My exclusionary study method by Charles

My exclusionary study method by Charles - January 2014 Scholarship Essay

My single most important study tactic would be focusing on the material at hand without being distracted by any other worries, thoughts, or outside influences. If I can manage to take away everything except the study material, it subconsciously emphasizes the importance of the material, making it much easier to consciously recall or subconsciously influence your thinking.

By creating an almost Zen-like area, free of distractions-such as a small room with nothing to look at except my study materials and with no noise to listen to other than my own breathing-my mind naturally tries to find something entertaining to dwell on, and I ensure that the subject I’m studying is the one thing available. This allows me to give my studies my full and undivided attention.

Once I am in the zone, so to speak, where the only thing that exists are my studies, I've found that repetition is the key to retention, free association the key to critical thinking, and cross referencing the key to analytic thinking. By repeatedly reading the same subject matter over and over, it enables my mind to more easily recall the subject matter at a later date. Writing the same material several times also helps with data retention. If the study material calls for extrapolation or critical thinking, letting my mind wander among my other studies often brings a new angle to my current material, enabling a somewhat outside the box solution while still focusing on the core issue. Comparing my current study project to other study or research projects I've completed enables me to analyze my current project while comparing it to other similar or even dissimilar fields of study.

The benefits of exclusionary studying are threefold. First, there are no distractions, allowing me to devote my attention fully to the material at hand without interruption. Second, repetition is a known method of memorization. The third benefit, while hard to quantify it is probably the most important, is by excluding everything else, you force your own mind to understand that this information is important. Consciously being able to use the information learned is good, but having the material influence your subconscious is even better.

It’s a method of exclusion-by excluding everything except the study material, the study material is easy to focus on and remained focused. This exclusion method may not work for everyone, but it has proven itself to work very well for me.