Just Say No to Highlighting

Are the pages of your textbooks nearly completely illuminated in neon ink? After undergraduate and graduate studies, I can definitely remember the satisfaction of highlighting. Something about those pages of color indicates a study job well done! A recent report featured by TIME magazine disagrees. According to researchers, highlighting and underlining were no more helpful to students than simply reading the material. Highlighting was even deemed counterproductive in some studies because it isolated key words and points, which made it difficult for students to see the connections between concepts.

If highlighting is ineffective, what are useful study strategies? Distributed practice was found extremely effective by researchers but it’s a technique that few students employ. Distributed practice involves spreading study sessions out to occur in several smaller chunks of time rather than longer cram sessions. Information is retained longer and a deeper level of learning complex material can be accomplished. Research also supports the use of practice tests to learn material. Students can create their own practice tests, flash cards, and study outlines. The closer the practice tests resemble the actual exams and the conditions, under which students will take them, the more effective this study method can be. Practice tests can be even more helpful if someone other than the student creates them.

Making flashcards and practice tests certainly takes time. At Power Pages, we’re committed to supporting students in every way possible. Contact us today if you’d like to make the most effective use of your study time. We’re happy to read material, make outlines, create online flash cards, or produce practice tests. Several online tools make these collaborations a breeze. Our writers are skilled in a number of disciplines and can create study tools quickly. Save your neon, highlighter colors for your wardrobe and start making the most of your study time today.