems on your pre test quiz
Use Prep Quizzes to determine how much time you need to complete problems.
Use friends and reminders to prompt you to study
Join a study group
Doodle
Study while walking or cleaning or doing something physical, if needed
Keep snacks and sweets near by to feed your brain sugar and caffeen
Take rewarding breaks, like eating chocolate after studying through a difficult problem.
Use a white board in an empty room to explaining your subject to an invisible audience out loud, writing major concepts on the board in different colors.
Experiment with WHERE you study
Cars can be great places to study .. comfy seats, surround sound, temperature controlled