The Best Study Tips for Psychology Students

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At a Glance

Using research-backed study strategies can help you deepen your understanding of psychology and succeed as a student.

Psychology classes can be challenging, especially if students have never studied the topic before. Since psychology is such a diverse field, students can become easily overwhelmed by the amount of information they’re expected to learn.

Even an introductory psychology course includes discussions of psychology's philosophical background, social statistics, biological influences, experimental methods, social behavior, personality, research methods, and therapeutic techniques.

Here’s why good study habits are key to mastering new theories and concepts as a psychology student.

Research-Backed Study Methods for Psychology Students

Following a few simple study tips can help you effectively learn new concepts and theories. Creating good study habits won't just help you in your psychology classes, either. These skills and routines will probably come in handy for all your courses.

Make a Study Plan

A study plan is key to staying on track with your learning, whether you’ve got a weekly assignment or a term paper due. At the start of every new class, sit down and come up with a study plan that will lead to success in the course. A little planning now can save you a lot of last-minute stress.

There are a few techniques that can help you plan out your study path.

• Set a timeline: The time you need to study will probably vary depending on the topic, but plan to set aside time each week for reviewing materials from class. At the start of the week, think about the material you need to cover and estimate how long you will need to finish your assignments, readings, and reviews.
• Make a schedule: Ideally, schedule a block of time to devote to each of your courses. Try to set aside a specific time every day to concentrate on your classwork. Stick to your schedule even when you’re busy.
• Use the two-hour rule as a baseline: A general rule of thumb for studying is that for every hour you spend in class, spend two hours of your own time working through the material.

Use Study Techniques Supported by Research

Throughout your education, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to learn what study methods work best for you as a psychology student. If you’re just starting, here are a few evidence-based pointers about studying to keep in mind.

• Think critically about the material: Effective studying is more than just reading the assigned texts and skimming through your notes. You need to think about and analyze what you’re reading to deepen your understanding.
• Take notes as you go: Read through your materials slowly and note the key points as you go. Also, note any questions you have about the subject to discuss with your classmates or course instructor.
• Test yourself: When you've finished an assigned reading, quiz yourself on the material you have just learned. You can ask yourself questions using the elaborative interrogation technique. For example, you can ask yourself why a specific region of the brain is involved in emotional regulation to give yourself a clear path for studying the anatomy and function of the brain. If you struggle with certain questions, make note of these areas for additional study.
• Try self-explanation. To make sure you fully understand the definitions of words and concepts you’re learning about, try putting them into your own words and teaching yourself what they mean.
• Summarize the main points: Once you have worked your way through the material, ask yourself what the main concepts are. Review these ideas often as you study.
• Repeated retrieval. Research suggests that if you remember material that you’ve learned multiple times, it’s more effective than just trying to retrieve the information once.
• Space out study sessions. Rather than trying to fit all your studying into a single session, try spacing out your study sessions at various times over multiple days. Research suggests this method is more useful than cramming the night before a test.
• Interleaved practice. While you can dedicate a single study session to one concept, you can also try working on related ideas during the same study session.
• Engage all your senses. You may find that you typically have a certain style of learning that works best—for example, some people need to hear things to learn well, while others prefer to see material. You may find that a combination of learning styles works best, like listening to a recording of a lecture and mind-mapping out your notes with diagrams and charts.

Make Class Time Count

At the start of every new semester, plan for how you’ll make the most of your in-class time. The time spent with your instructors and fellow students is just as important as the study time you have on your own—if not more so.

• Prepare for class: Read the assigned chapters before you show up for class. Complete any assignments, projects, and pre-tests, and be ready to talk about them.
• Be ready to take part: If you come to each class with a solid understanding of the material, you will be better able to take part in class discussions.
• Listen to others: It’s not only important to listen to your professor or lecturer; you also want to pay attention to what your classmates are saying. They may have ideas that differ from yours and can expand your understanding of the topics you’re learning about or see them in a new light.
• Take good notes: Your psychology class notes should be a summary of what you learned in class, not a transcription of everything that your instructor or classmates discussed. Learn how to take brief but effective notes that summarize what was said and leave you with the key takeaways.

Work With Others

To make sure you can fully focus on the material, study on your own at first. After you’ve gotten a bit more comfortable with the material, find others who you can study with.

• Find a group: Review sessions with classmates or joining a study group can be a great way to make studying more engaging. They can be especially helpful if you need to refresh your knowledge of the material before a quiz or exam.
• Teach others: One way to gauge your understanding of a topic is by trying to teach someone else about it. You can practice teaching concepts and definitions to your group study mates or enlist a friend to be your “student."

Examples of Good Study Strategies

Here are a few examples of how you can use research-backed study techniques as a psychology student:

• If you’re learning about theories of development, keep a running list as you go. Once you’ve got the basics down, go back to your list regularly over the next couple of weeks and practice remembering each theory.
• Use flashcards to quiz yourself on key psychology terminology you expect will be on a test.
• Map out a study plan using the two-hour rule. For example, if you have a two-hour lecture in cognitive science each week, schedule two hours of study time to go over your notes and assigned readings.
• Create charts, mind maps, or other visuals of the study material to help you see it in a new way. You may find that the visuals help you uncover connections you hadn’t made before between concepts. These connections can also serve as memory “hacks” that make it easier for you to remember what you’ve learned.
• Once you’ve covered the material and tested yourself, ask a friend if you can teach them about it. Note any areas where you make mistakes or struggle to explain a concept. This will help you get a sense of where your understanding of a topic isn’t strong.

What to Do If You Have to Cram Before a Test

You have probably been told hundreds of times that cramming is not an effective way to study. That said, even students with a plan and good study habits may eventually be in the position of needing to cram the night before a test.

Expert Tip

Tara Kuther, PhD, a graduate school expert, has a handy reference guide with tips for how to cram for an exam. Kuther suggests prioritizing the topics you are going to study, reviewing class notes and required readings, and answering questions about the material in your own words.

You don’t want to make a habit of cramming, but you can use a last-minute study session effectively to review notes and organize your thoughts.

Here are a few tips for cramming:

• Prioritize and make a study plan: Create a quick outline of the topics that will most likely be on the exam. Put a star next to the subjects that are giving you the most trouble, and study those topics first. Then, move on to the material that you are more familiar with to give yourself a quick refresher.
• Don't take on too much: Trying to learn an entire semester's worth of material in one night is an impossible task. Instead of attempting to cover every single thing in the text, focus on the material that is most likely to be on the test. A quick rule of thumb: if your instructor talked about it in class, it is very likely to show up on an exam. Use your class notes as a guide for what to focus on.
• Get some sleep: It might be tempting to stay up all night and learn as much of the material as you possibly can, but this strategy can backfire. You’ll just end up exhausted and burned out, which will not put you in the right headspace for your exam. Study as much as you reasonably and effectively can, then get some uninterrupted sleep the night before your exam. If you need more study time, you can wake up early the next morning and review the materials one more time before you test.

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By Kendra Cherry, MSEd
Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."